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1 Voice Of Unity
A psychological
insight
PAGE 12-13
The associated sins
PAGE 7
[And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united
their hearts, but Allah united them, surely He is Mighty, Wise] (8:63)
Volume 4, Issue 4 March-April 1999
“And proclaim to mankind (the duty of)
pilgrimage; they will come to you on foot and
on every lean camel; coming from every
remote path”. Holy Quran
(22:27)
One main attribute
of Islam is that it
raises the status of
man, and asserts
his high position
as the viceroy of
the creator and the
bes t o f a l l
c r e a t u r e s .
Mankind revives
the earth and the
souls by construction and faith, while honouring
the religiously ordained duties. Islam orders
fulfilling of divine obligations, and makes it
compulsory for the keeping of prayer, fasting,
and the performance of Hajj, and jihad..etc.
Hajj is indeed a source of guidance and
innumerable benefits and interests, and a
stronghold of defence and uprightness. Allah,
the Most High, ordains Hajj so that the ummah
of the Seal of the prophets remains the bearer of
the monotheistic
banner to achieve
the unity of
h u m a n i t y :
freedom, equality,
justice, security,
w e l f a r e ,
b r o t h e r h o o d ,
s t ab i l i t y and
prosperity.
Hajj is a
d i s ch a r ge o f
Allah‟s dues, and
for mankind a tour of the body, a journey of the
soul, a unification of the ummah and the
dissemination of monotheism. In it there are
short term benefits of this world, and the
everlasting benefits of the Hereafter. Extract from ‘The Hajj as worship and
Ruqqayah and Arifa
Mohammedi
PAGES 4-6
2 Voice Of Unity
vision that I offer thee in
sacrifice…’(The son) said:
‘Oh my father! Do as thou
art commanded: Thou will
find me, If God so wills one
practising patience and
constancy!’ 37:102 His son
Ismai l ‟ s unques t ion ing
acceptance proved (like that of
his father) to be that of a
sincere worshipper willing to
sacrifice this world for the
Hereafter. Allah (SWT)
rewarded this acceptance by
substituting a sheep for
Prophet Ismail (PBUH).
It is in remembrance of
this sincere accepting attitude
that Muslims at Hajj slaughter
a sheep. Whilst Hajj itself
bears witness to the devotion
of millions of Muslims world
wide in undertaking a
strenuous pilgrimage with the
sincere intention of pleasing
the Almighty.
Sacr i f i ce i s no t
uncommon to Imam Hussein
(AS) who (along with his
family) was slaughtered on the
desert plains of Kerbala in
Muharram. A tragic sacrifice
that is still revered today, has
in turn served to reaffirm the
Imam‟s sincere belief‟s in
Allah (SWT)‟s orders. Belief
in upholding the truth of
justice over oppression. By
annually remembering the
tragedy of Kerbala, Muslims
world wide are consciously
subscribing to the Islamic
notion of sincere and devout
truth conquering falsehood.
Sincerity and sacrifice
thus remain everlasting
Islamic concepts from time
immaterial , which are
incumbent on us to uphold
w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e
Insha‟Allah.
Sr.Duha Al-Wakeel Editor
Editorial
The Virtues of Hajj
Selected Sayings of Imam Jaffer As-Sadiq (AS)
‘Hajj is the Jihad of the weak‟
‘He who is not prevented from the Hajj by an
obvious necessity, a tyrannical ruler or a disease
which confines him (or her) at home and dies
without having performed the Hajj, might as well die
a Jew or a Christian”.
“So long as the Kaba is secure, so is the religion”.
“And move into Allah's security, His shade and
protection, His help to you to attain your goal of
entering the sanctuary, and entering the House while
deeply knowing the greatness of its owner, His
Highness and Omnipotence”.
“If anyone of you had amounts of gold as huge as
Abu-Qubais (a mountain in Arabia) and spent it in
the way of Allah, its reward would never be equal to
the reward of Hajj (from Allah). A dirham disbursed
by the pilgrims is worth 2000 dirhams in the way of
Allah.”
A question asked to the Imam “Why does Allah
order His servants to perform Hajj, and
circumambulate around the Kaba?”
Imam(AS) replied “Allah has created His servants
and instructed them how to obey Him through the
performance of religious duties. He has made Hajj a
gathering in which people from the East and the
West participate and become acquainted with one
another, Every single one of them benefits from the
experiences of others who come from different
places”.
Assalamu alaykum brothers
and sisters and welcome to
your March/April issue of
Voice of Unity. The articles
this issue range from reports
on IUS events to articles
demonstrative of the Islamic
time of year, encompassing
different yet informative
angles on Hajj and Muharram.
Looking back into
history, this time of year is one
that is symbolic of sincerity
and sacrifice. Nevertheless
these notions of sincerity and
sacrifice are not to be left in
the past; rather it is our
adherence to them now that
reaffirms the eternal strength
of Islam as a way of life for all
people of all times.
P r o p h e t I b r a h i m
(PBUH)‟s sincere devotion to
the Almighty was so that he
was willing to sacrifice his
very own son in response to
Allah‟s commandments. “He
said: ‘Oh my son! I see in
3 Voice Of Unity
Sr. Shanaz Iqbal
International Relations simply put is the
study of interstate behaviour- covering
international obligations and ethics, diplomacy,
conflict and national interest. It is an
interdisciplinary subject, in that some knowledge
of history, geography, political theory,
economics, and international law, is always
regarded as necessary for a proper understanding
of the multi-dimensionality of international
relationships.
Its concern is with the general rather than
the unique; its methodology is more analytical
than chronological; and its approach more
diagnostic than prescriptive. It lacks the
linguistic precision of the physical and biological
sciences, and many of its key concepts are
ambiguous and/or personified abstractions. This
gives rise to a „level of analysis problem‟ (so you
study not just state and interstate behaviour but
also individual behaviour); and makes essential
the elucidation of concepts so there is
considerable linguistic analysis - for example,
what is meant by the „state‟, „power‟ or
‘International society‟.
IR is essentially examined through the
theories of three broad schools of thought;
Realism, Rationalism and Revolutionism. For
Realists IR is characterised by conflict and
struggle, as each state attempts to secure its
objectives often at the expense of others, with
the only constraints being superior force,
prudence and expediency. This school covers the
works of Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes and
Morgenthau. The Rationalists, such as Grotius,
Locke, Mills, and Woodrow Wilson, see IR as an
amalgam of conflict and co-operation, with
orderly and accepted procedures for regular
intercourse. For Revolutionists such as Kant,
Rousseau, Marx, and Lenin, IR is a reflection of
a transitional conflict between the supporters of a
potential community of humankind and their
opponents, whom it was necessary to convert or
destroy in the interest of „justice‟.
IR is not a subject that you can „learn‟,
there are no right
or wrong answers
only convincing
arguments. Thus a
lot of reading and
a n a l y s i s i s
involved. You
soon begin to
r e a l i s e t h a t
nothing is quiet as
clear as it might seem, as you begin to grasp a
concept as other perceptions and variables are
introduced and you begin the process of analysis
again.
Individual subjects covered within IR
include Public International Law; Structure of
International Society; Politics of International
Economic Relations; International Political
Theory; Foreign Policy Analysis; International
Institution etc. Issues such as feminism, post-
modernism; morality; change; intervention;
nationalism, development and war are also
covered.
For many, acquiring an understanding and
knowledge of the complexities of IR, as well as,
the ability to reduce such a study to manageable
proportions, presents an exciting intellectual
challenge. On a political level, a thorough
understanding of the political and economic
ways of the world can be put to the services of a
country, or cause, or be used to find an antidote
to some perceived ills such as war, Third World
debt, environmental degradation etc. On a
personal level with its twin focus on perceptions
as well as reality it can be a vehicle for greater
self awareness, an avenue towards a career in
diplomacy; international organisations or
businesses; the media; teaching and research.
Academic
4 Voice Of Unity
Syeda Tatheer Zahra Shamsi
“An essential condition for understanding the
Holy Quran is the knowledge of the language
of the heart.” The relationship of the human
heart with the Holy Book of Allah (SWT) was
the core of the lecture given by Brother Shams
Kanani at SOAS, University of London on
Friday 22nd January 1999. Br Kanani‟s address
was part of the dedicated effort of the IUS to
revere the Holy
words of the
Almighty. The IUS
Second Quranic
Seminar granted its
a u d i e n c e a n
opportunity to bear
witness to the
spectacular abilities
possessed by two
sisters, Ruqayyah
a n d A r i f a
Muhammadi.
The t r emendous under tak ing
coordinated by the IUS enabled these
scholarly young ladies to project the
extraordinary strength with which they are
blessed, to a large group of expectant
mo’mineen. In his opening speech the IUS
Chairman Brother Dr Zafar Naqvi noted the
good fortune of the organisation in being able
to host a forum with these distinguished guests
from Iran. Br Zafar also discussed the first
Quranic Seminar the IUS had arranged as well
as two notable Annual Conferences. After the
introductory recitation of the Holy Quran by
Bother Dr Mohsen al-Rashed, Br Shams
Kanani established the foundation for the illu
minating depiction of complete reliance on the
Holy Quran with his powerful glorification of
the Holy Book.
Br Kanani was successful in creating a
spiritual deference in all present, which
engaged them in the appreciation of what was
to come. Beginning with a du’a of Imam Zayn
-ul-Abideen (AS), Br Kanani introduced the
impact of the
governance of the
Holy Quran by
emphasizing its
status. Examples of
traditions from the
H o l y P r o p h e t
(SAW) and Imam
Ali (AS) ensued
which presided over
the discussion as the
definitive guidance
towards the fulfillment of the commands of
Allah (SWT). The speaker reiterated the
necessity of the study of the Holy Quran and
pointed to its dominance in world history. He
informed the participants of pivotal debates on
the unprecedented influence of the Holy Book
on the destiny of human society.
A particularly invigorating aspect of the
presentation was the elucidation of the very
pertinent articles of Shaheed Murtadha
Mutahhari published fifteen years hence in
Tauhid magazine. Elaborating on the topic,
Uniqueness of the Holy Quran, the brother
gave an authoritative account of the
classification adopted by the great a’lim. This
illustration encompassed the process of
authentication, analysis, and consideration of
Quran
5 Voice Of Unity
sources; as well as extending to the essential
precursors to the study of the Quran al-Hakim.
Captivating listeners with his
conscientious enthusiasm, Br Kanani
propounded the notion of one additional,
imperative requirement which would qualify
the faithful to assume study of the Holy
Quran. An exploration of the eminence of the
language of the heart was supported by many
Quranic revelations addressing the heart. Br
Kanani wondered
a t t h e
i n a u s p i c i o u s
current practices
ensconced in the
t r a d i t i o n o f
e d u c a t i o n
provision devoid
of the genuine
a r t i c l e . T h e
l e c t u r e
maintained its
distinction by
ending with the curative words of one who has
been endowed with the very mastery of the
Holy Quran, Imam Ali (AS).
The second half of the programme was
skillfully managed by Brother Mustafa Jaffer
in which he introduced the highlight of the
evening: the gifted young devotees of the
Holy Book of Allah. In fact the ladies were
keen to acquaint the listeners with their
background themselves. Sister Ruqayyah
delighted those present with her short message
prepared in English, as she had no knowledge
of the language only a week prior to the event.
She announced her age, ten years, and her
country, the Islamic Republic of Iran. She
revealed that she had started memorising the
Holy Quran at the age of three years and had
become hafizah by the age of six years
Alhamdulillah. Furthermore she declared her
knowledge of six hundred categories of the
Holy Quran. Sister Arifa, who is eighteen
years old, informed the audience of her
miraculous achievement in memorising the
entire Holy Quran in a space of five months.
She described how the impetus was provided
by her initial endeavour
in studying the Holy
Book to enable her to
assist her younger
sister.
Br Jaffer invited
the audience to
contribute to the
session which was to
feature the sisters
engaging in six
scrupulously testing,
variant manipulations
of their vast knowledge base. For the first
demonstration volunteers were required to
suggest any Surah and Ayah of the Holy
Quran. The sisters then proceeded to
alternately produce an exposition of the Surah
including where it was revealed, the position
of the selected verse on the page, the total
number of verses on that page and the verses
beginning and ending the page. The sisters can
successfully accomplish this exercise within a
span of one hundred pages. Brother
Mohammed al-Hilli and others facilitated
audience participation by operating
the computer system displaying the Holy
Quran on screen, proportionate to the one the
Quran
6 Voice Of Unity
young ladies have been used to revising from.
(continued from page 5)
The next stage constituted identification of the
Surah and Ayah from being advised of simply
the page number. Once again, an impeccable
parenthetic commentary preceded the
recitation, verifying the acclaimed stature of
the sisters.
As the observers of this extensive feat
uttered praise to the Almighty, the young
ladies offered further evidence of amazing
diversity which is integral to their exhaustive
capabilities. The task of methodically reciting
t h e
beginning
verse of
one page
a n d
b r i s k l y
m o v i n g
to the last
verse of
the next
page was
repeated
s e v e r a l
times.
Their remarkable capacity for flexibility
was rigorously tried in the next phase which
comprised stating the location of two verses
which would be given to them. Knowledge of
the top and bottom verse numbers on a page
will elicit the page number, information about
the number of verses on the page, and
recitation of the first few verses.
As the computer had only just caught up
with their speedy progression, they were
advancing apace with their subsequent
mission, affirming their mesmerising
adaptability. This involved chronological
forward and backward recitation of verses
from a given verse. As always this was
augmented by an interpretation of the verses
in Farsi, with Sr Ruqayyah commanding a
magnificent clarity of expression. Br Jaffer
provided the English translation, which also
appeared on screen.
Br Jaffer had adeptly channelled the
knowledge these young ladies brought with
them for the benefit of the faithful. He steered
the inordinate, often complex mechanisms in
action to a gradual cessation. The sisters
concluded with an inspirational classification
of Surah and Ayah relating to any requested
subject matter, general or specific.
Br Jaffer made explicit his desire for all
present to emulate these gifted young ladies
and aspire to train themselves for attaining
hafiz status. He prayed that Allah (SWT)
increase their abilities. The listeners marvelled
for the
final time
a t S r
Ruqayyah‟s perseverance as she executed the
physically demanding, immensely difficult
professional recitation of the Holy Quran. The
appreciation of effect and perspicuity
emanating from one so young was indicative
of the discipline and tenacity surely required
of her.
Sr Ruqayyah selected prize-winners
from the entries for the IUS Quranic quiz. Br
Zafar announced the winners and the correct
responses. He urged all present to circulate the
impression of the events they had seen and
heard, and communicated the need for
promotion of unity between Muslims.
Furthermore, Br Zafar left the audience with
the stark reminder that the recitation,
interpretation and memorisation of the Holy
Quran is widespread among followers of the
Ahlul-Bayt, with the honoured guests of the
day testifying to the potential of non-
ma’soomeen for excelling through this
practice.
Quran
7 Voice Of Unity Ethics
Unfortunately another common wrongdoing of
the tongue is that of bickbiting, that is to say
anything about one‟s Muslim brother/sister
which they dislike, even if it may be true.
Although common, backbiting is an extremely
grave sin because it is one that is not easily
forgiven. The messenger of Allah (SAW) said:
’Backbiting is worse than fornication‟ and it
was said „Oh Rasulullaah, why is that so?‟ he
said „The fornicator repents then Allah
forgives, and the person who backbites repents
but Allah does not forgive him until the one
who was being talked about first forgives‟.
It is often said that Islam has been sent
to protect against oppression and victimisation,
and this can be clearly seen in the case of
backbiting, as Allah (SWT) will not forgive he
who backbites unless the victim first forgives
him. Not only this, the victim of backbiting is
also given some of the good deeds of his
oppressor which are added to his scale. Allah
(SWT) considers the act of backbiting so vile
that He has likened it to eating the flesh of the
dead brother/sister. If a person backbites
another and what is said is not true then this
constitutes to Buhtaan or slander. Slander is a
truly malicious act for which there is no excuse.
This is because it is incumbent upon every
Muslim to safeguard the honor and reputation
of his Muslim brother/sister, no matter how
much stigma there may be between them. Like
lying, backbiting and slander have detrimental
effects on society, and ties of family and
friendship can be damaged as a result.
The only way we can distance ourselves
from the described sins of the tongue is if we
take heed of the advice given to us by the last
prophet (SAW), „Whoever believes in Allah
and the last day should speak good or keep
quiet‟. We should be wary of excessive vain
talk since it is under such circumstances that we
are likely to slip up. Secondly, it is important
that we are alert and remember that every word
said is registered and has a consequence. It is
necessary to think before speaking in order to
analyse whether our speech can be construed in
any way offensive. In this way we will slowly
be trained to speak more intelligently with
Sr. Oola Ajina
“Not a word is uttered except that there is a
watcher by him ready to record it” (Surat
Qaf 50:18)
Allah (SWT) has given mankind a small lump
of muscle with which words can be articulated
and speech is made possible. However with this
gift of speech, Allah (SWT) has warned humans
that everything uttered shall be recorded by the
two angels (Kiramal Katibeen), and man will be
rewarded accordingly: "…Then anyone who
has done an atoms weight of good shall see it,
And anyone who has done an atoms weight of
bad shall see it” (Suratul-zalzalah 99:7-8)
The tongue is a great blessing which has
the potential to be a key for obedience to Allah
(SWT), as well as being a tool of
communication. Nevertheless, if used
incorrectly, the tongue may also be instrumental
in individual and social breakdown since it may
be used for sins such as lying, backbiting and
slander. In either case, good or bad, the tongue
is an expression of ones heart, and so if a person
is in the routine of using foul language and
speaking ill of others then this is often a close
insight to their spiritual state.
Allah (SWT) has made the tongue very
easy to move, and so a lot of effort is required in
controlling it. Indeed many of the people that
shall enter hellfire will do so due to the
consequences of their tongues. One of the
misdeeds of the tongue is lying. A lie is any
untruth, and since Islam is the religion of truth,
lying is a major sin. The danger of lying is that
it only needs for a person to lie once and get
away it for that person to be drawn into the habit
of the sin. In Islam, the concept of a „white lie‟
does not exist, and so the principle of
punishment is the same no matter how
meaningless the lie may be. Many lies are
unintentional and often stem from exaggerations
of the truth. Although the precise reasons as to
why people lie are much varied, many lies can
be attributed to freeing ones self from blame or
in order to increase popularity. It has been
reported that the prophet of Allah (SAW) said:
‘Woe to him who speaks falsehood in order to
make people laugh. Woe to him!‟
8 Voice Of Unity
education” by Al-Balagh Foundation.
‘Hajj-My personal experience‟....Pages 8-9
When the idea of Hajj was mentioned to me, I
was a little apprehensive at first. I had never
visited an Islamic country before and knew not
what to expect. However, the more I read and
spoke to people, the more I began to warm to
the idea. Suddenly our tickets were booked and
we were going to the Holy Lands. I couldn‟t
believe that we were actually going. I kept
having to ask my parents if it was true, just in
case I was dreaming, but I was not. We were
really going to the House of God.
Once we had checked in at the airport,
we sat waiting for our flight to be announced.
As I sat, I noticed our group‟s banner. It read
“Al Asr Hajj Group - At the Service of Allah‟s
Guests”. I hadn‟t really thought of myself as a
guest of Allah until that point and the very
thought filled me with renewed excitement.
With du‟a book in one hand and
boarding pass in the other, we entered a waiting
lounge, but it was only a few minutes before we
could board the plane. I frantically searched for
my “du‟a when boarding a means of transport”
and recited it as we embarked. We quickly
found our seats, secured our hand luggage in the
compartments above us and strapped ourselves
in. At this point, I accepted that every Muslim‟s
dream was fast becoming my reality.
Two hours of standing in a queue at
Medina airport that was moving at a snail‟s
pace, having my passport checked over a dozen
times and waiting while our luggage was
searched left me exhausted. The next stop was
our hotel and I couldn‟t wait. After some
confusion, we finally got to what was to be our
home for the next few days: nine in a room with
eighteen women sharing one bathroom, no bed
to sleep on, just a thin mattress and a tiny fridge
to hold all the drinks we could squeeze into it.
Not exactly five star accommodation but I felt it
was luxury compared to that of pilgrims of
earlier years.
Sr. Sabera Bhimani The next morning I awoke to the sound
of Adhaan. It was such a wonderful feeling and
I wished that it was possible back home.
Hurriedly I got ready, and we proceeded to the
mosque for fajr namaaz. I saw people literally
running to answer the call of prayer, a great
advantage of living in an Islamic country, I felt.
The mosque itself was beautiful, with
domes and minarets at every corner. Of course I
realised that extensive reconstruction had taken
place, but still was mesmerised by the
magnificence of it all, particularly at night.
After some exploration, the group gathered to
pay our respects to the Imams buried at Jannatul
-Baqi. The extent of the damage to the
graveyard was clearly visible and it was
upsetting to see that the resting place of such
holy figures had been reduced to rubble.
Our time in Medina was spent visiting
the shrine of the Holy Prophet with morning and
evening prayers made at Masjid-un-Nabi, as
well as making as making excursions to holy
places of interest. These included Majlis-e-
Quba, the first mosque in Medina and Masjid-e-
Quiblatain. I was grateful for the scores of
History lessons that I had had at madressa which
provided me the background to the great
monuments.
Unfortunately our time in Medina soon
came to an end and after a farewell visit to the
Prophet‟s mosque, our group mounted a coach
on its way to Mecca via Masjid-e-Shajara where
we would don our Ihram. Washing facilities
were available so that we could perform our
ghusals. Once in Ihram, the famous “25 things”
were now forbidden to us as our pilgrimage had
begun. The rest of the journey to Mecca took
several hours. The men had to ride in an open
air bus and recitation of the talbiyah continued
for most of the way.
On our first night in Mecca, we
performed the first part of our wajib Hajj - Umra
-e-Tamattu. As we approached one of the many
entrances to the holy Ka‟ba, our group leader
explained meeting points and times to us, but I
did not hear him, I was too busy remembering
Hajj
9 Voice Of Unity
my niyyats, various du‟as and supplications as
well as trying to contain my excitement.
Once the group was ready, we proceeded
through “Baab-us-Salaam” the “gate of peace”,
considered the best entrance into the Haram. I
noticed that below us was a long corridor and
people were running up and down it. I later
found out that they were performing Sa‟iy as
they ran between Safa and Marwa. I
remembered as a child imagining the two
mountains to be in a desert area with hot sand
under ones feet and even hotter sun in the sky
above. I became a little disheartened, for the
cool marble floor, air conditioning and elaborate
lighting made me feel as if I was cheating in
some way. Nevertheless, I continued walking
and them my eyes fell upon it…The House of
God.
I was filled with indescribable feelings.
No picture I had ever seen captured the beauty
and magnificence of that was now before me but
there was no time to dwell on the grandeur of it
all, as we were all eager to begin the tawaf.
The tawaf was harder than I had thought
and my movements were often the result of
being swept along with the crowds. I felt that
those who were alone were most peaceful as
they did not have to worry about chains being
broken or losing members of their group.
Following the tawaf, two raka‟ats of namaaz
must be offered as near as possible to Maqam-e-
Ibrahim but it was difficult to find a place where
your head would not be accidentally stepped on
whilst in sajdah. The next act was to perform,
was Sa‟iy. This again was difficult and I was
indeed grateful for the smooth floor and
ventilation. The paths were packed from wall to
wall and it was near impossible to touch Safa or
Marwa with your foot. On the seventh length,
ending at Marwa, Taqseer is performed. That
snipping off a few hairs from my head or
clipping a nail or two, marked the end or Umrah
-e-Tamattu and incurred a great sense of
satisfaction, joy and immense well being within
me.
On my second evening visit to the
Haram, I went exploring. Several flights of
escalators took me to the very top and I
witnessed an almighty sight. Waves of people
floated around the Ka‟aba and I realised that I
was another drop in that great white sea.
On the third night, amazingly, I was able
to touch the Ka‟aba and offer two raka‟ats of
namaaz there. The space just seemed to appear
and I had plenty of room to perform sajdah with
no one trampling on my head or feet. It was
also tonight that I saw and touched Maqam-e-
Ibrahim. This was very important to me, but
unfortunately I didn‟t quite make it to Hajr-e-
Aswad.
The rest of the days were spent in much
the same way, in ibadaat and exploration. We
often spent the entire night at the Haram, just
praying and watching and then sleeping it off
the next day.
The time soon came for the second part
of our pilgrimage, Hajj-e-Tamattu, and after
Ihram, the next wajiba‟at was to stay at the plain
of Arafa‟at from Zohr until sunset. I had heard
stories of intense heat here, but our shelter was
very effective in providing shade, and our diet
of fresh fruit and cold juices was refreshing. I
had read that it was mustahab to stand for the
entire wuqoof and intended to do this, but I
often found myself sitting on the floor and
having to pick myself up again.
Dawn to sunrise is spent collecting
stones at Muzdalifah. I had read that this was
the place where elephants of Abraha had been
struck down by birds sent by Allah (SWT) as
narrated in Suratul-feel and thought that maybe,
those were the very stones.
I needed to strike the “big Shaytan”
seven times, then each of them seven times, then
seven times again, that meant forty nine. As I
was collecting for my mother, who was not well
enough to do so, this number was doubled to
ninety eight, but ever cautious I added a few
more to account for any “misses”.
Our next stop was Mina. The first task
was to strike the Jammarat-al-Aqba (the big
Shaytan) seven times. Huge crowds surround
the Jammarat and in an attempt to get closer, I
lost one of my slippers. I could not see over the
tall men in front of me and did not want to waste
my stones, but I was determined to strike the
Shaytan myself and followed one of the sisters
in the group. The trick was to keep your head
down and suddenly I was as close to the Shaytan
as I had been to the Ka‟aba. With perfect aim
Hajj
10 Voice Of Unity Ethics
Sr. Duha Al-Wakeel
London Paddington, seven thirty am
on a Saturday morning – that sounded too
early for my liking! Who would have
thought that after a typically long strenuous
week I would have the energy to be there at
such an early hour? Well I made it there
alhamdulilah (just about!) as did the thirty
five or so other IUS members who had
decided to swap the smog of London for the
salt sea air of Swansea for a day.
The train journey was pleasant full of
country sights, with tea, coffee and chats
among friends. Arriving at Swansea we were
taken by coach to a local mosque, where we
had an opportunity to pray Zuhr and Asr
prayers and have some lunch.
With the brothers downstairs eating,
some of us sisters decided to sneak off up the
road to the reputable „Joe‟s‟ ice cream parlour
that was conveniently situated a stone throw‟s
walk away. As according to one of the IUS
members no visit to Swansea was complete
without a visit to „Joe‟s‟ so we had to test out
her claim and thus we returned to the mosque
bearing chocolate and vanilla sundaes.
After lunch provided by our hosts (and
our ice cream!) we set off in the coach to the
coast of Rhossili Bay. Most surprisingly the
weather was quite good alhamdulilah and it
was not as cold or dreary as I had expected.
There was some mist, though that seemed to
fade in finely as part of the setting.
The view of the horizon in itself was
relaxing, though trekking up and down the
cliff edge was not so. The sandy shores and
misty mountains reminded us of the
tranquillity to be found outside of inner
suburbia; whilst also demonstrating the variety
of Allah (SWT)‟s creation.
Whether taking photo‟s, paddling,
collecting shells, drawing shapes in the sand
or merely strolling up and down the beach
everyone was at ease and grateful for a day
away. Too soon though it was time to go, we
had a train to catch and it was back to
Swansea Railway station for the six thirty to
London Paddington.
Exhausted but content it
had been a pleasing opportunity
to enjoy a subsidised day out
with other IUS members. A
mentally rejuvenating Eid trip
symbolic of Eid as a day away
f r o m t y p i c a l m a t e r i a l
commitments, a day in the
company of other Muslim
friends, demonstrated in the
conversation and laughter to be
heard amongst IUS members.
11 Voice Of Unity Psychology
Allah(SWT) says in the Quran:- „We shall
show them our signs in the horizons(universe)
and within themselves until it becomes clear to
them that He is the Truth, the Real’ . Allama
Iqbal, the greatest philosopher and thinker of
century, wrote in his poem “Asrar-I-
Khudi” :„…A person who knows and controls
himself rules the world‟
We must really think about these things
as followers of the Ahlul-Bait, as followers we
must set the best possible example when we
are spreading the deen of Allah. To guide
others to the truth and the path of true light,
we must be correct ourselves first, be like the
Imams(AS) as they are undoubtedly
exemplary human beings. If we cannot do this
then we cannot call ourselves „followers‟, as
Imam Jaffer As-Sadiq (AS) called those
people „Rafidaa’ or „rejecters‟ who didn‟t
follow the teachings of the Imams in its
entirety. So it is very important that we equip
ourselves, utilise, ponder over and understand
the teachings of the Ahlul-Bait in all aspects
and all dimensions, by doing so we will
Inshallah be elevated to the highest of spiritual
values.
The above information that I have
provided is only general information as each
aspect of the topics involved only is covered
briefly. The object of this article is provide
some insight and an angle of approach (and
only a personal opinion) of how we can aim
to become better human beings through
understanding ourselves though understanding
our minds, and hence our goal in our lives is
to ascend toward the most natural and humane
state, that is , to practise our deen in its
entirety and to worship the Almighty, who
provides us with inspiration:
‘Oh my servants! Obey me and you can be like
me. You can say to a thing ‘be’ and it is’.
_ _ _
Br. Zileyh Hassnane Shah
Level of beliefs is determined by how
much work is done on nurturing the mind/
intellect through the type of knowledge that is
Haq (truth). One of the laws of Physics states
that „work is done when an application of force
moves an object through distance x‟. i.e. work
is done in order to move an object from an
initial position to a final position, destination,
goal. The literal meaning is intact but if we
analyse this law and apply it specifically, we
see that work has to be done to increase our
power of intellect; and work has to be done
when a soul strives towards submission, haq
and to establish his/her final and ultimate goal:
connection and close proximity to Allah
(SWT).
Psychological investigations have been
made show that man at certain point of his
lifetime is able to understand something by
intuition. In Islam this kind of intuition is
known as inspiration from Allah (SWT). At
this state the human mind is able to discover
certain facts without logical reasoning or
thinking and without guidance from someone
else. Every individual has been given this
power in different degrees according to his/her
capacity. It is thought that every individual has
the ability to reach the highest degree of this
state. The power of the Imams to receive
inspiration have reached the highest degree of
excellence and this is Divinely given power.
With this Divinely given power the Imams are
able to maintain and understand information
about anything, anywhere at anytime without
any methodological reasoning or guidance from
teacher. The Imams knew every atom of the
universe. Therefore they were in total harmony,
the most natural and humane state possible.
This indeed brings us closer to being in he
natural state as were the Imams of the Ahlul-
Bait.
12 Voice Of Unity
Syeda Tatheer Zahra Shamsi
Alhamdulillah the month of Muharram-ul
-Haraam is once again to be commemorated
world-wide by believers congregating to pay
homage to the beloved grandson of our Holy
Prophet (SAW). We experience a unique revival
of our faith every year with the details of the
historical tragedy relayed to us. However, this
timeless narrative never fails to awaken and
inspire us. The media attention and academic
research attracted by this annual phenomenon
bears witness to the thought-provoking nature of
this grief which is embedded deep within our
psyches (derived from the Greek meaning of
‘essence‟ or „soul‟).
The very fact of our expression of
mourning can easily be overlooked by ourselves
or taken for granted as a necessary tradition
inherited from generations of forefathers. In
fact, to assign the singular label of intrinsic
tendency to this process would have the effect
of denying ourselves the opportunity of
understanding the development of our own
consciousness. Furthermore, the limit applied
would be discordant with the remarkable and
expansive facets attributed to the process of
mourning for our Imam (AS). The complexity
of this multidimensional process is to be revered
in its own right as it places our achievements as
individuals in understanding the sacrifice at
Kerbala within the context of the miracle of
‘development‟ in every sense of the word
bestowed by our Creator.
The cognitive-developmental theory of
human development views children as
constructivists - that is, as curious, active
explorers who respond to the environment
according to their understanding of its essential
features. The majority of us born into the faith
have been brought up within an environment
which has produced an awareness of the impact
of the tragedy of Kerbala from a very young
age. However, how would we, as children,
perceive the significance of those acts of
mourning upon our own lives? The theory holds
that a child‟s constructions of reality
(interpretations of the environment) would
depend on his/her level of cognitive
development. A schema is a central structure in
our cognitive development as it refers to a store
of information about previous experiences
which is used to evaluate future experiences and
make decisions about them. So from very early
on we would have a schema (a mental
framework) about attending majalis for
example. To begin with, the schema could
consist of the knowledge that one has to sit very
quietly at these gatherings - he/she is not
allowed to talk or play, and that people cry a lot
here. At this stage in our cognitive development
we would be dependent upon models to provide
information to make sense of our environment.
We would then begin our process of attempting
to understand by following the social norms,
that is, the ways of thinking or behaving which
are considered appropriate for members of a
group.
The process of socialisation (the process
of acquiring the knowledge, values and social
skills that enable the individual to become a
member of their society and behave
appropriately within it) would be vital in the
formative stages in introducing to us the concept
of mourning for our Imam (AS).
The relationship between social
interaction and cognitive development forms a
basis for the process of maturation which moves
us towards the direction we take. Social
Learning Theory stresses the influence of
parents, peers, siblings, teachers and the media
in providing models and outcomes for
behaviour. Observational learning has a crucial
role in determining how behaviour is shaped.
We have already seen how from very early on
our behaviour would follow set patterns defined
by the environment of mourning. However,
what is of greater interest here is how our
attitudes towards our environment would be
Muharram
13 Voice Of Unity
developing along with the
codes of behaviour which
we would have begun to
recognise. The principles
of social learning theory
also help to explain how
attitudes are formed.
Certainly throughout
the earlier stages of
socialisation, it is our
parents who are likely to
be the most powerful
source of influence on the
attitude formation of their
children. With regards the
philosophy of mourning,
the development of our
own thoughts and attitudes
towards this notion is a
progressive, dynamic
feature comprising a number of levels of
intellectual advancement, and beginning with the
process of internalisation. This is a type of social
influence which is born out of our desire to be
right in our opinions and values. If we consider
another person both to be trustworthy and also of
good judgement, then we are more likely to
accept their opinions and values and to integrate
them into our own. Over time these would
become dissociated from their source, and
become a stable part of our own cognitive world.
To arrive at this stage would have required an
independent meditation of the story of Kerbala
and an attempt to understand its connection to our
own lives. This unfolding realisation is
continuous, with the manifest reasons for the
process of mourning becoming increasingly
apparent. Clearly the sincerity of our belief would
be strengthened with the acquisition of
knowledge.
But what is the role played by our
emotions in the midst of our behavioural and
cognitive development? Our history of sorrow
and lamentation evokes essentially an emotional
response. We are equipped with the gift of
emotional expression from birth. However the
range of functions it fulfils will again, expand
and progress as the infant matures, from the
initial cries of distress serving a
communicative function in the absence of
language.
We cannot grow to embrace the sacrifice
of our Imam (AS) without its appeal to our
hearts as well as to our logic. Within the
multilateral nature of our process of mourning
exist many different ways of remembering and
honouring our Imam (AS). But constant and
sturdy, through national, sociocultural and
lingual variations remains the position of
eminence attributed to the Imam (AS) and His
companions within our own lives. The process
of mourning then, as we have seen is an
accumulative one, guiding us along novel
paths. Behavioural, intellectual and emotional
enrichment, for us forms the more tangible
aspect of this process in our current lives, with
the conviction of having gained the pleasure of
our Creator for the Hereafter.
Muharram
14 Voice Of Unity Whats On....
Br. Mohammed Al-Hilli
With reliance on Allah (SWT), the
IUS has progressed a step further into the
establishment of a nation-wide expansion
here in the UK. With this in mind, eleven
brothers and sisters from London attended
the IUS Birmingham Conference, held at
Imambaragh on Saturday the 6th of
February. They were warmly welcomed by
their hosts, and were shown around the
impressive new nursery built next to the
Centre as well as the growing Imam Al-
Mahdi Hawza.
Chaired by Dr
Mohsen Al-Rashed, the
programme began with a
recitation of the holy
Quran, followed by an
introductory speech from
Sr. Shelina Kurji. Sr.
Shel ina greeted the
audience, and briefly
described the importance of
continuing on the path of
the Holy Month of
Ramadhan in all aspects of our lives. This
was followed by joint speeches made by Dr
Farhan Zaidi and Br Hasan Bokhari on
Imamat. The speakers presented a well-
organised approach to the concept of
Imamat, giving much evidence from the
Quran and the hadith of the Prophet
(PBUH).
The next part of the programme was
a detailed review of the achievements and
future aims of the IUS by Br Mohsen and
Br Ammar Hasan. Through the computer-
animated presentation, the brothers gave a
clear picture of the importance of the IUS
as an organisation catering for students and
young professionals.
The next speaker, Moulana Sheikh
Arif Abdulhussain, thoughtfully explored
the concept of unity, outlining its
importance and great relevance in our
everyday lives. Sheikh Arif also
expressed his hope that one day a clear
distinction between culture and religion
is drawn.
Sr. Shanaz Iqbal then presented a
quick speech on the „role of sisters in the
IUS‟, where she highlighted the
important part played by the
sisters in the day-to-day running
of various departments in the
society. After a short break and
refreshments, where the
attendants had a chance to view
the IUS stalls, Sr Fatim Kurji
presented an inspiring talk
entitled „Hajj - a spiritual
awakening‟. Sr Fatim stressed
the significance of this
important act of worship, and
the spiritual enlightenment a
Muslim enjoys when taking part
in the pilgrimage.
The programme then drew to a
close with the recitation of Dua-e-Wahda
and a vote of thanks to all from Dr Al-
Rashed.
The Islamic Unity Society was
greatly received by the various
communi t i e s i n B i r mingha m,
commending the organistaion for its
work and giving their full support in the
establishment of IUS Birmingham.
Alhamdullilah, the day was seen as a
great success.
We would like to thank all the
organisers, especially Sr Shelina Kurji
15 Voice Of Unity Trips
COMPETITION!!!!!
There are two brothers, Mudassar and Kamal.
Kamal is three times as old as Mudassar. If you
square Kamal's age you arrive at the same total
as when you cube Mudassar‟s age. If you
subtract Mudassar‟s age from Kamal‟s you
arrive at the number of steps in the path to their
front door. If you add Mudassar‟s age to
Kamal‟s you arrive at the number of palisades
in the house‟s fence. If you multiply their ages
you arrive at the number of bricks in the
House‟s front wall.
If you add these last three numbers together
you have their house number, which is 297.
How old are Mudassar and Kamal?
Please send your answers either by post, e-mail
(ius@ius.org.uk) or telephone. The first three
correct answers drawn from the hat receive a
free book of their choice from the IUS library.
Closing date for answers: 1/04/99
Brain Teasers
(continued on page 15)
Hajj: My personal experinec...continued
(well maybe just a few misses) I struck the Jammarat seven times for myself and
seven times for my mother, and with each one an “Allahu Akbar”. It was immensely
satisfying and I hoped that the symbolism of this act would ring true.
Sacrificial slaughter - Qurbani is then required of us and is performed by the men
on the women‟s behalf. Followed by the throwing of stones again and the men
performing Halaq, that is shaving their heads.
When we returned to Mecca, we received the sad news that one of the sisters in our
group had passed away, but there is something inspiring about the place in which she died.
She had been too ill to make the wuqoofs and so had stayed in the hotel in Mecca, her
ghusl was performed by some of the other ladies and she was buried in Jannatul Maulla.
After we had performed our final tawafs, with their namaaz‟s, sa‟iy and Taqseer,
our Hajj-e-Tamattu was Alhamdulillah complete. Our remaining time was spent at the
Haram and visiting places such as the mountain where the prophet received his message
and Ghadeer, where the first Imam was pronounced successor. We also took a bus ride
retracing our steps to Arafa‟at and Mina. The tents had all disappeared and we were able
to drive through the place where the Jammarats had been.
When I hear that others are going for Hajj, I feel overjoyed. It is an experience
that I shall forever cherish and Inshallah hope to repeat. I pray that Allah (SWT) makes it
possible for all those who have not yet been able to perform the sacred pilgrimage to do
Answers to last issue’s teasers:
1- You enter the switch room,
switch one bulb one for 30 minutes,
then turn it off, and then switch a
second bulb on. Go to the bulb
room, the hottest bulb is the first
switch, the bulb on is the second
switch, and the bulb off is the third
switch.
2-The smallest number is 2520
( 7 X 360). The Imam multiplied
the number of days in the week by
the number of days in a lunar
calendar.
3- Divide the oranges to three
groups. Weigh two groups
separately, then if one set weighs
16 Voice Of Unity
* IUS Trips: Alhamdullilah, the IUS staged its eid trip to
Swansea successfully, with over 37 brothers and sisters taking
part. This was followed a week later by the Birmingham conference. For details of the
trips see inside articles. We would like to thank all the participants and helpers who made
these trips possible, and look forward to organising more in the future inshallah.
* Weekly Meetings: The Ramadhan programmes were very well attended, which
contained iftars and very informative lectures. After Ramadhan, very good lectures by Dr
Haider Abbas, Sayyid Mohammed Mousawi, Br Sayyid Shabbar followed.
* Eids: The IUS would like to wish all a very happy Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadeer.
Ius News
Shahadat Imam Taqi (AS) 29 Dhul-Qada Thu 18th March
Shahadat Imam Baqir (AS) 7 Dhul-Hijja Thu 25th March
Arafat 9 Dhul-Hijja Sat 27th March
Shahadat Hadhrat Muslim 9 Dhul-Hijja Sat 27th March
VEid-Ul-Adha 10 Dhul-Hijja Sun 28th March
Wiladat Imam Naqi (AS) 15 Dhul-Hijja Fri 2th April
VEid-Ul-Ghadeer 18 Dhul-Hijja Mon 5th April
Eid Mubahalah 24 Dhul-Hijja Sun 11th April
Ashura Imam Hussain (AS) 10 Muharram Tue 27th April Subject to the sighting of the moon
Islamic Unity Society
Registered Charity No. 1066910
Mail Address: Telephone: 0171 436 4786
c/o IUS Box 145 Email: M.Al-Rashed@ucl.ac.uk
37 Store Street ius@ius.org.uk
London WC1E 7BS Internet: http:/www.ius.org.uk
Wednesday General Meetings
Wed 24/02: Philosophy of Ibadat (1) Sayyid Makki
Wed 3/03: Philosophy of Ibadat (2) Sayyid Makki
Time: 5 PM Place: Dar Al-Hikma (45 Chalton St)
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