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Muslims in Washington (Reportage) Hajj or pilgrimage (Fiqh) Professor Robert Pierre Joseph (Haj Ibrahim Mohammad (Welcome to Islam) The Event of Eid al-Mubahala (Occasions) Around the World

Ranya Mahdi Tanana

Chief Editor

In the name of Allah,the Beneficent, the Merciful

No. 235 - 236, Dhul Qida / Dhul Hijja 1440 H - 2019

Rituals: Put Faith to the Test

Man usually commits himself to activities with clear-cut goals which eventually are to his interest on various levels. He may exercise to keep physically fit and healthy. He would be on a diet that prevents chronic diseases. He further has a job that secures life necessities; that is in addition to other activities that develop his capacities and boost his power to pave the way before him for all forms of amenities and conveniences.It is also familiar that man gets engaged in altruistic activities that come to the benefit of others. A volunteer partakes in many areas such as emergency units, societies that care for people with special needs, and elderly homes. He pays alms and shares in preparing meals for the needy. All of these activities bestow on him a high spiritual pleasure that delights his soul in an ecstasy not equaled by any physical sensory pleasure.In fact, the motion of human spirit is limited in two and only two directions: fetching pleasure and pushing pain away. It has no motive to act outside this scope. It is not provoked towards what can’t bring along pleasure or push pain away. In other words, the human spirit does not take any bizarre action with senseless goals, as it views such an act an absurdity that may cause fruitless hardships. That’s why man disapproves the painstaking efforts exerted to achieve anything he does not appreciate its value and he does not find pleasure in. A worker would mock the trouble the researchers and scholars industriously undertake to travel and detect a manuscript inscribed several centuries ago. That’s simply because he does not appreciate its value and does not comprehend the importance of finding it, documenting it, and examining it, as he had never entered the realm of research and got to know its significance by any means.

To be Continued on page 32

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Muslims in Washington

Location: The State of Washington is the 42nd

state in the USA. It lies in the Pacific

Northwest region of the United States.

Washington is the northwestern-most

state of the contiguous United States. It

borders Idaho to the east, and to the west

of Washington lies the Pacific Ocean. On

its northern border lies the Canadian

province of Columbia. Oregon is to

the south. Olympia is the state capital;

the state includes 39 counties, and its

largest city is Seattle with a population of

around 725,000 people. Among the other

main cities is Tacoma which is near the

Canadian city of Vancouver.

Area and PopulationIts area is 184,827 km2, and its population is

about 7,536 million people according to the

estimates of 2018.

Washington’s racial composition is as

following:

White of European origin form the

overwhelming majority of the population

with a percentage that mounts to 74%, Black

or African American 3.2%, Asian 5.5%,

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.6 %,

Latin American 7.5%, mixed races 3.6%, in

addition to 3.9% of other races.

Major religious affiliations of the people of

Washington are: Christians: 60% (Protestant

and Catholics), non-religious: 32%, Muslims:

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1% (It is the 21st state according to the

number of Muslims), Jewish: 1%, and other

religions: 6%. These statistics are according

to the estimates of the Islamic Organizations

Council in the City of Chicago.

Arabs form 0.25% of the population most

of whom are Lebanese whose number is

5,300. There are also some 1,250 American

citizens of Syrian origin and 1,400 citizens

of Egyptian origin.

Geography:The western area of the state are evergreen

lowlands covered with trees and plants.

In distinct contrast to the west, Eastern

Washington includes large areas of semiarid

steppe and a few truly arid deserts. As for

the northwest, southwest, northeast, and

middle areas, they are known for their high

mountains and mountain ranges. In fact, the

state includes several high peaks including

the highest and the most important peak:

Mount Rainier.

Climate:A Mediterranean Climate predominates in

summer, and a cold weather in winter. The

average temperature in July is 19 degrees

Celsius and about 1 degree Celsius in January.

History:Before the Europeans arrived in Washington,

Mount Rainier

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the region had many established tribes of

aboriginal Americans who lived in plains

and valleys to the east of the Cascade

Range. In the 18th Century AD, Spanish

and British explorers spotted the land to

the northwest of the Pacific Ocean – which

is nowadays Washington. These explorers

continued their voyage via California Coast

without landing on the newly discovered

territory. In 1778 AD, British explorer

Captain James Cook sighted the area of the

State of Washington but he did not land on

it either.

In 1846, Britain and the USA signed a treaty

that sets the borders of the state after dispute

erupted on the borders of the two countries.

It is worth mentioning that Washington

became the 42nd state in the United States

on November 11, 1889.

EconomyWashington has several commercial and

industrial activities forming essential

elements in its economy. Retail and

wholesale are among the significant

businesses within the state besides external

trade taking into consideration the close

distance between it and the ports of the

Asian countries. Other important businesses

also include the design and manufacture of

spaceships, aircrafts, ship-building, food

processing, and lumber and wood products

Mount Rainier

– the main agricultural product in the state

beside other agricultural products such

as: yogurt, wheat, and apples. Livestock

and livestock products make important

contributions to total farm revenue, and

the commercial fishing of salmon, halibut,

and bottom fish makes a noteworthy

contribution to the state’s economy. The

Seattle metropolitan area and Tacoma were

ports specialized in wood exports; however,

later they turned to centers for trade with the

state of Alaska.

Main Landmarks:Mount Rainier: It is in the center of the

state, and it is viewed as the highest peak in

it with an attitude of 14,411 feet. Mt. Rainier

is also considered one of the most active

volcanos in the world. The first successful

human climb to its summit was recorded in

1870 AD.

Mount Rainier National Park: This

park is located in Lewis County, and it is

one of the state’s main landmarks. It was

inaugurated by the end of the 19th Century

over spacious areas. Over a million tourists

visit this park annually.

The Olympic National Park: It was first

designated by President Roosevelt by the

onset of the 20th Century. It has four regions

with distinct natural ecosystems.

The Museum of Glass: Located in Tacoma,

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Museum of Glass

this art museum is dedicated to the medium

of glass exhibiting special glass items and

works of art.

Seattle City: It is the largest city in northwest

USA. This seaport city is a main city in west

America as per trade with Asian states in

particular. Among its landmarks are:

Woodland Park Zoo: It is an international

destination for tourists as it attracts over a

million tourist annually. It includes over

290 species.

Pioneer Square: It was historically the

heart of the city. It is famous for the 60 -

foot -Totem Pole located in it. The square

also comprises several Victorian style

buildings including Smith Tower ـ  a 42 -

story skyscraper as well as Klondike Gold

Rush National Historical Park.

Downtown Seattle and Space Needle:

It was established in 1962 for the World’s

Fair. Then it turned to a tourist destination

that includes a park, theatres, sports area,

and restaurants.

Volunteer Park: It is in the Capitol Hill

neighborhood of Seattle. It is a 100 year

old natural reserve that homes several

tropical trees and plants. It also includes the

Seattle Asian Art Museum which in its turn

comprises showrooms for Chinese, South

Asian, and southwest Asian art. 7

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History of IslamThere is no clear date that records for us the

first presence of Islam in the US society;

however, there is a semi-consensus on

the nature of this beginning. The pioneer

Muslim emigrants reached the USA in

small groups that started to grow with time.

Contrary to European emigrants, Muslims

did not migrate to the USA to take it as a

permanent residence; they rather sought to

practice trade and better their social and

economic status and then return to their

homelands. However, with success and the

ability to accommodate with the surrounding

milieu, many of them preferred to settle in

the USA. By and by, small communities

of relatives and neighbors began to be

formed. To organize their interaction with

the immigrant country and to respond to

the social events, pressures, and challenges

that faced them by the beginning of their

migration, Muslims sought to fetch the

means that assert and prove their identity.

One of the main such aspects was building

mosques and setting the main pillars for

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social and cultural organizations and

institutions. As such Muslims spread in the

various US states including Washington.

Muslims TodayMuslims today form 1% of the population

in Washington, and they practice their life

freely in the various districts and cities of

the state. Muslim communities especially

that of students are numerous in the western

areas of Tacoma and Lacey. Students also

form the majority of the Muslim population

in eastern Washington especially in the

cities of Spokane and Pullman. Mosques

also spread in most of the cities of the state.

Among the main mosques are: Al Farouq

Mosque, Al Yasin Mosque, Bilal Mosque

and Bilal Islamic Center.

Islamic Schools: A significant number of Islamic schools

were founded in Washington with the aim

of raising a Muslim generation and teaching

the Arabic Language and the Islamic

teachings. Among these schools are:

Islamic Saudi Academy in Washington:

The School was founded in 1984, and it

originally served to teach Muslim students

IslamicCenter in Washington

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Islamic studies besides the curriculum in

the USA. It is a private non-profit full-time

Islamic school.

Medina Academy: It was inaugurated in

2000. It is located in the city of Bellevue to

the east of Seattle. Its classes include some

190 students.

Evergreen Islamic Center: It was first

established in September 1991; the current

seat was fetched in June 1994, and the center

reopened its doors in September 1994.

Among its main activities is teaching the

Muslim youth the Islamic studies in addition

to the Arabic Language and memorizing the

Holy Quran.

Muslims and the Holy Month of Ramadan:In the Holy Month of Ramadan, Muslims

practice all their religious rituals without

any impediments. They view their society

as one of the best societies that respect

religions; however, still a section of the

society has Islamophobia. Muslims gather

in mosques to perform the daily prayers

regularly in harmony and love that unite

Mustafa Center

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Muslims and strengthen ties among them.

Abdullah Al Harbi – one of the delegates

to Seattle City – says that there aren’t

any mosques specified to a definite

community. Everyone searches for the

nearby Islamic centers without going

deep into the nature of the community

that predominates the place, leading to

harmony and affinity among hearts away

from the political disputes among the

Arab countries.

“Taqwa Mosque” in Seattle is viewed as one

of the important sites where Muslims meet

and tackle matters about their everyday life

and the difficulties they face.

The official governments erect a stadium

by the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan

and provide it with security to organize

the entrance and exit of Muslims so as to

ensure that ceremonies be held without any

offenses taking place.

Muslims gather in America upon a prior

coordination with the imams of mosques

to determine the place where Eid prayers

would be held. People head with their

families and children to attend Eid prayers

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and celebrate the occasion. Moreover,

all public and private sectors in America

give Muslims paid leaves to enable them

to celebrate the Eid and visit each other.

Perhaps the main mosques in Seattle where

Muslims meet in such occasion are North

Gate Mosque and Redmond Mosque which

comprise great numbers of believers.

Muslims in Seattle – Washington: The history of Islam in the City of Seattle

began when emigrants came from their

countries and settled there founding

mosques and Islamic societies so as to

secure a place to pray in, meet, and come to

know each other; thus, they took personal

initiatives in this perspective. Muslims in

Seattle have four main places where they

perform Friday Prayers: Idriss Mosque

(Known also as the Islamic Center in Seattle;

the World Islamic House in Washington

University, the Islamic Academy, and the

Islamic Center in South Seattle.

According to estimates, the number of Muslims

in Seattle is between 4000 and 10000.

The main Islamic associations founded in

this city include:

The Islamic Center of South Seattle: It is

considered one of the oldest Islamic centers in

Seattle as it was established by the beginning

of the 1960s. With time, Muslims sensed the

need to build a mosque, and so it was in 1981.

The Islamic School: It was inaugurated in

South Seattle in 1980. It comprises some

300 students including a considerable

number of non-Muslims. Among the main

goals of this school is teaching the Arabic

Language and the Islamic teachings.

The World Islamic House: It is an

Islamic center that comprises several

Islamic associations. It was founded by

Muslim students of several nationalities in

Washington University in 1980.

The Islamic Center: The main mosque was

built in 1981. Friday prayers are held in this

mosque which houses about 400 believers.

The center is run by a committee elected

from the sponsors of the center. Several

activities are held in it including spreading

the true Islamic teachings.

Sham Muslims: By the end of the 1970s, a

group of Sham Muslims arrived in Seattle.

This group soon sought to do an activity to

stay gathered. Thus some of its members

rented a house to be their gathering place.

No soon that house turned into an Islamic

center by the mid1980s.

The Islamic Center of Washington: It

is one of the most famous and beautiful

mosques in the USA. It plays a leading social

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and political role as the center’s board of

governors is made up of various ambassadors

of Islamic countries. It makes wide contacts

with many and various international sides.

The US government donated a 30000-feet-

piece of land to the center.

It was inaugurated on 28 /6/ 1975 in

the presence of US President Dwight

Eisenhower who welcomed all Muslims in

the Muslim world, highlighting the deep

influence of the Islamic civilization on the

civilizations that followed especially the

western civilization.

The governors of the mosque sought to

build an Islamic center adjacent to it to

organize the social and cultural role played

by the mosque. The center consists of 2

wings around the mosque; one comprises

a grand hall for delivering lectures and a

library that contains thousands of books,

whereas the other wing is a residential

area for the principle and offices for the

center.

The role of the center and its services:Thousands of people visit Washington

Mosque for several reasons. Muslims of

various sects head to the mosque to perform

prayers, seek knowledge and information,

tackle every day issues that concern the

community and address its problems, as

well as for family tourism and to admire its

beauty. As for non-Muslims, they visit the

mosque to get acquainted with the secrets

of the Islamic religion and to appreciate its

beauty and Islamic adornment.

Council on American-Islamic Relations

(CAIR):

It is an American non-profit organization.

It was established in 1994 in Capitol Hill

in Washington with offices nationwide

Muharram mourning hold at Imam Mahdi Center of Seattle

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as well as in Canada. It was created as an

organization dedicated to providing an

Islamic perspective on issues of importance

to the American public and as an organization

that challenges stereotypes of Islam and

Muslims. Through civil rights actions, media

relations, civic engagement, and education,

CAIR promotes social, legal, and political

activism among Muslims in America.

Islamic Center of Bothell – Bilal Mosque

in Washington: It was established on

August 1, 2009. Since then, it serves the

society all over Bothell.

Islamic Center of Eastside (ICOE): It is

also known as Bellevue Mosque. It is the

first permanent mosque built in east Seattle.

It serves the Islamic society since 1993.

Islamic Center of Tacoma: The center aims

at merging Muslims in the American society

and strengthening faith among Muslims. It

started its activities as of 2009.

Muslim Council of Seattle: It is a non-

profit organization that aims at promulgating

Islamic values and principles in addition to

providing social services in Seattle.

Masjid Fayd Al Islam: It is a non-profit

organization which was established in

1992 to partake exclusively in religious,

educational, and social activities in what

agrees with the Islamic Sharia.

Masjid al- Nur – Islamic Center of

Olympia: It is a center for religious,

educational, and social activities in Olympia

– the capital of Washington. The center

could polarize a great number of Muslims

of various nationalities and ethnicities.

Industrious efforts are exerted to expand

the center due to the burgeoning body of

Muslims.

The Islamic Center of Southwest

Washington: The center offers social

services for over 100 Muslim families in

addition to registering and documenting

marriages of Muslims.

Following are several Islamic centers that

offer numerous services:

Islamic Center of Vancouver

Islamic Center of Kent

The Islamic Community Center in

Shoreline

ShiaLike other Muslims, Shia are present

in Washington where they hold several

activities that help them establish

themselves in that country and revive their

religious and social life.

Shia take care to perform daily prayers

regularly besides commemorating

their religious occasions such as the

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birthdays and martyrdoms of Ahlulbayt

(Peace be upon them). They also mark

with much interest the days of Ashura

where lamentation councils overcrowd

with consolers who come to share their

sorrows with Ahlulbayt (Peace be upon

them) all through the days of the Month

of Muharram. This is not to forget the

Holy Month of Ramadan when collective

Iftar dinners are held for the poor and

others with the main goal of gathering

the members of this sect in these blessed

days.

Shia Societies and Centers in Washington:● Ithna-Asheri Muslim Association of

the Northwest (IMAN) In Arabic, the

acronym IMAN also means “faith.”

IMAN is one of the several Muslim

organizations in the Greater Seattle area

and was established in August 1997.

IMAN Center is located In Kirkland, WA.

IMAN holds the following regular

programs:

Religious: Daily afternoon & evening

prayers, Sunday Fajr prayers, Friday prayers,

Thursday & Friday evening programs.

Education: Sunday school, Philosophy

study circle, and SAT prep classes.

In addition there are special occasions

commemorated at IMAN Center including

Muharram, Milad-un-Nabi, Ramadhan &

Hajj.

● The Islamic Educational Center of

Seattle: It is a non-profit organization

dedicated to provide educational, cultural

and religious services in the greater Puget

Sound area. IECS is not affiliated with

any political organization, political party,

or any government.

Muhammed Mosque

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Goals and Objectives:1. Providing a forum for better

understanding and promoting the religion

of Islam based on the Ithna Ashari Shia

school of thought.

2. Seeking and encouraging participation

from all Muslims regardless of race,

national origin, class, gender, school of

thought, or political views.

3. Maintaining and distributing funds and

other assets and administer and apply the

income and principal thereof exclusively

for the charitable and educational activities

of the organization.

● Al-Mustafa Center: It is a nonprofit

organization established, to serve,

support, unite and strengthen the Muslim

community and the community at large

in the Washington Metropolitan area by

providing and/or facilitating relevant

and effective knowledge & learning

(religious and other), social services,

and improved communication and

understanding based on the principles

of the Qur’an and the teachings of the

prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him

and his Household).

● Al-Mahdi Society of Washington: It

was established in 1997 as a tool to

build a bridge between its Arabic and

English speaking community members.

The program is designed to promote the

values of Prophet Muhammad (peace

be upon him and his Household) and

Ahlulbayt (Peace be upon them).

The programs are based on carrying on the

social, ethical, and spiritual standards

of Muslims in America; and teaching

the American society about Islam, and

promoting a positive relationship with

individuals of all religions and beliefs.

● ZAINAB (A.S.) Organization of

Greater Seattle: It is a federally

registered non-profit organization

committed to educating the people about

the teachings of the “pure Muhammadan

Islam” through prayers, khutbahs, duaas,

educational and cultural programs.

The organization also runs ZAINAB (A.S.)

school on Sundays for the community of

greater Seattle and provides other services

includes social, matrimonial and funeral

services etc.

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● If a person does not possess necessary

provision for the journey, nor any

means of transport, and another person

asks him to go for Hajj undertaking

to meet his expenses as well as of his

family during his Hajj, and he (i.e. the

person who is asked to go for Hajj)

is satisfied with what the other man

offers, Hajj becomes obligatory on

him.

● If a person is offered the expenses of his

return journey to Makkah, as well as

the expenses of his family during the

period of Hajj, Hajj becomes obligatory

on him, even if he is indebted, and does

not possess means of support with

which to lead his life after his return.

But if the days of Hajj and the days of

his work coincide, meaning that if he

abandons his work and goes for Hajj,

he will not be able to pay his debts in

time, nor support himself for the rest of

the year, Hajj will not be Wajib on him.

● If a person is given expenses of going

to and returning from Makkah, and

the expenses of his family during

that period, and is asked to go to Hajj

without mentioning that the help given

is his property, performance of Hajj

becomes obligatory on him, if he is

satisfied that it will not be taken back

from him.

Hajj or pilgrimage

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● If a person is given an amount to cover

expenses just sufficient for Hajj, with

a condition that on his way to Makkah

he will serve the person who gave

the expenses, Hajj does not become

obligatory on him.

● If a person is given monetary help to

enable him to perform obligatory Hajj,

and he does perform Hajj, another Hajj

will not become obligatory on him if

he himself becomes wealthy.

● If a person goes, for example, to Jeddah

in connection with trade, and acquires

sufficient money to go to Makkah,

he should perform Hajj. And if he

performs Hajj, performance of another

Hajj will not be obligatory on him, if

he later acquires enough wealth to

enable to go to Makkah from his

hometown.

● If a person is hired to perform Hajj

on behalf of another person, but he

cannot go for Hajj himself, and wishes

to send someone else, he should seek

permission from the person who hired

him.

● If a person could afford to perform

Hajj but did not perform it, and then

became poor, he should perform Hajj

facing all odds. And if he is not at

all able to go for Hajj, and if another

person hires him for Hajj, he should go

to Makkah and perform Hajj on behalf

of the person who has hired him. He

should then remain in Makkah for a

year if possible, and perform his own

Hajj. But, if it is possible that he is

hired and given his wages in cash, and

the person who hires him agrees that

he may perform Hajj on his behalf next

year, he should perform his own Hajj

in the first year, and that on behalf of

the person who has hired him, in the

second year, if he feels that he might

not be able to perform his own Hajj in

the following year.

Fiqh

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● If a person goes to Makkah in the year

in which he can afford to perform Hajj,

but cannot reach Arafat and Mash’arul

Haram at the prescribed time, and

cannot afford to go for Hajj during the

succeeding years, Hajj is not obligatory

on him. But, if he could afford to go

for Hajj in the earlier years, and did not

go, he should perform Hajj in spite of

all difficulties.

● If a person did not perform Hajj in

the year in which he could afford to

go for Hajj, and cannot perform Hajj

now owing to old age, or ailment, or

weakness, and does not hope that in the

future, he will be able to perform Hajj

in person, he should send someone

else to perform Hajj on his behalf. In

fact, even if he does not lose hope, the

obligatory precaution is that he should

hire a person. And when he becomes

capable afterwards, he should perform

Hajj himself also. And the same

applies if a person becoming capable

of going to Hajj for the first time, is

prevented to perform Hajj because

of old age, ailment or weakness, and

loses hope of gaining strength. In all

these cases, however, he should, as a

recommended precaution, hire a male

person, and the one who is going to

Hajj for the first time.

● A person who has been hired by another

person to perform Hajj should perform

Tawaf Nisa’ also on his behalf, failing

which his own wife (i.e. the wife of the

hired person) becomes haram for him.

● If a person does not perform Tawaf

Nisa’ correctly, or forgets to perform it,

and if he remembers it after a few days

and returns to perform it, his action is

in order. And if his returning is difficult

for him, he can depute another person

to perform the Tawaf on his behalf.

A former philosophy professor in French

universities, Professor Robert Pierre Joseph

has several books in the field of philosophy

and monotheism. He embraced Islam after

a deep industrious study which yielded the

fruit of complete conviction that Islam is the

religion based on monotheism…

According to him, Allah Al Mighty had

bestowed on him the bliss of Islam as a

reward for his exerting excessive efforts

to attain various sciences especially his

vigilant diligence in philosophy.

Professor Joseph says:

“No doubt Islam - the religion of science and

knowledge – calls on its followers to attain

knowledge and to work. Why should we be

surprised? In fact, the first Ayah in the Holy

Quran talks about Allah Al Mighty calling

on his Messenger to: {Read! In the name of

thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created}1.

We also recall here the Holy saying of

the Prophet of Allah (PBUH): ‘Attaining

knowledge is the duty of every Muslim’.

“From my personal experience, I attained

a deep-rooted conviction that whoever

is faithful in his researches to achieve

knowledge in whatever field to serve his

society and for the welfare of humanity as

a whole, Allah Al Mighty will reward him

abundantly for his offerings.

“Allah Al Mighty says in Surat Zalzalah: {so

whoever does good equal to the weight of

an atom, shall see it}2.

“As for me, I was not satisfied by my

Professor Robert Pierre Joseph (Haj Ibrahim Mohammad)

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(1) Surat al Alaq (The Clot): Ayah 1.(2) Surat al Zalzalah (The Earthquake): Ayah 7.

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specialization in philosophy; I rather tried

to examine deeply the various branches

of knowledge, especially those related to

proving the oneness of Allah the Creator

and the Ruler of all affairs in this universe

- which is threatened by the atheist

materialistic civilization that has almost

ruined all the previous heritage and modern

aspects of development and progress.

“Thus knowledge and research were the

reason for lighting the way before me, for

guiding me to the right path, and for saving

me from the deep pain I was suffering from

as a result of the tough struggle taking place

in the recesses of my soul. I have no doubt

in what I am saying, for I believe that Islam

means peace in the full sense of the word, on

top of which is one’s peace with himself. The

soul - our inner demon – can’t be controlled

or guided to the welfare of the individual

and the society except by the Islamic Sharia

and its kind principles.

“The testimony means that no creature

is to be obeyed while the Creator is being

disobeyed, that all people are equal, and that

no Arab is better that a foreigner except in

piety.

“Moreover, the direct connection between

the slave and his Creator while praying five

times a day mounts to a daily nourishment

that reminds him of the existence of his

Creator and calls on him to follow what

He calls for and to refrain from what He

forbids. This is mentioned in the Holy Ayah:

{you are the best nation ever raised up in

mankind. You enjoin what is right and

forbid what is wrong}3.

“Likewise is Zakat or alms-giving which

unites hearts and fights grudge and envy. It

brings Muslims together and renders them

a solid cemented structure; they mutually

reinforce each other.

“This is in addition to the Holy Month of

Ramadan which is considered a training

course for the soul to curb its desires…

“Moreover, man abandons the ornaments of

life in the Hajj season what reminds him of

Doom’s Day and the judgment of that day….

“These principles may be the pillars of an

ideal society which man has been searching

for ever since his creation. Thus, I call on

the society to study the truth of Islam and

its principles and not to be influenced

by the false claims reverberated by the

tendentious and the biased. The path is open

before everyone to search in the Book of

21

(3) Surat Al Imran (The Family of Imran): Ayah 110

22

Allah and the Traditions of His prophet;

afterwards he can judge in accordance with

his conscience.”

The professor continues saying: “There

is something which I did after embracing

Islam; it is visiting as many Islamic countries

as possible to examine their lifestyles and

to get to know them more, and I was very

much pleased by that as I sensed the Islamic

environment which I miss and which every

Muslim who lives in the west miss”.

The professor adds: “I am attempting at

writing a book in the French Language about

the Islamic Sharia, the history of Islam,

Muslims, and the role the first Muslims

played in the various sciences and arts”.

He wrapped his speech saying: “I would

like to call on Muslims to be proud of

themselves, to be the best representatives

of this immortal religion, and to be fit to

be Muslims. I would like to give you an

example that clarifies the importance of

adhering to your religion; the employers

in Europe prefer to employ Muslims who

stick to their religion because they are kind

and absolutely loyal in their work, and their

social conduct forces everyone to respect

them and highly esteem their religious

doctrine.

“Last but not least, I call on the Islamic

states to assume the major responsibility

of serving Islam and Muslims worldwide

by, for example, distributing Islamic

publications that tackle the Islamic pillars

and principles in a simple scientific way and

in various languages, translating the Holy

Quran for non-Arabs, and providing records

that teach praying for Muslims in western

states in general and in France in particular.

“These steps would help to present Islam in

its best forms and to introduce the followers

of other religions to the true Islam.”

Wel

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23Should anyone argue with you

concerning him, after the knowledge

that has come to you, then say: ‘Come?

Let us call our sons and your sons,

our women and your women, our

souls and your souls, then let us pray

earnestly and call down Allah’s curse

upon the liars’. (Qur’an 3:61)

This verse refers to the famous event

of ‘al-Mubahala ‘ which took place in

the year 10 A.H between the Prophet

(SAWA) and the Christians of Najran

and which is mentioned in all well-

known books of traditions, tafsir

(exegesis) and history by Muslim

scholars.

Najran was a fertile land located in the

northern mountainous region of Yemen

about 20 Km from Sana’a. About

40,000 Christians inhabited the land

divided into 73 small towns. They were

idol worshipers historically just like

the Arabs, but a priest named Phemion

(Faymiyun), a builder by profession,

preached Christianity in the area of

Najran and soon all the population

converted to Christianity and Najran

became an important center for the

Christians. They also constructed a

church and named it ‘Ka’ba-e-Najran’.

They prayed and offered various

offerings there which resulted in an

The Event of Eid al-Mubahala

24

annual income of about two hundred

thousand Dinars which was used for the

priest who lived and studied there.

After the conquest of Makkah, when

Islam started spreading rapidly and the

warring groups came under the flag

of Islam, the Holy Prophet (SAWA)

started sending emissaries to the tribes

who had not yet accepted Islam. In 10

A.H. a similar message was sent to the

Christians of Najran and they were

offered either to accept the teachings

of Islam or live in the protection of

Muslims and pay the Jizya tax.

The Prophet (SAWA) had written a

letter to Abu al-Harith ibn ‘Alqama,

the Grand Bishop of Najran, who was

the official representative of the Roman

Church in the Hijaz and invited the

people of that area to embrace Islam.

Christian mission heads to MadinaAfter deliberations, the Christians

finally decided to send a mission to

Madina and have a dialogue with the

Muslims. A delegation of Christians

headed by al-‘Aqib and Abu al-Harith

started off for Makkah. Abu al-Harith

was regarded as the greatest Bishop and

scholar of the Christian world of the time

and al-‘Aqib was the biggest strategist

and negotiator of the time. When the

delegation reached Madina, the people

were impressed by their lavish dressing

and pomp and show since it was the

first time that a delegation had arrived

in such a manner.

When they entered the Masjid al-

Nabawi, the Prophet Mohammad

(SAWA) looked at the precious stones,

gold and silk clothes that they were

wearing and turned away his face and

did not pay any attention to them. After

a while when no one noticed their pomp

and show, they left the mosque and met

Uthman b. ‘Affan and ‘Abd-ur-Rahman

b. ‘Awf outside and asked them as to

why they were invited by the Muslims

and then treated in this manner.

Uthman suggested that they consult

Imam Ali (AS). When the delegation

came to Imam Ali (AS) he told them

that they were wearing dresses of silk

and ornaments of gold which depicted

their pride and that they should take

them off and dress simply. Only then

would the Prophet (SAWA) allow them

to visit him and entertain them. When

they followed the instructions of Imam

Ali (AS), they were allowed to visit the

Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) after the

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prayers of ‘Asr and have discussions

with him.

In the al-Tafsir of Ali bin Ibrahim al-

Qummi it is narrated from Imam al-

Sadiq (AS):

‘The Christians of Najran came (as a

delegation) to the Messenger of Allah....

they rang the hand-bells and prayed;

the Prophet’s companions objected:

“O Messenger of Allah! This in your

mosque”? He (SAWA) said: “Leave

them (to pray as they like)”.

When they finished, they came to the

Prophet (SAWA) and said: “To what do

you call”? He (SAWA) said: “To bear

witness that there is no God but Allah

and that I am the Messenger of Allah

and that ‘Isa (Jesus) is created a slave

(of Allah), and he used to eat, drink and

relieve himself”.

They said: “Then who was his father”?

The revelation was then revealed to the

Messenger of Allah (SAWA) saying:

“Say to them - what do you say about

Adam, was he a created slave (of Allah),

who would eat, drink, relieve himself

and cohabit”? So the Prophet (SAWA)

asked them and they replied: “Yes”. He

(SAWA) asked them: “Then who was

his father”? They could not answer, so

Allah revealed:

Verily, the similitude of Jesus with

Allah is as the similitude of Adam;

Allah created him out of dust, then

said to him, ‘Be’, and he became (3:59)

till the verse: And should anyone

argue with you concerning him,

after the knowledge that has come to

you…. and call down Allah’s curse

upon the liars. (3:61)

The Messenger of Allah (SAWA) said:

“So challenge me: if I am telling the

truth the curse falls on you, and if I am

a liar the curse falls on me”. They said:

“You have been just”.

They agreed on a date for ‘mubahala’

(mutual imprecation). [The term

‘Mubahala’ is derived from its Arabic

root ‘bahlah’ meaning ‘curse’. Thus

the act of al-Mubahala means that each

of the two parties invokes the curse

of Allah on the other if the latter is

untruthful].

When they returned to the places

they were staying in, their leaders al-

Sayyid, al-’Aqib and al-Ahtam said:

“If he challenges us with his people,

we accept the challenge for he is not a

Prophet; but if he challenges us with his

family in particular we don’t challenge

him, for he is not going to put forward

his family unless he is truthful”.

26

In the morning, they came to the

Messenger of Allah (SAWA), and there

with him were the Commander of the

Faithful Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-

Hussain (AS), so the Christians said:

“Who are those”? The people replied:

“This is his cousin and successor and

son-in-law, and this is his daughter

Fatimah, and these are his grandsons,

al-Hasan and al-Hussain”.

When the Christian delegation saw

a woman, two children and only one

man with the Prophet (SAWA), they

were frightened and worried and said to

the Messenger of Allah (SAWA): “We

will pay you whatever pleases you so

excuse us from the ‘mubahala’”. Then

the Messenger of Allah (SAWA) made

a settlement with them for them to pay

the Jizya and they left.’

This event has been related in both

Sunni and Shi’i books of hadith and

Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir).

It is related in the al-Tafsir of al-

Tha’labi:

When the Prophet (SAWA) called the

Christians for the imprecation they said:

‘Let us return and think over it.’ When

they were alone, they asked al-’Aqib

- and he was a man of good judgment

among them: ‘O ‘Abd al-Masih! What

is your opinion? , He said: ‘ By Allah!

You are well-aware, O Christians, that

Muhammad is a prophet sent by Allah,

and that he has brought to you the

decisive word about your Companion

(‘Isa). By Allah! Whenever a nation

has entered into imprecation with a

prophet, their elders have perished and

their youngsters have died. And if you

do it, we shall surely perish; but, if you

turn down, for the love of your religion

and (want) to remain on what you have

at present, then make peace with the

man and go back to your towns.

“So they came to the Messenger of

Allah (SAWA); and he had come out in

the morning carrying al-Hussain(AS)

in his lap, holding the hand of al-

Hasan, with Fatimah walking behind

him and Ali was behind her; and he

was saying: ‘When I pray, you say

“Amen” ‘. Then the Bishop of Najran

said: ‘O Christians! Surely I see the

faces that if they ask Allah to remove

a mountain from its place, He would

surely remove it. Therefore, do not do

imprecation, otherwise you will perish,

and there will not remain any Christian

on the face of the earth, up to the Day of

Resurrection’.

“Then they said: ‘O Abu’l-Qasim! We

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have decided that we should not enter

into imprecation against you; and that

we leave you on your religion and we

remain on our religion.’

He said: ‘Well, if you refuse imprecation,

then accept Islam - you will have (the

rights) which (other) Muslims have,

and on you shall be (the duties) which

are on them.’ But they refused. So (the

Prophet) said: ‘Then I shall fight you.’

They said: ‘We do not have strength to

fight against the Arabs. But we shall

make peace with you that you will not

fight against us or frighten us; nor will

you turn us away from our religion, on

the condition that we shall pay to you

every year two thousand robes - one

thousand in Safar and one thousand

in Rajab and thirty coats of mail, (of)

common (quality), made of iron.’

So the Prophet made agreement with

them on these conditions. And he

said, ‘By Him in Whose hand is my

soul! Surely destruction had almost

descended on the people of Najran. And

if they had entered into imprecation

they would have been transformed into

monkeys and pigs, and there would have

erupted in the valley a conflagration of

fire engulfing them all; and surely Allah

would have annihilated Najran and its

inhabitants - even the birds on tree tops;

and the year would not have ended for

all the Christians but they would have

perished.’

Whom did the Prophet (SAWA)take with himIt is mentioned in the Sahih Muslim on

the authority of Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas that

when the verse: “Let us call our sons

and your sons….” (3:61)

It was revealed, Allah’s Messenger

(SAWA) called Ali (AS), Fatimah (SA),

al-Hasan (AS) and al-Hussain (AS)

and said: “O Allah, these are my Ahl

al-Bayt”. (Sahih Muslim, Vol.2, Page

287 {Vol.4 pg. 1285 English version}

[Book 31 no.5915]).

The purpose of Mubahala was to show

to the Christians the matters in which

they had been led away from the truth

in their religion. In addition, the act of

the Prophet in bringing Fatimah (SA),

Imam Ali (AS), al-Hasan (AS) and al-

Hussain (AS), demonstrated to history

that in matters of belief in the Oneness

of God (tawhid), Prophethood and the

Qur’an, one should turn towards them

for guidance.

The Prophet’s action was an order of

Allah “call our sons and your sons

28

and our women and your women and

ourselves and yourselves” (3:61). This

was an evident declaration that in the

matter of Prophethood and the Qur’an,

Muslims have need of the authority of

the Ahl al-Bayt to clarify the meaning of

the Holy Qur’an for those who did not

comprehend. On the day of Mubahala it

became manifest that in the absence of

the Prophet, in matters of religion, the

people should turn towards none other

than the Ahl al-Bayt.

Al-Zamakhshari, the author of

Tafsir al-Kashshaf, says of this verse

(3:61):“..this verse contains a proof

– unsurpassed in strength – of the

excellence of the people of the mantle

(ashab al-kisa’) peace be upon them.

And there is in it a clear proof of the

truth of the Prophethood of the Prophet,

because nobody – either a supporter or

an antagonist – has ever narrated that

they (the Christians) answered that call

(for imprecation)”.

Why was Imam Ali included?The Almighty commanded His

Messenger to say to the delegation of

Najran:

“Come! Let us call our sons and your

sons, our women and your women;

and ourselves and yourselves....”.

In compliance with this command, the

Prophet brought with him, al-Hasan and

al-Hussain, because they were the sons

of his daughter Fatimah, and for this

they are his sons. He brought Fatimah

with him because she represents the

women from the members of his House.

But why did he bring with him Imam

Ali who was neither from the sons nor

from the women?

Imam Ali has no place in the verse

unless he is included in the word

“ourselves.”

Bringing Imam Ali with him indicates

that the Messenger of God considered

Imam Ali an extension of his

personality. By considering him so, he

elevated him above all the Muslims.

The Messenger said on many occasions:

“Ali is from me and I am from him.”

Hubshi ibn Janadah reported that he

heard the Messenger of God, saying:

“Ali is from me and I am from him, and

no one represents me but Ali.” (Sunan

Ibn Majah)

The significance of the event of al-Mubahala● It proved to be a silencing lesson for

all the Christians of Arabia who no

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longer dared any competition with

the Holy Prophet (SAWA).

● The invitation of ‘Mubahala’ was

directed by God, and it was in

compliance with His Command

that the Holy Prophet took his

Ahl al-Bayt along with him to the

field of Mubahala. This serves to

generalize how affairs pertaining to

Apostleship and the religion of God

are determined by the Will of God;

allowing no margin of interference

from the common people (Ummah).

The matter of Imam Ali’s succession

followed by eleven Imams to the

office of religious leadership should

be viewed in this perspective.

● The indispensability of Ali, Fatimah,

al-Hasan and al-Hussain in following

the precepts of the Holy Prophet

(SAWA) could no longer be disputed.

This event established who the

members of the Prophet’s household

(Ahl al-Bayt) were, and their spiritual

purity.

● That notwithstanding their childhood,

Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Hussain

(A.S.) did, nevertheless, serve as the

active partners of the Holy Prophet

in the field of Mubahala. This yields

the conclusion that age is no criteria

for the greatness of the infallibles

(Ma’sumeen). They are born adorned

with virtues and knowledge.

● That the Holy Prophet’s act of having

preferred a few obviously elevates

their status above all others.

30

Around the World

Norway:Number of Muslim converts increases

The number of Muslim converts in Norway increased to at least 3,000 in the recent years, a

researcher at Oslo University’s Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages said.

Norway’s leading Verdens Gang newspaper reported that the number of Norwegians choosing

to become Muslim since 1990s have increased.

The report said the number of converted Muslims in the country during 1990s were around

500 while this number has reached around 3,000 in the recent years.

Noting that previously Norwegian women used to convert to Islam as a result of marrying

Muslim men, Vogt said: “This trend has now changed drastically. Now, women are choosing

Islam after reading and researching about Islam.”

Monica Salmouk, a converted Muslim, told the newspaper that she chose Islam 4 years ago

after researching and reading number of books about the religion.

Salmouk said she visited the Islamic Cultural Center (ICC) mosque in Greenland, Oslo and

chose to adopt Islam as her religion.

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Greek capital’s first formal mosque in more than 180 years is set to open for prayer within months

Greece’s education and religion minister says the country’s long-delayed first state-sponsored

mosque is likely to begin operating in September, about three years after its construction was

approved by Parliament.

Kostas Gavroglou spoke during a visit to the nearly complete mosque on the outskirts of

the Athens city Centre, accompanied by representatives of the Muslim community. Its

construction has been controversial, with some opposing a mosque in the Greek capital.

“It is particularly good that soon there will be the first prayer from the imam of the Athens

mosque. We hope this will happen in September at the latest,” Gavroglou said.

Supervised by the Greek state, the 350-capacity mosque, which has neither minaret nor

dome, is situated in the industrial area of Eleonas, near a refugee camp.

For the Muslims of Athens, it is the result of a long-fought battle - and the city’s first formal

mosque in more than 180 years.

Tens of thousands of Muslim migrants live in the greater Athens area, and have been using

informal prayer rooms in basements and disused stores.

32

Continuation of the Editorial Likewise, you find most people view collecting and keeping old currencies and coins futile and absurd. For them, such currencies are no more than papers that lost their purchase value. So keeping them as well as searching for them is fruitless. This is at a time some currencies are extremely expensive in the special market of numismatics who know its historic and traditional value. In fact, the price of some rare currencies is really unbelievable. Take for example, the Palestinian pound which was exclusively printed in 1936; the value of one pound of this rare currency is 200 thousand dollars. This disapproval as contrasted to the extreme care is the dividing line between those within the group of tradition researchers and those without, and between the coin collectors and others; for such activities are not practiced except by those who appreciate their value. Such activities for those who do not appreciate their value are no more than absurdities that expel the fans off the way of the rational. It is the title that identifies the fans and distinguishes them from others. This principle applies on worshipping rituals that do not appear to have any practical goal but faithful worshipping as imposed by the religion man believes in. Such rituals are also various and continuous in religions, whether divine or non-divine, and even among intellectual and political irreligious groups. Rituals such as Hajj rites are acts of worship and total submission to Allah Al Mighty performed by a Muslim to show his identity and confirm his obligation and commitment to the teachings of Allah Al Mighty and to follow the trail of His prophets. Thus the sublime value of such rituals are perfectly clear to him. It is worthy for him to bear all kind of painstaking to follow Ibrahim Al Khalil, Ismael the Slain, and the Master of all Messengers and be inspired by their example in the obedience they showed to Allah Al Mighty and which right graciously did Allah Al Mighty accept. Such concepts can’t be comprehended except by those who ushered the realm of faith and came to understand its meaning, believed in its terms, and tasted its sweetness. These very rites, however, are mere aimless acts from the perspective of the fair outsiders who never tasted this sweetness, and irrational absurdities for the unfair outsiders.Hereof justifying such acts for those who do not believe in them causes much trouble to no avail though, and searching for a value for them in the eyes of those who did not embrace their principle renders them meaningless. Thus such rituals put the faith of the belief-claimers to the test. He who is proud of them has deep-rooted faith in the principle and sincerely belongs to it. He who searches for benefits, goals, and excuses that satisfy others is a waver with a hesitant belonging and an unclear identity because faith as a goal does not satisfy him; thus he searches for other goals, and in case he does not find other goals - and he may not – his faith would be shaken because he does not find in the declaration of faith and submission to faith a sufficient goal.{It is neither their flesh nor their blood which matters to Allah but it is piety on your part that matters to Him}.

Editor-in-Chief