Hajj Guide 2009

Muslim Strategies for Halloween

A letter from a student of Dr.Farhat Hashmi regarding Halloween

Bismillah

Assalamo Alaikum WRWB dear Ustadhah,

May Allah SWT bless you for all your hard work and dedication to help us live our lives as Muslims.Alhamdulillah, my children never went trick or treating on halloween ever,instead we always tried to educate ourselves and others about this event. We tried different strategies every year. Couple of times I gathered my children and invited their friends to share the reality of Halloween on that evening that helped them stay away from the influence of this event. Alhamdulillah, children respondedvery well and they were shocked as well as disgusted when they found out the
reality behind this tradition. They were so exited that they even wanted to tell all this information to the children that were coming to the door for candy.

About the candy giving issue we tried different strategies as well. One year we just went to the Masjid during that time and came home after it was over. One year my children made different signs and put them on the entrance door facing outside. They had different messages like “sorry! No candy, your dentist will be mad! Etc.

Last year we tried a different approach as we are always apprehensive and  skeptical whether to give candy or not because generally it is not a good manner to let someone go empty handed when they come  to your door for whatever reason. So along side the candy we gave books. The book was “An illustrated guide to understanding Islam”, which we have been distributing in our community for some time now, Alhamdulillah.

Tonight, Insha Allah we plan to give the book  “One Message” along side the candy. Alhamdulillah, I believe this is a blessing from Allah SWT because the people are already coming to our door so we can do dawah work instead of letting this opportunity slip by or just get mad at them. We are fortunate in this way that we have a facility here which provides us with books for dawah in large quantity, Alhamdulillah. People can look for similar options in their areas, e.g. masaajid, Islamic libraries or dawah centers to provide them with materials or just print out something good and relevant to the occasion from the internet if possible.

I hope that we can all learn and practice our beautiful Deen the way we are supposed to and help others do the same. I hope and pray that this can be beneficial for others as well. Any ideas or comments to improve our ways further will be greatly appreciated.

I will insha Allah print out the pamphlet that Alhuda has sent us about Halloween and share it with other Muslims too.
JAK
Your student

What is Halloween?

Halloween today is defined by children going house to house on the night of October 31st, dressed up in a variety of costumes collecting treats. Although Halloween may seem like a time for children to have fun carving pumpkins and collecting candy, not many know the origins of this ‘festival’ and its traditions that date back centuries.

The origins of Halloween date back to the time of the Celtics or ‘Celts’.They were a group occupying the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France about 2,000 years ago. This group celebrated

their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of the summer and was reflected upon as a time of darkness and cold as winter approached. The Celtics associated this dark time of year with death.

On October 31st (the Celtic new year’s eve) they celebrated a festival called Samhain. This celebration was supported by the belief that the ghostsof the dead roamed the earth. Priests (‘Druids’) were believed to be able to
communicate with these ghostly spirits and tell the future by doing so; by telling the ‘future’ many were given hope for the long, dark winter ahead. The Priests built large fires on this night and the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities/gods. During the festival they wore animal heads and skins as costumes.

Customs
Dressing up in costumes: This was done so that the ‘spirits of the dead’ would not recognize people. It was also done by people imitating supernatural beings that were believed to roam the earth at that time.

Trick-or-treating: The Priests/Druids would go from house to house on October 31st and demand specific types of food (to offer to the spirits in order to calm them). If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness, and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated (hence the phrase, ‘trick or treat’, implying a demand for treats or else a certain consequence would have to be given).

Jack-o’-lantern: This started off as a legend associated with a man of Irish origin named Jack who supposedly enjoyed playing pranks on the Devil. The legend states that after his death, Jack did not go to Heaven or Hell and therefore, had to wander the earth carrying a lantern, providing him with some light to see where he was going. Pumpkins that were hollowed out and had candles lit inside were representative of this legend. They were also
supposed to scare evil spirits away (this is why odd looking faces are carved on the pumpkins).

Bats & Black cats: These animals were believed to communicate with the dead. It is also believed black cats were able to house the souls of witches.

How Halloween came into Christianity
By the 800s A.D., the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The
celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas, (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be known as All-hallows Eve or Holly Eve (because it was the eve of a holy celebration the next day) and eventually, Halloween.

Quick Fact: The word Halloween does not appear in the bible at all. Jeremiah 10:02 clearly warns: “Do not follow the ways of other heathens (pagans)”.

Halloween Today
Each year people spend billions of dollars on candy and costumes at this time of year. A survey conducted by BIGresearch found that an estimated $3.29 billion was spent on this holiday in 2005. In a world stricken with poverty and malnutrition in many underprivileged countries, this amount seems rather Ridiculous to be spent on candy and costumes.

Quick Facts: In 2003, the major pumpkin producing states in America produced an estimated 805 million pounds, valued at $81 million.

United Nations World Food Program
- more than 800 million people go to bed without food everyday
- one child dies every five seconds in the world form hunger and other related causes

Many devil worshippers and occult groups now ritualistically recognize Halloween as the Devil’s Day. Over 60% of costumes are sold to adults who become outrageous exhibitionists.

The Islamic Perspective

“We have sent them the truth, but they indeed practice falsehood” (Quran 23:10)

“You must keep to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading.” (Bukhari).

In order to save one self from falling into and following the practices of a society,one must have firm knowledge of the teachings and rulings of ones own religion and belief system. Clearly all that deviates from the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and leads to wrong practices is contrary to the beliefs of Islam.

Halloween is a celebration that rejoices in all things magical and evil. In the Quran Allah says of magic that it only harms and brings no benefit (Surah Al-Baqarah, V.102).

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The final hour will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit” (Bukhari).

“Whoever imitates a nation is one of them” (Abu Dawud).

Islam propagates the idea of conscious living, and upon the advent of Islam, it served to cleanse ignorant and superstitious practices. Muslims have been ordered to work for a purposeful, beneficial cause for mankind. Indulging in prehistoric and ignorant practices can only lead to frittering away ones life and thus making one an ultimate loser in the Hereafter.

References:
http://www.agday.org/tc/tc-funfacts.html
http://islam.about.com/library/weekly/aa103098.htm
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/misc/halloween_an_islamic_perspective.htm

Rajab & Shabe-Mairaj: What did the Prophet (s) do?

A very good presentation on the facts about the Month of Rajab, the rituals like fasting,Umrah, Koonday and the worship of the 27th of Rajab and the Mairaj Event.

By Asma bint Shameem

Indeed, one night the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) was granted the Night Journey of al-Israa’ wal Mi’raaj, when he was first transported from Masjid al-Haraam to Masjid al-Aqsa and then onwards, he ascended to the Heavens and Allaah spoke to him as He willed, and enjoined the five daily prayers upon him.
This is definitely part of our Aqeedah. It says so in the Qur’aan [al-Isra':1] and there is no denying that fact.

However, the big question to ask is…….
What did the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) do when the same day arrived the next year? Or the year after that? Or the year after that?
Did he EVER celebrate the night of al-Israa’ wal Mi’raaj, or fast the next day???
And what did he instruct the Sahaabah to do about his Night Journey?
Did he tell them to celebrate that night as a ’special night’ for worshipping Allaah?
Did he tell them to specifically fast the next day because it was ‘the day after the Journey’?
And what were the actions of the Sahaabah themselves?
Did THEY do any of the above??

The answer to all of the above is a big resounding NO!

Surely the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) did not omit or forget anything in the deen! Surely he did not hide anything from mankind!

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, “There is nothing that brings you closer to Jannah except that I have informed you about it and there is nothing that brings you closer to the fire of Hell except that I have warned you against it.” (at-Tabaraani–Saheeh)

Then why do we not have ANY Saheeh reports of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) or the Sahaabah worshipping Allaah especially on this night and fasting the next day?

ANSWER: BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT THE PRACTICE OF RASUL ALLAAH (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) OR HIS SAHAABAH!

If celebrating it was something that is prescribed in Islam, the Messenger (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) would certainly have told his ummah about it, either in word or in deed. If any such thing had happened, it would have been well known, and his companions would have transmitted the information to us. They narrated from the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) everything that we need to know, and they did not neglect any aspect of the religion, rather they were the first ones to do anything good. If celebrating this night had been prescribed in Islam, they would have been the first people to do so.

And if it wasn’t the practice of our Beloved Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) or his Sahaabah, then, why, O Muslim, do YOU insist on doing it???

Isn’t the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) the best example to be followed?

“In the Messenger of Allah you have a fine example for he who hopes for Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah abundantly.” (Surah al-Ahzaab: 21)

But everyone does so!!
Sure, I know, you have seen your fathers and grandfathers doing so. But, let me remind you, O Muslim, that it is NOT our forefathers that we are supposed to follow. Rather, our worship should be based on proofs from the Quraan and authentic Sunnah, and NOT culture or tradition.

“When it is said to them: ‘Follow what Allah has sent down,’ they reply: ‘We will follow that which we found our fathers upon,’ even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 170)

Is good intention enough??
I know beyond doubt, that in celebrating this night, your intention is good. But dear brother/sister, in order for our worship to be accepted, it also has to be prescribed in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. If it is not so, it will be rejected.

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will have it rejected.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

Exact date unknown???
Also, do you know that even though the incidence of al-Israa’ wal Mi’raaj is an undeniable fact in history, yet the exact date or even the exact month in which this took place is not certain?

Shaykh ‘Abd al-’Azeez ibn Baaz said:
“With regard to this night on which the Isra’ and Mi’raaj took place, there is nothing in the saheeh ahaadeeth to indicate that it is in Rajab or in any other month. Everything that has been narrated concerning a specific date for these events cannot be proven to have come from the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) according to the scholars of hadeeth….” (Islam-qa)

But, what’s the harm in it???
Now, some of you will say, “What’s the harm in it? I am just worshipping Allah!”

But, the answer to that, O noble reader, is…..
“And whosoever opposes the Messenger (Muhammad Sal Allaahu Alaihi Wassallam) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!” [Surah an-Nisaa:115]

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen says: “Fasting on the twenty-seventh of Rajab and spending that night in prayer is a bid’ah (innovation), and every bid’ah is a going astray.” (Majmoo’ Fataawa , 20/440)

So, remember, my dear brothers and sisters in Islaam, DO NOT single out the 27th for your worship because it was NOT the practice of the Prophet OR his Sahaabah.

If however, you pray every single night and it is part of your routine to stay up for worship, then there is no harm. Similarly, if you are in the habit of fasting Mondays and Thursdays, or during Ayyaam Beed (the 13th, 14th, and 15th of every Islaamic month), and the 27th of Rajab falls on one of those days, then it is OK to do so.

The problem arises when one thinks that this night is special and singles out this night or day for worship, thinking they are getting extra reward for their worship. But this is contrary to the Sunnah.

Audio Lecture by Dr.Farhat Hashmi

Rajab or Shab e Mairaj Part-1 Part-2

Flash Presentation in English: Rajab And Mairaj

Do Stars and Planets Influence Our Lives?

By Javeria

There are many people and even Muslims who regularly consult astrology columns, ask each other their astrological signs and regularly read their horoscopes in magazines or online.

Yet astrology is a system which rests entirely on belief that stars and planets are gods.

The Origin of Astrology

Belief that stars and planets can influence our lives “Comes from Babylonian times, when the seven moving heavenly bodies, (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) were believed to be GODS roaming in the sky. To this day the planets still carry the names of ancient gods. These gods were thought to interact with mysterious star patterns that were apparently fixed on the Celestial Sphere and so influence life on earth. More particularly their configuration at the moment of birth – but somehow not before or afterwards – was thought to mould an individual’s character.

The most powerful “god” was believed to be the Sun and a person’s Sun sign – The constellation in which the Sun was positioned on their date of birth. From this have come the 12 well-known signs of Zodiac and their associated dates.

Today, of course, we know that the Sun and Planets are not gods. Our Earth is a planet and Sun is a star, and the other stars are distant suns. There is no reason to suppose that they control our lives any more than do the trees or the mountains.

Furthermore, modern astrology still uses the constellation dates relating to theSun’s apparent position in 500 BC!. Since then, the slow wobble of the Earth’s axis has shifted the dates, but the astrologers have not adapted to this!!”

(Cape Town Planetarium’s Star Watching by Anthony Fairall)

What Quran Says About Sun ,Moon and the Stars

The Sun Moon and the stars are nothing but Allah’s creation. They are all working under Allah’s command and have been made for the purpose of serving mankind. There is no reason at all to believe that they can somehow control our destiny or effect our lives on earth because as Muslims we should be well aware that the knowledge of destiny is only with Allah and is written in Loh e Mahfooz. ( The preserved Tablet in the heavens)

The following are some of the purposes of creating Sun, Moon and Stars as mentioned by Allah Subhana Watala in the Quran.

Sun and the Moon are signs of Allah

“And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon.” (Quran 41:37)

Sun and Moon help in counting Years and Months

“It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light And measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the calculation. (Quran 10:5)

Sun and Moon Help in fixing time of Prayers

“Perform As­Salât from mid-day till the darkness of the night (i.e. the Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishâ’ prayers), and recite the Qur’ân in the early dawn.

(Quran 17: 78 )

Stars are for the beautification of the sky

“And indeed, We have put the big stars in the heaven and We beautified it for the beholders.” (Quran 15:16)

Stars for decoration and guarding the Heavens

“And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.” (Quran 41:12)

Stars for finding direction in land and sea

“It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea.(Quran 6:97)

Before GPS ships and people traveling in the desert used stars for finding their way. My father is a sailor and he showed me the instrument used in the olden days for finding direction using stars.

Consequences of reading horoscopes and Astrology Columns

Leads to Kufr – Disbelief

Astrology is considered Kufr because it destroys Tawheed Al Asma WasSifaat (The Unity of Allah’s Names and Attributes . Such beliefs give planets and stars some of God’s unique qualities, most prominent among them “Qadr” -Destiny.

Prophet Muhammad said “Whoever went to a fortune-teller and believed in what he said, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad.” (Ahmed & Abu Dawood)

Belief in Stars is actually denial of divine destiny

Prophet Muhammad May Peace Be Upo n him said: “What I fear most for my nation after my time is: the injustice of their leader, the belief in the stars and the denial of divine destiny.”(Ibn Askeer)

The prayer is not accepted

Prophet Muhammad (May Peace be Upon him) said: “The Salaah of whoever approaches a fortuneteller and asks him about anything will not be accepted for forty days and nights” (Sahih Muslim)

Conclusion:

It is well established scientifically that stars and planets are not gods and thus there is no possible way that they can control life on earth. More so as Muslims we know very well from the Quran that destiny is controlled only by Allah and the knowledge of the future and the unseen only rests with Allah. Quran makes it very clear the purpose of creating stars and planets and the sun and the moon so there is no possible reason to believe that stars and planets influence our lives.

And most importantly believing in astrology leads to Shirk -Polytheism as it gives divine powers to stars. So all those Muslims who are just reading horoscopes for fun and trying to find out what is in their future through any means like cup reading, palmistry, numbers etc should know they are committing shirk “in fun”.

And Shirk is the one and only sin Allah will never ever forgive unless you Sincerely repent from it and never do such a thing again.