Date: August 27, 2015
There are many memorable and historic journeys took place in the past which stands as the milestones in the historic culture. Musa had crossed the Red Sea! Caesar crossed Rubicon! These are some wonderful and inspiring instances for historic journeys. But here is a wonderful story of an epic journey which changed the human civilization. Dr Abdullah Al-Kadi researched for years and wrote the book Makkah to Madinah: A Photographic Journey of the Hijrah Route. The book reveals the journey took place in the start of the Muslim calendar Hijrah from Mecca to Madinah by Umar and the great companions of the Prophet who were alive at the time. Dr Abdullah Al-Kadi travelled 30,000 miles through the route of Hijrah to know the hurdles and puddles across the way. The journey helped him to get familiar about the oddly shaped rocks that were used as milestones along the way. Dr Al-Kadi was accompanied by his family and Peter Sanders a well-known British photographer. The book incorporates wonderful images from the journey which is captured by the golden eyes of Peter Sanders. Author reveals that there is much more to learn from the history for even more than 14 centuries.
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari
In the great epic books, it’s noted that Aisha Ra was the most beloved to the Prophet SAW. She is known as the woman who exonerated by Allah SWT in the Qur’an. History and Prophetic words claims that it was upon her lap that prophet Muhammad SAW he breathed his last. Now you might have understood that who this elegant and great woman is. She is the lovable and respectful wife of Prophet Muhammad. She loved her husband, Prophet Muhammad. She was the most eloquent and compassionate wives of Prophet. She was a complete example for innocence, eloquence, wise, knowledge and much more. We can definitely say that she is the complete instance of what a Muslim woman should be like. Aisha Ra is the number four in the most prolific narrators of Hadith. There is no book of Fiqh, which does not have the opinions of Aisha Ra. Every Islamic book has mentioned the name of Aisha Ra. Aisha Ra was the daughter of Muhammad’s close friend Abu Bakr. She was born after four years of prophet hood of Muhammad. Muhammad called her Humaira, means one who has reddish skin. She was engaged to Prophet at the age of six. Many sources say that she stayed with her parents at home until the age of nine when the marriage was declared with Muhammad. Her role to the spread of Prophet’s message was astonishing, and she helped the Muslims for 44 years after the death of Prophet. Histories say that after the migration of Prophet, she lost her father and mother. Years passed and she was living under the rein of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Muawiya Ibn Abi Sufian Ra. Many of her lovable people and companions of Prophet were assassinated in the war. Then she went to do the holy Haj. From there she returned by hearing these assassination and war news. Aftermath, many conflicts had took place and our mother Aisha Ra also participated in the great battle of the camel for peace. She was a great woman who struggled for peace and truth and the follower of Prophetic messages. In her last days in the earth, she was very calm and not even accepted a word of praise from the visitors. At the time of her last breath, she said: “I am OK if I fear Allah SWT. Aisha Ra was buried in Al Baqi at night time as that was her will.
Read MoreZakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. The word Zakat means purification and growth. Quran promotes feeding hungry people and helping the poor. Since, the month of Ramadan is termed as the very month of forgiveness, blessings, helping others, prayers and thanks giving. Zakat is an activity connected with prayer and compassion towards the poor people. Allah says that provide Zakat with prayers and it will make you and the receiver blessed. Conditions for Zakat Giving If you are possessing property in excess of a minimum exemption limit, you must give Zakat to the needy. Another term is that if your wealth equal to or in surplus of Nisab in the beginning and at the end of the lunar year, you must give Zakat. At the same time, at the end of the lunar year if the wealth is less than the Nisab, it is not necessary to give Zakat. It says that Zakat is due on all the gold and silver ornaments, jewellery. All bank deposits and provident fund will fall under the Zakat giving. It is also said that if one has agriculture land irrigated by rain water or by natural water channels or if the land is wet due to a nearby water channel, the yield of the land must be provided as Zakat. Zakat is obligatory on goats, sheep, cows, buffaloes and camels which graze on wild grass, plant leaves and on some feed, now and then given by the owner, and on the above animals meant for sale. Do Not Give Zakat to these People * To a person who owns minimum 7 1/2 tolas of gold or 52 1/2 tolas of silver or equivalent wealth in cash, kind or in trade goods. * To one’s mother, father, paternal and maternal grand-parents, great grand-parents, etc. * To one’s offspring-sons, daughters, grand-children, great grand-children, etc. * to spouse * To other relatives such as brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. * To Sayyeds(descendants of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). * To domestic or other servants as wages. * Zakat cannot be given for repairing or maintenance of mosque. * Do not pay Zakat to meet the funeral expenses.
Read MoreHere is a wonderful and heart touching post from a disabled US Navy Veteran. Once he was admitted in the hospital in Washington DC, where he needs to undergo for some checkups and follow ups. In between he stepped up and down first floor and third floor for a long time. In the meantime, on the third floor, he could see the hospital chapel just outside the elevator doors. The chapel, including ten to fifteen members was getting ready for the Jumuah prayer. As he entered the hospital chapel, he was offered a seat in the front by considering the disability to his knees. It was too difficult for him to sit and pray. But they found a bench that he shared with two other gentlemen to pray. During the khutbah, the imam said that “Let us also make du&8217;a for our brothers and sisters that are too sick to join us in this room today.” Imam’s words hit him hard and he got in a mood of agony. That was a Ramadan season. And he thought like whether other disabled brothers sat next to him thought the same sad way. When he started to pray and make sujud the man in the wheelchair next to him caught his eyes. He was an old gentleman. When they first sat for the khutbah, he noticed that he had to struggle sitting up on his wheelchair, that he was missing both his legs. But, as they made sujud, he too did his prayers and Sujud. Here, the narrator doesn’t have any idea about how this man lost his legs. Maybe he lost his legs while serving the United States military. The very fact, the narrator coining here is that, he has done his Sujud. The narrator is feeling very sick due to his bad knees. At the same time, this old man is doing his Sujud without two legs. This made the veteran man to open his eyes. He was quickly reminded of the quote from Helen Keller “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”. He concludes the narration by remembering the words from the messenger of Allah” “Every Muslim has five rights over another Muslim: to return the greetings, to visit the sick, to accompany funeral processions, to accept an invitation, to respond to the sneezer.
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