Assalamu Alaikum – Peace and Blessings to all!

The blessed month of Ramadan is now less than 10 days away! What are you doing to prepare for this month about which Allah (swt) says:

Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwaa. [Qur'an 2:183]

The word taqwaa is best understood as a state of ‘God-consciousness’.  Therefore, this ayah informs us that the purpose of Ramadan is to teach/train us to be in a constant state of God-consciousness – during Ramadan as well as the rest of the year. But how can we do this if we don’t prepare for this month and treat it as a training period? Every year, we make New Year’s Resolutions, but what about our Ramadan Resolutions? That’s why this year for Ramadan I’ve decided to create a list of my Top 10 Ramadan Resolutions and share it with you. Insha’Allah you find this list helpful for you and it allows you to really capture the true essence of Ramadan

1. Read the entire Qur’an
   Since Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, we are encouraged to read, study, and complete the Qur’an over the course of the month. Initially, this sounds like a huge feat but it’s actually very simple if we plan for it in advance and work hard at it. All you have to do is commit to reading 4 pages after each prayer! And if you can’t read or understand it in Arabic, there’s nothing wrong with reading it in English! What I do is try to read both with a good side-by-side translation but if time is tight, just focus on the English for now so you can understand it.
2. Memorize and learn the tafsir for one new surah
   It doesn’t even have to be a very long surah. Just set aside some time everyday to study this surah, understand the meaning, and memorize it. You can even practice the section you’re currently working on by reciting it during your prayers for that day. The Tafsir of Ibn Kathir is of the most respected and accepted explanations for the Quran and is the most widely used explanations in Arabic used today.
3. Learn 3 new duas from Qur’an or Sunnah
   There’s nothing like the feeling of holding up your hands or touching your forehead to the ground and speaking directly to Allah (swt) asking him for whatever it is that you want. The only thing better is using duas that come directly from the Qur’an or that have been recited by the Prophet Muhammad (saaw). So pick a few that you’d like to memorize and begin using them in your prayers, afterwards, and whenever the need arises! Here is a nice site with some duas for different occasions.
4. Turn off the radio and TV
   You won’t realize how much time you spend listening to the radio and watching TV until you turn them off for a whole month! And I mean all day, not just when you’re fasting. Ramadan isn’t just about fasting from food, we’re supposed to be fasting from all worldly things that take us away from worshiping and praising our Creator – remember, God-consciousness! But I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with watching videos of Islamic talks and lectures though! You can find videos to watch at TubeIslam, HalalTube, and The Deen Show, for starters.
5. Use the Internet wisely
   The internet is a tricky thing. On the one hand it’s a true blessing, a very useful tool, and for some, a necessary part of the work/school day. On the other hand, it’s a HUGE time-waster (Facebook anyone?)! So the key here is to always have a clear picture of what it is you need to do online and just do it! Make an honest effort to not go off on useless tangents (we know how easy that is!) and limit your time spent online each day. If you just have to go on Facebook, make it worth your while (as well as your friends) and share a link that will help others learn something or expand their knowledge in some way – then spend no more than 15-20 mins checking your feed and then SIGN OFF!
6. Pray taraweeh
   Try to go to the masjid and pray taraweeh with the Imam at least one time this Ramadan. If you can go every night, masha’Allah and alhamdulillah! I know for me,  it’s just not something I can do right now, but what I like to do instead is pray taraweeh at home. It’s very simple – I just pray 8 rak’aahs (2 sets of 2 rak’aahs, short break for duas, then 2 sets of 2 rak’aahs) and then I pray the witr prayer (2 rak’aahs then 1 rak’aah). It’s recommended to lengthen the nightly prayers so try to recite the longer surahs that you know or recite more than one surah for each rak’aah.
7. Wake up for suhoor
   When I was younger, my mom always woke us up for suhoor. Once I was on my own, I totally skipped suhoor; I ate at midnight, woke up 5 minutes before Fajr adhan to drink a glass of water, prayed then went back to sleep. What I didn’t know until recently is that the suhoor meal is actually a sunnah.
   The Prophet (saaw) said:

   Eat Suhoor; Indeed, there is a blessing in Suhoor. [Bukhari and Muslim]

   The Prophet (saaw) also said:

   The distinction between our fasting and the fasting of the people of the book [Jews and Christians] is the taking of Suhoor. [Muslim]

   The best suhoor is to eat dates since the Prophet (saaw) said:

   How excellent are dates as the believer’s Suhoor. [Abu Dawood]

   It’s also much healthier to eat a nutritious meal before attempting to fast the entire day; your brain needs energy to function properly. By skipping out on suhoor, you’re depriving your brain of this energy – no wonder we always seem so tired and unable to concentrate during the day! So let’s return to the tradition of waking up early and eating suhoor with the family. Waking up before dawn will be much easier if we’re not staying up late the night before watching TV or Facebook-ing.

8. Make dua
   Ramadan is the month of dua and Allah (swt) loves when we call upon him, so let’s make sure to remember to ask Allah (swt) for everything we want!
   The Prophet (saaw) said:

   There are three people whose dua’s are not rejected, the fasting person until he breaks the fast, the just ruler and the dua’s of the oppressed whose dua Allah lifts above the clouds and opens unto it the doors of the heavens, and Allah says, I swear by My honor, verily I shall assist you even though it may be after some time. [Ahmad and Tirmidhi]

   Make dua each day before starting your fast, when breaking your fast, during/after prayer, at the masjid, when giving zakat, etc. Here is a nice list of duas to recite for various reasons throughout the day and here is another list of 30 duas for 30 days. Here is a dua we can all say right now:

   اَللّهُمَّ  بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان - Allahumma ballighna Ramadan – O Allah! Let us reach the month of Ramadan

9. Pray the Sunnah prayers
   There are 12 confirmed sunnah prayers that are associated with the obligatory prayers. If we’re not praying them already, Ramadan is definitely the time to start!
   The Prophet (saaw) said:

   There is no Muslim servant of Allah who prays twelve supererogatory rakats from other than the obligatory prayer for the sake of Allah most high except that Allah makes for him a house in paradise. [Muslim]

   The sunnah prayers are: 2 before Fajr, 4 before Dhuhr and 2 after it, 2 after Maghrib, and 2 after Isha.

10. Read Surat Al-Kahf on Fridays
    Surat Al-Kahf is a very special surah in the Qur’an; not only are there many virtues for reciting and memorizing it, but it also contains 4 main stories! The following hadiths speak about the benefits and virtues of this surah:
    The Prophet (saaw) said:

    Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on Friday, he will be illuminated with light between the two Fridays. [Bukhari and Muslim]

    The Prophet (saaw) said:

    Whoever memorizes ten Ayahs from the beginning of Surat Al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal. [Muslim, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i and At-Tirmidhi]

    So let’s remember to follow this sunnah and read surat Al-Kahf on Fridays; and if you can’t read the whole thing, at least try to read the first 10 ayahs… by the end of Ramadan, you’ll have them memorized insha’Allah!

Finally, here is a 10 Day Ramadan Prep Challenge for the last 10 days leading up to Ramadan. It’s a nightly audio lecture with different guest speakers addressing a different topic each night!

Let’s aim to strive this Ramadan. With a very small amount of effort, we pray that Allah (swt) will help our hearts soften and honor us with making it easy to turn to Him and open up to Him.

May Allah (swt) make us of the successful in Ramadan, and make it easy for us to turn to Him completely and perpetually. Ameen.

Do you have any Ramadan Resolutions of your own? Share them in the comments below!

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Well, they did it! The Egyptian people have successfully ousted their brutal dictator of 30 years and the entire world is celebrating along with them. Because we all know that this is a victory not just for Egypt, but for all oppressed people of the world fighting for their freedom and liberty, both across the Middle East and the world. Similar uprisings have already sprouted up in other countries in the region, taking their inspiration from Tunisia and their motivation from Egypt. May they all achieve their intended goals and reach their aspirations for human dignity and independence.

The main thing on everyone’s mind is “What now?”. And no doubt, there’s a very complicated and winding road ahead for the Egyptian people as they remove the shackles of their past and lay down the foundations for a new future; but one thing is for sure: although the process will be a long and messy one, nothing can ever break the people of Egypt ever again!

Congrats and Alf Mabrouk!

[youtube rgcLaO4_DFg Sout El Horiya (Voice of Freedom)]

I found this note posted on Facebook yesterday and thought it was so well written, thorough and articulate so many important points, that I just had to share it with you.

by Mohannad Ali on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 (Source)

Excuse me I know I’m not very articulate, but here’s an attempt to explain reality to those who don’t understand it. Apologies in advance for typos, grammatical mistakes etc. I haven’t proofread this.

First refuting the promises:

1. He wont run for another term.You are all accepting this as if Mubarak has a proven record of honesty, and he does deliver on his promises. Mubarak in 1981 said he will only stay in power for 2 terms, and we call saw how this turned out to be. We have seen the regime sending out a few hundred people in pro-Mubarak demonstrations, not to mention the tens of celebrities etc. who were saying all those nice things about Mubarak. Giving the regime 7 months to regroup and plan, don’t you think for example they can’t manage to create a massive large scale pro Mubarak campaign asking him to re-run leaving him “with no choice” but to re-run for another term? If I could think of such a cheap an easy plot, I’m sure Mubarak has at least a dozen of those up his sleeve.What happened to the rest of demands regarding elections? Judicial supervision, the right to vote for Egyptians abroad, voting using your ID (raqam qawmy) to avoid fraud, international and civil society organizations supervision?Again there was no mention of Gamal Mubarak not running for president, but more on that later.
2. Looking into court appeals regarding electoral fraud Looking into those appeals would mean the re-election of many many seats (under no guarantees that the re-election would be fair [read next point about article 88 of the constitution]), plus the large number of appeals basically means the parliament is not legitimate and the proper course of action would have been dissolving the parliament entirely.
3. Constitutional changes. Mubarak promised to ask the parliament to change articles 76, and 77 of the Egyptian constitution. 76 is the article regulating the conditions required to be a presidential candidate, 77 says the president serves a 6 years term with no limit on how many times he can be re-elected. He did not mention anything about article 88 which regulates supervision over the electoral process of the parliament, which means there will be NO guarantee they will be fair and fraud free.

What has Mubarak left out in his speech:

1. Emergency law is still effective, which means oppression, brutality, arrests, and torture will continue. How can you have any hope for fair democratic elections under emergency law where the police have absolute power?
2. Internet is still not working, no talks of lifting censorship.
3. No talks of allowing freedom of speech, freedom to create political parties, freedom to participate in politics without the risk of getting arrested. FYI to start a political party you need the government’s permission. How do you expect democracy to come out of this?
4. He said he will put anyone responsible for corruption to trial right? What about putting the police who killed 300+ to trial? What about members of NDP who are the most corrupt businessmen/politicians in the country. Do you think he’ll put those to trial? Think again.
5. He didn’t even take responsibility for anything that went wrong in the last 30 years. Not even his condolences to the martyrs who have fallen in this revolution.

Why should Mubarak leave now and not a day later?

1. He can’t be trusted, and we can’t believe a word he says. He’s a murderer and a criminal with a 30 years criminal record, and the blood of thousands on his hands.
2. Every day he stays in power, not only are his cronies stealing every dime and every inch of this country, but we’re giving the regime a chance to regroup and get their shit together, and if not Mubarak, or Gamal Mubarak, I’m sure we’ll get someone even worse from within the regime.
3. Egypt will see the worst 9 months of its history in terms of oppression, arrests, and torture from now till September (and after that). Rest assured the regime (with or without Mubarak), will stop at nothing to stay in power. He has given no real guarantees whatsoever that the situation will improve. None. Not even regarding Emergency law.
4. You should NOT believe that there are any good people in the new cabinet Mubarak recently assigned. No good honest man would work for a criminal and a murderer, especially not in this war cabinet. Many honest Egyptians along the years have declined positions in Mubarak’s governments.
5. If protesting stops now, it will never start again. At least not in those numbers, and thus creating no real pressure. And while giving the police a chance to regroup and reinforce their lines, expect more police brutality, and expect more deaths.
6. Most importantly, 300+ haven’t sacrificed their lives, so we’d settle for some lame ass promises with no guarantees, and risk all this going to waste. They wanted Mubarak gone, and the least we can do is honor their will and keep going until Mubarak, and the rest of the regime are gone. Not in 9 months, but now.

My answer to the following claims:

“But the country is already in a state of chaos. Lets stop protesting so we can have some security and stability”

Don’t be fooled, this state of chaos is mostly intentional. With the economy reaching almost a complete halt, and lack of security on the streets etc, Mubarak made sure you’d eat up whatever he throws at you. Would you rather be ruled by a corrupt and criminal regime for another 9 months (at least), or go through “chaos” for another week, two, or a month until the regime has fallen?

Don’t let the blood of our martyrs go to waste. We’ve seen countries rise from the ashes of war, we’ve seen countries rise from the devastation of nuclear bombs. We can most DEFINITELY pull through for another couple of weeks. And once we have democracy, once we have freedom, once we get rid corruption, when 100% of our money goes into the country and not into the pockets of corrupt politicians and businessmen, we’ll rebuilt this country in no time. What are a few years of struggle in a the history of a free and proud nation?

“If Mubarak leaves now, who’s gonna be president? ElBaradei can’t be president!! With no one in power we’ll be in a spiral of chaos and havoc etc”

This is by far the most naive argument. Do you know what happens if the president has health problems? Do you know what happens if the president resigns? Do you know what happens if the president dissolves the government and resigns? Do you know what happens if the president dies? Do you know how an interim government works? Do you know what your constitution says? No. So any opinion you have on the matter is naive and based on emotion and not facts nor political understanding.

The constitution as it is tailored at the moment, puts on obstacles making it hard to proceed if Mubarak resigns at the moment. In other words the constitution obviously doesn’t account for the coup d’etat scenario. You can read articles 82, 84, and 189 to understand what I’m talking about it.

However the scenario we want is:

1. the ousting of the regime entirely: President, government, and parliament.
2. Establishing an interim (transitional) government representing everyone across the spectrum, chosen by the people, to make the necessary constitutional changes and prepare for fair democratic elections in 6 months while providing the necessary guarantees. There are lots and lots of names who can fill this interim government but everyone is concerned about the president of that transitional government, and to those I say: a) Enough with the centralization of power. Its seems we can’t think out of the one-man-ruling-the-country box. b) We are a country of 80 million people. Any honest decent Egyptian, who isn’t part of the current regime, could be the head of this interim government. c) Whats wrong with ElBaradei? If you know anything about me I’m not exactly a fan of his, but we just need an honest man, who knows the necessary processes, constitutional changes and legislative changes required to establish the basis for democracy. I wouldn’t want ElBaradei or any of the current opposition leaders to be president for a full term, but ElBaradei has what it takes to put down the ground work for fair and democratic elections after 6 months. Some people say he’s too “soft” to handle the tough reality of Egypt, well you have to keep in mind a leader is only as strong as his supporters, so whichever whoever leader the people stand behind will have the necessary strength to lead this transitional phase. The circumstances of an interim government are different from a normal government. Think of it as a committee temporarily running the country with the primary focus being elections in 6 months. Finally given 6 months of political freedom, freedom of the press, freedom of speech, no emergency law, and with constitutional and legislative changes, not only will we have one strong candidate for presidency, we’ll have dozens.

For the reasons above, our goal should be: keep going until we overthrow the regime completely. And if you’re bothered by the chaos, remember that the more people protesting, the faster the regime will fall and the chaos will be over. And once the regime has fallen, we should dedicate all of our efforts to make sure we choose a proper interim government that really represents the people, and everything will go smoothly from there, and the future of Egypt will be brighter than ever before.

Be strong, keep pushing, no compromises, don’t forget what they have done, we all know what they will do. The revolution has to go on so the lives of 300+ martyrs, and the blood of thousands other free Egyptians wouldn’t go to waste.

Don’t be naive. Its time to think politics and not just revolution. True freedom has a price and all of us should be willing to pay it.

Please visit the Emergency Response Plan HERE

"I am Khaled Said" by Kimo Nour

“We are all Khaled Said”
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Perhaps one of the most controversial topics when it comes to Islam, is that of the status of women. It seems that everyone thinks they know everything there is to know about this topic, but I’ve yet to see a mainstream debate about this issue which actually included a Muslim in the conversation… or better yet, a Muslim woman!

I was approached by a very dear friend of mine who needed help in debunking some utterly false and downright hateful claims made by Christian Evangelical, Franklin Graham, in an interview which recently aired on CNN. I’ll spare you the excruciating pain of actually watching the interview, so I’ve outlined his main “points” below and will attempt to respond to each of them with credible references from the Qur’an and Hadith – the only true sources for Islamic jurisprudence.

However, before getting into that, it’s important to note that throughout the 11 minute interview, Mr. Graham never once took the time to actually refer back to the Qur’an or Hadith (as I will do in this post). He never once referred to a specific personal experience he’d had with any of the millions of Muslims living in his own country – the U.S., or the 1.6 billion other Muslims scattered across the globe. No, his one reference to anything remotely related to Islam was when he held up the cover of a TIME magazine which showed a picture of an Afghani girl who tragically had her nose cut off by her father because she fled an arranged marriage…and this is not at all a reference to Islam, but a in fact a reference to one incident in one country involving one family, who happens to be Muslim. Oh yes, he also referred to his ‘extensive experience’ of ‘helping Muslims’ in Muslim countries, but he never once mentions who, when, where…again, completely baseless.

The importance of this endeavor to counter these false accusations against Islam as a religion is due to the widespread uneducated, misinformed, and at times, downright ignorant, images that are portrayed about Islam in the mainstream media. If some heinous, cruel act is committed in some remote corner of the world, it goes completely unnoticed… until someone gets wind that the perpetrator says he’s a Muslim. This over-generalized, painting with a broad stroke of the brush has got to stop! It’s time to look at the facts, the source, and the truth. Below are some of Mr. Graham’s false statements about the status of women in Islam:

Women are the personal property of men
This one is a favorite of those who are truly uneducated about Islam. For if one reads the Qur’an, one will immediately realize that women and men are full and equal partners in humanity. Women are neither the ‘property’ of men, nor are they an object to be owned, bought, sold, used, kept, or any other outlandish term used to describe them. Allah (swt) explains to us exactly how women are to be treated (and not treated):

O You who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will, and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr (bridal-money given by the husband to his wife at time of marriage) you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sexual intercourse. And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good. (Qur’an, 4:19)

Allah (swt) also makes it clear that the only difference between a man and woman in the sight of Allah, is one’s good deeds and awareness of Allah (swt):

Indeed the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious. (Qur’an, 49:13)

Whoever does right, whether male or female, (all) such will enter the garden. (Qur’an, 40:40)

And for those who wonder why the Qur’an seems to only be addressed to men, Umm Salama (one of the Prophet’s wives) asked the same question, after which a long passage was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) clearly addressed to both men and women in every line, stating the responsibilities and rewards for both men and women:

For Muslim men and women – for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God’s praise – for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward. (Qur’an, 33:35)

Women have no rights in Islam
Another favorite, yet completely false statement, disproven only by the word of Allah (swt):

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever and All-Watcher over you. (Qur’an, 4:1)

Contrary to what characters like Franklin Graham would have you believe, Islam grants the women the right to an education, as clearly stated by the Prophet (pbuh):

To seek knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim. (Related by Ibn ‘Adiyy, Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Tabarani)

The Holy prophet had keen interest in the education of women. His own wife, A’isha (ra) was highly learned and he is reported to have said to his companions: Learn half of the faith from A’isha. After the death of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) his companions frequently asked her for guidance in matters on which there was a difference of opinion and she was considered an authority on many vital issues and a large number of authentic traditions were narrated by her.

Islam also guarantees the rights of women to work, to own property and have wealth. Regarding the right to work and earn a living:

And in nowise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on others: to men is allotted what they earn, and to women what they earn: But ask Allah of his bounty. For Allah hath full knowledge of all things. (Qur’an, 4:32)

Islam also grants women the right to their lawful inheritance. Neither a woman’s father nor her husband can lay claim to her rightful share of inheritance:

From what is left by parents, and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large-a determinate share. (Qur’an, 4:7)

The Qur’an also states:

Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females…(Qur’an, 4:11)

The above verse is very controversial, since at first glance, it seems that this verse does not benefit women, when in fact, the opposite is true. The man is legally obligated to maintain and care for his wife, children, parents, and any other relatives in need of assistance. The woman, on the other hand, is exempt from these legal obligations, so her share of the inheritance is hers alone. She doesn’t have to contribute to the maintenance of the family if she chooses not to and no one can take that inheritance away from her.

Before Islam, a woman was not only deprived of her inheritance but was herself considered as property to be inherited by man.

Women have no rights to divorce
For some reason, many believe that all a man has to do is say “I divorce you” three times and the marriage is dissolved, without any consideration or consent from the woman. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Qur’an not only encourages reconciliation as much as possible (especially when the couple has children), but it also orders two witnesses to witness the divorce before God:

Once the interim is fulfilled, you may reconcile with them equitably, or go through with the separation equitably. You shall have two equitable witnesses witness the divorce before Allah. This is to enlighten those who believe in Allah and the Last Day. Anyone who reverences Allah, He will create an exit for him. (Qur’an, 65:2)

The ‘interim’ referred to in the above verse is the required 4-month ‘iddah’ or cooling-off period after a divorce is declared:

Those who intend to divorce their wives shall wait four months (cooling off); if they change their minds and reconcile, then Allah is Forgiver, Merciful. If they go through with the divorce, then Allah is Hearer, Knower. (Qur’an, 2:226-227)

There are 2 reasons for this, (1) to clarify whether the woman is pregnant or not. If she is pregnant, the husband is responsible for the wife’s maintenance until the child is born. Furthermore, if the woman who is divorced has a young child, she can nurse the child for up two years and the father must maintain both the woman and her child. (2) Iddah also functions as a cooling-off period during which the relatives and the community will try to help reconcile the couple.

Furthermore,

Divorce may be retracted twice. The divorced woman shall be allowed to live in the same home amicably, or leave it amicably. It is not lawful for the husband to take back anything he had given her. However, the couple may fear that they may transgress Allah’s law. If there is fear that they may transgress Allah’s law, they commit no error if the wife willingly gives back whatever she chooses. These are Allah’s laws; do not transgress them. Those who transgress Allah’s laws are the unjust. (Qur’an, 2:229)

And when you divorce women and they reach their prescribed time, then either retain them in good fellowship or set them free with liberality, and do not retain them for injury. He who doeth that hath wronged his soul. (Qur’an, 2:231)

Islam condones violence against women
Islam condemns violence in all forms both against men and women. In pre-Islamic Arabia violence against women was rampant and began at birth in the form of infanticide. The Qur’an not only prohibits this practice explicitly, it also mocks those who view the birth of a female child with contempt:

When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on? (Qur’an, 16:58-59)

Another form of violence against women prohibited by Islam is that committed by husbands against their wives. Islam requires that husbands treat their wives with respect and it prohibits any form of physical or emotional abuse. The Quran requires that spouses treat each other with love and mercy.

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts); verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. (Qur’an, 30:21)

Moreover, the Prophet (pbuh) said:

I recommend that you treat women with goodness. The best of you are those who treat their wives the best. (Tirmidhi)

One verse in the Qur’an that is repeatedly referred to in order to justify using violence against women is the following:

As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) tap them (lightly) ['wadribuhunna']; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance): for Allah is Most High, Great (above you all). (Qur’an, 4:34)

This verse in no way condones abuse or violence against women at all! If it did, it would be in contradiction with the numerous other verses that call for peaceful, equitable and loving relationships between husband and wife. In fact, the Qur’an also gives women the right to leave a marriage if she fears abuse from her husband:

If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men’s souls are swayed by greed. But if ye do good and practise self-restraint, Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. (Qur’an, 4:128)

The falsehood of associating verse 4:34 with violence against women is a blatant lie that the Qur’an warns us against:

Behold! How they invent a lie against Allah! But that by itself is a manifest sin! (Qur’an, 4:50)

This doesn’t even take into account that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the best example of a man, never once hit, beat, or laid a hand on any of his wives or daughters. Because of this, many scholars take the ‘tap them (lightly)’ [Arabic: 'dribah'] to be interpreted as valid as ‘to walk away’. A man should walk away from a situation that angers him in order to cool off and show his disapproval. Even if this translation/interpretation is not based on overwhelming consensus, the Sunnah (tradition) of the Prophet (pbuh) makes it clear that beating or abuse of any kind against one’s wife is unacceptable since it goes against the Islamic spirit of justice and compassion.

Islam condones ‘honor killings’
There is no such concept as “honor killings” in Islam. Islam holds every life and soul in high esteem and does not allow any transgression upon it. Islam in no way allows people to take the law into their own hands and administer justice, as doing so would simply lead to chaos and lawlessness. Any judgement passed down whether to sanction killing or any other punishment should be issued by an authoritative court (ie: the justice system). Individual persons are not allowed to just sanction killing when and where they please as this leads to ruling by the laws of the jungle. In a civilized society, there are a rules and regulations that govern these sanctions so a Muslim is in no way justified to sanction these so-called “honor killings”.

Say: “Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from”: join not anything with Him; Be good to your parents: kill not your children on a plea of want;― provide sustenance for you and for them;― come not nigh to shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom. (Qur’an, 6:151)

Like other religions, Islam strictly prohibits killing and murder without any justified cause. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) states:

Nor take life – which Allah has made sacred – except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully. we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law). (Qur’an, 17:33)

The Qur’an even goes further as to say that killing is something that should be warded off completely:

But recite unto them with truth the tale of the two sons of Adam, how they offered each a sacrifice, and it was accepted from the one of them and it was not accepted from the other. (The one) said: I will surely kill thee. (The other) answered: Allah accepteth only from those who ward off (evil). Even if thou stretch out thy hand against me to kill me, I shall not stretch out my hand against thee to kill thee, lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. (Qur’an, 5:27-28)

The Qur’an points out that the same God of the Children of Israel is the same God of the Qur’an, and the values continue:

On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if whoever kills a soul – unless for another soul or for corruption (vice and mischief spread) in the land – it is as if he had slain the whole of mankind. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved the whole of mankind. (Qur’an, 5:32)

Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) also says:

He who is not merciful to people Allah will not be merciful to him. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

You possess two qualities that Allah loves. These are clemency and tolerance. (Al-Muslim)

Honor killings are based on ignorance, immorality, and a complete disregard for human life and the rule of law. It’s an unfortunate reality that these killings take place both in the Muslim world, as well as other corners of the world and should be abolished through education and disciplinary measures. However, before we can wipe out these awful, heinous crimes against humanity, we must first recognize that these acts have no place or justification in Islam, a religion that advocates peace, harmony, and the sanctity of every life on this earth.

This article has aimed to cut through some of the dominant stereotypes concerning the status of women in Islam. Of course, this is in no way an exhaustive list, but indeed one that covers the most common statements uttered by misguided individuals who believe they are speaking the truth. There are almost 2 billion people on this earth who follow the religion of Islam. Women, men, old, young, black, white, Arab and non-Arab – they all subscribe to the same peaceful ideals and values that together, form the basic way of life that is Islam. It’s the fastest growing religion in the world and the second largest religion both in the U.S. and the world.

For people to actually believe that close to 2 billion of their fellow human beings follow a faith that advocates some of the heinous, unmentionable practices that they falsely attribute to Islam, there is a real problem with they way those individuals view the world around them. We cannot let the actions of a few ignorant, misguided individuals (who happen to call themselves Muslims) dictate our views and judgements about the entire religion of Islam. There are over a billion other Muslims who stand 100% against all of these purely cultural, tribalistic practices, but nobody ever asks what we think or what we believe.

It’s time to start looking at the original sources. It’s time to start asking questions instead of passing uneducated judgements. It’s time… to ask a Muslim!

Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He (Allah) is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.
[Qur'an 17:1]

Of all the symbols of Islam, the most neglected in our time is Masjid Al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem. The Ummah for various reasons, from political compromise to appeasement, has ignored not only the virtues but also the plight of this Holy site.

It is with the intention to rekindle the love, affection and devotion of Muslims to Masjid Al-Aqsa that we present these Ahadith. Since the Prophet (saw) showed such great concern and inculcated into the Companions (ra – may Allah be pleased with them all), the need to liberate Masjid Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem. I hope that we can adorn the teachings of our noble Prophet (saw) and take the urgent practical steps required to safeguard Masjid Al-Aqsa.

Masjid Al-Aqsa is no ordinary Masjid; it forms the basis of our history and it is the cornerstone of mankind’s foundation. The noble Prophet (saw) dedicated a great deal of his life in nurturing the Companions to appreciate the excellent qualities of Masjid Al-Aqsa and prepared them to embark on an expedition to liberate Jerusalem which at the time was in the hands of the mighty Roman empire.

Some of the reasons why Masjid Al-Aqsa should form an important aspect of a believer’s dedication, where many pious individuals have given their wealth and lives, include the fact that Masjid Al-Aqsa is:

• the first Qiblah of the Muslims
• the station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the miraculous journey of Mohammed saw)
• the second house of Allah built on earth
• the place where hundreds of Messengers of Allah are buried
• the place where many companions are buried
• a place where miracles were shown by Allah’s will
• a place which Allah Himself calls a ‘blessed place’
• referred to directly and indirectly, 70 times in the Holy Quran
• the place where Angels have descended with Allah’s message
• the only place on earth where all the Messengers of Allah prayed at the same time led by Mohammed (saw)
• the only Masjid mentioned by name in the Holy Quran, apart from the Ka’bah

It is for the above mentioned reasons and many more that we need to understand our responsibilities regarding safeguarding Masjid Al-Aqsa which is in great danger of being demolished by extremist jews.

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Second House of Allah on Earth

1, Abu Dharr (ra) reported that he asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, which Masjid was built first on earth”? The Prophet (saw) replied, “The Sacred Masjid of Makkah”. Abu Dharr (ra) again asked, “Which was next”? The Prophet (saw) said, “Masjid Al-Aqsa”. Abu Dharr (ra) further asked, “How long was the period between the building of the two Masjids”? The Prophet (saw) said, “Forty years”. Apart from these, offer your prayer anywhere when it is time to pray, although excellence is in praying in these Masjids”. (Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 55 :: Hadith 585, Muslim :: Book 4 : Hadith 1056)

The Importance of Visiting Masjid Al-Aqsa

2, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “You should not undertake a special journey to visit any place other than the following three Masjids with the expectations of getting greater reward: the Sacred Masjid of Makkah (Ka’bah), this Masjid of mine (the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah), and Masjid Al-Aqsa (of Jerusalem)”. In another narration the words are, “For three Masjids a special journey may be undertaken: The Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah), my Masjid and Masjid of Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa). (Muslim, Bukhari, Abu Dawud)

Greater Virtue of praying in Masjid Al-Aqsa

3, Abu Darda (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “A prayed in Makkah (Ka’bah) is worth 1000,000 times (reward), a prayer in my Masjid (Madinah) is worth 1,000 times and a prayer in Al-Aqsa Sanctuary is worth 500 times more reward than anywhere else”. (Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Suyuti)

4, Anas Ibn Malik (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, ” The prayer of a person in his house is a single prayer; his prayer in the Masjid of his people has the reward of 27 prayers; his prayer in the Masjid in which the Friday prayer is observed has the reward of 500; his prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa (i.e. Al-Aqsa Sanctuary) has a reward of 5,000 prayers; his prayer in my Masjid (the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah) has a reward of 50,000 prayers, and the prayer in the Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah) has the reward of 100,000 prayers”. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

The Importance of Donating to Masjid Al-Aqsa

5, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) relates, I asked the Prophet (saw), “Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).” The Apostle of Allah (saw) said, ” Go and pray there. If you cannot visit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in the lamps”. (Bukhari)

6, Maymunah Bint Sa’d (ra) relates that she asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, inform us about Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)”. He said, “Visit it for prayer “. She further asked, “If one of us cannot visit it, what should we do”? He said, “If you cannot go for prayer then send some oil to be used for its lamps, will be as if he has prayed in it”. (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

The Virtues of Wearing Ihram From Masjid Al-Aqsa

7, Umm Salamah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “If anyone puts on Ihram for Hajj or Umrah from Masjid Al-Aqsa and then proceeds to the Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah), their past and future sins will be forgiven, or they will be entered into Paradise”. (Abu Dawud)

The Blessed Land of Masjid Al-Aqsa

8, Zaid Ibn Thabit (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “How blessed is Al-Sham”! The Companions (ra) asked, “Why is that”? The Messenger (saw) replied, “I see the Angels of Allah spreading their wings over Al-Sham”. Ibn Abbas (ra) added, “And the Prophets lived therein. There is not a single inch in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) where a Prophet has not prayed or an Angel not stood”. (Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

9, The Prophet Mohammed (saw) said, “Allah has blessed what lies between Al-’Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly Holy”. (Kanz Al-Umal)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The First Qiblah (direction of prayer)

10, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) narrates, “We prayed along with the Prophet (saw) facing Al-Quds (Jerusalem) for 16 or 17 months. Then Allah ordered him saw) to turn his face towards the Ka’bah (in Makkah). (Bukhari)

11, Al-Bara (ra) added, “Before we changed our direction towards the Ka’bah in prayer, some Muslims had died or had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (regarding their prayers). Allah then revealed: And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. the prayers of those Muslims facing Bayt Al-Maqdis were valid) {2:143} (Bukhari)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj

12, Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “On the night journey Allah’s Apostle (saw) was taken on a night journey (Al-Isra and Al-Miraj), two cups, one containing wine and the other containing milk were presented to him (saw) at Al-Quds (Jerusalem). He looked at them and took the cup of milk. Angel Gabriel said, “Praise be to Allah, who guided you to Al-Fitrah (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your Ummah would have gone astray”. (Bukhari)

13, Regarding the statement of Allah in the Holy Quran, “And We granted the vision (ascension to the Heavens) which we made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people”. (17:60) Ibn Abbas (ra) said, “The sights which Allah’s Apostle was shown on the Night journey where he was taken to Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed tree (mentioned) in the Quran is the tree of Zaqqum. (Bukhari)

14, Jabir Ibn Abdullah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “When the people of Quraysh did not believe me (i.e. the story of his Miraculous Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it”. (Bukhari)

15, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “I saw on the night of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the Night Journey) a white column resembling a pearl which the Angels were carrying . I asked them, “What are you carrying”? They said, “The Column of the Book, we have been ordered to place it in Al-Sham. Later in my sleep, I saw the Column of the Book being taken away from under my headrest. I began to fear lest Allah the Almighty had abandoned the people of the earth. My eyes followed the Column of the Book. It was a brilliant light in front of me. Then I saw it was placed in A;-Sham. (Tabarani)

16, Anas (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “I was brought the Buraq, a tall white beast, bigger than a donkey, smaller than a mule. It could place his hooves at the farthest boundary of his gaze. I mounted it until I arrived at Bayt Al-Maqdis. I tied it at the ring where the Prophets tied it before (i.e. Buraq Wall or the Western Wall). I entered Masjid Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and prayed 2 rak’ah there…” (Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Place for Major Events

17, Mujamma Ibn Al-Harith (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “Ibn Maryam (Jesus) will kill Al-Dajjal (the Anti-Christ) at the door of Ludd (a town in Palestine)”. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

18, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding Al-Dajjal: “He will stay in the land forty days; he will enter every place on earth except the Ka’bah, the Prophet’s Masjid, Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and Mount Sinai”. (Ahmad)

19, Nahik Ibn Suraym Al-Sakuni (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “You will fight the pagans until the remnant of you fights on the river of Jordan, you to the east of it (present day Jordan) and they to the west of it (occupied Palestine)”. (Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani)

20, Maymunah Bint Sa’d (ra) reports that she asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, give us a pronouncement about Al-Quds (Jerusalem)”. The Prophet (saw) replied, “It is the land where they will be raised (Al-Hashr) and gathered (Al-Mahshar)”. (Ahmad, Tabarani)

21, Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “The Flourishing state of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) (under the non-Muslims) will be taken when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the Great War comes, the outbreak of the Great War will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when Al-Dajjal (Anti-Christ) comes forth”. He (the Prophet) struck his thigh with his hand and said, “This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting (meaning Muadh Ibn Jabal). (Abu Dawud)

22, Awf Ibn Malik (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “The rest of the world will be destroyed forty years before Al-Sham is”. (Ibn Asakir)

23, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding the inhabitants of the blessed land, “They and their wives, children and slaves (male and female) are in ribat (guardians, literally a fort) in the cause of Allah”. (Tabarani)

24, Al-Nawwas Ibn Saman Alkalbi (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “If Al-Dajjal comes forth while I am amongst you then I shall dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes after I am not with you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take to protecting every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surah Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial”. We asked, “How long will he remain on earth”? He (saw) replied, “Forty days, one like a year (1 day will be equivalent to 1 year), one like a month, one like a week and the rest of his days like yours”? We asked, “Will one day’s prayer suffice us in the day which will be like a year”? He replied, “No, you must estimate of its extent. Then Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Virgin Mary) will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch Al-Dajjal up at the gates of Ludd and kill him”. (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The place of Mujahideen

25, Umamah Al-Bahili (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “A group of my Ummah will remain on truth, they will vanquish their enemy and those who disagree with them will not be able to harm them until Allah commands”. “Where are these people”? The Companions (ra) asked. The Prophet (saw) said, “In and around Al-Quds (Jerusalem). (Ahmad)

26, Muawiyah Ibn Sufyan (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “There is a group among my followers who will continue to be openly on the truth. No one who opposes them can harm them until the coming of the Hour”. The Companions (ra) asked, “Where will they be”? The Messenger of Allah said, “They will be in and around Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem)”. (Ahmad)

27, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “A group of my Ummah will not cease to fight at the gates of Damascus and at the gates of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its surroundings. The betrayal or desertion of whoever deserts them will not harm them in the least. They will remain victorious, standing for the truth, until the Final Hour rises”. (Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Best Place of Residence

28, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, There will be migration upon migration. The best of the inhabitants of earth will reside where Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) migrated (Jerusalem)”. (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Desired Site of Musa (Moses)

29, Abu Hurayrah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “The Angel of death was sent to Musa. When he came to Musa, Musa punched him on the eye. The Angel returned to Allah and said, “You sent me to a servant who does not want to die”. Allah ordered the Angel, ‘Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life’. Musa asked, “O Lord! What will happen after that”? Allah replied, ‘Then death’. Musa decided, let it be now’. Musa then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land (near Masjid Al-Aqsa) so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw form it”. Abu Hurayrah (ra) added, the Prophet (saw) then said, “If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road”. (Bukhari)

Liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsa Prophesied

30, Awf Ibn Malik relates, “I went to the Prophet (saw) during the battle of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, ‘Awf, Count six signs, between now and the approach of the Hour (Qiyamah/Doomsday): my death, the conquest of Al-Quds (Jerusalem); a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep; the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given 100 hundred Dinars (Arabian currency), he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape; and then a truce between you and Banu Asfar (i.e. Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers”. (Bukhari)

31, Shadad Ibn Aws (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “l-Sham will be conquered and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) will be conquered and you or your sons will be Imams there, if Allah will”. (Tabarani)

The Preference of Masjid Al-Aqsa

32, Once the Prophet (saw) advised Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) to join the army in al-Sham, over any other. However, the Prophet (saw), noticing Ibn Hawwala’s indifference said, “Do you know what Allah says about Al-Sham? Allah said, ‘Al-Sham you are the quintessence of My lands (safwati min biladi) and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants’”. (Tabarani)

33, Abdullah Ibn Amr (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) repeated the following statement three times: “When the dissension takes place belief shall be in Al-Sham”. One version of hadith states, “safety will be in Al-Sham”. (Tabarani)

34, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “At some point you will be (split into) standing armies: one army in Al-Sham, on in Yemen and one in Iraq”. Abdullah Ibn Hawala asked he Prophet (saw), “Choose for me, Messenger of Allah in case I live to see that day”. The Prophet (Saw) replied, “You must go to Al-Sham, for it is the chosen land of Allah in all His earth. He protects, by sending them there, the chosen ones among His servants. If you do not wish to go there, then go to Yemen. Allah has given me guarantee concerning Al-Sham and its people. (Abu Dawud, Ahmad)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Site of the Future Caliphate

35, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala Al-Azdi (ra) reported, the Prophet (saw) put his hand on my head and said, “Ibn Hawwala if you see that the Caliphate has taken abode in the Holy Land then the earthquakes and tribulations and great events are at hand. The last Hour on that day will be closer to people than my hand is to your head”. (Ahmad, Abu Dawud)

36, Yunus Ibn Maysarah (r) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “This matter (the Caliphate) will be after me in Madinah, then Al-Sham, then Al-Jazira, then Iraq, then in Madinah, then in AL-quds (Jerusalem). If it is in Al-Quds, its home country is there, and if any people expel it, it will not return there forever”. (Ibn Asakir)

37, Al-Numan Ibn Bashir (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “Prophethood will last with you for as long as Allah wants it. Then Allah will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be the Rightly Guided Caliphs according to the method of Prophethood and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes it. Then there will be a voracious kingdom and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes. Then there will be Khilafah (Caliphate) according to the method of Prophethood. Thereafter the Prophet (saw) fell silent”. (Ahmad)

38, Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Abi Umayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “There will be an oath of allegiance according to guidance in Al-Quds (Jerusalem)”. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Place Where Allah’s Revelation Descended

39, Abu Umama (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “Prophethood descended upon me in three places: Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham. Once it is brought out from any of them, it shall never return to it”. (Abu Dawud) In another narration it states, “The Quran was revealed in three places – Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham”. (Tabarani) Ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Islam, said, “Al-Sham here means Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). (Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – Mentioned By Name In The Holy Quran

40, Aishah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) used to recite Surah Al-Isra every night in his prayer:
Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (17:1)

Source: “40 Ahadith Concerning Masjid al-Aqsa” by Ismail Adam Patel

Excellent slideshow by Asif Raza!

A film by GFMer Sarah Mahmoud in Toronto, Canada.

Includes her own footage as well as footage from the wider GFM community. Screened in Toronto in March 2010.

Watch Part 1 below:

Click here to watch all 7 parts: Playlist

The footage is also available for download at:
http://tinyurl.com/flotilla-footage/

Despite the Israeli government’s efforts to confiscate all of the footage taken during the attack, CULTURES OF RESISTANCE filmmaker Iara Lee was able to have one hour of footage smuggled back to the United States and is releasing it raw to the public today.

Yesterday at the United Nations, Ms. Lee presented the footage for the first time to the international press corps after the following statement:

“I want first to thank the United Nations Correspondents Association for organizing this event on such short notice.

“My name is Iara Lee. I am a dual U.S.-Brazilian citizen of Korean descent. I am a filmmaker and a human rights activist.

“I decided to join the Freedom Flotilla after going to Gaza a few months ago and seeing first hand the devastation there. After hearing the pleas of the people living in Gaza to have the blockade lifted, I felt I must do something.

“The Gaza Freedom Flotilla was on a humanitarian mission. We expected to be deterred from delivering our aid to Gazans, but we did not expect to be attacked.

“We started filming from the moment we boarded the Mavi Marmara right through the Israeli assault on the ship. Although all of our equipment was confiscated, we managed to smuggle this footage out.

“Mine is high-definition footage of the Flotilla attack and also the only sustained footage of the ship and its passengers preceding the deadly Israeli commando raid. Watching this raw, unedited footage, you will get a sense of the mood on the ship and of the passengers on it.

“Undoubtedly, many of you will be scrutinizing it for clues to resolve the mysteries that still surround what happened that fateful night.

“During this past week the Israeli government has repeatedly alleged that these passengers — or some of them — laid a trap for Israel, duped the Israeli military, and plotted a lynching. Israel has repeatedly alleged that we were anti-Semitic Muslim fanatics connected to terrorist organizations.

“In fact, the passengers on our mission came from many countries and religious and ethnic backgrounds. Our one common denominator was that we wanted to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by highlighting the injustice of Israel’s blockade.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “This wasn’t the ‘love boat,’ this was a flotilla of terror supporters.” Our footage will help you decide whether we were a love boat or a hate boat. You will see secular and devout passengers. You will see people at prayer and people working at their laptops.

“Was this a lynch-mob moved by hatred of Israelis or was it a cross-section of humanity moved by the plight of Gaza? Did we lay a trap for the Israeli commandos or did they unnecessarily attack us? Did we take them by surprise or did they take us by surprise?

“Do you see a premeditated ambush, or do you see some passengers using items at hand to protect themselves from an unprovoked assault by heavily armed commandos?

“You decide.”

CONTACT:

info@culturesofresistance.org

www.culturesofresistance.org

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000928581236

SOURCE:
http://www.culturesofresistance.org/press-release-flotilla-footage

Later this month, ships from all over the world will converge in the Mediterranean and set sail for the occupied and besieged Gaza Strip. This international coalition is called the Freedom Flotilla.

The Free Gaza Movement has sailed eight missions to Gaza in the past three years, five of them successful. The last three were violently stopped by the Israeli Navy; the boat Dignity was rammed three times and the Spirit of Humanity turned back in January 2009, then seized and all aboard arrested.

This time the Freedom Flotilla is upping the ante and instead of one- and two-vessel challenges, will be breaking Israel’s siege with an eight-boat front.

In the past, the Israel Navy could pick us off as individual boats. Now, including Free Gaza’s four ships, 700 passengers and some 5,000 tons of reconstruction materials and medical equipment. This includes Free Gaza’s MV Rachel Corrie, which was purchased through generous donations from Malaysia’s Perdana Global Peace Foundation.

The Israeli government has responded to the “sea intifada” coming its way with saber rattling and accusations of serving Hamas. Israel has proscribed the Turkish human rights and relief group Insani Vardim Vakafi (IHH). IHH is responsible for sending a cargo ship and passenger ship in the Freedom Flotilla. Israel has accused it and Free Gaza of “supporting terrorism.” Half the Israeli navy is set to challenge the mission, with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the helm commanding the operation in person. The air force is on standby and “diplomatic pressure” is being applied behind the scenes. The message is clear from Israel: “We will stop you and we will use force to stop you.”

At no point does the Freedom Flotilla enter Israeli territorial waters. The journey starts in local European or Turkish waters, courses through international waters and ends in Gaza’s territorial waters. No checkpoints interrupt us. No walls daunt our sight. We’ve proven that it’s possible to sail a clear line with no borders, as we want the world to be, until we get to Gaza.

Free Gaza is best described as a tactic but in practice, a tactic within a score of tactics active in the global solidarity movement. But it is an expensive one — and many have criticized the hundreds of thousands of dollars that have been spent on the missions for boats and finding boats, flagging, registration, legal costs, management costs, port fees, crew pay, mooring fees, repairs, renovation, GPS, warehouses for cargo, crane and forklift hire. Collectively the cost of the Flotilla runs literally into the millions of euros. Some ask: “Isn’t that money better spent on ‘aid’?”

Every Palestinian family we met in Gaza, particularly after Israel’s invasion last winter kept saying to us: “We don’t want aid, we need a political solution; we need our rights. Our issue cannot be reduced or swapped into bags of flour or food parcels. Palestine is not a humanitarian issue — it is a political one.” This reality, of the need for justice, tests the aid industry in Palestine, and the false “objectivity” and lack of political will in the face of human suffering with the claim: “We don’t take sides. We want to continue to keep giving our humanitarian aid.”

Well, we do take sides — that of direct democracy over occupation and apartheid.

This flotilla is an interruption to a discourse of power that says — governments know best, leave it to us to negotiate new “freedoms” and realities; a continuation of not even top-down but top-to-top processes of keeping power out of the hands of ordinary people. Leaders fly from continent to continent, round table discussions go round and round, elephants in the room stamp their feet and roar ignored. This flotilla puts that power back into our hands — to interrupt this ongoing Nakba.

We will not stop. From 1948 until now, history keeps repeating itself, colonies keep expanding, corporations keep reaping the rewards of reproducing repression; daily dispossession and casual killing is normalized, and alienation from the consequences of our work and actions keeps us compartmentalized. The occupation is reproduced on a daily basis in factories, classrooms, courtrooms, cinemas, art galleries, supermarkets and holiday resorts. Radical refusal, radical transgressions can make change happen. Refusing to be alienated from our brothers and sisters and recognizing our community is the essence of solidarity.

This flotilla represents radical solidarity and a force that can be realized when people from all over the world act on their conscience. It’s a force made real through stepping out onto the streets or into occupation-supporting businesses, through speaking out, through fundraising in mosques, churches, synagogues, schools; through writing, singing, sharing, relaying and promoting, and packing and driving boxes of materials and cement, and cheering on and praying for and protesting any attack.

Israel may well succeed in stopping us — but this is an unknown and here is power in that. We can affect that which hasn’t happened yet.

When Rachel Corrie stood in front of the bulldozer driver that killed her, she acted on radical trust — that the soldier would see her humanity. She lost, because the soldier had lost his humanity. Yet Rachel’s faith abides in each of us. Because if our oppressors are losing their humanity then we must never stop showing them that we have it. We are undertaking this mission in the spirit of those who have fought and sacrificed their lives for our collective humanity, and to remind everyone who can see of the need to act on it.

Ewa Jasiewicz is a coordinator with the Free Gaza Movement (http://www.freegaza.org/).

For updates on the Freedom Flotilla, including the Emergency Response Plan (in the event that Israel launches a military attack or naval blockade), please visit Gaza Freedom March’s Freedom Flotilla Support page.

Source: http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11266.shtml