Janaza namaaz (Funeral Prayer)

Taken from al-islam.edu.pk

The funeral prayer, called the Janaza Prayer, is necessary for all Muslims, males or females, and also for infants who have lived only for a few seconds. Taking part in this service is Farze-Kefayah. If some of the Muslims perform it, the remaining Muslims will not be held up for sin. It is, however, a duty of every member of the Muslim community to attend the funeral and burial service of the deceased. Those who take part in the prayer must perform ablution.

The Janaza shall be placed in front. The Imam shall stand near the breast of the deceased and facing it, and the people present will form themselves in close rows of three, five, seven, in odd numbers.

The Imam will open the prayer by reciting Allaho-Akber in a loud voice and the hands will be raised up to the ears and then placed as in prayer.

Then the following is recited:-
Subhanakal’la Humma wa ba Ham Daka wa Tabbarak A’snija wata’la Judduka wa Ja’lla Sanna’uaka wa la il’ha ghiroka.

Glory to Thee, O Allah, and Thine is the praise, and blessed is Thy name, and exalted is Thy Majesty, and there is none to be served besides Thee.

Now again Allaho-Akber is called out and the following is recited:-
Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhamadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidu ’m-Majid. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhamadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hamidu ’m-Majid.

“O Allah! Exalt Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad as Thou didst exalt Abraham and the followers of Abraham, for surely Thou art Praised and Magnified. O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the followers of Muhammad, as Thou didst bless Abraham and the followers of Abraham, for surely Thou art Praised and Magnified.”

Again the third time Allaho-Akber is recited and the following is read:-
Allahumma’ghfir li hayina wa mayyitina wa shahidna wa ghai’bna wa saghirina wa kabirina wa zakarina wa unsana. Alla humma man ahy-yaitahu minna fa-ahiyihi ‘ala’l-Islam wa man tawaffayta-tu mina fatawaffahu ‘ala’l-Iman.

“O Allah! Forgive our living and our dead and those of us who are present and hose who are absent and our little ones and our full grown ones and our men and our women. O Allah! Whom Thou keepest alive from amongst us, keep him alive in Islam, and whom Thou causest to die from amongst us, make him die in faith (in Thee).”

The fourth time again Allaho-Akber is recited and thereafter both Salaams are performed. This completes the funeral prayer for adults.

In the case of a minor male child the following is read after the third Takbir:-
Allahumma ’j’alho lana Faratan waj’alho lana Ajran wa zukharan waj’alho lana Sha Faan wa Mushaf Faan.

“O Allah! Make him for s a cause of recompense in the world to come and as one going before and a treasure and a reward.”

And in the case of a minor female child the following is likewise read:-
Allahumma ’j’alha lana Faratan waj’alha lana Ajan wa zukharan waj’alha lana Sha Faattan wa Mushaf Fa-Attan.

“O Allah! Make her for us a cause of recompense in the world to come and as one going before and a treasure and a reward.”

Useful reading:

Muslim Funeral Guide - UK Muslim Directory
(A basic guide for brothers and sister in the UK.)

Is Islam the Continuation of Christianity?

Taken from islamonline.net
07/Dec/2003

Question: The Muslim religion came after the Christian religion. Is it a continuation of the Christian religion? If so, why does it deny the 'main points' of the Christian religion? Like Christians believe that Jesus is God or the son of God.

Answered by Nabil Haroun

Thank you for your question.

Let me first correct your statement that “Islam is a continuation of Christianity”. On the contrary, it can be proved that Islam came to correct the deviations of Christianity away from the original message, which was basically Islam. It is by which all Prophets were sent, starting with Adam to the seal of prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon them all.

This can be verified through a careful unbiased reading of the Bible itself. The Bible is a collection of human books documenting the traditions of the Israelites and early Christians. Hence, they are not the word of God. Yet, whatever attributed therein to either Moses or Jesus can be shown to directly nullify the major beliefs advocated by the Christian Churches.

God – in the Bible - is “One” according to the following examples:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is One Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.” (Deuteronomy 4:39)

“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord: (Mark 12:29)

“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. (Matthews 4:10)

Regarding the so-called “divine sonship” of Jesus, Jesus himself referred to God as “Father”, i.e. Guardian, Provider, Cherisher … etc. for all people, including Jesus:

“And he said unto them: ‘When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.’” (Luke 11:2)

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthews 5: 9)

“That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.” (Matthews 6:4)

“Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them: ‘I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.’” (John 20:17)

Jesus even repeatedly – in the Bible - referred to himself as the “son of Man”:

“And Jesus saith unto him: ‘The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the son of Man hath not where to lay his head.’” (Matthews 8:20)

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of Man be lifted up.” (John 3:14)

Actually, the claimed “original sin and atonement” contradicts the Bible:

“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

“But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:30)

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezkiel 18:20)

It is a fact that children are born sinless, so the “original sin” cannot be inherited:

“But Jesus said: ‘Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthews 19:14)

Why then should God – unjustly - sacrifice his “alleged” son to die on the cross and be raised from among the dead, for the salvation of all humanity? Here again we are faced with a contradiction to the sayings of Jesus:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” (Matthews 7:1-2)

It was Paul, not Jesus, who advocated these claims, against the original teachings of Jesus:

“Then was Saul [Paul] certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:19-20)

“And some said: ‘What will this babbler [Paul] say?’ Other some: ‘He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.’” (Acts 17:18)

“Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my [Paul’s] gospel.” (2 Timothy 2:8)

To conclude, Islam accepts and is the completed final version of the previous messages originally revealed to Moses and Jesus, as well as Abraham, Noah …etc.

In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty says what means:
*{Surely the religion in the providence of Allah is Islam. And in no way did the ones to whom the Book brought differ [among themselves] except even after the knowledge came to them, being inequitable among themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the signs of Allah, then surely Allah is Swift in the reckoning.}* (Aal `Imran 3:19)

Thus, Islam is the final message to remain preserved intact to the end-of-time. Allah also says what means:
*{Surely We, Ever We, have been sending down the Remembrance, and surely We are indeed Preservers of it.}* (Qur’an Al-Hijr 15:9)

I hope my answer is satisfactory.

Salam.

Useful reading:
(1) Unity of Divine Revelations

(2) Islam and Christianity; Common Grounds…

(3) From the Same God, Why Are They Different?

(4) Is Jesus God?

Halal money (Current state of Islamic Banking in UK)

This is an interesting article taken from The Guardain, June 11 2008
By Nesrine Malik

Islamic banking appeals to Muslims who take their religion literally, but it misses the bigger picture

Adapting to life in Britain can be a complicated business for a practising Muslim, as I discovered when I moved here a few years ago. In some ways I was lucky, managing to slot in the five daily prayers awkwardly (and often belatedly), between meetings and professional commitments.

Fasting during Ramadan turned out to be a non-issue, while alcohol and pork were easily avoided in my remarkably tolerant and politically correct business and social circle.

One of my biggest problems, though, revolved around the Islamic prohibition on paying or receiving interest. I shunned credit cards and loans (with some difficulty) and when I was fortunate enough to earn interest, I duly disposed of it - not without a certain degree of smugness. To many of those who observe the religious prohibition on financial transactions involving interest, fundamental personal finance issues arise.

Interest is forbidden in Islam with the intention of preventing usury or riba - effectively selling money as a commodity to the needy and profiteering from the desperation of others. But the rejection of this fast and easy money is predicated on the affordability of liquidity. What became clear to me was that in a situation where my family would not immediately intervene to come between myself and starvation, credit presented an appealing safety net that could bridge the gap between itinerant student jobs and sporadic transfers of cash from benevolent uncles.

The Islamic finance market in Britain has expanded significantly over the last few years and has now even been integrated into the mandatory tests required for those who practice in financial services. Islamic mortgages - previously the preserve of such institutions as the United Bank of Kuwait - are now being offered by several high street banks such as Lloyds TSB and HSBC.

Islamic mortgages - the jewel in the crown of faith-based financial products - are priced very similarly to non-Islamic mortgages that charge interest, but with the interest disguised as "rent yield". They require a larger deposit (usually around 30%) but the remainder of the value of the property is not loaned out to the mortgagee. The bank buys the house outright and charges "rent" instead of interest.

Muslims can now even take out an "Islamic" personal loan where, by sleight, of hand the client borrows money in a six-step process which must be finalised on the same day to "minimise the risk of price movement". In the days when the value of money lay in the very material from which it was created - such as gold - it was reasonable that repaying a loan in gold, when the value of gold had gone down, would involve an additional payment to recompense. In today's economy however, all credit transactions involve risk due to the volatility of everything from currencies to inflation. Therefore, the interest charged by lenders today need not necessarily be considered as usury: the lender is merely underwriting the risk of the borrower's inability to repay the loan while making a marginal profit from the investment.

A specialist in sharia-compliant mortgages commented to the BBC that "No one says that Islam is an easy religion to follow, but we believe that the rewards of being a Muslim are great as well.

Halal food costs more money than regular food, yet nobody thinks twice about buying halal meat. Why would you think twice about doing Islamic banking?"

To any customer who is not merely willing to line the pockets of those who are adept at clever nomenclature and circular investment (rubber-stamped, naturally, by a sheikh in the Islamic finance department of some far-flung university), it becomes clear upon closer investigation that most Islamic products are not in fact - pardon the conflation - kosher: they effectively charge interest under a different mask.

Despite that, British Muslims have been eager to assuage their consciences by subscribing to these financial products. The "Islamic" current account is one of the easiest pickings for high street banks. By not paying any interest it manages to attract clients' money while appearing to offer them some kind of special service. Most of so-called Islamic finance is in a similar vein - trying to dress up 21st century financing in 7th century terminology without any real change. It is unfortunate that clients of Islamic finance institutions, who only want to follow their faith, appear to be exploited this way. However, this preoccupation with interest misses the bigger picture. Without delving into the intricacies of the religious prohibition, the literalism with which the ban on interest is taken, and its superficial observance, is the source of the problem.

The spirit of the Quran is against abusive loan-shark type financing - which is neither unreasonable not impracticable, in fact there are echoes of the hazards of a usurious system in today's credit crunch, measures for tighter controls on lending and curbing the number of mortgages on the market in order to stem the bleed of subprime mortgages in essence mirror the basic premise for the prohibition of unreasonable interest. But when banks capitalise on either the literalist attitudes of Muslim clients or their ignorance this is a double whammy. It is difficult for me to accept that Islamic principles should be extrapolated to mean that all commerce must be limited to basic structures of finance, making no allowances for entrepreneurship, foresight and the right to take a flier on the potential of an individual, business or inspired initiative.

Taking a risk and earning commensurate reward on the either the perspicacity or audacity of the stake is the cornerstone of the globalised economy of opportunity in which we live. Some might argue that Islamic sharia based financial solutions would not exist if there were no demand and that profiteering from this market is not only acceptable but standard business practice. All the more reason for us consumers to remember the principle of "buyer beware" and employ our reason to distinguish between usurers and lenders - and this applies to borrowers both within the Islamic finance system and outside it.

Important: Are you wearing pig skin?

We are all aware that wearing clothing that is made out of pig skin or that has traces of pig skin is forbidden (pig skin remains filthy (najis) even after tanning) - as such, it is impermissible to wear shoes or clothing from pigskin, and prayer in such items would be invalid. But how many of us can truly say that they are NOT wearing pig skin?

This is a difficult issue to deal with because not every item of clothing or furniture is labeled appropriately. Some items may have small elements of pig skin and not be labeled at all or some will just state "real leather" but will not state the type of animal it's derived from.

Here is a useful article taken from sunnipath.com realting to this issue. The article was written by Shaykh Abdurrahman ibn Yusuf Mangera .

Assalamu alaykum

In the name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful.

1. You must determine whether the garment is made of pigskin or not. If one person does not know then ask someone who works in a leather store.

2. If you cannot be sure then it would still be better to abstain from wearing it since the Sharia has considered it essentially impure [najis al-'ayn] and cannot be purified in any way.

The following may help to determine whether it is of pigskin. However, consult an expert in a leather store if still in doubt.

And Allah knows best.
Abdurrahman Ibn Yusuf

Are You Wearing Pigskin Leather?

It is amazing that many Muslims do not know if they are actually wearing a leather jacket or a shoe or carrying a purse or any other leather product that is made of pigskin.

At many occasions I have pointed it out to folks about it. Many have listened and many have not, I keep seeing them wearing those again and again. Imagine how many mosques, centers and other holy places they may have made NAJAS. Their prayers may not have been accepted. Do you think you are one of them or will you be one on them?

Here are some tips to find what a pigskin is, what it looks like and where it is used?
Where it is Used?

• General Leather Products: Heavily used in Chinese and other developing or under-developing countries.


• Shoes & Joggers: Full Leather suede looking Shoes or inner linings.


• Jackets: Full Leather suede looking knee long and waist long full sleeve or sleeveless jackets.


• Purses: Women and men purses. Full leather or linings.


• Briefcases: Men and Women leather brief cases, usually inner linings are pigskins. But look out for rest of the leather.

Why is it Used?

Price & Availability: Pigskin is cheap and easily available in most countries. It is lighter that real suede made of Cow. Due to low price it is easier to market and sell. It was first used as liners as it is really thin and strong. Soon it was used in most products as profit margins are comparatively high.

How to recognized it?

Mostly, it looks like suede. But it is thinner. It has spots on it. Kind of depressions or little holes that never go through. It seems like some has used spikes to try to pin through it. But these spots are only on one side.

Usually, on the other side of the leather, you will see squeezed round shaped spots. These spots may not be very prominent on this side. If you look very closely at the pictures given, you will have no problem in identifying pigskin. If you are not sure, read labels or ask the store keepers. Do not ask them if these are pigskins. Let them tell you what kind of leather it is. Do not take their words - Ask for proof.

Hard to Recognize

Hardest is to recognize the pigskin that is being used for non-suede type leather products. But with a close examination spots and holes can be detected. This type of leather needs much concentration.

Picture # 1
Flattened leather with thin look and equal-distance spots

Picture # 2
Very prominent Spots & Pin Holes. Suede like texture is visible.



Picture # 3
Flattened and soft looking but spots are visible.



Please also read the useful articles in the links below:

Further reading:

(1) Pig Skin Shoes - GMWA Foodguide (This is a very good website that investigates companies that in the UK that provide everyday items to the consumer. This article investigates shoes in particular and GMWA have come up with a list of shoes to avoid from companies such as Clarkes and Marks & Spencers. This link and the website is worth a look.

(2) Pigskin Sandals: Wudu and Makeups - SunniPath.com

(3) Using Hairbrush Made With Boar Bristles - SunniPath.com

Qur’anic Ringtones Haram

Qur’anic Ringtones Haram
Taken from Arab News, 9 November 2007

The Islamic Jurisprudence Council banned the use of the verses of the Holy Qur’an as ringtones for mobile phones because it impinges on the sacred character of the Muslim Holy Book, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday.

“It is demeaning and degrading to the verses of the Holy Book to stop abruptly at the middle of a recitation or neglecting the recitation, as happens when they are used as ringtones in mobile phones. On the other hand, recording the verses from the Holy Qur’an in phone sets with the intention of recitation and listening is a virtuous act,” the scholars attending the council said in a statement.

During the six-day meeting of the council in Makkah, which began Nov. 3 under the chairmanship of Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, 70 Muslim dignitaries and scholars tackled a number of important issues. On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal opened the first session of the council.

The council decided that Muslims are permitted to determine the sex of a fetus provided it was a medical necessity, such as when ascertaining diseases that are suspected to affect boys and not girls, and vice versa. The council said three doctors would be required to confirm the medical necessity of the procedure.

The council also approved damaging an ovary that could lead to a disabled child, but said that trying to control the sex of a child was strictly prohibited.

The council also encouraged Muslims in the West to participate in elections in non-Muslim countries and play an effective political role, especially if elections brought about public good or prevented social evils.

It said this was the only way for Muslims abroad to secure their rights.

It also encouraged Muslims in the West to integrate into Western societies but cautioned them against adopting any Western habits that are contrary to the principles of Islam.

Those who presented papers included Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Subeyel, imam of the Grand Mosque. In the concluding session yesterday, the Islamic Jurisprudence Council emphasized that dialogue with non-Muslims supported by well-prepared media programs are essential in confronting anti-Islamic campaigns.

The council called on Pakistanis and Palestinians to stand united in solving their problems.

Islamic scholars from various parts of the world, who attended the conference, also called for the upholding of Islamic unity and adherence to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah (Tradition of the Prophet), while tackling issues affecting Muslim countries such as Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Further Reading:

(1) Scholars Ban Qur'an Ringtones - islamOnline.net

(2) Entering the toilet with a mobile phone on whose screen is the name of Allaah - islam-qa.com

(3) Using musical tunes on mobile phones - islam-qa.com

(4) Is purity essential for reading Qur’aan from one’s mobile phone? - islam-qa.com

Survey: Inside the world of UK Muslim women

This is an interesting article that appeared in The Observer, Sunday June 01 2008

Inside the world of UK Muslim women
By Nick Mathiason and Huma Qureshi

A major survey shows most want to marry their soulmates and enjoy high street fashion, while keeping a delicate balance with their Islamic values

She wants to marry her soulmate, shops in Primark, TK Maxx and Topshop, and dreams of starting her own business. Meet the typical Muslim woman in Britain today.

A thousand women throughout the country have responded to the biggest lifestyle study of Muslim women undertaken in the UK. It appears to show that Muslim women have established a delicate balance between a desire to live a contemporary lifestyle and tap into consumer trends while sticking to values underpinning the Islamic guide to life.

The survey shows that 58 per cent of Muslim women do not think the racial background of a partner matters, although two-thirds believe it is very important for their man to be knowledgeable about Islam.

Success to 37 per cent of women means being a good Muslim, while 32 per cent say it is about combining work with family life, with 52 per cent wanting to run their own businesses.

When asked which Muslim causes were most important, 70 per cent of women said matters affecting Muslims in their own community or in the UK were a priority against 21 per cent who said that the Middle East was the most important issue facing Muslims today.

Talat Ahmed, 32, from Redbridge in east London, is a married with a three-year-old daughter and works in human resources for a charity. She said: 'I become so English when the Rugby World Cup is on. We're British and we love it here.

'[But] it's complex because living in the West we feel alienation. The media and the government categorises Muslims. We choose to be Muslim and we want to be respected and we want people to understand. A lot of things get misconstrued because Islam is a private thing. I totally respect people of all religions. Sure we are British. We choose to live here. To me it's terrible being told to go back where you come from.'

Half of British Muslim women polled for the survey - carried out by Muslim women's magazine Sisters and Ummah Foods, a halal food business - say the hijab is about dressing modestly, with 19 per cent equating it to 'covering up completely'.

More than half the women polled never go on holiday in Britain for fear of not being welcome in coastal resorts, lack of halal food outlets and uncertainty over where the nearest mosque would be. Eighty-two per cent of Muslim women want shops to sell products that are halal- and sharia-compliant - a desire mainstream retailers largely fail to satisfy.

'I'm proud of my religion, and being British as well as Muslim is important for my identity, but as I've got older, I've started to feel like I don't belong here,' said Farah Mulla, 27, who lives in west London and works in marketing. 'I don't hide my religion though - I'll do things like pray at work, even if there are people around - that makes no different to me.'

For Farah, praying and reading the Koran is part of her daily routine. 'The Koran gives me guidance and praying puts me at peace. It gives me a sense of belonging.' When it comes to marriage, she says she would only ever marry a Muslim although some members of her family have married out of Islam. 'Mixed-faith marriages can work, but it just wouldn't work for me. I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't marry a Muslim.

'My faith is so important to me and I wouldn't want any misunderstandings or conflicts arising from that. But Asian culture confuses things too much and sometimes people get too involved with caste and background, which just isn't right and isn't anything to do with religion at all.'

Nabila Pathan, 25, from Leytonstone, east London, presents Women's Voice, a woman's chat show, on Press TV, an English language channel funded by the Iranian government.

She says: 'The government is always funding these quite contrived attempts to "understand"

Muslims, but to be honest I think a lot of Muslims are fed up with that. Sometimes it's better to read things about ourselves if it's come from ourselves - that way, it's on our terms.'