The Islamic Bulletin Newsletter Issue No. 23

VOL. X, NO. 23 SPECIAL RAMADAN ISSUE IN THIS ISSUE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR............................... 2 ISLAMIC WORLD NEWS .............................. 4 PIONEER OF THE ENVIRONMENT ..................... 5 MADRASSA AN-NOOR FOR THE BLIND............ 7 HOW I EMBRACED ISLAM............................ 8 WHAT COULD YOU GAIN FROM FASTING? ..... 11 AFTER RAMADAN....................................... 12 PRAYER LOCATIONS .................................... 15 ISLAMIC LAST WILL- “PULL OUT” SECTION..... 15 WHO IS BARAKA (RA)? .............................. 19 HAYA ..................................................... 21 RIGHTS IN ISLAM....................................... 22 QURAN & SCIENCE ................................... 23 KID’S CORNER ......................................... 25 COOK’S CORNER ...................................... 26 HAJJ--ANOTHER PILLAR............................... 26 HAJJ AND UMRAH GUIDE ........................... 27 EVERYDAY DUA’A....................................... 29 THE ISLAMIC BULLETIN Published by the Islamic Community of Northern California A Non-Profit Corporation P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186 E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Website: http://www.islamicbulletin.org Ramadan Mubarak ! The Islamic Bulletin returns with our Ramadan edition! We are happy to introduce our recently launched and greatly expanded website, with the resources you need and in the language of your choice—English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Arabic. We have everything from free downloads of classic Islamic Books to the Masjid and Qibla Finder, which points the way from a satellite map of your neighborhood! Want to hear live radio Quran? Do you need to learn how to pray? Thinking of making a last will? We have them all, and so much more. Please visit our website at www.islamicbulletin.org, and click on “Enter Here”, where you will find our site to be user-friendly with easy-find icons. First and foremost, our goal as Muslims is to worship Allah. We all come from different backgrounds and cultures. Yet, the one strong common thread between each and every one of us is our religion, Islam. So, instead of finding the differences that divide us, let us look at and celebrate the similarities that unite us. And since the one big thing that unites us is Islam, this publication was born with that concept in mind. The Islamic Bulletin started back in 1991, and our mission remains the same--to deliver positive and uplifting Islamic material. As Muslims living in America, we must unite to build our faith and our hopes and dreams for a stronger community. It has always been our wish to bring uplifting articles on Islam, with the hope that they strengthen our Iman (faith) and make us proud to be Muslims. Young or old, it is always encouraging when we read positive stories about Muslims. With this as our goal, the Islamic Bulletin has been striving hard to accomplish this. Now, on to the current issue of the Islamic Bulletin. In this issue, in addition to all our favorites—Why I Embraced Islam, Islamic World News, Kid’s Corner, Stories of the Sahaba—we have also included an enlightening story about Baraka (RA), a story about a school for the blind, an article about what we should do after Ramadan, an updated California prayer location, a Hajj and Umrah guide, a copy of the Islamic last will, everyday duas, and a yummy desert for Ramadan, Tiramisu. We sincerely hope you enjoy this expanded issue. We have designed it to include the resources you might use in your everyday lives. In addition, our duas (supplications) are available on our web site, with an audio feature to help with Arabic pronunciation. With this feature, you can repeat them at your pace so that you can recite them correctly. We hope that you enjoy this expanded issue as well our new, expanded website. On a final note, the Editors at the Islamic Bulletin ask that you join us in making a special dua’ for one of our editors, Pamela Barrett, who passed away recently. Pamela’s diligent and tireless work contributed also to the building of the Islamic Bulletin! She will truly be missed. We ask Allah to have Mercy on her, to forgive her sins and grant her paradise. If you would like to read about Pamela’s conversion story, it can be found under How I Embraced Islam, on our website. In addition, we have included the book she was working on before she died. During this blessed month of Ramadan, may Allah (SWT) have mercy on us, forgive our sins, and to grant us the hightest level in Paradise, Jannat Al Firdous. Ameen. Wishing you all the blessings of Ramadan, Islamic Bulletin

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 2 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, I would like you to know that I love your newsletter and would like to share an article which I wrote, “Our Own Kahf”, with your readers. “For they, if they should come to know you, will stone you or turn you back to their religion; then ye will never prosper.” (Surat-Al-Kahf Ayat 20) This particular ayat in Surat Al-Kahf, or The Cave, is referring to a group of young men who had dwelled in a cave for some time. When one of these young men went into the city with a silver coin to buy food he was warned of the people therein who would turn him “…back to their religion…” if they should come to know of him. Some might read this story, in particular this ayat, and view it as a time far off and distant, but upon deeper probing and a pinch of reflection one will see the relation to our present day and age, our present situation. Let me explain. Kahf means a “Place of refuge; protection from trouble, danger, or pursuit; place to hide; place to go into hiding; cavern; cage; refuge.” Now, when we are in our homes (or a Mosque for that matter) are we not in our own personal place of refuge? Our own “Cave”? I think it is safe to say yes. However, eventually we must venture out of our homes (or the mosque), out of our refuge into the city, into the populace. When we do so we are amongst men (and women) of different religions-- whether it be the religion of gangs, the religion of drugs, the religion of lust and sexual sin, or even the religion of hate. It is proven that none of these “religions of man” bring true happiness and peace; quite the contrary they give birth to misery and pain some sooner, some later. As the saying goes: “misery loves company”, and in light of this we conclude that when we (Muslimun) are amongst them (Kafirun) they will proceed to cast their religion of choice on us, or at least attempt to. Several things can then occur but two jump to mind immediately. The first, after exhaustively searching for ways to “convert” you (and altogether failing) in a bout of loathing and seething, they strike against you (really against what you stand for: Islam) hence, they “…will stone you…” The second (and by far worse), in their pernicious effort to cajole you into their wicked system of belief you strike against them, not out of justice but out of hate. And with that they have succeeding in turning “…you back to their religion…”in this instance, hate. Allah (SWT) goes on to say “…then ye will never prosper.” For if we give into the religion(s) of Kafirun we will by then have forsaken our own, and when we abandon our Islamic values we become of the Shayatin. When we are in our place of refuge, our “Cave”, we should be building and strengthening our Faith, our Islam, so when we do have to wander into the city, Inshallah, we will be able to ward off the Kafirun and the Shayatin. We will be able to take on the position of the moon in respect to Allah’s sunlight: a reflection of purity and perfection. Luqman Muzzamil, San Quentin, California Dear Editor, I have saved every issue of the Islamic Bulletin and they have helped me tremedously. I read this story and would like to share it with you. It has a powerful message. He remembered his grandmother's warning about praying on time: "My son, you shouldn't leave prayer to this late time". His grandmother's age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up immediately and performed Salah. He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray. Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time. Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha. He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib. While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed. His grandmother prayed with such tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while. He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired. He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting. He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he looked in was filled with people. Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was. His heart was about to burst. It was the Day of Judgment. When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgment, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind made up? Could it be a dream? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this. Two angels grabbed his arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie. He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared. He pleaded his case, "I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah. I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadan. Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did. Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not." He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah. He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah. He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made. The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd. His legs felt like they were going to collapse. He closed his eyes as they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam. His name was read first. He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn't be, "How could I go to Jahannam (Hell-fire)? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah to others". His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam.

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 3 NEED TO CONTACT US? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had gotten closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last pleas. Had not Rasulullah [saw] said, "How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins"? He began yelling, "My prayers? my prayers? my prayers." The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam. The flames of the fire were burning his face. He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him. One of the angels pushed him in. He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, "Who are you?" The old man replied, "I am your prayers". "Why are you so late! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in". The old man smiled and shook his head, "You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?" At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He heard the adhan for Salat-ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu. Pass this on to your friends and family... maybe you can help someone open their eyes. And who knows? Maybe this is a good deed that can help you during the day of judgment. Atif Miami, Florida IMPORTANT REMINDER The verses of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet have been printed for the benefit of our readers. You are asked to ensure their sanctity. Therefore, they should be disposed of in the proper Islamic manner. ABBREVIATIONS USED SWT - Subhanahu wa ta’ala (Allah is pure of having partners &He is exalted from having a son) PBUH; SAW; AS - Peace Be Upon Him, R.A.; R.A.A. - Allah was pleased with him/her B, M, T, AD - Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawoud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah are the names of the transmiters of the Prophet’s (SAW) Hadith and Sunnah (words and lifestyle.) One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said..... “Then I thank you from my heart.” As this boy, Howard Kelly, left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was stronger also. Until that moment, he had been ready to give up and quit. Many years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Howard Kelly, who was now a doctor, was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall to the hospital room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words..... “Paid in full with one glass of milk” Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands.” Dr. Howard Kelly was a distinguished physician who, in 1895, founded the Johns Hopkins Division of Gynecologic Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. According to Dr. Kelly’s biographer, Audrey Davis, the doctor was on a walking trip through Northern Pennsylvania one spring day when he stopped by a farm house for a drink of water. Many thanks to Andrew Harrison, the Processing Archivist and Fine Arts Coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, for help with this story. PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK The Islamic Bulletin would like to acknowledge our volunteers. We are undebted to them for setting up and maintainig the web and patiently handling the many changes and additions. Their diligent and tireless work contribute to building the backbone of the Islamic Bulletin! May Allah reward them and make them reap their true blessings and give them the highest level in Paradise ( Firdous).

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 4 ISLAMIC WORLD NEWS ISLAM IN BOLIVIA BY SAN FRANCISCO GROUP I was fortunate, by the grace of Allah, to travel with a group of 6 Muslim brothers to the country of Bolivia. Our mission there was to visit the Muslims in Bolivia so that they can establish the effort of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW), and spread the word of Allah –to give Dawah. The word Dawah means to invite. In this particular case, we were inviting the Bolivians to the word of Allah, to the deen of Islam. I was very excited to be leaving. For the next 40 days, I would be leaving my family, my job, and all the comforts of home. Although I had anticipated some hardships, I knew my presence and the fact that I was the only Spanish-speaking brother in the group would be very helpful to the group. So, we departed San Francisco International Airport on our way to Bolivia. We landed in Bolivia and the first thing we did was to rent a van. After finding accommodations for the night, we flipped through the local phone book and searched for “Muslimsounding” names. Thanks to Allah, the next day we found a Muslim man, who was originally from Pakistan, and now living in La Paz, Bolivia, to show us around the city. He was also very generous to permit us to use a one-bedroom apartment. Alhamdullilah we started a musallah (prayer place) in his house, and invited the local people. Their “downtown musallah” consisted of an extremely run down, one-room space in the market-place, that was open only for Jumha salat. There was no bathroom, nor was there any water to make wudu. The altitude was so high in some cities in Bolivia that we could hardly breathe. In fact, each night our chests would tighten so much that we couldn’t sleep. I then remembered the ayah in the Holy Quran where Allah (SWT) says: “Whomever GOD wills to guide, He renders his chest wide open to Submission. And whomever He wills to send astray, He renders his chest intolerant and tight, like one who climbs towards the sky. (Quran, 6:125)” I said, “SubhanAllah. There was no way that at the time this ayah was revealed in the Arabian Peninsula, more than 1400 years ago, that people would have known about this altitude pain. We were always out of breath, and amazed at how the local men and women would play soccer and run like it was nothing. The locals offered us an herbal drink, “mate”, which was a tea-like drink and kept telling us that the more we stayed, the more our hearts would open up and the less the altitude would bother us. Our hearts opened up to feel concern for the Bolivian people. In total, Alhamdullilah, 25 Bolivian people accepted Islam. In fact, the name “La Paz” means peace in Spanish and it did bring a lot of peace. Only Allah (SWT) knows just how many others were affected by our peaceful religion. We stayed in the city of La Paz for one week. Each day, we went out visiting the Muslim brothers and encouraging them about their prayers, dhikr, and the importance of remembe, and establishing the effort of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW)ring Allah. Everywhere we traveled in the city of La Paz, we would stop at prayer times to make Salat. The local people would gather around us and watch in amazement for they had never seen anything like it before. Many would ask us what we were doing and inquire about Islam. Our next stop was the city of Santa Cruz. The roads to Santa Cruz were so tight and narrow that two buses couldn’t pass at the same time. We were so scared that our van would fall over El Camino de la Muerte (Road of Death), Bolivia the side of the mountain. In fact, Bolivia is known for “El Camino de la muerte” which translates to the “Road to Death” and is known as the most dangerous road in the world. Whenever we arrived to a new city, the police always met us at the border. They were very weary of us and suspicious. They would ask us the same questions—where we were going? Who we were going to visit? Where would we be staying? And each and every time we would answer politely and honestly. We had nothing to hide. We explained Islam to them in hopes that they, too, might be touched by the beauty of Islam. Alhamdullilah, after arriving in Santa Cruz and met a brother named Isa. Isa is a Bolivian of Palestinian heritage. Isa, along with his father, offer free Arabic classes to the local people. Due to the media coverage of current events in Islam, this has had a great impact on the Bolivian people attending these classes wanting to learn more about the Muslim people. This father and son duo has brought many people to Islam. While we were in Santa Cruz, I had the opportunity to visit their Islamic library. We noticed that many of the Islamic books had been translated from the Arabic language to Spanish. Brother Isa, who had studied in Madinah, Saudi Arabia and was fluent in both the Arabic and Spanish languages, had translated many books into Spanish. He then asked me my opinion about which would be a good book to translate from English into Spanish and started showing me his collection of English books. When my eyes saw a familiar book entitled “What Everyone Should Know about Islam and Muslims” by Suzanne Hanif. I told him that this is a great book to translate into Spanish. To my amazement, when I opened the book, it had my name and address in it. I said “SubhanAllah” How did this book come to Bolivia? He then told me that while he was attending school in Madinah he met this brother from Argentina who had given him the book. I then remembered the story of this book. I had actually purchased this book when I visited Pakistan and brought it home with me to San Francisco. At the time I received a call from this Argentinean man that I had never met. He was very interested in Islam so I mailed him the book. Alhamdullilah the man accepted Islam and went back to Argentina. I did not even know that he had gone to Madinah to study. This whole incident brought tears to my eyes. While we were riding back, our van broke down in the mountains and had to be towed to the next town. Our group then had to buy bus tickets to get to the airport to fly back to San Francisco. While traveling on the bus, the other bus passengers were surprised to be riding with a group of Muslim foreigners. At the time of prayer, the brothers asked me to ask the bus driver if he would stop the bus to enable us to pray. The bus’ music was so loud and distracting that it would have been impossible to have prayed in this environment. At first, the bus driver refused, as this was a direct bus and made no stops. But when we

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 5 offered him a little coffee money for his trouble, he agreed. When the bus suddenly stopped and all 6 of us brothers stood up simultaneously to exit the bus, the other passengers became alarmed. “What’s going on? What’s happening? Just to make sure that the bus driver would not leave us stranded in the Andes mountains while we prayed, we prayed directly in front of the bus’ tires. All the passengers stood in astonishment watching us pray. After offering our prayers, the bus driver and his assistant asked us to sit in the front of the bus and explain our religion, Islam, to him while the others slept. For the next 8 hours, we explained Islam to him. By the end of the ride, he told us that this was the best thing that he had ever heard in life. He wanted to embrace Islam but was hesitant. He asked, “Could I have been wrong for the past 40 years? How can I suddenly leave all this after an 8 hour drive?” He asked for some literature on Islam and we gave him the few that we had. In addition to these two cities, we also visited other cities and had many stops along the way. We met Muslims who were originally from India, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and Palestine. And at every stop, we encountered non-Muslim people hungry for Islam. May Allah (SWT) reward the efforts of the Bolivian Muslims and grant their dua’ for a permanent Masjid. Approximately 6 months after we had left Bolivia, we were told that a Muslim brother from England had visited Bolivia and loved the community. In fact, when this brother went back to England he began to fundraise to establish a Masjid in La Paz, Bolivia. Alhamdullilah, a brother in England heard about the project and purchased the Masjid (see photo below). The 3-story building he purchased for the Masjid included a large prayer hall for the men and women, a kitchen, a children’s classroom, and an apartment for the Imam. Seven days after it was purchased, this brother passed away. May Allah (SWT) build a house for him in Jannah. Hanging in the Masjid doorway in La Paz, Bolivia is a plaque in memory of this brother. “And whatever good you send ahead for yourselves, you will find it with Allah, better and having a great reward;” (Quran 73:20) As Muslims, we should always give the best of our wealth and time because we have control of it now. Who knows when death will take us? Is anyone really prepared? Every good deed we do, every charity we give, every kind word we speak--all wis being recorded. The New Masjid In La Paz, Bolivia Prophet Mohammed (SAW): A Pioneer of the Environment BY FRANCESCA DE CHATEL “There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift [for which there is great recompense].” [Al-Bukhari, III:513]. The idea of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) as a pioneer of environmentalism will initially strike many as strange: indeed, the term “environment” and related concepts like “ecology”, “environmental awareness” and “sustainability”, are modern-day inventions, terms that were formulated in the face of the growing concerns about the contemporary state of the natural world around us. And yet a closer reading of the hadith, the body of work that recounts significant events in the Prophet’s life, reveals that he was a staunch advocate of environmental protection. One could say he was an “environmentalist avant la lettre”, a pioneer in the domain of conservation, sustainable development and resource management, and one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and nature. From all accounts of his life and deeds, we read that the Prophet (SAW) had a profound.......connection to the four elements, earth, water, fire and air. He (SAW) was a strong proponent of the sustainable use and cultivation of land and water, proper treatment of animals, plants and birds, and the equal rights of users. In this context the modernity of the Prophet’s (SAW) view of the environment and the concepts he introduced to his followers is particularly striking; certain passages of the hadith could easily be mistaken for discussions about contemporary environmental issues. Three Principles The Prophet’s (SAW) environmental philosophy is first of all holistic: it assumes a fundamental link and interdependency between all natural elements and bases its teachings on the premise that if man abuses or exhausts one element, the natural world as a whole will suffer direct consequences. This belief is nowhere formulated in one concise phrase; it is rather an underlying principle that forms the foundation of all the Prophet’s (SAW) actions and words, a life philosophy that defined him as a person. The three most important principles of the Prophet’s (SAW) philosophy of nature are based on the Qur’anic teachings and the concepts of tawhid (unity), khalifa (stewardship) and amana (trust). Tawhid, the oneness of God, is a cornerstone of the Islamic faith. It recognizes the fact that there is One absolute Creator and that man is responsible to Him for all his actions: “To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, for God encompasses everything [4:126].” The Prophet (SAW) acknowledges that God’s knowledge and power covers everything. Therefore abusing one of his creations, whether it is a living being or a natural resource, is a sin. The Prophet (SAW) considered all of God’s creations to be equal before God and he believed animals, but also land, forests and watercourses should have rights. ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ Water Company in Australia , hadeeth of the Prophet Muhammad SAW : Do Not Waste Water Even if You Were at a Running Stream.

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 6 The concepts of khalifa, stewardship, and amana (trust) emerge from the principle of tawhid. The Qur’an explains that mankind holds a privileged position among God’s creations on earth: he is chosen as khalifa, “vice-regent” and carries the responsibility of caring for God’s earthly creations. Each individual is given this task and privilege in the form of God’s trust. But the Qur’an repeatedly warns believers against arrogance: they are no better than other creatures. “No creature is there on earth nor a bird flying with its wings but they are nations like you [6:38]”; “Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of man; but most people know not [40:57]”. The Prophet (SAW) believed that the universe and the creations in it – animals, plants, water, land – were not created for mankind. Man is allowed to use the resources but he can never own them. Thus while Islam allows land ownership, it has limitations: an owner can, for example, only own land if he uses it; once he ceases to use it, he has to part with his possession. The Prophet (SAW) recognized man’s responsibility to God but always maintained humility. Thus he (SAW) said: “When doomsday comes, if someone has a palm shoot in his hand, he should plant it,” suggesting that even when all hope is lost for mankind, one should sustain nature’s growth. He believed that nature remains a good in itself, even if man does not benefit from it. Similarly, the Prophet (SAW) incited believers to share the earth’s resources. He (SAW) said: “Muslims share alike in three things – water, herbage and fire,” and he considered it a sin to withhold water from the thirsty. “No one can refuse surplus water without sinning against Allah and against man” [Mishkat al Masabih]. The Prophet’s (SAW) attitude towards sustainable use of land, conservation of water and the treatment of animals is a further illustration of the humility of his environmental philosophy. Sustainable Use of Land “The earth has been created for me as a mosque and as a means of purification.” [Al-Bukhari I:331] With these words the Prophet emphasizes the sacred nature of earth or soil, not only as a pure entity but also as a purifying agent. This reverence towards soil is also demonstrated in the ritual of tayammum, or “dry wudu” which permits the use of dust in the performance of ritual purification before prayer when water is not available. The Prophet (SAW) saw earth as subservient to man, but recognised that it should not be overexploited or abused, and that it had rights, like the trees and wildlife living on it. In order to protect land, forests and wildlife, the Prophet created inviolable zones known as hima and haram, in which resources were to be left untouched. Both are still in use today: haram areas are often drawn up around wells and water sources to protect the groundwater table from over-pumping. Hima applies particularly to wildlife and forestry and usually designates an area of land where grazing and woodcutting are restricted, or where certain animal species are protected. The Prophet (SAW) not only encouraged the sustainable use of fertile lands, he also told his followers of the benefits of making unused land productive: planting a tree, sowing a seed and irrigating dry land were all regarded as charitable deeds. “Whoever brings dead land to life, that is, cultivates wasteland, for him is a reward therein.” Conservation of Water In the harsh desert environment where the Prophet (SAW) lived, water was synonymous to life. Water was a gift from God, the source of all life on earth as is testified in the Qur’an: “We made from water every living thing” [21:30]. The Qur’an constantly reminds believers that they are but the guardians of God’s creation on earth and that they should never take this creation for granted: “Consider the water which you drink. Was it you that brought it down from the rain cloud or We? If We had pleased, We could make it bitter” [56:68-70]. Saving water and safeguarding its purity were two important issues for the Prophet (SAW). We have seen that his concern about the sustainable use of water led to the creation of haram zones in the vicinity of water sources. But even when water was abundant, he advocated thriftiness: thus he recommended that believers perform wudu no more than three times, even if they were near to a flowing spring or river. The Treatment of Animals “If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation” [Mishkat al Masabih]. These words reflect the great reverence, respect and love that the Prophet (SAW) always showed towards animals. He believed that as part of God’s creation, animals should be treated with dignity, and the hadith contains a large collection of traditions, admonitions and stories about his relationship to animals. It shows that he had particular consideration for horses and camels: to him they were valiant companions during journey and battle, and he found great solace and wisdom in their presence. Even in the slaughter of animals, the Prophet (SAW) showed great gentleness and sensitivity. While he did not practice vegetarianism, the hadiths clearly show that the Prophet was extremely sensitive to the suffering of animals. Thus he recommends using sharp knives and a good method so that the animal can die a quick death with as little pain as possible. He also warned against slaughtering an animal in the presence of other animals, or letting the animal witness the sharpening of blades: to him that was equal to “slaughtering the animal twice” and he emphatically condemned such practices as “abominable”. Conclusion It is impossible to do justice to the full scope and significance of Prophet Mohammed (SAW)’s environmental philosophy in this short article. His holistic view of nature and his understanding of man’s place within the natural world pioneered environmental awareness within the Muslim community. Sadly, the harmony that the Prophet (SAW) advocated between man and his environment has today all too often been lost. As we face the effects of pollution and overexploitation, desertification and water scarcity in some parts of the world and floods and violent storms elsewhere, it is perhaps time for the world community as a whole, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, to take a leaf out of the Prophet’s (SAW) book and address the current environmental crisis seriously and wisely. ENTERING INTO CONVERSATIONS: IMAM SHAFIE “One who knows not, and himself knows he knows not, is a student. Teach that person. “ “One who knows not , and others know he knows, is a teacher. Learn from that person. “ “One who knows not, and himself knows not that he knows, is humble. Encourage him. “ “One who knows not, and himself knows not that he knows not, is stupid. Avoid that person. “ In any dialogue keep these in mind, and you shall be guided to productive discourses.

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 7 print Islamic books. The cost of printing a Braille book is much higher than printing other books. Due to the success of Madrassa An-Noor, people from other countries approached them for assistance in starting a school for the blind. As a result, they have embarked on an Outreach program organizing Quranic Braille workshops in different parts of the world. Workshops were held in India, Mauritius, England, Scotland, Bangladesh, Mozambique and locally in other parts of South Africa. The demand of such workshops is very high. The purpose of these workshops is to train teachers and empower them so that the blind can benefit directly. Due to the recent increase of students wishing to study at Madrassa AN-Noor, the center has acquired a larger facility. The new location for the school is a farm in Cedara, which is about 17 kilometers from the old school site. Not only will this school teach religious instruction, but sports, activities, and other important living skills. They are requesting that Islamic Bulletin readers make Dua’ for their success and that Allah (Ta’ala) accept their efforts. For more information, you can email them directly at: info@mnblind.org Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind.” Quran 22:46 In South Africa, the government provides secular education through its special schools for the disabled. However, the Muslim community always felt a need for an institution that would cater specifically for their religious requirements. Parents were particularly anxious about their children’s Islamic education. Although the Holy Quran was available in Braille, there was no teacher or special school for the blind. The best any parent could hope for was for their child to attend the conventional religious school. Due to large class sizes and time constraints at regular religious schools, it was not possible for a disabled child to get special attention. A disabled child requires special attention and needs help to travel the extra mile. Many members of the South African community were not aware of this reality. Since the learners were few in number, they felt that it would be very expensive to run a special school for the disabled and the money could be productively utilized elsewhere. However, some dedicated parents including a religious leader took up the challenge. The religious scholar began by learning Braille and soon thereafter Madrassa An-Noor For the Blind was established in 1986 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The location of this first school was a converted garage complete with carpeted floors and a few desks to place the Qurans on. The school for the blind started with one student who began learning the “Qaaida” or primer. A short time late, a few other students joined. In less than a year, three students completed the Holy Quran. All of their Quranic lessons were taught in Braille. At most libraries for the blind around the world, very little Islamic literature in the English language is found. The Blind use Braille, audio recordings and computers for information. With the advance of technology, screen reading software programs are also widely used. At Madrassa An-Noor for the Blind, they built their own recording studio and began producing “Talking Books”. They also established a Braille printing press that enabled them to Madrassa An-Noor For The Blind Would You Like To Finish Reading The Holy Quran Every Month? CHECK THIS OUT!!! Read 4.5 Pages X 5 Prayers a day X 30 Days = 604 pages (Number of pages in the Qur’an ) WOW!! See how easy it is to read the entire Quran each month, just by spending a few minutes after each prayer. WHAT AN INVESTMENT !!! If you are in a real hurry, you can finish it once every two months by reading just 2 pages after each prayer. Just a reminder: Each letter a person reads counts 10 hasanat (virtues) What about a word ?? What about a line ?? What about a page ?? What about the whole Qur’an ??

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 8 A Christian Minister’s Conversion to Islam Yusuf Estes I was born into a very strong Christian family in the Midwest. Our family and their ancestors not only built the churches and schools across this land, but actually were the same ones who came here in the first place. While I was still in elementary we relocated in Houston, Texas in 1949 (I’m old). We attended church regularly and I was baptized at the age of 12 in Pasadena, Texas. As a teenager, I wanted to visit other churches to learn more of their teachings and beliefs. The Baptists, Method-ists, Episcopalians, Charismatic movements, Nazarene, Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of God in Christ, Full Gospel, Agape, Catholic, Presbyterian and many more. I developed quite a thirst for the “Gospel” or as we say; “Good News.” My research into religion did not stop with Christianity. Not at all. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, native American beliefs were all a part of my studies. Just about the only one that I did not look into seriously was “Islam”. Why? Good question. Anyway, I became very interested in different types of music, especially Gospel and Classical. Because my whole family was religious and musical it followed that I too would begin my studies in both areas. All this set me for the logical position of Music Minister in many of the churches that I became affiliated with over the years. I started teaching keyboard instruments in 1960 and by 1963 owned my own studios in Laurel, Maryland, called “Estes Music Studios.” Over the next 30 years my father and I worked together in many business projects. We had entertainment programs, shows and attractions. We opened piano and organ stores all the way from Texas and Oklahoma to Florida. I made millions of dollars in those years, but could not find the peace of mind that can only come through knowing the truth and finding the real plan of salvation. I’m sure you have asked yourself the question; “Why did God create me?” or “What is it that God wants me to do?” or “Exactly who is God, anyway?” “Why do we believe in ‘original sin?” and “Why would the sons of Adam be forced to accept his ‘sins’ and then as a result be punished forever. But if you asked anyone these questions, they would probably tell you that you have to believe without asking, or that it is a ‘mystery’ and you shouldn’t ask. And then there is the concept of the ‘Trinity.’ If I would ask preachers or ministers to give me some sort of an idea how ‘one’ could figure out to become ‘three’ or how God Himself, Who can do anything He Wills to do, cannot just forgive people’s sins, but rather and had to become a man, come down on earth, be a human, and then take on the sins of all people. Keeping in mind that all along He is still God of the whole universe and does as He Wills to do, both in and outside of the universe as we know it. Then one day in 1991, I came to know that the Muslims believed in the Bible. I was shocked. How could this be? But that’s not all, they believe in Jesus as: A true messenger of God;Prophet of God;Miracle birth without human intervention; He is with God now; He was the ‘Christ’ or Messiah as predicted in the Bible; And most important, he will be coming back in the Last Days to lead the believers against the ‘Antichrist.’ Prophet of God; Miracle birth without human intervention; This was too much for me, especially since the evangelists that we used to travel around with all hated Muslims and Islam very much. They even said things that were not true to make people afraid of Islam. So, why would I want anything to do with these people? Meeting the First Muslim My father was very active in supporting church work, especially church school programs. He becae and ordained minister in the 1970s. He and his wife (my stepmother) knew many of the TV evangelists and preachers and even visited Oral Roberts and helped in the building of the “Prayer Tower” in Tulsa, OK. They also were strong supporters of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker, Jerry Fallwell, John Haggi and the biggest enemy to Islam in America, Pat Robertson. Father of Yusuf Estes Dad and his wife worked together and were most active in recording “Praise” tapes and distributing them for free to people in retirement homes, hospitals and homes for the elderly. And then in 1991 he began doing business with a man from Egypt and told me that he wanted me to meet him. This idea appealed to me when I thought about the idea of having an international flavor. You know, the pyramids, sphinx, Nile River and all that. Then my father mentioned that this man was a ‘Moslem.’ I couldn’t believe my ears. A ‘Moslem?’ No way. I reminded my dad of the various different things that we had heard about these people, how they are terrorists, hijackers, kidnappers, bombers and who knows what else? Not to mention that: they don’t believe in God; they kiss the ground five times a day and they worship a black box in the desert. No. I did not want to meet this ‘Moslem’ man. No way. My father insisted that I meet him and reassured me that he was a very nice person. So, I gave in and agreed to the meeting. But on my terms. I agreed to meet him on a Sunday after church so we would be all prayed up and in good standing with the Lord. I would be carrying my Bible under my arm as usual. I would have my big shiny cross dangling and I would have on my cap which says: “Jesus is Lord” right across the front. My wife and two young daughters came along and we were ready for our first encounter with the ‘Moslems.’ When I came into the shop and asked my father where the ‘Moslem’ was, he pointed and said: “He’s right over there.” I was confused. That couldn’t be the Moslem. No way. I’m looking for a huge man with flowing robes and big turban on his head, a beard half way down his shirt and eyebrows that go all the way across his forehead. This man had no beard. In fact, he didn’t even have any hair on his head at all. He was very close to bald. And he was very pleasant with a warm welcome and handshake. This didn’t make sense. I thought they are terrorists and bombers. What is this all about? Surprised At What Muslims Believe Never mind. I’ll get right to work on this guy. He needs to be ‘saved’ and me and the Lord are going to do it. So, after a quick introduction, I asked him: “Do you believe in God?” He said: “Yes.” (Good!) Then I said: “Do you believe in Adam and Eve?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “What about Abraham? You believe in him and how he tried to sacrifice his son for God?” He said: “Yes.” HOW I EMBRACED ISLAM

The Islamic Bulletin Volume X No. 23 Page 9 Then I asked: “What about Moses?” Again he said: “Yes.” Then: “What about the other prophets, David, Solomon and John the Baptist?” He said: “Yes.” I asked: “Do you believe in the Bible?” Again, he said: “Yes.” So, now it was time for the big question: “Do you believe in Jesus? That he was the Christ of God?” Again he said: “Yes.” Well, now, this was going to be easier than I had thought. He was just about ready to be baptized only he didn’t know it. And I was just the one to do it, too. I was winning souls to the Lord day after day and this would be a big achievement for me, to catch one of these ‘Moslems’ and ‘convert’ him to Christianity. I asked him if he liked tea and he said he did. So off we went to a little shop in the mall to sit and talk about my favorite subject: Beliefs. While we sat in that little coffee shop for hours talking (I did most of the talking) I came to know that he was very nice, quiet and even a bit shy. He listened attentively to every word that I had to say and did not interrupt even one time. I liked this man’s way and thought that he had definite potential to become a good Christian. Little did I know the course of events about to unravel in front of my eyes. First of all, I agreed with my father that we should do business with this man and even encouraged the idea of him traveling along with me on my business trips across the northern part of Texas. Day after day we would ride together and discuss various issues pertaining to different beliefs that people have. And along the way, I could of course interject some of my favorite radio programs of worship and praise to help bring the message to this poor individual. We talked about the concept of God; the meaning of life; the purpose of creation; the prophets and their mission and how God reveals His Will to mankind. We also shared a lot of personal experiences and ideas as well. One day I came to know that my friend Mohamed was going to move out of the home he had been sharing with a friend of his and was going to be living in the mosque for a time. I went to my dad and asked him if we could invite Mohamed to come out to our big home in the country and stay there with us. After all, he could share some of the work and some expenses and he would be right there when we were ready to go traveling around. My father agreed and Mohamed moved in. Of course I still would find time to visit my fellow preachers and evangelists around the state of Texas. One of them lived on the Texas — Mexico border and another lived near the Oklahoma border. One preacher liked to a huge wooden cross that was bigger than a car. He would carry it over his shoulder and drag the bottom on the ground and go down the road or freeway hauling these two beams formed in the shape of a cross. People would stop their cars and come over to him and ask him what was going on and he would give them pamphlets and booklets on Christianity. Group Discussions on Faith One day my friend with the cross had a heart attack and had to go to the Veterans Hospital where he stayed for quite a long while. I used to visit him in the hospital several times a week and I would take Mohamed with me with the hopes that we could all share together in the subject of beliefs and religions. My friend was not very impressed and it was obvious that he did not want to know anything about Islam. Then one day a man who was sharing the room with my friend came rolling into the room in his wheelchair. I went to him and asked him his name and he said that it didn’t matter and when I asked him where he was from he said he was from the planet Jupiter. I thought about what he said and then began to wonder if I was in the cardiac ward or the mental ward. I knew the man was lonely and depressed and needed someone in his life. So, I began to ‘witness’ to him about the Lord. I read to him out of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. I shared the story of the prophet Jonah who had been sent by the Lord to call his people to the correct way. Jonah had left his people and escaped by boat to leave his city and head out to sea. A storm came up and the ship almost capsized and the people on board threw Jonah over the side of the ship. A whale came up to the surface and grabbed Jonah, swallowed him and then went down to the bottom of the sea, where he stayed for 3 days and 3 nights. Yet because of God’s Mercy, He caused the whale to rise to the surface and then spit Jonah out to return back home safely to his city of Nineveh. And the idea was that we can’t really run away from our problems because we always know what we have done. And what is more, God also always knows what we have done. After sharing this story with the man in the wheelchair, he looked up at me and apologized. He told me he was sorry for his rude behavior and that he had experienced some real serious problems recently. Then he said that he wanted to confess something to me. And I said that I was not a Catholic priest and I don’t handle confessions. He replied back to me that he knew that. In fact, he said: “I am a Catholic priest.” I was shocked. Here I had been trying to preach Christianity to a priest. What in the world was happening here? The priest began to share his story of being a missionary for the church for over 12 years to south and Central America and Mexico and even in New York’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen.’ When he was released from the hospital he needed a place to go to recover and rather than let him go to stay with a Catholic family, I told my dad that we should invite him to come out and live with us in the country along with our families and Mohamed. It was agreed by all that he would so, he moved out right away. During the trip out to our home, I talked with the priest about some of the concepts of beliefs in Islam and to my surprise he agreed and then shared even more about this with me. I was shocked when he told me that Catholic priests actually study Islam and some even carry doctors degrees in this subject. This was all very enlightening to me. But there was still a lot more to come. After settling in, we all began to gather around the kitchen table after dinner every night to discuss religion. My father would bring his King James Version of the Bible, I would bring out my Revised Standard Version of the Bible, my wife had another version of the Bible (maybe something like Jimmy Swaggart’s ‘Good News For Modern Man.” The priest of course, had the Catholic Bible which has 7 more books in it that the Protestant Bible. So we spent more time talking about which Bible was the right one or the most correct one, than we did trying to convince Mohamed about becoming a Christian. At one point I recall asking him about the Quran and how many versions of it there were in the last 1,400 years. He told me that there was only ONE QURAN. And that it had never been changed. Yet he let me know that the Quran had been memorized by hundreds of thousands of people, in it’s entirety and was scattered about the earth in many different countries. Over the centuries since the Quran was revealed millions have memorized it completely and have taught it to others who have memorized it completely, from cover to cover, letter perfect without mistakes. This did not seem possible to me. After all, the original languages of the Bible have all been dead languages for centuries and the documents themselves have been lost in their originals for hundreds and thousands of years. So, how Well, now, this was going to be easier than I had thought. He was just about ready to be baptized only he didn’t know it.

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