IslamNewcastle

Islam in Newcastle – Challenge the Stereotype!

How fortunate those two eyes of yours…

“We were sitting with al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad one day, & a man came by & said:

’How fortunate those two eyes of yours are that have seen the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhee wa alerhee waslaama). I wish I had seen what you have seen & witnessed what you witnessed.’

So, al-Miqdad became angry, & I was surprised! The man only said something good!

He then walked over to the man & said:

‘What makes this man wish to be where Allaah made him absent when he has no idea how he would’ve acted there?

By Allaah, there were people who saw the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alayhee wa alerhee waslaama) who will be dragged by Allaah on their noses into Hell because they didn’t respond to his call & did not believe in his message.

Will you not thank Allaah that you were born knowing only your Lord, believing in what your Prophet (sallallahu alayhee wa alerhee waslama) came with, & have been relieved of trials that others had to go through?’”

[This was reported by Ahmad (6/2), Ibn Hibban (1684), & al-Albaanee declared it authentic in ‘Saheeh as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah’ (p. 141)]

November 30, 2009 Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | Knowledge Based Articles | | No Comments Yet

Hajj – thoughts of a local Muslim

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem,
Light, this is all what my eyes can see. Am I on Earth or up in the sky? The center of all emerging lands makes me feel out of this world. Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, attracts over 3 million pilgrims every year and this year is no exception despite swine flu, heavy rains and other worldy obstacles. 3 million people all in one place, out and about the legendary cube-like black building, the Kaabah, in the Saudi desert. So much makes for this life-changing humane and spiritual experience.
Surrounded by hypnotic plains and mountains, men and women gather only for one purpose:  purifying themselves from this world by remembering, praising and begging Allah  for forgiveness and submitting our body and soul only to Him, the One True God. Abraham, our father, with the help of his son Ishmael, built the Kaabah pure, with no useless ornament. On his footsteps and those of Hagar his wife, Muslims from all genders, all colours and all walks of life regardless blink and breathe, walk and run, eat and drink, smile and cry and pray, pray together.
Such is Hajj, the Pilgrimage to Mecca. How many are they to come back and tell you how they have met Allah though this unique collective experience? Am I on Earth or up in the sky? If you were to see Mount Arafat, up on the Moon you would think . Indeed the day of Mount Arafat!…This is the most demanding stage of this journey, where the believers will beg their Creator for absolute forgiveness and for the Garden of Eden. Dressed with the typical unstiched white garment, Muslims will express the most uncluttered humane condition while fasting from dawn to sunset. Fasting precedes the feast of Eid ul Fitr. Eid ul Fitr is the last day of Hajj and it marks the beginning of the new you: to celebrate this beautiful change inside we will share our drink and what we eat from the sacrificial sheep.
We shall return to Earth and become dust again someday. All the prophets including Abraham, our Ibrahim, we will all be ressurected for sure and stand before our Lord. Standing as we stood, humble, on the Mount Arafat.

Yacine is a French filmmaker living in the West of End Newcastle. He is currently working on grassroots projects with the Islamic Diversity Centre in Newcastle.

November 30, 2009 Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | hajj | , | No Comments Yet

Swiss minaret ban – a tragic and deplorable development

Press Release

Swiss minaret ban – a tragic and deplorable development

29 November 2009

The Muslim Council of Britain views the results of the referendum on the banning of minarets in Switzerland as a tragic and deplorable development. The Swiss system of putting such decisions to the people in a referendum is laudable in itself but reveals the extent to which far right racist groups are winning the battle of ideas on the future of Europe.

Stigmatising Muslim communities and scaremongering with their ‘Eurabia’ thesis, racist groups and political parties are gaining ground across Europe. The Far Right demonstrations in front of mosques in our country, and Lord Pearson’s election as Leader of the UK Independence Party, who has committed to campaign against ‘Islamism’ and immigration, is further evidence of this.

“The Swiss referendum results today show how far and how quickly Europe is moving in the wrong direction in its attitudes and policies towards Muslims and other minority groups in Europe. Mosques and minarets in our European cities are manifestations of the proudly indigenous nature of Islam in Europe. It is tragic that the Far Right is stripping away at our illustrious heritage of coexistence between different faiths and cultures in Europe and replacing it with their warped and xenophobic outlook”, said Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

“The rise in anti-Muslim prejudice that has accompanied the Swiss opposition’s campaign will further exacerbate Muslim fears. The results today sets a dangerous precedence and demands that Muslims and others must work hard and diligently against the Far Rright to reject their venomous ‘Islamisation’ platform. This is no less than a battle of ideas for the future of a plural and progressive Europe”, he added. [END]

November 30, 2009 Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | Current Issues | , , , , | No Comments Yet

Television

Research has found that children spend an average of three to four hours watching television each day. In a 65-year lifespan, that means s/he will have spent nine of those years in front of a box. With these statistics, we realise that children spend significant amounts of time in the fictional world, engaging with this virtual world often more than they do in the real world. It suddenly becomes worrisome when you begin to realise this fact and understand the implications. Television viewing is harmful to the intellectual, psychological, and social development of children. Even more frightening is that children may be harming their souls at a very young age; often never to recover their purity and wholesomeness again.

Read more »

November 28, 2009 Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | Television | , | No Comments Yet

Fasting the day of Arafat

Aboo Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, peace & blessings be upon him, his family, his companions & all those that follow them in righteousness, said:

 

“Fasting on the day of ‘Arafah absolves the sins for two years: the previous year & the coming year, & fasting on ‘Ashoorah, (the tenth day of Muharram) atones for the sins of previous year.”

 

[(Please note: the sins that are referred to here are the minor sins) Reported by all except

Al-Bukharee & at-Tirmidhee]

In another saying the Prophet’s, peace & blessings be upon him, his family, his companions & all those that follow them in righteousness, wife Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said:

“Four things the Messenger of Allaah, peace & blessings be upon him, his family, his companions & all those that follow them in righteousness, never neglected: Observing fast on the day of ‘Ashoorah, ‘Arafat, three days every month, & offering Fajr sunnaah prayers early in the morning.”

 

[Muslim]

 

November 25, 2009 Posted by Abu-Tayeb Khairdeen | dhul hijjah | , | No Comments Yet

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