Was This Woman Forced To Embrace Islam?

Shuhada Davitt (before & now)

Shuhada Davitt was born as Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor on 8th December 1966 in Dublin Her parents are Sean O'Connor, a structural engineer later turned barrister and chairperson of the Divorce Action Group, and her mother

Who is the Longest Serving Nigerian Sultan?

Sultan

The word 'Sultan' originates from Arabic, it was an Arabic abstract  noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun  'sultah', which means "authority" or "power". 

Later, certain rulers who claimed close to full sovereignty in practical terms without claiming the overall caliphate began to use

Saudi Arabia Killed 204 Muslims in August

An injured Yemeni child

Survey released by the independent outfit, Muslim Lives Count, has revealed that Saudi Arabia killed at least 204 Muslims and injured 216 others in the month of August. All the kills occurred in the impoverished war torn Arab country,

Saudi Arabia Killed 70 Muslims in July

Yemen war

According to the private research blog, Muslim Lives Count, Saudi Arabia killed a total of 70 Muslims and injured 29 others as the kingdom continues its onslaught on its impoverished neighbor, Yemen. 

Muslims Should Learn from Erdogan

Erdogan

In secular Turkey, Erdogan was raised a practicing Muslim. He had the dream of returning Turkey to the path of ALLAH even at a time when speaking in favour of an Islamic society was a taboo. 

Erdogan started his political career as a student when he joining the National Turkish Student Union which was an anti-communist action group. In 1976,

Why Many Muslims Now Hate Trevor Noah

Daily Show with Trevor Noah

I got to know Trevor Noah in December 2016, I was breezing through Youtube videos. I came across a particular video where Trevor was lambasting Donald Trump prior to the elections and I loved it. I am

Islam Helps Prevent Epidemics

Health workers

According to the website, Listverse, the spread of infectious diseases (epidemics) is the 7th greatest problem facing the world. Epidemics induce poverty and poverty in-turn brings about instability, famines, war and deaths. One major way diseases spread from one region to another is the movement of people. 

Will Qataris Perform Hajj This Year?

Ka'abah

Islam stands on five pillars, they are: Testimony of Faith, Salah, Zakat, Sawn (fasting) and Hajj. Pilgrimage to the Holy cities of Makkah and Madina (Hajj) is compulsory upon every Muslim who is physically, mentally and financial capable of making it. 

During the Hajj of 2015, a stampede led to the death of 2,431 pilgrims though Saudi Arabia did not change their record of 769 dead and 934 injured.  It is described as the deadliest stampede in Hajj history. Iran recorded the highest casualty with 464 (19% of the casualties). This incident led to an outcry by the Iranian government and somehow, the Saudi Arabian government felt the best way to ‘punish’ the Iranians for crying foul was to ban Iranians from performing hajj. Consequently, there was a massive absence of Iranians from the hajj of 2016. Due to the fear of sympathizing with Shiites, the world’s Muslims were largely silent. 

In 2016, the Saudi Arabian government accused Qatar of funding ‘terrorists’ in Syria and elsewhere. The Saudi government also complained about Qatar being ‘too’ close to Iran and the Palestinians. This led to the Saudis severing ties with Qatar and stating conditions for its normalization of ties with Qatar. One of those conditions was for Qatar to close down its news network (Al Jazeera); one of the most reliable sources of credible news of the Muslim world. Qatar boldly declined and rubbished all 13 conditions laid by Saudi Arabia and its Persian gulf allies. Saudi Arabia banned Qataris from performing hajj in 2017.

Stopping a Muslim from performing hajj cannot be seen as different from stopping a Muslim from observing salah or from fasting; it is blasphemy.  The pagans of Makkah used to deny Muslims the right to perform hajj in the life-time of the Prophet (SAW) and Allah scorned them for this. 

Allah (SWT) said, “Indeed, those who have disbelieved and avert [people] from the way of Allah and [from] al-Masjid al-haram, which We made for the people - equal are the resident therein and one from outside; and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment”. Suratul Hajj (22:25).

With the Iranians, banning them was ‘justifiable’ because they are Shiites but with the Qataris who are described as ‘Sunnis’, the Saudi loyalists became timid, tamed dogs. One year has passed since the Qataris were banned from hajj, relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia have not improved and we are currently in the hajj months of 2018.

However, a statement released by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on 1st July 2018 read thus, “Due to lack of responsiveness by the office of the affairs of pilgrims in Qatar with the concerned parties to finalize the arrangements of the affairs and requirements of the pilgrims, and waste of time without any progress to complete the necessary procedures to enable Qatari citizens to perform Hajj, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah welcomes the arrival of Qatari brothers who wish to perform Hajj for this year 1439 AH through King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Those brothers wishing to perform Hajj can register through the link which will be allocated on the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's website and which will be available during the month of Dhu al-Qadah this year, where they can contract for the services they need (housing, transport and subsistence) in Makkah and Madinah and the holy sites with the establishment for the service of Qatari pilgrims according to their wishes, like other pilgrims from around the world. The arrival and departure of Qatari pilgrims will take place via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and through any airlines except Qatar Airways”.

The Muslim brothers in Qatar have not responded officially yet but, the exclusion of Qatar Airways from the hajj operations could yet again cause a stalemate.

Will Qataris perform hajj this year? Let’s be on the lookout.

10 Lessons From Ramadan

Hajj

Both preceding and contemporary scholars have and are still drumming the message into our ears; Ramadan is a school. 

Muslims Can Take Part in BBNaija

BB Naija

Nigerians have questioned why the TV show which is tagged Nigerian decided to site the Big Brother house in South Africa. 

20 Common Mistakes In Ramadhan

Ramadhan

The month of Ramadhan might not be among the sacred months but it is by far the most blessed  of all twelve months in Islam. 

Islam Ensures a Healthy Earth

Islam & Earth

Before the world knew the importance of caring for our dear planet, Islam was already an advocate on its behalf. Initially neglected, the call to care for our planet intensified when scientist discovered the phenomenon called ‘Global Warming’. According to scientists, Global warming, also referred to as climate change, is the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system, and its related effects. 

Currently, the floods, tsunamis, landslides and other natural disasters are being blamed on global warming. Whether global warming is factual or political, one thing has been made apparent; humans must plant trees. 

Assist ‘I Know My Deen’ Game Show

‘I Know My Deen’

‘I Know My Deen’ is a seasonal segment on the Islamic radio program- Towards The Light. The program airs every Friday 11 am local time and lasts for two hours ending at 1 pm when Khutbah starts at the University Masjid. 

The game show airs only in the month of Ramadan on Search FM 92.3 (the campus radio station of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria).

As expected, it entails brothers and sisters phoning in to answer question on Islam; both spiritual and contemporary.

The city of Minna being a place with a lot of youths and students, the program gives preference to student callers. The aim of this is to ease the financial hardship on the youths and also to make them fall in love with Islamic knowledge and practice. 

The most important aspect of the show is of course the gifts; ‘the gifts’ is the bait.

The show does not generate any revenue hence; any venture by the show that would require financing has to be supported by donors. Ramadan 1440 will see the fourth edition of the game show insha ALLAH.

This is hereby a call to charitable individuals and organizations to assist the spread of Islamic knowledge simultaneously putting smiles on the faces of Muslims this Ramadan.

The most preferred donation has always been physical materials and insha ALLAH remains so.

May ALLAH assists and enrich you as you assist this noble cause, AMEEN.

People outside Nigeria can stream the program live by logging on to www.searchFM923.com

Contact us: 08168537431 OR abuharyth@gmail.com

Safiyya Bint Huyay (The Relative of Prophets)

Towards Da Light

After the battle of Khaybar in which the Muslims defeated the Jews, two women were brought before the Prophet (SAW) by Bilal, one of the two women was shrieking, screaming and rubbing dust in her hair, while the other was silent. The silent one was Safiyya, the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab who was the chief of the Banu Nadir, the other woman was Safiyya's cousin. 

Safiyya could trace her lineage back to Harun (AS) (Aron). The Prophet (SAW) asked someone to look after the woman who was screaming and then took off his cloak and placed it over the shoulders of Safiyya, it was a gesture of sympathy. 

Angrily,  the Prophet (SAW) turned to Bilal and said, "Bilal, has Allah plucked mercy from your heart that you let these two women pass by those of their menfolk who have been killed?" This was considered a severe reprimand. 

Although Safiyya’s father was a staunch enemy of Islam, it was characteristic of the Prophet (SAW) that he did not bear any grudges. The Prophet (SAW) invited Safiyya to embrace Islam which she did and having given her her freedom, she then accepted to marry him. Safiyya bint Huyay (RA) married the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in 7 AH, when the Prophet was sixty years old and she was seventeen years old. Some people may have wondered how it was that Safiyya could accept Islam and marry the Prophet when her father had been his bitter enemy. The answer may be found in what she related of her early life as the daughter of the chief of the Banu Nadir. 

She narrates, "I was my father's favorite and also a favorite with my uncle. They could never see me with one of their children without picking me up. When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to Medina, my father and my uncle went to see him. It was very early in the morning, between dawn and sunrise. They did not return until the sun was setting. They came back worn out and depressed, walking with slow, heavy steps. I smiled to them as I always did, but neither of them took any notice of me because they were so miserable. I heard Abu Yasir ask my father, “Is it him?” My father replied, “Yes, it is.” He asked again, “Can you recognize him? Can you verify it?” My father replied, “Yes, I can recognize him too well.' He asked again, “What do you feel towards him?” And my father replied, “Enmity, enmity as long as I live.” 

It was thanks to the descriptions in the Torah, that the most learned rabbi of the Jews, Abdullah ibn Salam, had embraced Islam on seeing Muhammad (SAW) and it was also because of these descriptions that Huyayy ibn Akhtab was also able to recognize the Prophet (SAW). 

However, Huyay like most of the others, was deeply disappointed that the last Prophet was a descendant of Isma'il and not of Ishaq, (the two sons of Ibrahim (AS), peace be upon them), this was because the Jews claimed exclusive descent from Ishaq. Huyay also he did not want to lose his position of power and leadership over his people. It was for these reasons that Huyay decided to oppose and fight the Prophet (SAW). While in public, he and the other leaders of the Jews made peace treaties with the Muslims and the Jews broke as soon as it seemed a favorable time to do so. 

Although Safiyya was Huyay's daughter, she had a pure heart and had always wanted to worship her Creator. Consequently, as soon as the opportunity arose, not only to follow the last Prophet, but also to be married to him, she took it. Though Safiyya had in Muhammad (SAW) a most kind and considerate husband, she was not always favorably accepted by some of his other wives. 

It is related by Anas that on one occasion, the Prophet (SAW) found Safiyya crying. When he asked her what the matter was, she replied that she heard that Hafsa had disparagingly described her as 'the daughter of a Jew'. 

The Prophet (SAW) responded by saying, "You are certainly the daughter of a Prophet (Harun), and certainly your uncle was a Prophet (Musa), and you are certainly the wife of a Prophet (Muhammad), so what is there in that to be scornful towards you?" 

Then he said to Hafsa, "O Hafsa, fear Allah!" 

Once the Prophet (SAW) was accompanied on a journey by Safiyya and Zaynab bint Jahsh when Safiyya' s camel went lame. Zaynab had an extra camel and the Prophet asked her if she would give it to Safiyya. Zaynab retorted, "Should I give it to that Jewess!" The Prophet (SAW) turned away from her in anger and would not have anything to do with her for the next two or three months just to show his disapproval of what she had said. 

Some three years later, when Muhammad (SAW) was in his final illness, Safiyya felt for him deeply. "O Messenger of Allah," she said, "I wish it was I who was suffering instead of you." 

Some of the wives winked at each other which made the Prophet cross and he exclaimed, "By Allah, she spoke the truth!" 

She still underwent difficulties after the demise of the Prophet (SAW). Once a slavegirl she owned went to Umar and said, "Amir al Muminin! Safiyya loves the Sabbath and maintains ties with the Jews!" 

Umar asked Safiyya about that and she said, "I have not loved the Sabbath since Allah replaced it with Friday for me, and I only maintain ties with those Jews to whom I am related by kinship." 

She asked her slavegirl what had possessed her to carry lies to Umar and the girl replied, "Shaytan!" Safiyya said, "Go, you are free." 

Safiyya was with the Prophet for nearly four years, She was only twenty-one when the Prophet (SAW) passed away, and lived as a widow for the next thirty-nine years. She passed away in 50 AH, at the age of sixty. May Allah be pleased with her.

LESSONS

1. It is not part of Islam to display corpeses to the relatives: Bilal did this and the Prophet (SAW) rebuked him. The likes of ISIS, Boko Haram and Al Qaeda violate Islamic injunctions by displaying executions in videos.
2. Safiyya married the Prophet (SAW) willingly: We see this in the sympathy she showed when the Prophet (SAW) was ill and he (SAW) confirmed her faith.
3. Equity between wives: The Prophet (SAW) never allowed his other wives maltreat Safiyya. 
4. Zero racism: Muhammad (SAW)-an Arab married Safiyya-a Jewess. They were bonded by Islam and Muhammad (SAW) rebuked any who talked about her on the grounds of her race.

The West is Saving Face with #MosqueMeToo

Pilgrims at the Ka'abah

The twilight of 2017 saw unprecedented reports by notable western female personalities on sexual abuse. A great number of women (hundreds) from different works of life have fingered males who took advantage of their vulnerabilities at certain points in their lives. Notable mentions are Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose McGowan and Uma Thurman.  So enormous was the trend that a number of groups; both physical and virtual were created to defend the women involved. The most popular of these groups was the revived ‘#MeToo’.  #MeToo was created by

A Muslim Discovered Kerosene

Kerosene dispenser

Just as this blog always emphasizes, Muslims have contributed far more to the world than most people imagine. From mathematics to medicine down to politics; we find the foot prints of Muslims.

The chemical substance ‘Kerosene’ is known by several names, these names include: lamp oil, coal oil and paraffin with some of the names being obsolete. Kerosene is a flammable liquid derived mainly from crude oil and is widely used as a fuel in households

A Sahabi Who Never Saw Muhammad

When the Prophet (SAW) returned to Madinah from the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after the Hijrah, he fell ill. News of the Prophet’s illness spread rapidly throughout Arabia. Sincere Muslims were saddened by the news but for some, it was time to reveal their real attitudes to Islam. In al-Yamamah, Musaylamah the Imposter renounced Islam. So too did Tulayhah al-Asadi in the land of the Asad. In Yemen, al-Aswad al-Ansi also became an apostate. These three imposters claimed that they were prophets sent to their respective peoples as according to them, just like Muhammad (SAW) was sent to the

Westerners Learnt '123…' From Muslims

Muslims usually do not brag as it is not in the spirit of Islam to show off. In Islamic terms, show off is known as ‘riya’ and is among the greatest sins a creature can commit. Muhammad (SAW) said, "What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is ar-riya. Allah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: Go to those for whom you did riya for in the world then see if you find the reward with them."

It is however not a crime to refute people who try to make you look worthless by watering down or disregarding your contributions. Showing people the good

Holocaust: If Only Hitler Was a Muslim

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889 as the fourth of the six children of Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl. 

Muslims Should Remain Objective on Grazing Law

A Fulani man with his herd

Throughout the history of mankind, man has always had love for animals. This love pushed some people to keep some animals in close proximity; feeding, sheltering and protecting them. For those of us belonging to the Abrahimic faiths, we know that Habil (Abel) (one of the sons of Adam AS) was a shepherd and he carried his flock around to feed; he was an open-grazer. The culture of open grazing has been passed from generation to generation and has remained to this day.

A Muslim Calculated the Length of the Year

Kids holding a cardboard paper

Knowing the exact length of the year is very important. With the knowledge, we are able to plan our activities with accuracy and precision from ceremonies to anniversaries to domestic and international events. Knowing the length of the year is among the first things children learn in school all over the world but

Will Salman Assist Zakir Naik?

King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Dr Zakir Naik on 28 February 2015.

Dr Zakir Naik was invited to Saudi Arabia by King Salman and was awarded the King Faisal
International Prize for Services to Islam on 28 February 2015. With this gesture by the Saudis, most expected to see a strong backing for Dr Zakir by the Saudis. In particular, the frequent attacks by western powers on the da'awah efforts of Dr Zakir were expected to seize.

On notable occasions, Zakir Naik was denied entry into major European countries who happen to be strong allies of Saudi Arabia. In June 2010, Dr Zakir was denied