Category Archives: Religion

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The Importance of Having a Reliable (Arabic) Reference for a Convert Muslim , pt. II

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The English translation of Sahih al-Bukhari
and the account of Jesus’ (a) return

Synopsis:
Hadith number 658 in volume 4 of the Arabic/English edition of Sahih al-Bukhari represents a short narration that talks about the coming of Jesus (a) at a time when an “Imam” will be present.
The translation has changed to something rather different in later editions!

Evidence, Analysis and Conclusion
Sahih al-Bukhari is the foremost book of hadith for the Ahl al-Sunnah and is considered by them to be the most reliable book after the Qur’an. Its English translation was undertaken by Muhammad Muhsin Khan in 9 volumes and has been published in many editions.

The hadith under discussion appears in the Dar al-Fikr edition (which is non-dated, though apparently recent) as follows:

Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Muhammad b. Isma`il (d. 256 AH), volume 4, pg. 437, hadith number 658
Beirut: Dar al-Fikr (9 vols), translated by Muhammad Muhsin Khan, n.d.


reference

Those with even a rudimentary understanding of Arabic text will be able to see that the underlined arabic text of the hadith (wa imaamukum minkum) and the English equivalent are completely different! Keep on reading… →

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The Importance of Having a Reliable (Arabic) Reference for a Convert Muslim , pt. I

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The Sahih of al-Tirmidhi and the hadith,
“I am the city of knowledge and ‘Ali is its gate”.

Synopsis:
The well-known and reliable hadith of the Prophet – “I am the city of knowledge and ‘Ali is its gate” is not present in the current editions of the Sahih (alternatively called Jami` or Sunan) of al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH). This book is one of the Sihah Sittah or Six Authentic hadith books for the Ahl al-Sunnah.
This case study will investigate the allegation that this hadith was included by al-Tirmidhi and used to be in his Sahih till it mysteriously disappeared at some stage in history.
Important: The purpose of this discussion is not to prove the reliability of the hadith. That has already been shown in several detailed works. For example, see the three volumes 10, 11 and 12 of Nafahat al-Azhar fi Khulasat ‘Abaqat al-Anwar dedicated to this hadith that show its tawatur. Therefore, for the purpose of this discussion, adverse comments on the strength of the hadith by some of the scholars below will be ignored.

Source of the Allegation
[Nafahat al-Azhar fi Khulasat 'Abaqat al-'Anwar, Sayyid Hamid Husayn Lakhnawi, translated into Arabic by Sayyid 'Ali al-Husayni al-Milani, Qum, vol. 12, p. 124]

The Evidence
Al-Tirmidhi lived between the years 209 AH and 279 AH. Several authors of books of hadith, sirah, history and kalam who came after him acknowledged that he has quoted this hadith – in the exact wording stated above – in his Sahih. However, the current editions of the Sahih only have the hadith ‘I am the house of wisdom and ‘Ali is its door’. This hadith can be seen in the extract below:
Sahih (or Jami` or Sunan), al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH), p. 141

ref. here Keep on reading… →

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Bibi Sakina, the Young Hashemite Princess

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Profile:
Name: Ruqayah (also known as Sukaynah)
Father: Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abu Taleb (Alaihisalam)
Mother: Lady Umm Rubab (Alaihisalam)
Birth: 20th of Rajab
Death: 13th Safar al-Mudhaffar, at Damascus, Syria
Sayyedah Ruqayah (Alaihisalam) ( also known as Sayyedah Sukaynah (Alaihisalam)) was the
youngest daughter of Imam Husayn (Alaihisalam). Sukaynah is a derivative of “sukoun”
meaning “peace.” Imam Husayn (Alaihisalam) used to pray for a daughter in his night
prayers, a daughter who would give him peace and Allah (SWT) granted him his
wish and blessed him with Sayyedah Sukaynah (Alaihisalam).

Sayyedah Sukaynah was the most beloved daughter of Imam Husayn (A.S.) and used
to sleep on his chest every night. She was a lively child, full of love and
happiness. Being the daughter of the holy Imam, she was different from other
children of her age in many ways. She was very religious and enjoyed reading
the Holy Quran and never missed her prayers. From a very early age, she took
great care to make sure that her head and face were properly covered when in
public. Keep on reading… →

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Honour Your Wives

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Imam Baqir [a] said: “He who takes a woman (marries) should certainly
respect her, because the wife of anyone of you is a means of your pleasure,
so the one who marries a woman should not spoil or disgrace her (by
disregarding her respectable rights).”
Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 103, p. 224

Imam Amir ul Mu’mineen Ali [a] said: “In any condition conciliate the
wives, and talk with them warmly and through kind words, thereby, they may
change their actions into good ones.”
Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 103, p. 223(g18012007) (w26042007)

The Holy Prophet [s] said: “He who has two wives and does not treat justly
in dividing his self and his wealth between them, he will be raised on the
Resurrection Day while he is chained in punishment and half of his body is
not straight until he enters Hell.”
Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 7, p. 214

Imam Musa ibn Ja’far [a] narrated from his father [a] from the Holy
Prophet [s] who said: “However much the Faith of a man increases, his regard
for women increases.”
Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 103, p. 228(09022007)

Imam Amir ul Mu’mineen Ali [a] said: “The worst man is he who restricts
his household.”
Nur-ul-Absar Shablanjy

Imam Sadiq [a] said: “He who abandons marriage for the fear of the
expenses imposed on him, mistrusts Allah, Almighty and Glorious.”
Man La Yahduruhul Faqih, vol. 3, p. 385(g23042007)

Imam Sadiq [a] said that when Uthman ibn Maz’un’s wife announced to the Prophet [s] that her husband was always busy fasting and praying day and night without paying attention to his life and wife, the Prophet [s] went unto his house and found him praying. When ‘Uthman finished his prayer, the Messenger of Allah [s] said: “O’ ‘Uthman, Allah has not sent me for monkery but appointed me for a fluent, easy religion (which protects the rights of
the body and soul). I fast, keep up prayers, and associate with my family.
Then, he who likes my way and my creed, must follow my way of life, my Sunnah; and, verily, marriage is of my Sunnah.”
AI-Kafi, vol. 5, p.494 (06112007)

The Holy Prophet [s] said: “There is no (believing) woman who gives her
husband a glass of water but it will be rewarded her better than the worship
of one year during which she fasts on days and keeps vigil during the
nights.”
Wasa’il-ush Shi’ah, vol. 20, p. 172 (20062008)

Imam Amir ul Mu’mineen Ali [a] said: “The Jihad (fighting in the way of
Allah) of a woman is to afford pleasant company to her husband.”
Nahjul-Balagha, saying No. 494 (26072008)

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Afghans chase off women law protesters

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BBC News / Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Dozens of Afghan women who tried to protest against a new law they say legalises rape within marriage have been attacked in the capital, Kabul.
Police intervened after supporters of the law threw stones at the women and tried to seize their banners.
The law was signed by President Hamid Karzai but is currently being reviewed after criticism from abroad.
Its most controversial article says a woman must make herself available for sex with her husband when he desires.
The law’s defenders say it actually protects the rights of women.

‘Revisit and overturn’
Thursday’s demonstration took place outside a religious centre run by a cleric who helped draft the law which is aimed at Afghanistan’s Shia minority.
“We actually see it as a law that is limiting women’s rights… We all stand against this law, we want a reform of the law, we want a revisit of it and overturn of it,” one of the protesters, Sima Ghani, told the BBC.
Another protester said the new law was reminiscent of the worst excesses against women during the Taleban’s rule of Afghanistan which ended in 2001.
President Karzai ordered an urgent review of the law – which he says has been misinterpreted by Western journalists – earlier this month.
It has been criticised by US President Barack Obama, the UN and Nato chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who said it went against the values of his troops.
Aides to President Karzai insist that the law in fact provides more protection for women.
Some women on Wednesday staged counter-demonstrations in support of the law, insisting that the legislation stops women from being harmed.
“Muslim women have rights which are stated for them in the Koran, not rights that other countries set for them. We want the rights which have been set according to Islam,” one of them told the BBC.
Among the law’s provisions are that

• wives are obliged to have sexual relations with their husbands at least once every four days
• women cannot leave home without their husband’s permission

Critics say the law limits the rights of women from the Shia minority and authorizes rape within marriage.
The law covers members of Afghanistan’s Shia minority, who make up 10% of the population. A separate family law for the Sunni majority is also being drawn up.