Kita Bertemu di Fesbuk

Kita Bertemu di Fesbuk.

SATU

Malam malam di musim dingin itu sungguh panjang dan dingin sekali. Ahmad bertugas malam di sebuah hotel empat bintang di kota yang sunyi. Setiap malam hanya mereka berdua saja, Ahmad dan Misel, seorang perempuan muda keturunan Sekot. Ahmad sebagai kuli angkut beg, sekali gus sebagai pegawai keselamatan, manakala Misel menyambut tetamu dan buat akaun harian. Mereka akrab sekali, maklumlah tiada siapa yang Misel boleh harapkan untuk kalau kalau ada orang jahat malam itu, atau malam malam yang lain. Jika ada pesanan makanan lewat malam, dari pengunjung hotel yang masuk lewat, Misel akan meminta Ahmad ke dapur memasak dan menghantar makanan. Kalau ada orang mabuk, Ahmad lah yang Misel harapkan untuk menanganinya. Bila semua pengunjung hotel telah nyenyak kekadang Ahmad akan menemani Misel mengira akaun harian di pejabat, sambil Ahmad melayari alam siber.
Dari situlah Ahmad mula mengenali dunia Fesbuk. Satu alamat di alam siber yang merapatkan jaringan perkenalan kepunyaan Mark Zuckerberg. Zukerberg masa itu adalah seorang pelajar Harvard, masih belasan tahun, dan membina Fesbuk untuk mengetahui perihal kawan-kawannya di kampus. Mahu masuk Fesbuk? Kena ada jemputan.
“Aku tiada kenalan di Fesbuk.” kata Ahmad pendek.
“Biarlah aku jemput kau, kau jadi kawan ku,” kata Misel.

Maka bermula lah Ahmad ber fesbuk, dengan hanya berkawan dengan Misel. Mereka berbalas balas surat, walau waktu itu mereka duduk sebelah menyebelah di pejabat.

Kadang, Misel tidak bekerja malam, tapi selalunya dia keluar berfoya foya, minum minum sampai lewat malam. Waktu begitu dia akan singgah kehotel, dan akan meminta Ahmad menghantarnya pulang.

Masa berlalu.

Misel ingin melancong ke Oz sambil bekerja di sana. Berbulan bulan dia di Syurga Ombak bekerja sambil mengumpul duit untuk pergi Eropah dan Amerika. Halamannya di Fesbuk sentiasa di isi gambar gambar terbaru, sambil bercerita tentang pengalaman terbaru. Dunia terbuka luas, katak tidak lagi berada dibawah tempurung.

GST - a consumption tax, What about its companion, welfare safety net

I notice a few facts are HIDDEN from the minister's statement about GST. True that we need to widen our tax base, and with GST, we can derive new tax base from foreign resident in the country, tourists and those groups who normally dont pay tax, eg black economy sector and low income group.

He said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) would not increase as a result of the GST implementation.
This is bulls, my apologies for my french.. I had the experience of going through the first year GST introduction in NZ, and CPI went up as much as the rate of GST. Retailers and service providers didnt reduce price, no discount to soften the impact of GST.

So brace yourself for 4% inflation in 2011.

Ah, for got to mention, that the last quarter before GST take effect, people would buy whatever they can, whether they can afford them or not, just because they dont want to pay GST to the government. So we can expect a surge in demand for consumer goods, people would stocking up on goods and services if they can do it.
That in itself would be inflationary.

Brace yourselves, if you are business owner, your administration cost would indirectly increase, because now you become indirect tax collectors for the government. Yes you would collect GST from consumers, and remit them to tax department. Although you would have a wee bit increase in cash flow, ie 4%, for the month, that is still not your money.

I have been supporting the concept GST ever since the idea was first mooted in 2005. It will net wider tax base, and force the black economy to pay taxes, indirectly. So soon the criminals, traders, illegal immigrants and poor farmers who normally dont pay taxes will have to pay 4%.

Fair enough if those people are rich, BUT if they are poor farmers and traders, its a burden and absolutely not fair.

WE should also think of social safety net, minimum wages and help for the poor.
How much Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat pay for every poor families? If they apply for help?
What is the minimum wage in Malaysia? NONE, no minimum wage.

Minister, your performance is dismal.

In Memory of My Father; Hamzah Kusni 1933-2008

It has been a year since my father passed away. My father passed away on this day last year, just 2 weeks after Hari Raya Haji last year. I wanted to come home last year for Hari Raya Haji last year, but I didnt. That is one regret that I would never be able to come to term with.
But my Allah miracle, a week after my father passed away, I was back in the village. I went to his grave, it was still fresh, under the shade of palm oil tree and only 30 meters away from the village masjid.

To this day I still regret and cry inside, why couldnt I come home sooner? Simply that I didnt have enough money for the airfare. I did call home that Raya Aidil Fitri, and I promise to come home for Raya Haji. I did try to save enough money for the airfare, and had enough days of annual leave. But in the end it wasnt enough, and whatever I had was spent on something else. In the end I couldnt fulfill my promise to come home for Raya Haji.

http://nooryahaya.blogspot.com/2008/12/in-memory-of-my-father-hamzah-kusni.html
Thanking you in advance for reciting AlFatihah for my father's benefit.

Whats Wrong with Dubai World..

Its easy to find fault and do post mortem, especially on issues of economics. Yes there are lots of extravagant dreams and think big projects. By normal standard these projects are too big, and success hinge on slick marketing of finished or unfinished properties with a view of making more big fat profits for investors of the properties.

The trick might work, just make sure Dubai have a huge influx of immigrants and new residents who would eventually demand more properties.

But one thing we all Muslims must remember, all the ideas and hard work that we do, would still have to pass one standard test, that the investment or work done must be halal in totality. For Non Muslim, yes every hard work they do will get reward in this world, and as such thier investment and work will gain rewards and successes.
For Muslims, there is one more hurdle to pass, that the work and investment is halal.

Why do I write this?

Here is why;
http://english.aljazeera.net/business/2007/08/200852514513745411.html

Dubai World, the Gulf state's investment firm, is to take a 10 per cent stake in MGM Mirage, the world's second-largest casino operator, to become a major player in America's biggest gambling destination
Is casino investment halal? Of course not. And the wrath of Allah has come.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/the_gulf/article6936260.ece

Pictures from Raya Korban and Bone Soup for Dinner

bone soup, with fresh potatoes from the garden.

Raya Korban

pictures from raya korban.
6 sheep/hogget, for people and alot of hard work.

Pantun untuk Dr Asri

menang berbahas, kalah berhujah.
tegang leher, darah mendidih.
maka syaitan pun berbisiklah.
kau menang , kau menang.
kau ajukan argument argument yg benar.

Kaum Muda, golongan muda.
idea pembaharuan.
demi kemajuan ummah.
Kaum Tua, golongan kolot.
masih berpegang kepercayaan lama.
masih lakukan perkara perkara yg tiada asas dalam agama

tahlil 7 hari, tahlil 40 hari.
baca talqin, bukan Nabi dulu ada buat.
Berzanzi, Barzanzi, BaarZaanj.
Maulid Nabi.

mungkin kau menang berbahas, menang berhujah.
mungkin kau benar, hanya Allah yang tahu.

tapi mana adab mu.
kami tidak akan tertarik dengan adab mu.
begitukah adab kalau kau mujtahid.

What is Wahabi?

Title: What is Wahabi?
“Kullu bidatin dhalalah, dhalatun fin Nar” Or something like that, and we have heard it so many times.
Of 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, I am the last one, and who is least qualified to talk about this issue that is raging hot between Dr MAZA and JAIS. So please dont quote me.
True this issue is confusing Muslims in Malaysia, and worse, even more confusing to non Muslims.
So what is Wahabism?
To be fair, no one in the world would raise their hand and say that he/she is a Wahabi. Wahabi is a label, that stuck by the Ali Sunnah Wal Jamaah(Sunni) and Shiah on puritanical Muslim followers of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab (hence Wahabi).
These followers of Wahabism has a few characteristic views, among others;
*they quote ““Kullu bidatin dhalalah, dhalatun fin Nar” on religious practices that they dont agree, ie religious practices that were not practiced during the times of the Prophet Muhammad saw.
*they dont do wirid after salat (obligatory 5 times daily prayers), nor doa.
*they say that there is no basis for reading Yasin on Friday, and as such its bid’ah.
*celebrating Prophet Muhammad saw birthday is bid’ah, and so is reading Kitab Barzanzi aloud in a majlis.
*another cultural practice that the Wahabis are against is majlis tahlil and Yasin.
*they dont read talqin when burying the dead.
True that some of these practices that Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia were doing are not obligatory. Okay then, are they WRONG? No. So are the Wahabis WRONG? No. CONFUSING? Yes.
The first time I got confused with this similar issue was many years ago, I was a kid, in the 70’s attending Quran class at Surau Haji Abdul Ghafur near Masjid Baroh, Tanjong Karang. Back then the issue was beduk and ketuk ketuk (hollowed tree trunk, when you beat in the middle, it gives a loud gong) to mark the prayer time. In the days before loudspeaker, azan cannot be heard all over the village, because human voice was not loud enough. Beduk and ketuk ketuk are louder, and at different frequency spectrum, and can be heard all over the village. Ketuk ketuk is also used to tell villager of death news (ie if somebody has died in the village) even these days.
Then the masjid had enough money to buy loudspeaker system, and a generator for the electricity needed. Then there was a new siak (person who clean the masjid) who was employed recently. He follows this Kaum Muda thinking, and doesnt like the villagers using beduk and ketuk ketuk to call for prayer before the call of azan. Things come to head when he start the call of azan on the loudspeaker and beduk and ketuk ketuk hasnt been done. The order of things was the that, beduk number one, ketuk ketuk number two and then azan. Who got confused the most? Kids, me included.
Last January, I was chatting with my uncle Mustakim on this issue of Wahabism. We were talking about the practice of the villagers reading Surah Ikhlas thousands of times, and counted, the first 7 nights, and Tahlil after that and some interval, say, a 40 days, 100 days etc. My uncle said the late Haji Abdul Ghafur explained when a man is dead and buried, Munkar and Nakir would question the dead and beat up the dead person if he/she doesnt answer correctly. Reading Surah Ikhlas thousands of times for the benefit of the departed and recite doa and prayer for the departed is to ask Allah’s intercession so that the departed would not be beaten in the grave. Hopefully by reciting Fatihah and Surah Ikhlas for him, he will get better life in the grave. When a person is dead, his/her good deeds has ceased, except three, his wealth that has been spent on charity like building masjid and religious school, his knowledge that was taught to his pupils and his children or friends who recite prayers for him. So if we recite prayers and ibadah or give sadaqah/alms for the benefit of the departed, he/she will get it in the grave.
Is this bid’ah? The word bid’ah hasnt even arise. Of course, this is not obligatory, and the villagers were doing this for the benefit of the departed, as well as themselves.
So why does the older generation, the old imams, muftis kept quiet about this? They dont say anything, or saying that Kaum Muda are wrong. Thats because the Kaum Muda are right, BUT (with a pregnant pause..) being young people, they are idealists, a bit shallow in thinking and knowledge (my apologies, if you feel slighted, kalau terasa) and need to learn more, much more before opening their mouth. The older imams, muftis and ustadz see that these young people Kaum Muda need guidance, and time to learn. You can see that Dr MAZA need guidance, more so after his outburst and press conferences soon after he was ‘arrested’ by JAIS for giving lecture without ‘tauliah’.
I can see the reason for the system of ‘tauliah’, effectively a licence to teach Islam at public lectures, we dont want the Muslims got confused with half baked statement and religious explanations.

Yes you can contradict me, write comment or add anything as well correct me wherever necessary.



Terdapat dua kelompok manusia, jika kedua-duanya baik, maka masyarakat akan menjadi baik, dan jika kedua-duanya rosak, maka masyarakat juga akan menjadi rosak, mereka itu ialah umarak dan ulamak (Hadis riwayat Ibn Abdul Barr)

Rakyat menjadi rosak akibat daripada rosaknya pemerentah, dan pemerentah menjadi rosak akibat daripada kehadiran ulamak yang buruk (al-suu') Imam Al-Ghazali Ihya' Ulumuddin.
Muhasabah Untuk Dr Asri Zainal Abidin

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IbnuNafis:
Sanggahan ini dibuat atas artikel DR MAZA yang bertajuk : Islam Antara Nas Dan Pendapat Tokoh. Sila klik : http://drmaza. com/home/ ?p=710

Dijawab oleh Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim

Biografi beliau Dr Asmadi:

Berasal dari Kelantan tetapi dibesarkan di Kuantan, Pahang sehingga ke peringkat Menengah kerana mengikuti keluarga yang berkhidmat dengan kerajaan. Memulakan pengajian Islam secara rasmi pada tahun 1998 di sebuah madrasah di Sungai Ular, Kuantan. Menyambung pelajaran di Jordan untuk mempelajari Bahasa Arab pada tahun 1989-1990. Menamatkan pengajian Thanawi Empat di Pakistan dari 1990-1993 dan kemudian melangkah semula ke Jordan (1993-1997) untuk menamatkan pengajian B. Shariah sehinggalah saya menamatkan pengajian MIRKH (1998-99)dan PhD di UIAM pada dari 2000 hingga 2004. Saya mempunyai seorang isteri dan 6 orang cahaya mata. Untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut sila ke homepage saya di http://staf. uum.edu.my/ asmadi

Sanggahan terhadap artikel DR MAZA :

KOMEN TERHADAP ARTIKEL `ISLAM: ANTARA NAS DAN PENDAPAT TOKOH'

Oleh: Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim

Saya membaca tulisan Dr Asri bertajuk: Islam: Antara Nas Dan Pendapat Tokoh. Pada saya Dr. Asri mengulas perbahasan kitab-kitab ulama tanpa mengetahui susur galur dan sebab musabab kenapa perbahasan sedemikian muncul. Ini dikeranakan latarbelakangnya pengajian ijazah pertama Bahasa Arab Jordan yang tiada subjek Syariah kecuali terlalu sedikit (seumpama pelajar sastera Melayu di Malaysia, tidak seperti Kuliah Bahasa Arab di al-Azhar), kemudiannya dia terus terjun dalam pengajian hadith di peringkat Masters (secara penyelidikian dan bukan berguru) dan hanya PhDnya sahaja ada 8 kursus yang perlu dilalui secara berguru. Hubungannya dengan ulama-ulama adalah terlalu sedikit berbanding pembacaan.

Untuk mengkritik kitab-kitab turath, dia memilih satu huraian kitab yang ditulis oleh ulama yang tidak terkenal di kalangan ulama mutaakhirin. Dia tahu dia tidak akan berjumpa perkara sedemikian dalam kitab mutaqaddimun mazhab. Dia tahu, dia sukar untuk mengkritik syarahan Imam al-Shafie, al-Mawardi, al-Nawawi dalam aliran mazhab Shafie. Demikian sukar juga dikutuk pandangan Abu Yusuf, Muhammad dan Zufar dalam mazhab Hanafi. Sukar juga di'pandir'kan pandangan pemuka mazhab Malik seperti Ibn Rusyd al-Jad dan Ibn Rusyd al-Hafid dan al-Dasuqi sebagaimana sukar mempertikai Ibn al-Qudamah, al-Maqdisi dalam mazhab Hanbali.

Sesiapa yang mempelajari 'madkhal al-fiqh' (Pengantar al-Fiqh) sepatutnya menyedari adanya budaya 'araaitiyyun' (kalau sekiranya... araaita) di kalangan ulama untuk membahaskan kemungkinan- kemungkinan berlakunya sesuatu peristiwa. Sekira sangkaan baik ada pada pelajar, ia akan merasakan bagaimana hebatnya seseorang imam itu berusaha mengembangkan perbahasan dalam sesuatu perkara. Itu ijtihad mereka dan sumbangan mereka. Kebiasaan guru-guru Shariah menerimanya sebagai satu usaha ulama-ulama silam memperhalusi setiap perbahasan dan bersangka baik dengan ulama-ulama ini.

Tugas pelajar-pelajar Shari'ah kemudiannya menyaring dan memahami perbahasan tersebut untuk disampaikan kepada masyarakat awam. Bahkan daripada contoh-contoh yang diberi, akan terbentuk kaedah mengeluarkan hukum di kalangan pelajar Shari'ah. Bukan semua orang layak menjadi mujtahid.

Sekali lagi 'isu kecil' berus gigi diperbesarkan utk menunjukkan dan membuktikan kebodohan ulama silam. Bukankah ada pandangan ulama silam yang tetap membenarkan bersugi selepas zohor?

Pada saya, ulasan negatif terhadap ulama-ulama tersebut menunjukkan 'kepandiran' orang yang memperkecilkan ulama-ulama silam tersebut. Kalau dia melalui pengajian rasmi Shari'ah di University of Jordan yang saya sama universiti dengannya (dan hampir sama tahun pengajian), dia akan berjumpa dengan ramai pensyarah-pensyarah yang menyindir pelajar-pelajar supaya menjaga adab dengan ulama. Bahkan ada yang menyebut: TitleBox'Hum rijal wa nahnu zukur' iaitu 'mereka lelaki (yang sebenar) dan kita lelaki (biasa)' sebagai sindiran kepada mereka yang merasakan setaraf atau lebih hebat dari ulama-ulama silam tersebut walaupun baru setahun dua di Kuliah Shari'ah. Bahkan pengajian saya dengan tokoh-tokoh Salafi Jordan seperti Prof. Dr Umar al-'Ashqar (yang digelar Salafi Tulen Jordan), Prof. Yasir al-Shimali dan lain-lain menunjukkan bagaimana mereka menghormati pandangan Imam-Imam mazhab tersebut dan anak-anak muridnya. Tidak pernah keluar dari mulut Prof. Umar perkataan 'banyak contoh-contoh bodoh yang dibentangkan oleh ulama Fiqh!'

Demikian juga, malang bagi Dr. Asri apabila semua 'busuk' yang dia lihat pada ulama silam. Takut-takut 'bahtera perubahan' menjadi 'bahtera fitnah'... Pada saya ini sudah menjadi 'keterlanjuran dan fitnah melampau' Dr Asri terhadap ulama! Yang di sebaliknya dia menyeru: Quote

'Jangan ikut ulama, tapi ikutlah aku kerana aku bukan Pak Pandir dan akulah paling benar'.

Manakala ulasannya dalam Hashiah al-Bajuri, dia tidak menyatakan mukasurat. Saya lebih cenderung dia tersilap menterjemahkan. Terjemahan asal ialah memasukkan `keseluruhan kemaluan'. Kalau benarpun terjemahannya, ia di bawah konsep bahasa Arab yang di sebut `lanjutan contoh' bukan sebagai `contoh utama'. Jadi, dia seharusnya lebih memahami perbahasan ulama-ulama fiqh dan seharusnya cuba bersangka baik kepada ulama-ulama tersebut sebagaimana dia boleh bersangka baik kepada Albani walaupun banyak 'tanaqudhat' (pandangan yang saling berlawanan samada dalam kitab yang sama atau kitab berbeza).

Wallahu a'lam.

Allahu musta'an.

IbnuNafis:

fitnah dr. asri / dr.mazaDQ

Cuba lihat kenyataan Dr Asri yang menghina Sayyid Ja'far al Barzanji :
Quote

Saya bukan nak complain.BARZANJI saya complain ..ni complain kan ne.BARZANJI tu bukan dia tu satu orang yang hebat sangat.Bukan BERZANJI...BAARZANJ I(intonasi suara perli loghat India/Pakistan/ Afgahnistan) Jaafar Albarzanji.

Cuba dengar intonasi suara beliau yang jelas-jelas memperlekehkan Mufti Mazhab Syafie di Madinah al Munawwarah.

Siapakah Sayyid Ja'far al Barzanji yang diperlekehkan oleh Dr Asri ini ?

Keturunan dan Kelahirannya :

Nama beliau ialah Ja'afar ibn Hasan ibn Abdul Karim ibn Sayyid Muhammad ibn al Qutb al Arif Sayyid Rasul ibn Abdus Sayyid ibn Abdur Rasul ibn Qalandar ibn Abdus Sayyid ibn Isa ibn al Hussain ibn Bayazid ibn al Mursyid Abdul Karim ibn al Qutb al A'zam al Ghauth al Fard al Jami' Isa ibn Ali ibn Yusuf ibn Mansur ibn Abdul Aziz ibn AbduLlah ibn Ismail al Muhaddith ibn al Imam Musa al Kazim ibn al Imam Ja'afar al Sodiq ibn al Imam Muhammad al Baqir ibn al Imam Ali Zainal Abidin al Sajjad ibn al Imam al Syahid al Husain ibn al Imam Amirul Mukminin Ali ibn Abu Talib.

Tarikh Kelahiran

Pada hari Khamis awal bulan Zulhijjah 1126 Hijrah di Madinah al Munawwarah

Perkataan 'Barzanji' yang dinisbahkan kepada namanya diambil dari nama kampung asal keturunannya.

Latar Belakang Pendidikannya

Beliau dibesarkan di bawah didikan dan asuhan ayahandanya. Beliau mempelajari al Quran daripada Syeikh Ismail al Yamani radiyaLlahu 'anhu. Kemudian mempelajari ilmu tajwid daripada syeikh Yusuf al Sa'idi radiyaLLahu 'anhu dan Syeikh Syams al din al Misri radiyaLlahu 'anhu. Di antara guru-gurunya di Madinah ialah :

1. Sayyid Abdul Karim Haidar al Barzanji radiyaLlahu 'anhu

2. Sayyid Yusuf al Kurdi radiyaLLahu 'anhu

3. Sayyid 'AtiyyatuLlah al Hindi radiyaLlahu 'anhu

Setelah itu, beliau mendalami ilmunya dengan ulama' yang berada di Makkah dan menetap di sana selama 5 tahun. Di antara guru-gurunya di Makkah ialah :

1. Syeikh 'AtaiLlah ibn Ahmad al Azhari

2. Syeikh Abdul Wahhab al Tontowi al Ahmadi

3. Syeikh Ahmad al Asybuli dan lain-lain lagi.

Oleh kerana kepakarannya yang tinggi di dalam persada ilmu, beliau telah diijazahkan dengan sanad-sanad ilmu oleh masyaikh pada zamannya. Di antara guru-gurunya yang pernah menganugerahkan sanad kepadanya ialah :

1. Syeikh Muhammad Tayyib al Fasi

2. Sayyid Ahmad al Tobari

3. Syeikh Muhammad ibn Hasan al 'Ujaimi

4. Sayyid Mustafa al Bakari

5. Syeikh AbduLlah al Syubrawi al Misri

Beliau telah belajar daripada mereka pelbagai ilmu pengetahuan. Di antaranya ilmu saraf, nahu. mantiq, ma'ani, bayan, adab, fiqh, usul fiqh, faraidh, matematik, hadith, mustalah hadith, tafsir, dakwah, kejuruteraan, arudh, kalam, bahasa, sirah, qiraat, suluk, tasawwuf dan sebagainya.

Apa yang berlaku pada zaman mutakhir ini, sesetengah ahli masyarakat melemparkan tuduhan bahawa beliau bukan seorang ilmuwan Islam. Anggapan yang tidak berasas ini, menyebabkan kitab maulid karangannya yang selama ini diterimapakai di dalam Majlis Sambutan Maulid Nabi sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam di kebanyakan negara Islam dituduh mengandungi banyak perkara khurafat dan bertentangan dengan Al Quran dan Hadith.

Oleh kerana itu, untuk meneutralkan tanggapan negatif ini, adalah wajar diketengahkan sanad beliau yang menghubungkan ilmunya dengan dua buah kitab hadith yang muktabar; al Bukhari dan Muslim sehingga kepada RasuluLlah sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam bagi membuka mata dan meyakinkan kita bahawa pengarang Kitab Maulid Barzanji yang kita baca selama ini bukanlah calang-calang ulama.

Sanad Jami' Al Sahih Imam Bukhari

Sayyid Ja'far al Barzanji belajar daripada,

1. Syeikh Muhammad Tayyib al Fasi, belajar daripada

2. Syeikh Ibrahim al Dir'i, belajar daripada

3. Syeikhah Fatimah binti SyukriLLah al Uthmaniyyah, bonda nendanya Sayyid Muhammad ibn Abdur Rasul, belajar daripada

4. Al Syams Muhammad ibn Ahmad al Ramli, belajar daripada

5. Syeikh al Islam al Qadhi Zakaria ibn Muhammad al Ansari, belajar daripada

6. al Hafiz Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Hajar al Asqalani, belajar daripada

7. Syeikh Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al Tanukhi, belajar daripada

8. Syeikh Abi al Abbas Ahmad ibn Abi Talib al Hajjar al Dimasyqi, belajar daripada

9. al Siraj al Husain al Mubarak al Zaibidi, belajar daripada

10. Abdil awwal ibn Isa al Harawi, belajar daripada

11. Abdir Rahman ibn Muzaffar al Dawudi, belajar daripada

12. Abi Muhammad AbduLLah ibn Hamawih al Sarkhasi, belajar daripada

13. Syeikh Abdi AbdiLlah Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Matar al Farabri, belajar daripada

Pengumpulnya, Amirul Mukminin al Imam al Hafiz al Hujjah Abu AbdiLLah Muhammad ibn Ismail al Bukhari.

Sanad Sohih Muslim

Sayyid Ja'far al Barzanji, belajar daripada

1. Syeikh AbduLlah al Syubrawi al Misri, daripada

2. Syeikh Muhammad Zurqani ibn Abdul Baqi al Maliki al Azhari, daripada

3. Al Hafiz Muhammad ibn 'Ala' al Babili, daripada

4. Syeikh Abi al Naja Salim ibn Muhammad al Sanhuri, daripada

5. Al Najm Muhammad ibn Ahmad al Ghaiti, daripada

6. Syeikh al Islam Zakaria ibn Muhammad al Ansari, daripada

7. Abi al Nu'aim Ridhwan ibn Muhammad, daripada

8. Syeikh Abi Tahir Muhammad ibn Muhammad, daripada

9. Abi al Faraj Abdur Rahman ibn Abdul Hamid al Maqdisi, daripada

10. Syeikh Abi al Abbas Ahmad ibn Abdud Daim al Nablusi, daripada

11. Syeikh Muhammad ibn Ali al Harani, daripada

12. Faqih al Haram Muhammad ibn al Fadhl al Farawi, daripada

13. Syeikh Abi al Husain Abdul Ghafir ibn Muhammad al Farisi, daripada

14. Abi Ahmad Muhammad ibn Isa al Jaludi, daripada

15. Syeikh Abi Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan al Zahid, daripada

Pengumpulnya al Imam al Hujjah Muslim ibn al Hajjaj al Qusyairi al Naisaburi.

Kepakarannya di dalam bidang keilmuwan telah menarik ramai orang datang menemuinya untuk mempelajari ilmu. Beliau mengikuti dan menyelami jalan ahli tasawwuf dan meninggalkan kerehatan dan tidur lebih dari 20 tahun sehingga beliau mempunyai kemahiran di dalam ilmu naqli (berasaskan al Quran dan Sunnah) dan aqli. Beliau pernah mengambil tariqat daripada Sayyid 'AtiyatuLlah al Hindi dan Sayyid Mustafa al Bakari.

Beliau telah mengarang banyak kitab yang menakjubkan dan bermanfaat. Di antaranya ialah kitab Maulid Nabi sallaLLahu 'alaihi wasallam yang tidak pernah ditulis oleh pengarang sebelumnya yang dinamakan dengan 'Iqd al Jauhar fi Maulid al Nabi al Azhar sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam.

Hubungan Sosial

Beliau juga mempunyai kredibiliti yang tinggi dalam masyarakat sehingga dilantik sebagai Mufti Mazhab Syafie radiyaLLahu 'anhu di al Madinah al Munawwarah. Beliau memegang jawatan tersebut sehingga kewafatannya dan dianugerahkan dengan kebesaran yang tinggi sehingga kata-katanya diperkenankan dan dilaksanakan oleh raja-raja dan pemerintah-pemerint ah di Haramain (Makkah dan Madinah), Mesir, Syam, Rom dan sebagainya.

Kata-katanya juga diterimapakai oleh Jemaah Menteri Kerajaan Uthmaniyyah dan pembesar-pembesar negara tersebut. Suaranya tersebar seperti burung yang berterbangan di seluruh pelusuk dunia hingga hampir tiada sesiapa yang tidak mengenalinya. Karyanya tersebar luas dan kelebihan kitabnya tiada tolok bandingnya pada zamannya.

Akhlaknya

Beliau mempunyai akhlak yang mulia, bersifat tawadhu', hati yang bersih, cepat memaafkan orang lain dan tidak mengabaikan hak orang lain. Beliau merupakan keturunan dari keluarga RasuluLlah sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam dan di kalangan ketua yang menjadi tempat rujukan keturunan Baginda sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam pada zamannya. Beliau juga merupakan seorang yang zuhud, wara', berpegang dengan al Quran dan Sunnah, banyak berzikir, sentiasa bertafakkur, mengorbankan harta dan jiwa untuk melakukan kebaikan serta banyak bersedekah sehingga dikenali sebagai seorang dermawan.

Beliau juga mempunyai karamah yang dizahirkan oleh ALlah subahanahu wa Ta'ala. Di antaranya, beliau pernah dipanggil dari tempat solatnya pada Hari Jumaat menaiki mimbar RasuluLlah sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam. Pada masa tersebut, sedang berlaku kemarau yang panjang. Maka orang bertawassul dengannya supaya diturunkan hujan. Dengan kehendak ALlah subahanahu wa Ta'ala, maka hujan pun turun dengan lebatnya dan tanah yang kering kontang menjadi subur. Ramai di kalangan ulama' yang memujinya sebagaimana yang dirakamkan di dalam syair gubahan mereka. Di antaranya :


"Dahulu sayyiduna Umar RadiyaLlahu 'anhu pernah bertawassul meminta hujan dengan Sayyiduna al Abbas radiyaLLahu 'anhu, dan kini kami bertawassul dengan Ja'far radiyaLlahu 'anhu, maka diturunkan hujan kepada kami"

Khalifah Umar ibn al Khattab radiyaLlahu 'anhu sepertimana yang diriwayatkan oleh al Bukhari dan Muslim daripada Anas radiyaLlahu 'anhu pernah bertawassul dengan bapa saudara Nabi sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam, iaitu Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib ketika berlaku musim kemarau. Umar RadiyaLlahu 'anhu berdoa :
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Ya ALlah! Sesungguhnya apabila kami menghadapi kemarau, kami bertawassul kepada Engkau dengan Nabi kami (Muhammad sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam) maka Engkau menurunkan hujan kepada kami. Dan sekarang ini, kami bertawassul kepada Engkau dengan bapa saudara Nabi Muhammad sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam, maka turunkanlah hujan jepada kami." Anas radiyaLlahu 'anhu menyebut, "Maka hujan pun diturunkan ke atas mereka."

Sila lihat di dalam Kitab Syifa' al Saqqam karangan Syeikh Taqiyuddin al Subki H:171.

Kewafatannya

Beliau wafat pada Hari Selasa selepas Asar 4 Sya'ban 1177 Hijrah.

Sumber Rujukan: Haji Muhammad Fuad Kamaluddin al Maliki, Al Bayan 8, Cet Pertama 2008, Sekretariat Menangani Isu-isu Akidah Dan Syariah, Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Johor. Malaysia.

IbnuNafis:
Sudah lama isu ini berlaku, golongan opportunis (yang suka mengambil peluang) tidak kiralah samada dari mana-mana parti politik. Begitulah juga kepada yang memusuhi intitusi ulama dan mufti di negara Malaysia ini. Pada satu masa mufti dilihat apabila menyebelahi mereka, maka akan disanjung-sanjung, dipandang tinggi. Tetapi apabila menyuarakan perkara yang penting untuk maslahah ummah dan terkena pada golongan yang lain mufti jugalah yang akan dimaki hamun, dikata kesat. Demi sebuah kebenaran, saya perlu mengulas isu ini.

Penghinaan dan fitnah terhadap Mufti

Lebih mengejutkan lagi apabila yang menghina dan memfitnah institusi mufti itu sendiri adalah dari kalangan mufti sendiri seperti yang pernah dilakukan oleh seorang bekas mufti di Perlis iaitu Dr Asri Zainal Abidin. Sila lihat sahaja perkataannya :
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Saya berhenti menjadi Mufti, bukan saya serik. Jadi mufti apa nak serik. Boleh duduk diam-diam dan enjoy dengan jawatan. Jangan banyak cakap atau bangkang. Boleh pergi mesyuarat hotel sana, dan hotel sini. Lawatan sana, lawatan sini. Masuk ke tempat mahal-mahal. Ada kereta rasmi, terbang sana, terbang sini dan cukup bulan ambil gaji. Diam dan jangan peduli sangat apa yang sedang berlaku, maka jawatan itu satu nikmat yang 'sukar hendak dilepaskan.
- Al Islam April 2009, m/s 28-29. Juga di laman web DrMaza: Klik Di Sini

Maaf cakap, entah berapa ramai di sana yang taksub dan taqlid membuta tuli percakapan dan fatwanya yang menyelidik tentang erti sebuah kebenaran dan akhlak yang datang dari seorang ilmuwan agama? Sudahkah membaca artikel KEMBARA ILMU KE INDIA yang ditulis oleh Dr Asri di laman webnya dan kemudian telah dibuang beberapa hari selepas ditulis? (Artikelnya dipost semula : DI SINI) Dan akhirnya kebenaran tetap ALlah tunjukkan dengan tulisan ini Tanggapan Artikel Kembara Ilmu Ke India - Dr MAZA. Tidak perlulah saya mengkhabarkan tentang sikap beliau yang lain. Ingin juga menjawab sahaja di dalam laman web DrMaza.Com tetapi saya masih tidak terjumpa lagi ruangan komen. Dimana ya?

Saya teringat kata hikmah Ibn Sirin (w. 110H/728) mengungkapkan
Quote

"Sesungguhnya ilmu ini agama, dan perhatikan dari siapa yang engkau ambil agama ini".

Alangkah apabila dilihat kalimah ini semakin terlihatlah kebenarannya kini.

Bukan sedikit pula yang mencaci maki ulamak seperti yang terjadi kepada Mufti Perak (lihat isu politik di Perak), dan mufti lain yang dituduh sebagai hanya memanaskan punggung di tempat duduk. Bahkan ada yang mengatakan binatang yang diharamkan lebih mulia dari mufti - silalah rujuk : Babi Lebih Mulia.

Dan begitulah, siapa yang ingin menyelidik akan sebuah kebenaran?

Terkadang saya berfikir - mengapa ya sesama umat Islam bukan main lagi dimusuhi, mudahnya dihukum sesat, mudahnya dihukum musyrik. Tetapi dengan orang kafir yang ada tugasnya sebagai missionari Kristian disambut dan dibela (sila rujuk : Isu kalimah ALlah hendak digunakan oleh Kristian di Malaysia). Apa kita lupa firman ALlah :
Quote



"(Sesungguhnya orang-orang Mukmin adalah bersaudara karena itu damaikanlah antara kedua saudaramu dan bertaqwalah kepada Allah supaya kamu mendapat rahmat)"

(QS. Al Hujurat : ayat 10 )

Bukankah telah disabdakan oleh RasuluLLah yang bererti : Dari Abi Hamzah bin Malik radiyaLLahu 'anhu, khadam RasuluLLah sallaLlahu 'alaihi wasallam dari Nabi sallaLLahu 'alaihi wasallam sabdanya :

Quote

Tiada sempurna iman seorang kamu hingga ia mencintai saudaranya apa yang ia cintai untuk dirinya.

(Riwayat Bukhari dan Muslim)

Kita mengatakan telah beriman kepada al Quran dan Sunnah, bahkan ada yang mengaku ingin menjadi pendokong kedua-duanya. Apakah ucapan itu hanya pada jari jemari sahaja tanpa ada penghayatan?

Bila Mufti dihina dan difitnah, siapakah pula yang membela mereka?

Adakah kita sebenarnya tahu siapa mufti di negeri masing-masing? Dan mengambil tahu hal ehwalnya dan dimana mereka turun ke padang mengajar di kelas pengajian, di masjid? Jika di Johor ini, bekas Mufti Johor Dato' Noh Gadot (sekarang ini penasihat Agama Islam Johor) selalu turun padang dalam memberi ceramah dan aktivitinya dapat diikuti dari buletin Agama Kerajaan Negeri Johor, begitulah juga Mufti yang baru iaitu Dato' Haji Ta h r i r bin Kiyai Haji Shamsudin.

Di Negeri Sembilan, bekas Mufti iaitu Dato' haji Mohd Murtadza selalu mengadakan ceramah dan kuliah hampir setiap hari dalam sebulan di 14 buah mukim. - Temubual Dengan Mufti Negeri Sembilan Demi Tugas, Milenia Muslim, Februari 2009, m/s 14-18) Begitulah... siapa pula yang hadir di setiap kuliahnya dan akhirnya menghamburkan fitnah pula kepada mufti?

Adakah kita tahu siapakah yang mencadangkan kepada Sultan Perak agar Menteri Besar Ir Nizar dilantik selepas PRU yang lalu? Takkan kita tidak mengambil tahu tentang peranannya dalam Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan sama-sama di dalam majlis syura mengeluarkan hukum dalam banyak perkara berkaitan feqh kontemporari yang kita sendiri pun tidak mampu hendak mengulasnya apatah lagi yang hanya pandai bercakap belakang hanya selepas fatwa diputuskan? Segalanya ada diulas di Milenia Muslim Bulan Mei 2009 muka surat 66-70. Anda akan tahu pendirian Mufti Perak ini berkenaan parti politik. Silalah beli dan baca untuk sebuah kebenaran.

Lalu saya tertanya juga di dalam hati : Adakah kita benar-benar inginkan sebuah kebenaran? Inginkan perpaduan dan bukan perpecahan? Ataupun selepas membaca tentang sebuah kebenaran tetap dipilih kebatilan? Dan tetap memilih dan menyokong mereka yang inginkan kepada perpecahan umat Islam? Siapakah pula yang ingin membela saudara seIslamnya yang dituduh dan difitnah bermacam-macam?

Memories from Past Ramadans (and Eids)

Memories from Past Ramadans (and Eids)

Many years ago, when I was a young, my mother told me that during Ramadan, all the djinn and satans would be chained in Hell, they would not be allowed out to wreck mischief to us human.
That means a free license to roam the neighbourhood, play outside after Maghrib, sunset and go to the mosque with my father on the pretext to pray terawih, but play with friends outside the mosque. Real fun times. Ramadan also means that my nightly Quran class at the late Haji Abdul Ghafur’s place suspended for a month.
In those days, the mosque was the happening place at night. I would follow my father to the mosque for Isyak prayer. Then when the villagers started praying terawih, we kids would go out and play until its time for the moreh food was served. Then we would join the villagers to eat the food.
In later years I would just perform 8 rakaat terawih prayer, while the rest of the villagers continue on finishing 20 rakaats. I would spent the time chit chatting and helping some people preparing the sweet tea after the villagers finished performing their terawih prayers.
Towards the middle of Ramadan we kids would be busy playing cannon and firecrackers. We also prepared small kerosene lights to light up our house. Normally we just use milk can with a short section of jute. The cans were half filled with kerosene, make a small hole at the middle of top cover, then thread the jute through the hole. One end of the jute is dipped in kerosene inside the can, so when we light up the jute jutting at the top of the cover, kerosene would be sucked and feed the firelight.
Normally these lights would be placed from the road entrance to the front step of our houses. Sort of lighting the way to our front step.My parents told me that during Ramadan, the roh, the spirit of our dead relatives, grandparents would visit our houses during the night in Ramadan, especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

Memories of Past Ramadans (and Eid Fitr)

Ramadan was always the time to play firecrackers and cannon. In those days firecrackers were not just bunga api, but the more popular type were the ones that give a loud bang. Normally red in colour, and sold in a pack of 12. The Chinese light them up during Chinese New Year, giving sound almost similar to gunfire. If it blew up in your hand, surely you would lose a finger or two.
By the time I was 8 to 12 years old, Ramadans had always been a wonderful time. Iftar time were usually marked by the booming cannons around the village. In those days, it was not illegal to build home made cannon from the trunk of bamboo, pinang or coconut tree.
I was making my own cannon from the trunk of pinang tree at 10. We cut a pinang tree at Rahmat’s place, got a trunk section about 6 foot long, drag it home and hollow it out in the next couple of days. I simply cut the trunk in half, lengthwise, and dig out the soft heart. Then tie it up with jute.
We use carbide (villager use this to ripen fruit, bananas, jackfruit before selling them at the market) that we bought at the village shop as fuel. Calcium carbide, when placed in water will boil and release ethane gas. This ethane gas would ripen fruits faster. It is also an explosive gas. Light it with match and kaboom. Many kids had been burned playing cannon.
I used a small condensed milk can half-filled with water and carbide. This can is tied up at the end of 6 foot long thin bamboo which I carefully lowered down the mouth of cannon. One end of the cannon is buried in the ground at about 15 degree angle. Once the carbide mix is lower into the mouth of the cannon, we close it with a bundle of damp cloth. Five minutes later, the inside of the cannon would fill up with gas, I would open the mouth of the cannon by pulling the bundle of damp cloth away. The with a small fire, I lighted up the small hole at the bottom of the cannon…

Kabooom..
Fire spew out from the mouth of the cannon.

Memories of Past Ramadans (and Eidul Fitr)

Memories of Past Ramadans (and Eidul Fitr)

My early memory of fasting, was rather vague. I was probably about 7 years old when my parents encouraged me to fast. My father said I could fast half day. Yes, there is such a thing as half day fasting, said my father, eat sahur as usual, at 4am, ie before dawn, then don’t eat or drink in the morning, then when it has passed midday, and you cannot stand the hunger anymore, you can break fast..
So I was woken up for sahur, which usually was meagre fare of rice and ikan masin or fried eggs, as well as plenty of water to drink. After that my father would teach me to recite the niat for fasting.
“nawaitu sauma ghodin…”
I was taught to recite the niat, intention, or else my fasting would invalid.
After that I went back to sleep. Ah yes, it was a weekend, and I did not have to go to school.
In the morning, by 10am my throat was dry, and I was hungry too. So I asked my mother if it was half day yet, because my intention was just fasting for half day. My father heard, he laughed and then he asked my mother to cook rice for me. So that was my first half day fasting. Some of my school friends also related to me of their half day fasting.
In the later years, my father gradually encouraged me to fast for longer period, more than half day, eg, breaking fast at 2pm, 4pm or 5pm.
I remember that at one time when I was fasting, my father took me on a bike ride to town to buy groceries, and he introduced me to the Indian Muslim grocer, that I have been a good boy, but tired from fasting, I was so tired at 6pm, that when I lie down I saw stars. My father told me to break my fast at 6pm, only about half an hour before iftar time.

Only much later that I learnt that there is no such thing as half day fasting.

Ramadan has always been a special time for us kids. We would have sweet iced syrup water for iftar to quench our thirst. Usually it was rose syrup, reddish maroon in colour, sweetened with lots of sugar. In the days of no electricity, we would buy the block of ice from the ice seller. Our town, Tanjong Karang had an ice factory which normally supply ice to fishermen, and yes they have electricity in town. The factory produce ice in big chunk about one cubic meter. I normally saw two elderly Chinese gentlemen cutting down the ice block to smaller sizes using huge saw. Some enterprising older boys would buy one or two ringgit worth of ice, pack it into a square wooden box behind their bicycle and sell then door to door. To keep it cool, the ice blocks would be covered in wood shaving taken from the town sawmill.
So at around 4pm you would hear these enterprising older boys yelling “airbatu”, selling their ice block to villagers. Normally a block of ice the size of your palm is ten cent.

we shall continue another day..

Memories of Past Ramadans (and Eidul Fitr)

My first memory of Eid ul Fitr would be back in the late sixties. I would have been 4-5 yrs old, and I was the youngest back then. One particular day, my parents were up early, and I had cold shower and got dressed with the best that we had. It was in the morning, and sat with my mother at the back of my father's bike. We went to my grandparents' house at Batu Enam. My grandfather's house was on stilt, painted greenish white with leaf windows. It had outer section, 'emper', the roof was made of nipah leaves, and the main living room was roomy with high roof. I thought my grandfather's house was cool and swanky, because it has wooden walls, instead of walls made of nipah leaves like our house. And the wooden leaf windows and walls were painted too.

I remember my cousins Munasir and the late Haji Sakuri as young boys about my size. I remember being shy and always hide behind my late father. I was aftraid to come near my grandfather Haji Daud. Everyone else 'salam' my grandfather, hold his hand and said something like, "Patang kulo kaleh sampean.." in Jawa halus, asking forgiveness, usually the younger person will go to the older ones.
I didnt, I just hide behind my father..very much afraid of my grandfather and all others, my uncles and aunties.

Later on I went inside in search of my mother, she was sitting and talking to my aunties and my grandmother, next to a big wooden box with black metal with small holes. I asked my mother, what was that? "Sound" she said. Only years later I figure out that it was speaker box.

The best food during Eid in those days was 'ketupat', rice boiled in young coconut leaves, eaten with chicken curry. One of 'kuih' sweetmeat that I remember was glutinous rice flour, mixed with sugar and pressed hard into fancy shapes.

I shall continue later with memories from other years.

Story from My Mother XIII: The invisible fence

Ayat seribu dinar

Ayat Kursi

Title: Story from My Mother XIII: The invisible fence

Yesterday I left 4 old bikes at the verandah near the front door. Three of them were sold already sold on auction website http://www.trademe.co.nz/, but the buyer hasn’t collected and paid yet. They were gone in the morning, all of them. I didn’t expect someone would steal old bikes. Yes I needed to do something about this, but short of building a fence at the front of the property. The three sides of the property is already well fence, six foot high. I cant really afford building fence for the front yard to fully enclose the property. I also don’t have the space in the garage to store my bikes.

I remember my mother told me story that at one time my father’s old bike was missing from under the house, and a few days later it reappear under the power pole by the roadside in front of my parent’s house. Literally, the bike came back.
My mother also told me a story that one day a couple of years ago, she saw 3 men at our land at the back of the house, walking back and forth, to the west, and then walked back to the east more than a couple of times. So she ran back to the house and informed my father. My father simply asked my mother if she had any money, maybe 15 ringgit, and gave the money to them, 5 ringgit each. She did that, and the men walked away sheepishly, leaving behind a sack of coconuts.

I asked my mother, what did she used as ‘pagar rumah’, and she told me that it was ayat kursi, read with the intention to make ‘pagar rumah’ 41 times. First you must get a bucket of water, the best time to do it is after Asr, carry the bucket of water, and splash the water on the ground while reading the ‘ayat kursi’ around the house. You must fully circle the house if possible.
Ayat Kursi

Earlier today I rang my friend and asked him what did he used for ‘pagar rumah’, beside relating that I have lost 4 bikes last night.

My friend told me that he normally does it in this particular order:
Solat hajat.
Read Surah Yasin 7 times, each time you reach the verse ‘kun fayakun’ use both your palm of your hand and thump the ground.
Then in the evening before Maghrib, walk around the perimeter of your house and splash water with your hand in a wide circle as if covering ‘melindungkan’ the area. Read Ayat Kursi, Surah Ikhlas, Surah AlFalaq and Surah AnNas, with Surah AlFalaq given more emphasis, because Surah AlFalaq is to keep away 'sihir', black magic.

It is important to depend solely and ask help from Allah, without even a shred of doubt.
Here is a how to do solat hajat, that I copied from Mohd Sabri Ibrahim:
http://telukvila.blogspot.com/2009/04/ijazah-solat-hajat-dari-guruku.html

2 rakaat;
First rakaat; Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 11x or 21x
Second rakaat: Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 11x or 21x

Or 4 rakaat;
First rakaat; Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 10x
Second rakaat: Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 20x and salam
Third rakaat: Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 30x
Fourth rakaat: Fatihah, Ayat Kursi 40x
After salam read ayat seribu dinar and ask from Allah.
Ayat seribu dinar

InshaAllah, I will do this Thursday night.

NOW, have a happy trip balik kampung. If you leave your house empty, who will keep away the burglar? Only Allah will.

pictures of spring 2009

pictures of spring 2009

N95 and H1N1

Please realize that this is not an official advice,
especially the one about face masks or N95.
Most N95 respiratory are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3,
while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1. Hence, dependence on N95 to
protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella
made of mosquito net. Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from
further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks
(its natural cycle).H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects
the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only
portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat.
In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming
into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1
is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still
healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1infection, in order to
prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptomsand development of
secondary infections, some very simple steps - not fully highlighted
in most official communications - can be practices(instead of focusing
on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications) .
2. "Hands-off-the- face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any
part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't
trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the
throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.
Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt
water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has
onan infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and
powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day
with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or
SutraNeti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing
the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds
dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral
population.
5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin
C(Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with
VitaminC tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has
the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash
off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they
cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.All these are simple ways
to prevent, within means of most households,and certainly much less
painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals

Salam Ramadan.

sunset.. behind my house. the cloud is thick, impossible to see the new moon.
But checked at the FIANZ website, someone in NZ has seen the new moon, hence Ramadan is here.
I have been busy digging my backyard for the past week. maybe about an hour a day before sunset. It has been raining for a couple of days this week, and i didnt dig on rainy day..too soggy.
just the same garden, different angle.

Now I have to wait until the frosty mornings and nights are truly over before i can put any seeds/seedlings in the ground.

Ramadan New Moon

the picture above is the expected moon visibility as in www.moonsighting.com.

(just click ignore warning, and proceed to the website) .

Moonsighting for Ramadan 1430 The Astronomical New Moon is on August 20, 2009 (Thursday) at 10:01 UT. This moon can not be seen in any continent. There is a small chance to see only in Polynesian Islands on August 20. On August 21, it is very difficult to see in Europe and Canada. It can be seen with difficulty in India, Pakistan, Middle East, and Northern Africa. On August 21, it can be easily seen in Australia, most Africa, and Americas.

Quote from the Book, shown on left: "In the year 2006, the Fiqh Council of North America took the position that the scientifically authenticated astronomical calculations are a valid Islamic source of confirming or negating a lunar Islamic month. Subsequently, a number of papers appeared refuting the Fiqh Council's position. Among the papers written against the Fiqh Council's position, the two authored by Shaikh Hamza Yusuf were perhaps the most systematic. These two articles titled "Cesarean Moon Births" were also perhaps the most provocative in the sense that they forcefully challenged the use of astronomical calculations in confirming the Islamic months as totally un-Islamic. In his writing, Hamza Yusuf insinuated that such a position was nothing short of deliberately opposing the "infallible" (mutawatir) commandments of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and was equal to following the pitfall of the Children of Israel all the way to their lizard hole....................." well, what do you know..my instinct says, I agree. check the website HERE.

The Black Sheep Story..

This story about Rohaizat Othman is interesting one.

What is right, and what is wrong is clear.

1. Using clients' monies to loan it to another client is WRONG.
2. Using clients' monies for company's use, to expand operation or to pay wages is WRONG.
3. Denying that you know nothing is WRONG, worse if you are the signatory to the cheque account.

Bekas rakan calon BN tampil bela diri

Abdul Rahim Sabri Ogos 20, 09 12:14pm

Bekas rakan kongsi Rohaizat Othman - calon BN di pilihanraya kecil DUN Permatang Pasir - hari ini tampil memberi penjelasan bagi membersihkan dirinya daripada 'dikambinghitamkan' berhubung kes membabitkan pembelian hartanah oleh Koperasi Pekebun Getah Negeri Pulau Pinang (KPGNPP) pada 2002.

Yusri Isahak, bekas rakan kongsi firma guaman Saif Ariff dan Rohaizat, membuat penjelasan itu sebagai menjawab laporan Utusan Malaysia yang memetik ketua penerangan Umno, Ahmad Maslan sebagai berkata Rohaizat hanya bertanggungjawab ke atas tindakan yang dilakukan rakan kongsinya.

Ahmad Maslan dilaporkan berkata, tindakan tatatertib ke atas Rohaizat berdasarkan aduan KPGNPP membabitkan pembelian satu hartanah yang dikendalikan firma mereka, waktu itu.

Ahmad juga dilaporkan berkata, semua urusan jual beli untuk pihak KPGNPP dikendalikan Yusri dan diterima secara eksklusif dan dideposit ke dalam akuan klien firma tersebut di Bank Islam Cawangan Butterworth.

Menurut Ahmad lagi, akaun berkenaan termasuk semua surat berhubung KPGNPP ditandatangani dan diuruskan Yusri yang menjadi rakan kongsi beliau dari tahun 1999 hingga 2003.

Berikut adalah kenyataan penuh yang dibaca oleh Yusri dalam satu sidang akhbar di Pulau Pinang hari ini.

Pada tahun 2002, Koperasi Pekebun Getah Pulau Pinang Berhad mencadang membeli sebidang tanah untuk meluaskan perniagaan mereka dan telah melantik Firma Guaman Saif Ariff and Rohaizat untuk menguruskan pembelian tanah tgersebut.

Yusri dan Rohaizat telah berbincang dengan lembaga pengarah koperasi tentang syarat syarat perjanjian jual beli. Setelah semua dipersetujui Yusri telah menyediakan perjanjian jual beli tanah tersebut.

Untuk tujuan pembelian ini, koperasi telah memohon pinjaman RM320,000 dari Jabatan Pembangunan Koperasi. Pinjaman tersebut telah diluluskan dan wang tersebut dideposit ke dalam akaun klien di firma guaman.

Namun atas sebab masalah komunikasi dengan penjual, yang tinggal di Acheh, jual beli tersebut telah tidak disempurnakan.

Dalam pada itu, koperasi memerlukan sejumlah wang untuk tujuan pengembangan perniagaan mereka. Yusri telah menandatangan satu cek berjumlah RM100,000 atas nama koperasi dan diberikan kepada pihak koperasi. Maka baki RM220,000 masih tersimpan di dalam akuan firma.

Sementara itu, seorang pelanggan, kenalan Rohaizat yang telah membeli sebidang tanah dengan harga RM130,000 telah memohon jasabaik firma (guaman) untuk membiayai bayaran baki RM100,000. Beliau terdahulu telah membayar RM30,000 kepada penjual.

Firma telah bersetuju untuk meminjamkan RM100,000 yang diambil dari wang koperasi kepada pelanggan (tersebut) untuk menyempurnakan jualbeli tanah tersebut dengan syarat beliau membayar balik pinjaman.

Setelah pelanggan gagal membayar balik pinjaman, Rohaizat telah berbincang dan bersetuju untuk mengambil alih milik tanah berkenaan dan melupuskan pinjaman tersebut.

Malangnya, firma gagal menjual keseluruhan tanah (tersebut) sebagai pecahan lot dan tidak dapat membayar kembali wang koperasi yang telah digunakan.

Sebahagian daripada baki dalam akaun pelanggan dan akaun syarikat telah digunakan untuk memberi pinjaman kepada salah seorang pengarah sebuah syarikat pemaju perumahan yang juga kenalan Rohaizat yang menghadapi masalah kewangan yang teruk dan juga untuk pengurusan cawangan baru firma di Ipoh.

Saya bertanggungjawab menguruskan cawangan firma di Ipoh, sementara Rohaizat menumpu sepenuhnya di firma Butterworth.

Saya tidak lagi memantau akaun-akaun pelanggan di cawangan Butterworth sehinggalah saya meninggalkan firma pada November 2003.

Merujuk kepada kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Ahmad Maslan seperti yang dilaporkan oleh Utusan Online bertarikh 19 Ogos 2009 bahawa Rohaizat tidak mempunyai apa-apa penglibatan dan tidak tahu menahu tentang perkara tersebut, saya ingin tegaskan bahawa ia adalah satu pembohongan.

Ini adalah kerana segala urusan pembelian tanah tersebut dan penggunaan wang koperasi di buat dengan pengetahuan dan penglibatan Rohaizat seperti yang dijelaskan di atas.

Mana mungkin pengaliran keluar dan masuk wang dalam sesuatu akaun syarikat tidak diketahui oleh Rohaizat yang juga penandatangan yang sah untuk akaun-akaun tersebut.

Sepatutnya Rohaizat menceritakan perkara sebenar dan tidak meletakkan tanggungjawab dan kesalahan hanya kepada rakan kongsi untuk membebaskan dirinya sendiri.

Merujuk kepada kepada kenyataan Ahmad Maslan yang mengangkat Rohaizat sebagai “wira” kerana membayar balik wang koperasi baru-baru ini, saya ingin tegaskan sesungguhnya beliau sewajarnya menyelesaikan pembayaran pada 2003 lagi ketika cawangan Ipoh telah menjana pendapatan yang agak lumayan.

Seyugia diingatkan bahawa cawangan Ipoh ditubuhkan dan diuruskan dengan sebahagiannya menggunakan wang dari akaun klien koperasi pekebun getah Pulau Pinang.

Layakkah title itu diberikan oleh Ahmad kepada Rohaizat? Saya percaya Ahmad Maslan tidak sedar akan kedudukan sebenarnya atau lebih malang lagi kalau beliau sengaja berpura-pura tidak tahu?

Wirakah Rohaizat ketika enggan, cuai, dan gagal menghadirkan diri di hadapan Majlis Peguam pada 14 September 2007 untuk memberi penjelasan ke atas satu kes besar yang beliau hadapi.

Dakwaan Ahmad Maslan bahawa Rohaizat tidak mempunyai apa-apa penglibatan atau pengetahuan mengenai transaksi jual beli tanah itu, menggambarkan Rohaizat selaku senior partner di dalam firma tersebut, tidak tahu apa-apa tentang urustadbir pejabat.

Apakah dakwaaan Ahmad Masalam ini lojik dan munasabah? Transaksi sebesar ratusan ribu yang dijalankan rakan kongsinya, didakwa tidak diketahuinya?

Tidak masuk akal langsung sebagai seorang yang berpendidikan tinggi!

Saya berharap dengan penjelasan ini, saya dapat membersihkan diri saya daripada dikambinghitamkan dalam kes kecuaian Rohaizat yang membawa kepada pembatalan pendaftaran beliau sebagai penguambela dan peguamcara.

The New Moon for Ramadan

I used to follow www.moonsighting.com in the past to check the possibility of the new moon being sighted. They publish the angle of the moon from horizon and what time the moon set, as well as the time when the sun set.
But lately, the website has been down.
Well last year, www.moonsighting.com went a step further than predicting when the new moon was suppose to appear and suggest to Muslims look out for the new moon (hilal) to ascertain the start of Ramadan and Syawal. Khalid Shaukat of www.moonsighting.com announced the start of Ramadan and Syawal based on his calculations. Yes some Islamic Associations in North America followed suit.
Hmm talk about a genius being confident with his ability...even Prophet Muhammad SAW didnt do that.

But Alhamdulillah FIANZ in New Zealand still follow hilal, some people are still being sent out or voluntarily go out and look out for new moon.

here is the website:
http://73k.org/islam/globalsighting.html

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ

Global Moonsighting, a Modern Bid‘ah

Ironically, one Muslim website (from a certain masjid that "calls to the sunnah") quite openly stated the following on its main page before this article became public. Now it can only be found on their Yahoo Groups message list:

"As you know, Masjid ______ follows the opinion of wahdatul matale' (unification of the horizon), so if the moon is visually sighted anywhere in the world (without relying on calculations), then we break fast as numerous hadeeth on the subject expressly indicate. Our position on this has been same from day one."

First of all, what they are essentially doing is calling people to bid‘ah, because,

1. Nowhere will you find a single hadith that tells about one country (like Egypt) following the sighting of another country (like the Arabs of the Arabian peninsula). I challenge any shaykh to find such a hadith, because no one could travel great distances or use telephones and satellites to report such sightings until about 50 years ago, if even that early. On the contrary, we find that Muslims living much closer to one another with different sightings never bothering to follow one another:

   A narration of Ibn ‘Abbas in Sahīh Muslim indicates that local moonsighting alone was the prevailing method in the time of the Blessed Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and was a part of the teachings of the Blessed Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to the Sahābah. The narration goes like this:

   بيان أن لكل بلد رؤيتهم وأنهم إذا رأوا الهلال ببلد
   ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏يحيى بن يحيى ‏ ‏ويحيى بن أيوب ‏ ‏وقتيبة ‏ ‏وابن حجر ‏ ‏قال ‏ ‏يحيى بن يحيى ‏ ‏أخبرنا ‏ ‏وقال الآخرون ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏إسمعيل وهو ابن جعفر ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏محمد وهو ابن أبي حرملة ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏كريب ‏ ‏أن ‏ ‏أم الفضل بنت الحارث ‏ ‏بعثته إلى ‏ ‏معاوية ‏ ‏بالشام ‏ ‏قال فقدمت ‏ ‏الشام ‏ ‏فقضيت حاجتها ‏ ‏واستهل ‏ ‏علي رمضان وأنا ‏ ‏بالشام ‏ ‏فرأيت الهلال ليلة الجمعة ثم قدمت ‏ ‏المدينة ‏ ‏في آخر الشهر فسألني ‏ ‏عبد الله بن عباس ‏ ‏رضي الله عنهما ‏ ‏ثم ذكر الهلال فقال متى رأيتم الهلال فقلت رأيناه ليلة الجمعة فقال أنت رأيته فقلت نعم ورآه الناس وصاموا وصام ‏ ‏معاوية ‏ ‏فقال لكنا رأيناه ليلة السبت فلا نزال نصوم حتى نكمل ثلاثين أو ‏ ‏نراه فقلت ‏ ‏أو لا ‏ ‏تكتفي برؤية ‏ ‏معاوية ‏ ‏وصيامه فقال ‏ ‏لا ‏ ‏هكذا أمرنا رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏وشك ‏ ‏يحيى بن يحيى ‏ ‏في ‏ ‏نكتفي أو ‏ ‏تكتفي

   Sahīh Muslim Book 6
   Chapter 5: THERE IS A SIGHTING OF THE MOON FOR EVERY TOWN
   THE SIGHTING AT ONE TOWN CANNOT BE HELD VALID FOR THE
   OTHER TOWN SITUATED AT A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE FROM IT

   Kurayb narrates that Umm al-Fadl sent him to Mu‘āwiyah in Sham for something.
   Kurayb says, "I went to Sham and finished the job. I was in Sham when the month
   of Ramadān began and we saw the moon the night of Friday. When I reached
   Madinah at the end of the blessed month, Ibn ‘Abbas asked me about Sham.
   (After answering him) He then asked me when we saw the moon.
   I said, 'We saw the moon the night of Jumu‘ah.'
   He asked, 'Did you see it as well?'
   I said, 'Yes, I saw it too and many others saw it and we all kept fasting and so did
   Mu‘āwiyah (that is according to that moonsighting).'
   Ibn ‘Abbas said, 'But we saw the moon on Saturday night, therefore, we will keep
   fasting for thirty days according to that unless we sight the moon on the 29th.'
   I asked, 'You don’t think the moonsighting of Mu‘āwiyah and his fasting is enough
   for you?'
   Ibn ‘Abbas replied, 'No, this is how the Blessed Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) taught us.'"
   (Muslim H.1819, Tirmiðī H.629, Nasa'i H.2084, Abū-Dāwūd H.1985, Musnad Ahmad H.2653 Dar-qutni H.2234)

   This hadith is clear evidence. When Ibn ‘Abbas was informed by the person who himself sighted the moon that the people of Sham had begun Ramadān one day before, he responded that it was not only his opinion, but also the teachings of the Blessed Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that the moonsighting of another locality was not compulsory upon them.

   Shaykh ‘Uthaymīn has issued a very clear fatwa to Muslims in the Americas and other lands outside the Arabian Peninsula with no ambiguity whatsoever regarding this matter:

   It is well known amongst astronomers that the time the moon rises differs from place to place. The moon might be seen in one place and not in another. Therefore, according to the verse, whoever does not see it is not obliged to fast. . . . If, therefore, each place has its own ruling due to the variation in the time that the sun rises and sets, the same also applies due to the variation in the time that the moon rises and sets. . . .
   Therefore, the answer to the question is clear. It is obligatory for you to follow the sighting of the new moon in the place where you are. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymīn
   al-Aqalliyāt al-Muslimah - Page 84, Fatwa No.23

2. In the system of "global sighting" (wahdat-ul-matale') one is de facto not following any moon sighting at all, rather one is following calculations instead! You see, Saudi Arabia is always the first to announce the beginning of any new month because they follow either their calculated Umm-ul-Qura calendar, (which is generated by mathematical calculations of the New Moon, a phase that precedes the actual hilāl!), the Jewish Calendar, or sometimes the Kuwaiti Algorithm implemented by the Microsoft Windows operating system. Here is the evidence: Is Saudi Arabia following the Sunnah, the Jews, or Microsoft?

   According to the Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP), "Most people think that Saudi Arabia always adopts the actual sighting of the crescent as the basis to start Islamic months. But during the previous years, it was very clear to the public as well as to astronomers that most of the Saudi months were wrong if the actual sighting is the basis for starting the Islamic month. Fortunately, the Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS) received a telegram from The Highest Religious Council "Majlis al-Ifta' al-A‘ala" in Saudi Arabia confirming that Saudi Arabia adopts the astronomical calculations and totally ignores the actual sighting. Below is a literal translation of this telegram." (see ICOP - The Actual Saudi Dating System)

   

   One experienced moon sighter, Salman Zafar Shaikh, writes, "In the case of ‘Īd-ul-Fitr 1420 AH, I myself went with the Makkah committee to a sighting point on a hilltop of Shamesi outside the city of Makkah Mukarramah on Thursday evening. Neither I, nor the other 5 committee members sighted the Hilāl. But we came back to the Harām Sharīf and were astounded to hear the announcement that ‘Īd-ul-Fitr was next day (Friday). In fact moonset was before sunset in Makkah for Thursday evening. In this case the error was quite brazen" (see Hilāl Sighting in Saudi Arabia: A First Hand Report). Brother Salman goes on to explain, ". . . apparently it is the same few [Saudi] people at certain locations, reporting on those occasions when the claims are extraordinarily early in Saudi Arabia, year after year. WAllāhu A‘alam!"

   If you look at 15 years of the Umm-ul-Qura calendar one will be surprised to see that only 20.6% of the dates correspond with possible naked eye sightings of the hilāl under good weather conditions:

   Color Code	Visibility possibility under good weather conditions	How many times this condition is met in 180 months	Percentage of times this condition is met in 180 months
   Green	Visible with the naked eye	37/180	20.6%
   Yellow	Visible with optical aid	31/180	17.2%
   Brown	Not visible at all	110/180	61.1%
   Pink	Month begins before new moon	2/180	1.1%

   Shaykh Qaradāwī has given a fatwa on what to do in case one has gotten caught up in this mess of Saudi using calculations instead of calling the new month by actual sighting, as was the case on January 07, 2000 which they claimed was ‘Īd-ul-Fitr 1420 AH, but was actually only the 30th of Ramadān.

   On December 31, 2005, the sun should set (drop completely below the Makkan horizon) at 17:49 local Saudi time with the moon already dipping below the horizon 5˚ to its left at 18:03, insha'Allāh. At 18:08 (only 19 minutes after sunset) the moon too will be compelely below the Makkan horizon, insha'Allāh, making it totally impossible to see any hilāl. All experienced moon sighting observers know that with only 0.5% phase and less than 8 degrees of separation between it and the sun, no hilāl can be sighted under such poor conditions. But just wait and see, Saudi Arabia will officially announce that they "sighted the hilāl" like they always claim, so that it matches their calendar, making January 1, 2006 the 1st of Ðūl Hijjah, and thus, ‘Īd-ul-Adhā will fall on January 10, 2006, unless of course, the Saudi regime repents from following calculations and goes back to the sunnah of actually sighting the hilāl.

   Update: Saudi Arabia came through again and delivered as expected, announcing that Ðūl Hijjah 1426 started on January 1, 2006, just as predicted by their pre-calculated calendar.

   If Saudi Arabia really did see the hilāl on Oct. 03, 2005 around 18:08 local Saudi time, with only 2 minutes between sunset and moonset for sighting it, why could it not be seen with much better visibility chances further to the West? Consider how the moon moves around the earth in its orbit while looking at this sky charts in which the horizonal line just above the sun represents the horizon, i.e. everything below that horizontal line in the middle has already set (gone down below the horizon) and cannot be seen, even with a radio telescope from that location.

   Sky Charts at sunset on Monday, October 3, 2005:

   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (the moon actually set before the sun!)
   Makkah, Saudi Arabia
   Madinah, Saudi Arabia
   Marrakech, Morocco
   Los Angeles, California, USA
   Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, USA
   

   Allāh says in His book: الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ which has been translated by Khan in the Noble Qur'ān (the English translation preferred by those who support "global" sighting) as: "The sun and the moon run on their fixed courses (exactly) calculated with measured out stages for each (for reckoning, etc.)." (Sūrat-ur-Raĥmān 55:5)

   Since the scientists have measured the synodic period of the moon to be 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds, i.e. the length of time it takes for us to observe a complete orbit of the moon from earth, if the Saudis report having seen a crescent moon on Monday, October 3, 2005 around 18:08 local Saudi time, that means an observer like myself with excellent viewing conditions should see and even bigger crescent 30 days, 7 hours, and 32 minutes later, espcially given the quality Nikon 7x50 binoculars and a 35mm SLR camera equipped with 300mm telephoto lens using FujiFilm:

   [01] [02] [03] [04] [05]
   [06] [07] [08] [09] [10]
   [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]
   [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]
   [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]
   [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]
   [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
   [36] [37] [38] [39] [40]
   

3. Even in the case of ‘Īd-ul-Adhā, there is no evidence from the Qur'an or sunnah that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) or any of the Sahābah ever tried to establish a so-called "Wahdatul Matale' (unification of the horizon)":

   "If, as we are told by those postulating the 'Day after Arafat' position, that ‘Īd-ul-Adhā is dependent on the Hajj date, then why did the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) make no effort to ascertain the Hajj dates in Makkah for his ‘Īd celebration in Madinah? After the conquest of Makkah in the seventh year of the Hijra there would have been no problem in finding out when the Hajj was going to be since there would be ten days for a rider to travel to surrounding areas with the glorious news. The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) made no attempt to know, or to inform the Muslims in the areas around Madinah about when the Hajj was in Makkah. Every Muslim community prayed according to its own sighting of the crescent of Ðūl Hijjah. Accordingly, all the scholars of Islām are unanimous that ‘Īd-ul-Adhā is on the 10th of Ðūl Hijjah which is determined by the sighting in each locality, and NOT ON THE 10th OF ÐŪL HIJJAH IN MAKKAH. It is a bid‘ah to try to impose a Vatican-like dogma on the Muslim ummah, although the propagators would tell you that they are simply following a 'universal horizon.' Don't be fooled. In Ramadān of 1999 it was claimed that the moon was seen in Yemen and Libya, and the Muslims of those countries began fasting on December 8, 1999. Those who claim to accept any sighting anywhere in the world conveniently ignored those Muslims, opting for the 'universal sighting' of their choice. The Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) opposed every attempt to impose the moon sighting in one town over the others, even in close proximity, when it was not seen on a clear horizon, or when the horizon was cloudy on the 29 day of the Islamic month." (The Community News, a newsletter published by TARIC, vol. 107, March 8, 2000.)

4. To call people to follow a "global sighting" is to defy the laws of Allāh. Just as He has ordained for us to pray five times a day at times according to the position of the sun relative to our own horizon where we happen to be at that time, so has He ordained for us to look for the hilāl and sight it where we happen to be living or staying during that time of the month. To say there is one universal horizon, or a "unity" of the horizon is absolutely absurd. It would be the same as arguing that we should follow the prayer timings of Masjid Al-Ĥarām for the sake of unity. To call people to pray in perfect global synchronization with Makkah would be a profound bid‘ah, just as it is to call people to the falsehood of "one horizon," would be to ignore that the planet earth is round, and imitate the ignorant Christians of earlier centuries who fought science tooth and nail, maintaining that the earth was flat.

   There are inifinite horizons since the earth is round and covered with many visible obstructions of a clear horizon. If you don't believe it, try to go outside and watch the sun set just before Maghrib. Chances are, you'll need to drive outside of the city to avoid having tall buildings obstruct your view, or you'll have to move a few meters to the left or right of that tree that's blocking your view.

   You see, just moving a few meters has changed your view of the horizon, so let's examine the situation of the sun and the moon. At any given time, the sun is hidden to half of the planet earth, while the other half can see it, and thus has daylight. As the earth turns on its axis, Maghrib is constantly happening for a thin band along the surface of the earth where late afternoon is turning to night. Likewise, on the other side of the planet, the first light of dawn is rapidly moving along a narrow band of the earth's surface towards the West. So, Fajr is constantly happening somewhere in the world, 24 by 7, never stopping. Even though we may be eating our dinner, for someone, somewhere, it's their Fajr time.

   The moon, just like the sun, is never visible to more than 50% of the earth's surface at any time, day or night. What the proponents of "wahdat-ul-matale" have never seemed to grasp is a simple truth, a decree of Almighty Allāh, that the moon moves ever so slowly apparently from West to East, i.e. it is slowing moving in the same direction that the earth is spinning! If these people who call to the bid‘ah of global sighting would take the time to reflect on this simple fact, they might understand this all-important second fact:

   "North America lags the rest of the world in time (they are 10 hours behind South Africa), quite often they will see the new moon before the rest of the world, and thus start the new month ahead of the rest of the world. This is a consequence of the fact that the sun sets last over the American continent, giving the new moon more time to age and become visible."
   Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) - Hilaal Committee

   So, this is why global sighting is wrong, why it was never implemented by anyone until less than 50 years ago: Allāh has made it impossible to implement!

   Proof: If a new moon (not a hilāl, but an "invisible" moon) has been born and only develops into a mature visible hilāl by 20 minutes after sunset in Honolulu, Hawaii, which would mark the beginning of Ramadān for them, what are the Saudis, Kuwaitis, and Bahrainis going to do about their fasting? It's 18:30 at night in Honolulu and by the time they got to a phone and called anyone in Saudia it was 19:00, that's 07:00 in the morning, the next day in Saudi Arabia. Too late to get on Saudi TV 1 to announce the beginning of Ramadān. Oops! They also missed out on the first night of praying tarawīĥ! For Manila in the Philippines and many places in Australia, their Muslims will have no chance whatsoever of starting Ramadān on time since it is already 12:30 in the afternoon (or later in some Australian time zones) the NEXT DAY! How can someone say that Allāh (سبحانه وتعالى) would prefer this type of unfairness to be imposed on His slaves just west of the International Dateline?

   From this proof, we see their is no ĥikmah whatsoever in the so-called "global" moonsighting (wahdat-ul-matale'). Please note that this proof is completely devoid of "calculations" or the use of star charts. This is just plain common sense that shows how ridiculous "global" sighting really is. With local sighting, Muslims are not following any ethinic group, tribe, political affiliation, or regime/government. No one feels slighted. No nation/state is preferred over another. That's the Islamic way: the fair way, the just way, the way that Allāh (سبحانه وتعالى) commands us to follow, and the way His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) taught Ibn ‘Abbas (remember the Kurayb Hadith?).

5. Any so-called fatwa from any of the four great Imāms supporting "global" moonsighting (wahdat-ul-matale') can never be applied to this current bid‘ah simply because none of them lived during a time when travel across thousands of kilometers could be achieved in the same day, nor could they speak with someone sitting on the other side of the planet over a telephone to inquire about hilāl sightings.

   Any fatwa from any of the four great Imāms would at best be considered a "local," "regional," or if one wished to stretch it very far, a "national" sighting. From an astronomical point of view, the differences between positions and phases of the moon for positions on the earth that could be reached by a fast horse in less than a day are for all practical purposes, exactly the same. Please review the following star charts for Makkah and Madinah:

   Makkah, Saudi Arabia
   Madinah, Saudi Arabia
   

In conclusion, there is no evidence from the Qur'ān or the sunnah, supporting a so-called "global" moonsighting (wahdat-ul-matale') that relies on sighting attempts from observation points spanning thousands of kilometers around the globe. Until 50 years ago, it was technologically, logistically, and financially impossible to implement. Regarding the fasting of Ramadān, a proof was given in point number 4 that is not even possible to implement this so-called "global" moonsighting (wahdat-ul-matale') according to the sharī‘ah.

Appendix

Shaykh M. Ibrahim Memon quite eloquently states, "During the time of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), moon sighting was always conducted locally and the people of Makkah and Madinah maintained their own [separate] Islamic calendars. One of the proofs for this can be found by carefully analyzing the sīrah.

"When Rasūlullāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) performed his one and only Hajj, the 9th of Ðūl Hijjah was a Friday. He passed away three months later in Madinah on Monday, the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal. These historical facts are established through hadith. However, when one tries to reconstruct the Islamic calendar given those days, the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal does not fall on a Monday, any which way you try.

Based on the local Makkan moon sighting, if every month was 29 days, 12th of Rabi al-Awwal would fall on Thursday.

Based on the local Makkan moon sighting, if every month was 30 days, 12th of Rabi al-Awwal would fall on Sunday.

Concerning local sighting Shaykh M. Ibrahim Memon states, "not only is this way easy, but it is actually a of the tradition of the Blessed Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and of the people after him throughout the history of Islam."

Additional Resources

Starting Date of Hijri Months: Is Saudi Arabia following the Sunnah, the Jews, or Microsoft?

Report of Six Official Saudi Hilāl Sighting Committees
"Majlis Al Qadah Alala started Ramadān, Shawwal, and Ðūl Hijjah 1426 AH utilizing the calculated dates of the Umm-ul-Qura civil calendar which corresponds exactly to the first starting day for the months of the Calculated Rabbinical Calendar of Israel namely Tishrei (4th October/1st day of Ramadān in Saudi Arabia), Cheshvan (3rd November/1st day of Shawwal-‘Īd-ul-Fitr in Saudi Arabia) and Tevet (1st January/1st day of Ðūl Hijjah in Saudi Arabia), respectively. Many of our Islamic Scholars who know the truth continue to be silent."
It seems the report forgot to mention that the calculated "Saudi" 1 Ðūl Qa‘idah 1426 for December 2, 2005 is also exactly the same as the 1st of Kislev 5766. Looks like a good starting point for some Interfaith Dialogue between the Saudi Royal family and the Likud Party of Israel!

Saudi ‘Alim Asks Muslims in North America not to pray ‘Īd on Day after ‘Arafah

U.S. Naval Observatory: Crescent Moon Visibility and the Islamic Calendar: "The record for an early sighting of a lunar crescent, with a telescope, is 12.1 hours after New Moon; for naked-eye sightings, the record is 15.5 hours from New Moon. These are exceptional observations and crescent sightings this early in the lunar month should not be expected as the norm. For Islamic calendar purposes, the sighting must be made with the unaided eye.

"If we ignore local conditions for the moment, and visualize the problem from outside the Earth's atmosphere, the size and brightness of the lunar crescent depend on only one astronomical quantity - the elongation of the Moon from the Sun, which is the apparent angular distance between their centers. For this reason the elongation has also been called the arc of light. If we know the value of the elongation at any instant, we can immediately compute the width of the crescent.

"This large range of possible elongations in the one-day-old Moon is critical, because at this time the width of the crescent is increasing with the square of the elongation, and the surface brightness of the crescent is also rapidly increasing. Some of the earliest reliable sightings of the crescent occur near elongations of around 10 degrees. Obviously, simply specifying the age of the Moon cannot tell the whole story. Of course, the elongation of the Moon does not tell the full story, either. But, of the two parameters, the elongation is a much more reliable parameter to use as a starting point in assessing the lunar crescent visibility at any given date and time.

Sacred Astronomy (‘ilm at-tawqit)

Moon Sighting Fundamentals by Youssef Ismail

Moon Sighting - an audio lecture by Hamza Yusuf

Causes and implications of the Saudi confusion about the dates for Hajj and ‘Īd
"The Saudi regime also manipulated the start and end of last Ramadān, as they had done many previous ones. While the overwhelming majority of Muslims worldwide celebrated ‘Īd-ul-Fitr on Saturday, January 8, the Saudis had announced the sighting of a non-existent moon on Thursday January 6 to 'celebrate' ‘Īd-ul-Fitr on Friday, January 7.

"One Saudi newspaper, Arab News at least had the decency to admit later (February 11) that the January 7 celebration was based on false information. The regime, however, kept mum. The Arab News story followed the discovery that there was a partial eclipse of the sun on February 5 which lasted until after sunset, thus making any sighting of the moon impossible even had the moon been there to be sighted. According to this analysis, the month of Shawwal, according to the Saudi calculation, ended up having 31 days, an impossibility from the Islamic point of view (lunar months can only be of 29 or 30 days).

"This regular confusion is despite changes made to the Saudis' calendar arrangements following criticism from around the world of their arbitrary practices. The Saudi regime has now set up Hilal (crescent) sighting committees in six cities: Makkah, Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Tabuk and Asir. The committees comprise religious scholars, quddah (plural of qadi), astronomers, scientists and other qualified people, as well as volunteers. Yet the regime does not follow the information provided by these committees, instead apparently relying on sighting claims by laymen without applying any standard for verifying the information. Neither the Shawwal (‘Īd-ul-Fitr) moon nor the Ðūl Hijjah moon was sighted by the experts in the committees on the dates on which they announced their sightings. These committees have been appointed but they are virtually powerless.

Moon Sighting Announcements in Saudi Arabia Valid?
"Further, if the argument of the [former ISNA] article is accepted and it is held that the real intention of Qur'ān and Sunnah was to link the celebration of ‘Īd-ul-Adhā with the Saudi dates, as a mandatory provision for all Muslims in the world, it means that the sharī‘ah has stressed a principle which was not acceptable for 1300 years. It is not against the Quranic declaration that Allah does not make a thing mandatory unless it is practical for the human beings.

"If the authors [of the former ISNA article] argue that the celebration of ‘Īd-ul-Adhā was not linked with the dates in Makkah in the past but it has become a mandatory requirement of the sharī‘ah now, then the question arises, who has abrogated the previous principle and on what basis? There is no provision in Qur'ān or the Sunnah which orders the Muslims to celebrate ‘Īd-ul-Adhā according to their local dates up to a particular time and to link it with the dates in Makkah thereafter. Whoever considers this and similar questions arising out of this unprecedented theory advanced in the article can appreciate its fallacy.
(Source: Ask the Imam Online. Mufti Ebrahim Desai)

Moonsighting (Hilāl) in Saudi Arabia and its implications worldwide
"In view of the present discrepancies in moon sighting, the view that Ikhtilāf-e-Matālih is considered may be adopted and each country should make their own independent decisions. It is incorrect for the Muslims in North America (especially the Arab brethren) to follow Saudia Arabia's ruling on ‘Īd-ul-Fitr and ‘Īd-ul-Adhā due to the moonsighting being inconsistent with sharī‘ah laws of sighting the moon."
(Source: Ask the Imam Online. Mufti Ebrahim Desai)

Which Hilāl (Islamic Crescent) to Follow?
"Synchronizing ‘Īd-ul-Adhā worldwide with hilāl sighting in Saudi Arabia is not appropriate because it is neither ikhtilāf-ul-Matāle (multiple horizons/local sighting), nor wahdat-ul-matāle (single horizon - follow first report of hilāl - no matter from which country). . . . According to the Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymīn (r.a) fatwa, and other scholars, Ðūl Hijjah determination is no different from other 11 months and should be by local sighting (ikhtilāf-ul-matāle). . . . Using sighting in Saudi Arabia for here [in North America] can force us to ignore our earlier local hilāl sighting. (The world is round - for certain years, e.g. North America should see hilāl one date before the Middle-East)."

Dark Side of the Moon

Wikipedia article on the Islamic Calendar "Nevertheless, the religious authorities of Saudi Arabia also allow the testimony of less experienced observers and thus often announces the sighting of the lunar crescent on a date when none of the official committees could see the lunar crescent."

Microsoft: Adjusting Hijri date in Outlook 2003 according to Um-AlQura algorithm

WebExhibits: The Islamic calendar
"Saudi Arabia doesn't rely on a visual sighting of the crescent moon to fix the start of a new month. Instead they base their calendar on a calculated astronomical moon."

A sample moon sighting

Friday evening, 02 December 2005: first hilāl of Ðūl Qa‘idah 1426
Cloudless weather conditions
Sunset was at 17:15 EST.
Sighted with Nikon OceanPro 7x50 7.2° CF WP compass binoculars at 17:28 EST.
Sighted with a 300mm telephoto lens at 17:34 EST.
Sighted with naked eye at 17:39 EST. Can you see it? It's already 31 hours and 38 minutes after the new moon. Pretty old for a first day hilāl. Remember the record sighting listed above of 15.5 hours by the U.S. Naval Observatory? There is nothing record breaking about his sighting, yet without knowing exactly where to look, a novice probably would not have been able to spot it.

Keep in mind that this hilāl, barely visible with the naked eye, boasts a 2.7% phase (percentage of surface visible) and is 17° away from the sun.

The so-called "sighting" reported by Saudi officials on Oct. 03, 2005 marking the premature beginning of Ramadān 1426 had a phase of 0.00% and was only 1.63° away from the sun. The moon was already partially below the horizon after the sun completely set! This so-called "sighting" happened only 4 hours and 40 minutes after the new moon! Remember the all-time record of 15.5 hours by the U.S. Naval Observatory? A hilāl sighted only 4 hours and 40 minutes after the new moon? I don't think so!

In the photos above, the moon was stayed in the sky almost 48 minutes after the sun went down completely, yet one had to wait 13 minutes before the sky was dark enough for the hilāl to be visible, and 24 minutes after sunset for one to be able to spot it with the naked eye, although the exact position with binoculars had been established 11 minutes before! Now tell us how the Saudis could see any hilāl with only 2 minutes of viewing after sunset and a visible lunar surface area of 0.00%.