"I have not risen to spread evil or to show off, nor for spreading immorality or oppression.

But I have left for the REFORMATION of the Ummah of my Grandfather the Apostle of Allah (s.a.w.) and I desire to do Amr Bil Maroof (invite towards good values) and Nahi Anal Munkar (forbidding from Evil)." "By Allah, I will never give you my hand like a man who has been humiliated, nor will I flee like a slave." Imam Hussain (as)

Sixth Infallible Description: Name: Ali Designation: 4th Imam Father: Hussain Ibne Ali Born: 15th Jumada al-Awwal/5th Shaban 38AH/659AD Martyred: Poisoned by Waleed Lived: 57 years Title: Zainul Abedin, Sayidus Sajidin Kunyat: Abul Muhammad Mother: Shahr Banu Binte-Yazdjard Died: 25th Muharram 95AH (713AD) Buried: Cemetery of Jannatul Baqi

He said: "Say: O Allah you are the first of the first, O Allah you are the last of the last, O Allah you are the lord of unbreakable might, O Allah you are the one who has mercy on the poor, O Allah you are the most merciful of the merciful e, and i was wondering what the Tasbih that Rasulullah (saw) taught Fatima (ra) was in arabic. When Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) entered upon the prophet (Peace be upon him), she said: "O Prophet of Allah, the food of the angels is tahleel (Saying La Ilaha Illa Allah), tasbeeh (Saying Subhan Allah) and tahmeed (saying Alhamdulillah), so what is our food?" He replied: "I swear by him who has sent me with the truth that a fire has not been lit in my house for thirty days! And we have received some goats, so if you will, I'll order for you five goats, and if you will, I will teach you five words which Jabriel (Peace be upon him) has taught me". She said: "Teach me the words which Jabriel (Peace be upon him) has taught you". He said: "Say: O Allah you are the first of the first, O Allah you are the last of the last, O Allah you are the lord of unbreakable might, O Allah you are the one who has mercy on the poor, O Allah you are the most merciful of the merciful". tasbih-e-fatima (ra) was Subhanallah (33 times) Alhumdulillah (33 times) and Allahu Akbar (34 times).
Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) / Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) on the Prayer Rug of Servitude

History has witnessed many amazing worships from devoted and faithful people to Allah (SWT). However, the worship of a great young lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) has added significant beauty to the rest of worships and it has become an honor for the rest of worshippers. Her worships are described in the following manner: There is no worshipper like Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) in this world; her foot had swelled because of standing for prayers. Indeed, what has been narrated about Fatimah Zahra's (pbuh) worship and prayer is far beyond what we have seen or heard of other worshipers. It is impossible for anyone to describe the quality and quantity of her worships in words except for Allah (SWT) and His especial selected servants. In order to recognize the greatness of Fatimah Zahra's (pbuh) prayer it is enough to note that the Creator of the universe praises and regards the worships of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) and her husband, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh). After Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) migration (Hijrah/Hijrat) from Makkah to Medina, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) accompanied Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) and a number of other women and some weak people to migrate to Medina in a small caravan according to what Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had ordered him. The infidels of Makkah who had failed to capture Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in his migration decided to take family as captives as an alternative to catch him. Nonetheless, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb's (pbuh) bravery kept their goal as illusive as it was. The caravan reached Medina safe and sound after a number of battles during the path from Makkah. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) rushed to see Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) and Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) with indescribable happiness. He hugged Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) and said: "Before you arrive, the angel Jibril (Gabriel) descent on me and told me all about your journey; he told me all about your prayers on the way; your late night and continuous worships; your thought and ponderings and your battles on the way until here. Jibril (Gabriel) brought these verses from the Almight Allah (SWT): "Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (saying): Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose, Glory be to You! Give us salvation from the chastisement of the fire." (Noble Qur'an, 3:191) The spiritual scent of these verses made Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) and Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) forget about the long and exhausting trip they had. For Allah (SWT) had accepted their continuous prayers, worships, remembrance and ponderings. The quality of her devotion to Allah (SWT) was incomparable; as Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) worshiped Allah (SWT) in every moment of her life and worship was rooted in her daily life. Her deeds, words, glances, efforts, breaths and all of her day and night were worships. Every night, Fatimah Zahra's (pbuh) home was her prayer rug; after putting the children to bed and finishing the housework, she stood for praying so long so that her feet were sore and swollen. The first night of her marriage is narrated as follows: Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) found his wife in tears, he then sought the cause of it, Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) responded, "I thought of my state in the end of this life and in purgatory, since the transition from my father Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) to my own house reminded me of my transition to the grave. By the grace of Allah (SWT), let's rise for prayer in the first hours of our married life and spend the night in worshiping the Lord." Indeed, in the sweetest and most memorable moment of her life, the very example of human excellence and the gems of women in heavens and on earth, Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) remembers the reason of her creation and asks her husband to accompany her in spending the night seeking closeness to Allah (SWT). And the day after, when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), asks the commander of faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh),

"How did you find your spouse?" Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh) does not waste a split second and answers immediately "the best companion and aide in obeying and worshiping Allah (SWT)." This is how the personality of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) is presented in the view of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh), at the first night of their marriage. Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) and Hazrat Maryam mother of Isa (pbuh)

Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari has narrated: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had not eaten anything for several days. Hunger was making him suffer. He went to the houses of his wives, but found nothing there to eat. He then went to the house of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) and told her, "O my daughter! Do you have anything for me to eat as I am very hungry?" Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) replied, "No my dear father." As soon as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) left her house, one of the neighbors brought Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) some bread and meat. She accepted the offer, put it in a dish, and covered it. Although Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) and her family were in much need for food she said, "I consider the Messenger of Allah as being prior to me and my family in this meal." Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) then sent Imam Hassan (pbuh) and Imam Hussain (pbuh) after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) returned, Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) said, "Allah (SWT) has sent us some food that I have put aside for you." Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked her to bring the food. Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) brought the dish. When she uncovered it, she found it full of bread and meat. Being surprised, she realized that it was Allah's (SWT) blessing. She thanked Allah (SWT) and praised His Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw the dish, he said, "From where have you gotten this food?" She said: It is from Allah. Surely Allah gives sustenance to whom He pleases without measure. (Noble Qur'an, 3:37) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) praised Allah (SWT) and said, "Grace be to Allah who has made you similar to the best woman (Maryam) of the world during the time of the tribe of Israelites. When was asked about who sent her the food, she (Maryam (pbuh) would reply, "Allah gives sustenance to anyone he wants without counting." Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) then sent someone after Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (pbuh). Then Prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali, Fatimah Zahra, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain (pbut) and all the wives and family of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ate from that food, but still the dish remained full. Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) said, "I gave some of that food to all the neighbors. Allah (SWT) has blessed that food, just like the one of Maryam's (pbuh). Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) / Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) and Proper prayer before sleep

Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) is known to have recounted this interesting true story: One day, as I was preparing myself to sleep, suddenly I saw my father, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) entering our room. He (pbuh) said: "My beloved daughter, Fatimah Zahra! Never sleep at night, unless you have accomplished four things!" First, you have to read entire Noble Qur'an from the beginning to end. Second, you have to ask for the great Prophets of Allah to intercede in your favour after your death. Third, you should remember that, you have to make all the faithful believers happy and pleased with you. And finally, you have to go to Makkah, and accomplish the Pilgrimage of Hajj [Hajj Tamattu and Umrah Tamattu]. Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) said: "After having said that, my father, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) began to perform his prayer and I had to wait until he finished his prayer to ask more information from him." I said most confused: "O Messenger of Allah! You have ordered me to do four things before sleep. But beloved father, I cannot see myself executing such things! I am unable to accomplish them at this late hour!" Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) smiled graciously and answered: "If you say three times the Surah Ikhlas, it is as though you have read the entire Noble Qur'an from the beginning to end. If you say greetings and salutations to me and to the other great Prophets, you make us intercede in your favour. If you pray for the faithful believers, you have made them happy and content. And at last, if you say (dhikr) "Subhanallahe, Walhamdulillahe, Wala Ilaaha Illallahe, Wallahu Akbar" it is as though you have accomplished the Pilgrimage of Hajj [Hajj Tamattu and Umrah Tamattu]." Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) / Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh)

Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) whole life was shaped by thoughts of the hereafter. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) loved his children, but not in any worldly way. Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) used to run her house without much help; Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) could see how hard his daughter worked at home. Imam Ali ibn Talib (as), Fatimah Zahra's husband, once told Ibn Wahid a story about Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) most beloved daughter. Imam Ali ibn Talib (as) said, Fatimah Zahra's (pbuh) hands were blistered from constant grinding; her neck had become sore from carrying water; her clothes would become dirty from sweeping the floor. When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had received an influx of servants from some place, Imam Ali ibn Talib (as) suggested to his wife that she approach her father and ask for a servant. Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) went, but could not speak to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) because of the people who were surrounding him. Next day, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came to their house, and asked Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) as to why she wanted to see him. Imam Ali ibn Talib (as) told the whole story to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and said that Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) went to him on his advice. "Fear Allah (SWT), Fatimah," Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Fulfill your obligations to the Lord, and continue with your housework." Then, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said he would give her something that would be better than a helper or anything else she wished in this world, this is when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gives Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) the gift of this Tasbih/Tasbeeh and its is known as Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh). And said when you go to bed at night, read the following: 34 times - Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)

33 times - Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) 33 times - Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) This would be much better than having a servant. "If that is the will of Allah (SWT) and His Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)," Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) replied "then so be it." This was Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) only reply. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not provide her a servant. This Tasbih/Tasbeeh is recommended to be read after every Namaz/Salah. The Salah is like a beautiful flower and the Tasbih of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) gives that beautiful flower a beautiful fragrance. So after every Salah we should say the Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) because we want our Salah to be like a beautiful flower with a beautiful fragrance. Imam Baqir (as) says whoever performs the Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) and asks Allah (SWT) for forgiveness, Allah (SWT) will forgive him or her a hundred times, will add a thousand good deeds to their scale, repel Shaitan/Satan and be pleased with him or her. Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) says whoever does Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) before they move their legs or unfold their legs from the position of sitting in Wajib Salah, Allah (SWT) forgives them and makes Jannah Wajib upon them. Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) also says that Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) after every Wajib Salah is more loved then praying a thousand Rakats everyday. Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) continues to say whoever does the Tasbih/Tasbeeh of Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) after every Salah and ends it by saying La illaha illalah, Allah (SWT) will forgive his or her sins. When Hazrat Hamzah (ra) was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Fatima Zahra (pbuh) took some earth (Turba) from his grave and moulded it into beads and she used that as her Tasbih/Tasbeeh. Before this event Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) would use a blue woollen string that was knotted and that was the customary Tasbih/Tasbeeh before the martyrdom of Hazrat Hamzah (ra). After that it became customary to make beads from clay. Hazrat Hamzah (ra) was knows as Sayyid al-Shuhada the "Chief of Martyrs." Today we call our 3rd Imam, Imam Hussain (as) Sayyid al-Shuhada and we try to use the earth from Karbala (Khak-E-Shifa) from near his grave to use in our Tasbih/Tasbeeh so that we remember the sacrifice and we remember what Tawheed (Oneness of God) is all about.

Habib Ibne Mazahir childhood friend of Imam Husayn (as)

Once Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) was walking with a companion called Mazahir, he (saw) stopped and sat on the ground. Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) called Mazahir's young son Habib to him and hugged and kissed him. Mazahir asked: "O Prophet! What good deed has my son done to deserve such affection?" With tears in his eyes Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied: "O Mazahir! Whilst we were walking I happened to notice at Habib. He was walking behind my grandson Husayn and wherever Husayn stepped he lifted the dust from under Husayn's feet and put it to his eyes in respect." O Mazahir! This Habib will come to my Husayn's aid one day." Habib Ibne Mazahir was about the same age as Imam Husayn (as). They were childhood friends, when Imam Ali (as) moved the capital from Medina to Kufa, Habib also moved to Kufa. He stayed in Kufa and became a prominent citizen. The first letter which Imam Husayn (as) received inviting him to Kufa was signed by none other than his childhood friend Habib Ibne Mazahir. After Hazrat Muslim ibn Aqeel and Hazrat Hani ibn Urwah were martyred by Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, Kufa was sealed off. No one could get in or out of the city without the Governor Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad's permission. Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad also started spreading the rumour that Imam Husayn (as) had gone to Medina and that he was living there happily under the protection of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah. Even Imam Husayn's messenger Qays ibn Mushir who tried to take a letter to the citizens of Kufa was arrested outside Kufa. He was tied, gagged and thrown from the roof of the palace to the ground three times. Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad succeeded in spreading terror in Kufa and silencing the people. Habib Ibne Mazahir was heart-broken because he could not join Imam Husayn (as). He did not even know where Imam Husayn (as) was. There were all sorts of rumours but no one knew anything for certain. Since the day Imam Husayn (as) had reached Karbala, everyday Bibi Zaynab (sa) saw soldiers coming to join the camp of Umar ibn Sa'ad, the Commander of Yazid's Army. On 4th Muharram she came to Imam Husayn (as) and said "Ya Akhi (Oh my brother), why are all these soldiers coming?" Imam Husayn (as) replied "My dear sister, they are gathering to kill me." Bibi Zaynab (sa) said, "Brother, you have hardly seventy-two men with you, while they are in thousands." Bibi Zaynab had tears in her eyes as she added, "Do you not have anyone ready to come to your help?" "My sister Zaynab, many wanted to join me during the journey from Medina to Karbala. I politely discouraged them because their intention was not truthful. Many joined and have run away during the journey because they were scared of dying." He continued: "Zaynab! My sister! Falsehood can buy many supporters, but truth has only a few friends. The soldiers on the other side have been bought. They prefer happiness in this world than in the world hereafter. My seventy-two truthful men prefer happiness in the world hereafter and that is why they are with me." In Karbala Imam Husayn (as) called no one for help except his childhood friend Habib Ibne Mazahir. That very same day Imam Husayn (as) wrote a letter to Habib Ibne Mazahir, his childhood friend, telling him how Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah's vultures were gathering to kill him. The letter was carried by a messenger who entered Kufa in the dark by climbing over the city walls. The messenger reached Habib's house as Habib, his wife and his young son were sitting down for breakfast/meal. Habib read the letter, kissed it and tears began to flow down his cheeks. His wife asked him what was wrong. Habib said "Who would ever have thought that people would be so thirsty for the blood of the grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), whose name they utter in every Adhaan and in every Salaah?" Habib's wife said: "Habib! Your childhood friend has called you. Your master needs your help. What are you waiting for? Go Habib, before it is too late!" Habib instructed his servant to take his horse to a farm outside the city and wait for him there. If anyone should ask, the servant should say that he was taking the horse for grazing. At Asr, when most people were in the mosque, Habib slipped out of Kufa to reach the farm where his horse was waiting. He quickly mounted his horse and said to his slave: "Go, my friend, Go! I am freeing you from my services." "Master! You are not being fair. I have served you faithfully for years. Now, I have a chance to serve the son of Fatimah Zahra (sa), and you are asking me to go. Why are you denying me a place in Heaven?"

Habib was taken aback by the words of his slave. He was pleased to hear that he had recognized the difference between the truth and the wrongful. He wanted to sacrifice his life for truth. Habib asked his slave to mount his horse. Together they galloped towards Karbala. Habib reached Karbala late in the evening. In Karbala, Imam Husayn (as) was distributing the weapons to all the Mujahids. There was one spear left when someone asked: "O son of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)! Who is the last spear for?" Imam Husayn (as) replied: "This one is for my childhood friend Habib." Just then Habib could be seen walking towards the camp. Imam Husayn (as) ran forward to greet him with great affection. Bibi Zaynab (sa) would ask Bibi Fizza to find out who had arrived when there was the sound of horses. Every time, Bibi Fizza would announce the arrival of more enemy troops. Suddenly, she said to Bibi Zaynab (sa), our guest has arrived." Bibi Zaynab (sa) asked Bibi Fizza to convey her Salaams to Habib. When Habib received the message he began to sob saying, "How fortunate are the companions of Imam Husayn (as) that the daughter of Fatimah Zahra (sa) should honour them with greetings." Days and nights of Moharram passed by and the fateful day of Ashura came. At dawn, Ali Akber (as) gave Adhaan for the last time. Yazid's soldiers blew the trumpets to start the battle. One-by-one, Imam Husayn's companions went to the battlefield and gave their lives for Islam. Between Zohr and Asr time, Habib lbne Mazahir came to Imam Husayn (as). He said: "My Master, Husayn, allow me to go to the battlefield. Let me sacrifice my life for Islam." "Habib, my childhood friend, stay with me. You give comfort to me, my friend." Habib persisted with his request. Eventually Imam Husayn (as) gave his permission. Imam Husayn (as) mounted his friend, Habib, on the horse. Habib Ibne Mazahir rode into the battlefield. He fought bravely but was finally over-powered. He fell to the ground. Imam Husayn (as) rushed towards him. Habib looked at Imam and said "O the grandson of Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw), please forgive this humble servant for not being able to give more than his unworthy life for you and Islam." Imam Husayn (as) took Habib in his arms and cried, "O my friend! O my friend!" Habib died resting his head on Imam Husayn's shoulder. Later an enemy soldier came over and cut off his head. All the martyrs of Karbala had their heads cut off, but Habib's was the first to be cut off by the enemy. Habib's head was not hung on the spearhead like that of the other martyr's. Habib's head was tied to a horse and pulled along the land of Karbala. When the caravan of the prisoners reached Kufa the soldier from Yazid's army who had the head of Habib round his horse saw that a young boy called Qasim, was following him wherever he went. He asked the young boy what he wanted. Qasim just looked at the head hanging from the horse's neck. The man asked again: "Why are you staring at the head?" "This is the head of my father, Habib Ibne Mazahir; please give it to me so that I can bury my father's head." Habib's head seemed to look at his son and say: "My son Qasim, you are thinking of burying my head. What about the head of Imam Husayn (as) on that spearhead?"

Ustaz Fadzil Nor dalam kenangan

SEMPENA SEMBILAN TAHUN PEMERGIAN(JUN 2001- JUN 2010) Oleh: Riduan Mohamad Nor. " Islam sebagai satu Al-Din tidak dapat ditakfsirkan dengan fikiran manusia. Dalam mentafsirkan makna Islam itu kita wajib berpandukan kepada Al-Quran dan Al-Sunnah serta orang yang menghayati Al-Quran dan Al-Sunnah seperti para sahabat, Ulama-ulama dan juag para Tabiin. Kita tidak melihat dan memahami cara Islam membentuk satu peradaban kemanusian seperti yang digambarkan oleh setengah orang. Islam juga bukanlah satu kebudayaan atau serpihan daripada kehidupan manusia, kalau kita melihat dan mengambil Islam dengan cara yang sedemikian, dapatlah diumpamakan seperti orang buta yang cuba mengenali seekor gajah. Bila dipegangnya ekor gajah itu dikatakan gajah itu seperti tali, apabila dipegang kaki gajah itu dikatakannya gajah itu seperti tiang dan apabila terpegangnya telinga gajah itu dikatakan gajah itu seperti dinding .sedangkan tali, tiang dan dinding bukanlah gajah tetapi ia hanya sebahagian daripada anggota-anggota gajah itu. ( Ustaz Fadhil Nor: 1992) Malaysia semenjak zaman disentuh angin sejahtera Islam sejak ratusan tahun dahulu, tidak pernah gagal untuk menampilkan ulama dan pemikir Islam sehingga ada yang bermukim di Mekah untuk menyampaikan ilmu di Masjidil Haram. Ulama yang dilahirkan di Tanah Melayu ini bukan sahaja mampu mengajar kitab di masjid namun menjulang senjata untuk menentang penjajah kuffar. Antara ulama ini ialah Tuan Guru Haji Hassan Bin Munas, Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong, Ustaz Abu Bakar al Bakir dan ratusan ulamayang lain. Dengan merdekanya Tanah Melayu pada tahun 1957, pentas siasah negara ini menyaksikan pertarungan ideologi yang pelbagai samada kebangsaan Melayu, sosialisme, Islam dan sebagainya. Pelbagai tokoh muncul dalam menyuarakan aspirasi perjuangan yang diperjuangkan, sebahagiannya mampu bertahan di pentas siasah dan ada yang tersungkur ditelan waktu. Salah seorang insan yang telah melakar nama dalam sejarah politik Islam negara ini ialah Dato Haji Fadzil Mohd Noor. Dato Haji Fadzil Mohd Noor atau dengan gelaran yang sangat melekat dalam jiwa ummat Islam sehingga kini "Ustaz Fadzil merupakan seorang pemimpin dan tokoh politik yang dihormati dan disegani oleh semua lapisan masyarakat tempatan mahupun antarabangsa, ekoran daripada penampilan negarawan yang dimiliki oleh beliau. Dengan sosok yang kurus, berbusana kemas dengan kancingan baju Melayu yang lengkap, dengan sorotan mata yang hening menggambarkan ketajaman berfikir, beliau memang dilahirkan sebagai pemimpin ummah.

Berbekalkan ilmu pengetahuan yang tinggi terutamanya ilmu-ilmu agama yang diperolehi ketika bertamu di bumi Mesir, beliau dipakejkan dengan pelbagai ilmu lain seperti sosial sains, ditambah dengan kuat membaca dan menelaah. Ilmu-ilmu yang dikutip di universiti kehidupan ini meluaskan ufuk ilmu tokoh ulama ini. Perwatakan yang sederhana serta sentiasa berdamping dengan masyarakat, beliau adalah sebutir mutiara yang sangat berharga yang pernah dilahirkan oleh PAS dalam sejarahnya di pentas politik dakwah negara ini. Musuh politik PAS sendiri meletakkan almarhum dengan markah yang tinggi bahkan masyarakat bukan Melayu turut mengkagumi sosok tubuh dengan postur yang sederhana ini. Almarhum menyeruak kehidupan masyarakat tanapa mengira penat lelah dan suka mendengar masalah rakyat menyebabkan Ustaz Fadzil sentiasa dikenang dalam sisi putih. Pakej kepimpinan yang ada pada beliau ini ditempa dalam proses pergulatan hidup yang panjang selain daripada anugerah ilahi kepada umat Islam negara ini, almarhum membesar dengan semangat cinta kepada ilmu, seterusnya meminati bidang dakwah dan politik semasa belajar di bangku menengah lagi.

Mengutuk Keras Tindakan Israel Menyerang Konvoi Keamanan

Tindakan Pasukan Keselamatan Israel(IDF) menyerbu flotilla keamanan, lalu mengorbankan nyawa mereka yang tidak berdosa merupakan satu jenayah kemanusiaan. Difahamkan korban nyawa mungkin mencecah 19 orang. Saya menyeru agar pemimpin dunia dan masyarakat antarabangsa agar segera mengecam aksi keganasan ini. Tiadanya tindakan tegas dan tuntas makanya Kerajaan Israel sering memperlihatkan keangkuhan kekuasaan dan tidak silu menyerang hatta flotilla Mavi Marvara itu sedang berlayar di perairan antarabangsa. Sungguhpun sudah banyak kerajaan dan negara menyatakan kekesalan serta kecaman namun sehingga kini hanya Kerajaan Turki memperlihatkan kesungguhan serta menyatakan amaran jelas terhadap Kerajaan Israel. Saya ingin ulangi jenayah kemanusiaan ini tidak boleh dilepas pandang begitu sahaja. Kita bertanggungjawab ke atas nasib mereka yang tidak berdosa. Sebarang kekerasan terhadap rakyat awam yang tidak bersalah harus dikutuk dan dihukum. Serangan terhadap flotilla sewajarnya menyedarkan masyarakat antarabangsa bahawa isu Gaza harus diselesaikan segera. Saya juga kesal kerana serangan ini pastinya menjejaskan usaha semua pihak untuk memastikan kedamaian yang berpanjangan di rantau yang sering bergolak itu. Jika tiada tindakan yang berkesan serta hukuman setimpal pasti menguatkan persepsi umum akan kegagalan Majlis Keselamatan PBB serta kuasa besar terutamanya Amerika Syarikat. Saya berdoa moga Tuhan merahmati mereka yang terkorban. Kepada ahli keluarga mangsa saya pohon agar tetap bersabar. Saya menanti khabar dengan tekun nasib 2 rakyat Malaysia yang turut menaiki Marvi Marvara. Marilah sama-sama kita berdoa moga mereka selamat hendaknya. ANWAR IBRAHIM

WARIS RIMBA TERCINTA

(1) Berlari di lereng bukit ghairah mengejar rerama kita terasa amat bersemangat dan sihat bertenaga; unggas yang tiba-tiba melintas atas kepala kita tahu sengaja menghantar isyarat rahsia. Inilah tanah air pusaka paling, paling dicinta. Pohon-pohon di sini semarak, segar dan sasa khazanah alam yang menyimpan duka ria bangsa. Dan berlari di sisi pohon-pohon mengejar rerama jelas kita terlihat ajaibnya belantara baka. Tanah air kita ini paling, paling dicinta. Inilah belantara sumber hujan dan udara mesra betapa perih pun tanggungjawab kita memeliharanya. (2) Lihatlah, nikmatlah jernihnya air; dengarlah, hayatlah angin berdesir. Inilah dendang bumi yang kaya kita warisnya sungguh bertuah. Di kocak sungai ikan segar menari, di atas dahan unggas cergas menyanyi. Seisi alam ini satu anugerah syukur yang tulus kita kepada Allah. Bumi yang yakin, langit yang tulen berdakap damai seakrab mungkin. Memang yang terdengar debaran syair jantung kehidupan dan yang terucap kasih keluarga saling berimbangan. Kuala Lumpur. A. SAMAD SAID

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is on trial in Kuala Lumpur on sodomy charges for a second time, speaks to journalist Wajahat Ali about the controversy and discusses the country's ethnic and religious conflicts as well as issues facing the Muslim world. By Wajahat Ali for CNN Wajahat Ali: Dr. Ibrahim, you are currently facing controversial, criminal charges of sodomy in Kuala Lumpur alleged by an ex-aide. The trial is under way as we speak, and the Malaysian press has dubbed this event "Sodomy 2" since you were convicted on similar charges in 1998 (which were overturned by the Supreme Court in 2004). You also served six years in solitary confinement after being convicted in '98 for corruption. First, if there was no truth to these allegations then why would the aide under oath swear and testify in graphic detail to such a sordid event and also be subjected to such humiliation, considering sodomy is both illegal and highly disfavored in Malaysia? Second, if these allegations are "trumped up" (by the ruling coalition) and a sham, as you and your followers have said, why? Anwar Ibrahim: The government today is in survival mode. Sensing its own protracted demise, and bereft of ideas that would enable it to regain popular support, its strategy is to tear down the opposition no matter what the cost. Since our unprecedented victory in the March 2008 polls, there have been relentless attacks to destabilize our state governments, to threaten and intimidate our elected officials and to undermine public confidence in our ability to govern. You name it and it's been hurled at us.... The charges leveled against me have to be seen in this broader context. The fact that the same plot that was hatched in 1998 is being repeated reflects a certain bankruptcy and lack of creativity on their part. They must still believe some segment of the Malay-Muslim electorate, who will likely determine the outcome of the next General Election, will be alienated by these charges. I doubt that is the case. There is polling to prove it and when we go around the country now the crowds of people number sometimes in the tens of thousands. The Malaysian people are much smarter and more aware today and will not easily be fooled. As for the swearing of oaths in courts and in mosques -- these are theatrics that ignore due process and legal principles. In a normal court of law, a verdict would rest on objective, incontrovertible evidence. But in Malaysia, show trials are being used to defame and discredit those who have fallen out of the favor of the establishment. This gives us all the more resolve to fight for reform.

(The Malaysian government has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and all claims that it has tried to silence Anwar and his political party. The Government has also denied any involvement in the sodomy cases against Anwar.) Wajahat Ali: Malaysia promotes itself as a peaceful, democratic, multi-ethnic, Muslim country. On December 31, a court ruled that non-Muslims, namely Christians, were finally allowed to use the word "Allah" as a term for God, which quickly prompted a government appeal. Following the ruling, nearly 11 churches have been attacked, Christians have been harassed, and even a Sikh temple and several mosques were vandalized. Both the government's appeal and the conduct of several Malays seem to suggest discrimination towards their non-Muslim neighbors. Many in America assume this is due to an innate Muslim antagonism and elitism towards the "other." How would you explain this current phenomenon, and why is the term "Allah" only reserved for Muslims? Anwar Ibrahim: The handling of the Allah issue sent the wrong message to people around the world about Islam. In the current climate of xenophobia in Europe and the U.S., how can we as Muslims say we are any better when we treat our non-Muslim citizens with disrespect and disdain? It is odd that this issue seems relevant only in Malaysia and not in the Middle East or even Indonesia. Dialogue and engagement are essential. The mainstream media all controlled by the ruling coalition should present all viewpoints and not just the most extreme views supported by the government. Sensitive issues that touch on religious and ethnic sentiments should be handled delicately. Instead the government allowed the case to be dragged through the courts, sanctioned incendiary public demonstrations and only after the situation exploded in violence did its leaders start to make more measured statements and call for calm. I find this deplorable.

In Malaysia such posturing by Muslim leaders has much more to do with politics than religion and ideology. The ruling government hopes that by taking a hard line it will curry some favor with an increasingly radical right wing upon which its party is increasingly based. The recent caning of individuals for illicit sexual relations is likewise part of an effort to boost the perceived Islamic credentials of the government and portray the opposition as soft on morals and subservient to international pressure.

I understand there are broader concerns about the ability of contemporary Islamic societies to deal with issues of pluralism and diversity. Malaysia's handling of this issue is certainly not helping to abate these fears. But there is a silver lining. We have used this incident as an opportunity to launch a series of interfaith dialogues around the country. And I am very encouraged by statements from Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia, PAS, which has come out strongly in support of the rights of all Malaysian citizens under the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of conscience and religion. Wajahat Ali: Following on that question, is there space for Muslims and non-Muslims to live harmoniously in Malaysia? If your party had power, how would it handle the current situation and subsequently implement changes that would minimize ethnic and religious conflicts in the future? Anwar Ibrahim: Southeast Asian Islam is known for its inclusivistic approach. The religion came to this region via traders from Arabia and by Sufi masters who integrated with the existing cultural and social landscape. While Islam gradually became the dominant civilization this was not done at the expense of the other groups. In fact I recall back in the '90s we convened the first-ever conference on Islam and Confucianism that led to the founding of an entire department at the University of Malaya on this topic. This in my mind represents the vast potential of our multi-ethnic society. The religious tensions currently on display are a recent phenomenon in that they are largely the result of a political conflict rather than deep-seated religious antagonisms. This is not to ignore the challenges Malaysia faces as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. But for the most part these tensions can be alleviated through efforts to promote greater integration and interaction within the society. Politicians unfortunately have found it expedient to exacerbate ethnic and religious tensions as a means of prolonging a political system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. We see deliberate attempts to provoke religious tensions to give a pretext to clamp down on civil liberties and justify the continuation of the same old race-based policies of the past.

The antidote for this behavior is to restore credibility to the institutions of civil society. The media should be free, politicians must be held accountable through free and fair elections and the judiciary must be able to operate without interference from politicians. Economics also factor importantly into the equation. Income inequality in Malaysia is among the worst in the world. Despite decades of an affirmative action policy designed to uplift the poor and marginalized Malays, in Malaysia the rich get richer while the poor stay poor -- and that includes poor Malays, Chinese and Indians.

We need to revisit the design of economic policy and how the country allocates welfare and resources. Affirmative action remains essential to ensure that the poor marginalized are not forgotten. But there is no reason to exclude poor Chinese and Indians from the policy, as has been the case for so long. Endemic corruption has led to the enrichment of a few well-connected businessmen and politicians but the vast majority of their wealth never trickles down.

If we can overcome some of the most basic shortcomings in governance and accountability I am quite confident that Malaysia will be on a better footing when it comes to building a peaceful society. Wajahat Ali: U.S. President Barack Obama was embraced with rapturous applause, standing ovations, and stunning poll numbers by Muslim communities worldwide last year when he gave his historic speech in Cairo. A year later, there has been a significant dip in his polls numbers both domestically and abroad. How confident do

Muslims feel about him and America as a "true partner" in 2010 when compared to Bush's administration? What will Obama have to do to regain Muslim trust and achieve a true conciliation between America and Muslims around the world? Anwar Ibrahim: When he won I shared in the optimism expressed by many that his presidency would usher in a new chapter in relations between America and the Muslim world. I did not expect he alone to solve all the problems. After all he is not the Caliph. He is the President of the United States, and therefore bound by significant constraints. But he is certainly better than his predecessor and we appreciated his Cairo speech, which was a historic and bold statement of friendship between two civilizations. His pronouncements -- such as closing Guantanamo, an end to settlement activity in the West Bank and pushing for a two state-solution, withdrawing from Iraq and searching for diplomatic solutions to dealing with Iran -- are the right statements. Unfortunately he has yet to deliver on major initiatives. At this point, few see much difference between his foreign policy and that of the Bush administration. I remain optimistic for now -- it is too soon to offer a final verdict.

I believe Muslims are willing to give whoever sits in the White House a chance. Muslims respect America as a democracy and want to see its policies as fair, just and consistent. For there to be a real watershed in the Obama administration's approach he will have to be seen to be acting fairly in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict and show more compassion (when) it comes to dealing with Afghanistan, where thousands of innocent people are still being killed. Otherwise I fear the good will he has built will be forgotten. Wajahat Ali: Why does the Israeli occupation of Palestine overwhelmingly dominate the emotions and anger of Muslims worldwide when Muslims are also suffering tremendously in Iraq, Africa, Russia, Afghanistan and so forth? Can Muslims move "beyond" the Palestine issue? Anwar Ibrahim: It is often forgotten that Jerusalem holds a special, symbolic meaning for Muslims as the site of the Prophet Muhammad's ascent to heaven. In fact, Muslims living during the Prophet's time prayed towards Jerusalem until instructions were later given to switch the direction of the prayer to Mecca. This makes Jerusalem and access to the holy sites very relevant to Muslims around the world. Certainly there is deep anger over the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. The enduring conflicts in other countries, the imposition of dictatorial regimes and the legacy of colonialism and rampant poverty are all factors which affect the relationship. But the Arab-Israeli conflict has come to symbolize the entire grouse of the Muslim world with the interference of foreign powers in our affairs.

Our frustration with the United States stems entirely from its lopsided handling of the conflict. Consider the result of Palestinian elections which were held democratically and brought Hamas into power. America punished Palestinians for voting (with) their conscience. Or consider (Israel's) blockade on Gaza -- another example of collective punishment being used to force a different political outcome. If America is seen to be inconsistent in applying principles of freedom, justice and self-determination in Palestine then Muslims elsewhere are going to have a hard time believing the rhetoric is real.

And the failure to achieve a meaningful peace gives authoritarian Muslim governments an easy opportunity to score political mileage out of the Palestinians' plight. Stoking the flames of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism is a good distraction from the stench in their own backyard, namely rampant corruption, denial of basic human rights, abuse of power and the suppression of civil society. Wajahat Ali: Do you think it's time for Muslims to readjust their grievances and sources of victimization? Anwar Ibrahim: When Abu Ghraib happened it was rightly condemned as a terrible injustice and came to symbolize what was wrong about the American invasion and occupation of Iraq. But Muslims have to be consistent. The lack of due process, gruesome prison conditions and corruption in law enforcement agencies are very serious problems in Muslim countries that must also be condemned. So when many Muslim governments attacked the U.S. they were being hypocritical. Muslims have expressed clear views on this matter. The (Gallup) Muslim World Poll demonstrated that the vast majority of Muslims prefer governments that are more democratic, more accountable and more humane than the ones that exist today. Which means many would be quite supportive of a change in the corrupt and authoritarian governments that exist throughout the Middle East. The frustration that many Muslims have with the West is that America often preaches one thing about democracy but turns a blind eye to some of the worst dictators. So they are squeezed on both sides -- their own governments and the so-called savior from the West.

I think oppression and injustice has to be condemned whenever and wherever it exists and Muslims should be at the forefront of this call for justice. Otherwise what is it that we hope to tell the world about our values and ethics? Wajahat Ali: Do you believe that democracy and Islam are capable of coexistence, especially as a functional system of government in the modern age? Judging by the track record over the past century, it seems Islam and politics make volatile bed fellows. Anwar Ibrahim: The experience of democracy in the Muslim world has not been entirely negative as the question suggests. Independence movements were often based on political parties which organized around principles of freedom and justice. Freedom fighters didn't expel their colonial master only to want to replace them with ruthless dictators. On the contrary -- there were vibrant democracies emerging in places like Indonesia, Iran and even Iraq in the 1950s. The great betrayal happened later, when secular autocrats who, in the name of nationalism, socialism or modernity, hijacked the governments and imposed a level cruelty worse than what existed under colonialism. But let us be clear -- these were secular movements which used religion only to buy legitimacy from the people. It is therefore quite historic to see democracy re-emerging in places like Indonesia and Turkey. The peaceful transformation of Indonesia to the world's largest Muslim democracy is one of the most important developments in the world. Likewise, Turkey has taken its place as a vibrant democracy. And what is more interesting is that in Indonesia in recent elections the more conservative Islamic parties were allowed to campaign openly -- and they were handed defeat. This did not require locking them up in prison. On the contrary it was the people themselves who opted for a system that was inclusive, democratic and at the same time cognizant of the country's religious and cultural heritage. Wajahat Ali: You're an active presence in new media with a popular Facebook profile and a steady stream of tweets from your Twitter account. In fact, you and many of your supporters have been tweeting throughout the trial. Last year, Iranians successfully used Twitter to educate the world about the daily protests against the government crackdowns following the controversial election results. First, what do you hope to achieve by tweeting throughout your trial? Secondly, do you believe new media and the Internet is the transformative vehicle and tool for Muslims in the 21st century to reclaim both their political and religious voices, which have been silenced or hijacked by those claiming legitimacy and power? Anwar Ibrahim: New media has been a cornerstone of the opposition's communications strategy. The mainstream press in Malaysia is completely controlled by the government, but the Internet has remained free. An attempt last year to introduce an Internet filter was quickly shot down, not surprisingly, by an overwhelming response of Internet users in Malaysia. The coverage of my trial has been quite favorable in the international media but locally you would be surprised how vicious and despicable the manipulation of facts has already become. We need to be active online and develop innovative ways of reaching out to online and offline constituencies to compensate for this information deficit.

And we also realize there is a new generation of Malaysians who were too young to remember the Reformasi movement that started a decade ago. Reaching out to them will happen in large part through technology.

I never believed technology is a panacea. But it is certainly changing the course of politics and policy around the world. The president of the United States ran an effective online campaign and continues to do so while in office, but so too have extremist groups. Opposition parties in Malaysia are actively courting voters online. Who ultimately benefits from technology will depend on two things -- the execution of a coherent strategy and the quality of the message. Information tends to travel quickly by whatever means if there is a demand for the content. Wajahat Ali is a playwright, journalist, attorney, humorist and consultant. He is a contributor to The Washington Post, The Guardian, Huffington Post, McSweeney's Quarterly Journal, Counterpunch and Chowk. He is an Associate Editor of the American Muslim online magazine Altmuslim.com and Contributing Editor of Illume Magazine. He also produces a blog: "Goatmilk: An Intellectual Playground" (goatmilk.wordpress.com).

I share in the joy felt by all Malaysians on this historic day. This is a victory for the people. And it's great to be back.
ANWAR IBRAHIM, Malaysian opposition leader who has been plagued by charges of sodomy and corruption, after winning a parliamentary election

Who Hijacked Islam?

By ANWAR IBRAHIM

Let not your hatred of others cause you to act unjustly against them. " The Koran Never in Islam's history have the actions of so few of its followers caused the religion and its community of believers to be such an abomination in the eyes of others. Millions of Muslims who fled to North America and Europe to escape poverty and persecution at home have become the objects of hatred and are now profiled as potential terrorists. The nascent democratic movements in Muslim countries will regress for a few decades as ruling autocrats use their participation in the global war against terrorism to terrorize their critics and dissenters. This is what Mohamed Atta and his fellow terrorists and sponsors have done to Islam and its community worldwide by their murder of innocents at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attacks must be condemned, and the condemnation must be without reservation. The foremost religious authorities are outraged and have issued statements denouncing the monstrous murders. All efforts to punish the perpetrators must be supported. One is therefore perturbed by the confusion among Muslims who responded to the attack with a misplaced diatribe against the U.S. In Malaysia, the government-controlled media have been deployed to stir up anti-American sentiments, while members of the political Elite use a different language for international diplomacy. Certainly there are legitimate grievances against the U.S. and good reason for despondency over the fate of the Palestinians, who now face an even more arrogant Israel. But this is not the time for sermonizing or moralizing over U.S. foreign policy. Had we Malaysians been the victims of such a tragedy, we would find such hectoring tasteless and repulsive. One wonders how, in the 21st century, the Muslim world could have produced an Osama bin Laden. In the centuries when Islam forged civilizations, men of wealth created pious foundations supporting universities and hospitals, and princes competed with one another to patronize scientists, philosophers and men of letters. The greatest of scientists and philosophers of the medieval age, ibn Sina, was a product of that system. But bin Laden uses his personal fortune to sponsor terror and murder, not learning or creativity, and to wreak destruction rather than promote creation. Bin Laden and his protgs are the children of desperation; they come from countries where political struggle through peaceful means is futile. In many Muslim countries, political dissent is simply illegal. Yet, year by year, the size of the educated class and the number of young professionals continue to increase. These people need space to express their political and social concerns. But state control is total, leaving no room for civil society to grow. The need for Muslim societies to address their internal social and political development has become more urgent than ever. Economic development alone is clearly insufficient: it creates its own tensions in the social and political spheres, which must be addressed. A proper orientation must be developed for Muslim engagement with the world at large. Participation in the global processes must not be the monopoly of the government.

It is the sense of alienation and the perception that the world is against them that nurture bitterness among those who resort to terrorism. Confusion and anger against the global order and its only superpower have been brought about by the failure of the Muslim world to address two crucial issues: Afghanistan's descent into chaos and anarchy as a result of the Soviet invasion and the subsequent rise of the Taliban, and the suffering inflicted on the Muslim masses in Iraq by its dictator as well as by sanctions imposed on that long-suffering nation. For ethical reasons, Muslims will support the global initiative against terrorism. But there is a growing perception that autocrats of all types will seize the opportunity to prop up their regimes and deal a severe blow to democratic movements. Russian President Vladimir Putin will use it to defend atrocities in Chechnya, Israel to defend its intransigence and Malaysia its detentions without trial. Necessity will prompt the U.S. to seek the collaboration of the governments of Muslim countries. This is understandable. But they do not hold all the answers to terrorism. The growth of democracy, political participation and civil society is the final answer. By softening its endorsement of the struggle for democracy and the protection of human rights, the U.S. will inadvertently strengthen dictatorial regimes, thus replicating past associations with Marcos, Suharto and the Shah of Iran. For more than 100 years, the Muslim world has had to grapple with the problem of modernity. Of greatest urgency is the effort to inculcate an intellectual and political orientation that promotes democracy and openness. Intellectuals and politicians must have the courage to condemn fanaticism in all its forms. But they must, in the same breath, equally condemn the tyrants and oppressive regimes that dash every hope of peaceful change. According to Anwar Ibrahim's lawyer, this essay will be part of a lawsuit that Anwar, the jailed former Deputy Prime Minister, plans to file this week against the Malaysian government for alleged defamation resulting from a state-owned TV broadcast that he says characterized him as an Islamic extremist and a threat to national security.

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Anwar Ibrahim
By PAUL WOLFOWITZ

During the 1990s, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a group of U.S. Senators organized a forum to exchange views among East Asians and Americans. Asked at one session about the role of Islam in politics, Anwar replied, "I have no use for governments which call themselves Islamic and then deny basic rights to half their population." This devout Muslim leader was an impressive and eloquent advocate of tolerance, democracy and human rights. So we were shocked by his arrest and trial in 1998 on charges of corruption and sodomy. I felt his real "crime" had been to challenge Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose impressive record will be forever stained by his treatment of Anwar. I joined Senator Sam Nunn and others to speak out in Anwar's defense. When he was finally released from prison in 2004, U.S. policy on Iraq was unpopular in Malaysia, and Anwar was harshly critical. It would have been easy for him to disown our friendship, but he is not that kind of person. He kept the channels of dialogue open, even while making clear our disagreements.

Anwar, 60, is back in the center of Malaysian politics. The coalition led by his wife Wan Azizah has become the main opposition bloc. His future role can be determined only by Malaysians. One can hope that they will embrace his brand of tolerance, valuing dialogue across political differences, and that this courageous leader will continue to play a leading role on the world stage. Wolfowitz is a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733757_1735709,00.html#ixzz0pbDz6j9m

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

By ANWAR IBRAHIM

The changes taking place in Indonesia today are among the most remarkable developments in the Muslim world. The country's transition from authoritarianism has proved that as a democracy, Indonesia can be culturally vibrant and economically prosperous. Since winning the presidency in 2004, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has managed to keep the nation afloat, even during the current global recession. However, significant challenges lie ahead. Poverty remains pervasive in Indonesia, and the government must press onward with improvements to the country's ailing infrastructure. Businesses are confronted with a bewildering array of regulations, and the country pays a heavy price in corruption and bribery. The coming presidential election promises to be good to Yudhoyono, 59, thanks in no small measure to his having for the most part delivered on his promises. The history of Indonesia's democratic journey may not be that long, but it has thus far shown that the country's people will not re-elect a President who falls short of expectations. The time is right for Indonesia, as the world's most populous Muslim nation, to assume a more prominent position in Asia and throughout the Muslim world. In response to President Obama's warm overtures to Muslim countries for a new phase in relations with the U.S., Yudhoyono can take the lead and chart a new course for the region. Ibrahim is currently an opposition leader in Malaysia and the former Deputy Prime Minister
Required Documentation
The charge is meant to embarrass me and nothing else. I'm not embarrassed.
ANWAR IBRAHIM, Malaysian opposition leader, after pleading innocent in court on Aug. 7 to a sodomy charge leveled against him by government prosecutors, which he claims is politically motivated

I feel vindicated. I feel great that I am back.

ANWAR IBRAHIM, Malaysian opposition leader and former deputy Prime Minister, after he was elected to Parliament

They have gone for one month on a fishing expedition and they have not caught anything. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Malaysian opposition leader, insisting the government-led investigation into sodomy charges against him is groundless

Read more:http://www.time.com/time/quotes/0,26174,1828529,00.html#ixzz0pb27jZJ0 Below

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I am not aware of any extant English translations of Ibn Arabi's writings on alchemy. Basically all that is available in English by Ibn Arabi is: (1) The Fusus al Hikam, the Jewels or Bezels of Wisdom, which Paulist Press keeps taking in and out of print. This is not specifically alchemical, but is an amazing tour de force of occult philosophy; (2) What the Seeker Needs, Threshold Books, (Halveti-Jerrahi tariqah) various mystical essays; (3) Journey to the Lord of Power. Threshold Books, (Halveti-Jerrahi tariqah) excellent account of the miraj, the spiritual ascent to the Divine; Mysteries of Purity : (4) Ibn Al-Arabi's Asrar Al-Taharah, a partial translation of the Futuhat al Makkiya on sufism and fiqh (islamic law); (5) Kitab Anqa Mughrib, Ibn Al-Arabi's Book of the Fabulous Gryphon which deals with Ismalic sainthood and Ibn Arabi role as the Seal of the Saints; (6) The Tarjuman Al-Ashwaq, the Interpreter of Desires, Sufi love poetry and uniquely a commentary by Ibn Arabi on the divine aspects of love; (7) Sufis of Andalusia : The Ruh Alouds and Al-Durrat Al-Fakhirah of Ibn Arabi, my recollection is that this is an account of Western sufis and also contains autobiographical information.

For the most part, academics, Chittick, etc. have preferred not to translate Ibn Arabi, but churn out endless articles and secondary texts. Ibn Arabi is described as the Sheikh al Akbar, the Greatest Sheikh, and from a philosophical standpoint there can be no doubt that he was and is the most significant Sufi. Given incredible breadth and depth of his knowledge and revelatory information revealed in the Fusus, I can only imagine what the Futuhat al Makkiya (Meccan Revelations) his masterwork contains with regard to alchemy. We can only hope that some scholar will be willing to translate rather than mine Ibn Arabi's writings to produce secondary (or tertiary) works. Christopher Warnock His translated writings and writings about him as presented by the Ibn 'Arabi Society are as follows: Quest for the Red Sulphur by Claude Addas Published by the Islamic Texts Society, 1993 A major biography covering the temporal and mystical life of Ibn 'Arabi. Paperback $32.95/18.95 (E) Mystical Astrology According to Ibn 'Arabi by Titus Burckhardt translated from the French by Bulent Rauf Published by Beshara Publications 1977 A distillation of the essential symbolism underlying spiritual astrology from the works of Ibn 'Arabi. Paperback $9.00/4.00 (A) The Bezels of Wisdom by Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi translated, with introduction, by R.W.J. Austin Published by Paulist Press, 1980. Reprinted 1997 Complete translation of the Fusus al-Hikam. Preface by Titus Burckhardt. Paperback $26.95/19.99(D) Universal Man by Abd al-Karim al-Jili translated with commentary by Titus Burckhardt. English translation by Angela-Culme Seymour Published by Beshara Publications, 1985 Extracts in translation of the celebrated work by Jili, a spiritual descendant of Ibn 'Arabi. Paperback $15.00/7.50 (A) The Sufi Path of Knowledge by William Chittick Published by SUNY Press, 1989 Over 600 passages translated from the Futuhat , with commentaries, organised by theme. Paperback $26.95/19.95 (F) Imaginal Worlds by William Chittick Published by SUNY Press, 1994 An examination of Ibn 'Arabi's concepts of human perfection, the World of the Imagination and the reasons for religious diversity. Paperback $19.95/15.50 (C)

The Self-Disclosure of God by William Chittick Published by SUNY Press, 1997 Like Chittick's earlier work, The Sufi Path of Knowledge, this book is based primarily on Ibn 'Arabi's Futuhat al-Makkiyya. More than 100 chapters and subsections are translated. The book is divided into 3 parts, dealing with the relation between God and the cosmos, the structure of the cosmos, and the nature of the human soul. Paperback $24.95/19.50 (F) The Spiritual Writings of Amir Abd al-Kader by Michel Chodkiewicz Published by SUNY Press, 1995 Translations from the work of Abd al-Kader, many of which are commentaries on the writings of Ibn 'Arabi. Paperback $16.95/13.25 (C) An Ocean without Shore - Ibn 'Arabi, The Book and the Law by Michel Chodkiewicz Published by SUNY Press, 1993 An examination of the Koranic roots in the writings of Ibn 'Arabi. Paperback $21.95/17.25 (C) The Seal of the Saints by Michel Chodkiewicz Published by Islamic Texts Society, 1993 An exploration of Ibn 'Arabi's teachings on Sainthood Paperback $29.95/17.95 (C) Alone with the Alone: Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn 'Arabi by Henry Corbin Published by Princeton University Press, 1997 An introduction with biographical details on Ibn 'Arabi with two complementary essays: "Sympathy and Theopathy" and "Creative Imagination and Creative Prayer." Paperback $19.95/14.95 (E) The Unlimited Mercifier The Spiritual life and thought of Ibn 'Arabi by Stephen Hirtenstein Anqa Publishing & White Cloud Press, 1999 A new appreciation of Ibn 'Arabi's life and thought. Seventeen alternating chapters of biography and thought, with illustrations, photographs and maps. Both an introduction and a further study. Paperback $19.95/17.50 (D) Hardback $40.00/ 29.99 (E) Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom by Ibn 'Arabi interpreted by Tosun Bayrak from the Ottoman Turkish Published by Fons Vitae, 1997 In "Divine Governance of the Human Kingdom", at-Tadbirat al-ilahiyyah Ibn 'Arabi uses metaphors from worldly politics to illuminate details of the spiritual search. The volume also includes "What the Seeker Needs", Kitab Kunh ma la budda minhu lil-murid and "The One Alone", Kitab al-ahadiyyah Paperback $19.95

Kernel of the Kernel by Ibn 'Arabi with commentary by Ishmael Hakki Bursevi, translated by Bulent Rauf Published by Beshara Publications 1981, Reprinted 1997 From the Lubb-ul-Lubb. A treatise of instruction for the mystic who undertakes the journey to Union with God. Hardback $15.00/7.50 (B) The Twenty-Nine Pages An Introduction to Ibn Arabi's Metaphysics of Unity Published by Beshara Publications, 1998 Consisting of edited highlights from A. E. Affifi's "The Mystical Philosophy of Muhyid Din Ibnul Arabi" (Cambridge University Press, 1938), this book provides an introduction to the language and thought of Ibn Arabi. Paperback $15.00/7.50 (A) The Wisdom of the Prophets (Fusus al-Hikam) by Ibn 'Arabi translated from Arabic to French by Titus Burckhardt, from French to English by Angela Culme-Seymour Published by Beshara Publications, 1975 Twelve chapters from the Fusus al-Hikam in this first translation into English. Paperback $12.50/5.80 (B) Hardback 7.50 (C) "Whoso Knoweth Himself..." by Ibn 'Arabi, translated by T.H. Weir Published by Beshara Publications, 1975 From the Treatise on Being (Risale-t-ul-wujudiyyah), a concise and elevated exposition of unity. Paperback $9.00/3.30 (A) Hardback 6.00 (B) The Tarjumn al-Ashwq by Ibn al-'Arabi, translated by Reynold Nicholson Published by Theosophical Publishing House, 1978 Translation of Ibn 'Arabi's most famous work of poetry with his commentary and the Arabic text. Hardback $18.00 Paperback 3.95 (B) L'Interprte des Dsirs by Ibn 'Arabi, translated by Maurice Gloton There is another site also that deals with Ibn al-Arabi's works: http://freecyb.com/CATALOG/ARABI.HTM The Alchemy of Happiness is a chapter in Ibn al-Arabi's monumental work A-Futuhat. It was translated into French. The following description of this translation is from the second web site:Published by Albin Michel, Paris, 1996 The Tarjuman al-Ashwaq translated into French with introduction and notes. Includes Ibn 'Arabi's full commentary. Paperback 19.50 (E) Sufis of Andalusia The Rh al-quds and al Durrat al-fkhirah by Ibn 'Arabi,

translated with introduction and notes by Ralph Austin Published by Beshara Publications, 1988 Biographical sketches of some of the spiritual masters and contemplatives amongst whom Ibn 'Arabi spent his early years. Paperback $15.00/7.50 (B) Le Dvoilement des Effets du Voyage Kitb al-isfar 'an natij al-asfr by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi. Parallel text - Arabic / French translation, with introduction and notes by Denis Gril. ditions de l'clat, 1994 Describes the kinds of journeys travelled by human beings, with specific reference to the model journeys of the prophets. Paperback 12.50 (C) La Production des Cercles Kitb insh ad-daw'ir al-ihtiyya by Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi. Parallel text - Arabic / French translation, with introduction and notes by Paul Fenton & Maurice Gloton ditions de l'clat, 1996 Book of the Description (i.e. drawing) of the Circles Encompassing the Correspondence of Man to Creator and Creatures. Paperback 9.50 (B) Ibn 'Arabi in the later Islamic Tradition by Alexander D. Knysh Published by SUNY Press, 1998 An analysis of the heated debates around Ibn 'Arabi's ideas in the three centuries following his death. Hardback $29.95/21.75 (E) Mystical Languages of Unsaying by Michael Sells Published by University of Chicago Press, 1994 Readings of the texts of Plotinus, Erigena, Porette, Ibn 'Arabi and Eckhardt. Paperback $18.95/15.25 (D) Sacred Drift by Peter Lamborn Wilson Published by City Lights Books, 1993 A collection of essays and poems (almost all Rumi) including three commentaries on the life and work of Ibn 'Arabi and "Sacred Drift: On the Road with Doctor Maximus." Paperback $13.95 Mysteries of Purity - Ibn al-'Arabi's asrar al-taharah by Eric Winkel Published by Cross Cultural Publications Translations from Ibn 'Arabi's Futuhat al-Makkiyya concerned with legal discourse (fiqh) and the meaning of purity. Hardcover $38.95 The Ibn 'Arabi Society themselves are contactable at: http://www.ibnarabisociety.org/index.html And there is also the following reference which may be of use: http://www.ibnarabisociety.org/index.html

Ibn 'Arabi's Fiqh: Three Cases from the Futht

by Eric Winkel Is there even any material for a study of Ibn 'Arabi's fiqh (legal discourse/jurisprudence)? Few people realize that Ibn 'Arabi had a fiqh! And yet a translation of just the extended fiqh section of the Futht would run over two thousand pages. Yes there is an Akbarian fiqh:I have chosen here three particular cases he investigates and argues from a fiqh perspective. Although Western scholarship on Ibn 'Arabi has focused on the philosophical and mystical aspect of his thought, situating Ibn 'Arabi in a metaphysical, philosophical context, especially around his work Fuss al-Hikam and the numerous commentaries and discourses produced by his brilliant disciples,[1] another aspect of his thought is now emerging. Chodkiewicz[2] and Addas[3] have charted the growth and influence of the "akbarian" tradition as it nurtured a more universal and "earthy" approach, exemplified in Amir 'Abd al-Qadir, for example. Chittick has bridged the "Eastern" Ibn 'Arabi with his more "Western" dimension through a translation of many short passages from the Futht.[4, 5] Sells' work has been exploring the various formats traditionally found to be conducive to the effort of articulating divine truths: poetry, allusion, symbolism, and metaphor.[6] And finally, Morris' work on "spiritual literalism" has seized the importance of Ibn 'Arabi's appropriation of traditional forms of the Islamic sciences to "convert" those practitioners to a higher understanding.[7] By way of establishing a definition for fiqh here, Ibn 'Arabi seems to treat the fiqh as a superstructure erected upon the shari'ah, a superstructure of discourse conducted among the intellectual elites (the 'ulam') of the community. It may be glossed "Islamic legal discourse". The central patterns in Ibn 'Arabi's fiqh discourse involve the roots '.b.r. (to cross over/interpret) and kh.l.f. (differ in opinion). The extended section here covers the "pillars of Islam", with tahrah (purity) as a prerequisite for the second pillar, salh (prayer). Each subject has a lengthy poem, which, Ibn 'Arabi explains elsewhere, is not a summary of the chapter's contents; the poems in effect serve as an "overture", touching the highlights of the contents and adding a few ideas which will not actually be dealt with in the prose section. There are also prose overviews. But the main content of the extended section is two thousand pages of ikhtilf al-'ulam' andmin q'il: each issue is introduced with the statement "the 'ulam' diverge over such and such", and the enumeration of the different positions and arguments with the ellipsis "min q'il": "among those who argue there is one who argues for" or more fluidly, "there is a proponent for". The standard fiqh format is in fact the discussion and analysis of "differences of opinion" among the 'ulam'. In the days of fiqh vitality, the scholars enjoyed entering the fray with their own views about the various positions held by previous scholars, with resounding phrases like "But he is a liar!" and "All of that is falsehood!" in contrast to present-day fiqh, which wallows in the dead authority of past scholars. Ibn 'Arabi refrains completely from derogatory statements but does achieve the proper stance of skepticism and objectivity required of the fuqah' (scholars of the legal discourse) by omitting, almost always, the name of the particular scholar whose views are being discussed by the anonymous phrase "there is a proponent that". Surprisingly perhaps, Ibn 'Arabi finds significance in every position one gets the sneaking suspicion, however, that Ibn 'Arabi knew more about a particular position than its proponent! The heart of the discourse is the area of disagreement, or divergence, because it is here that the revelation's meaning is tested. The fiqhexists in the nexus of revelation and society, the place where the universal and general revelation becomes applied and actualized in historical and contextual society. The areas of disagreement are the grist of the scientific discourse, because there interpretation and hermeneutics are pushed to the extreme in an effort to understand and apply the revelation. For Ibn 'Arabi, the mandate for fiqh comes from the Qur'anic passage "Nor should the believers all go forth together: if a contingent from every expedition remained behind, they could devote themselves to understanding the religion [li-yatafaqqahu fi'l-dn], and admonish the people when they return to them that thus they may guard themselves" [9:122]. The other theme is of metaphor, understood in its root meaning of "metaphorein", to bring something across. '.b.r. gives words such as the Qur'anic admonishment, the 'ibrah, as in "There is, in their stories, instruction (or admonishment) for those endowed with understanding [l alalbb]" [12:111, and 3:13, 16:66, 23:21, 24:44, 79:26]. In verb form, we have "So take warning [a'tabiru] of you endowed with understanding" [59:2]. Only the people who are endowed with discerning the kernel (lubb) of events are likely to understand the connection linking the superficial reality to the deeper reality, and in effect the '.b.r. is the link or bridge between one sort of reality (e.g., of events) and another reality, ontologically prior and more real. Ibn 'Arabi glosses this concept in this way: And so I have opened up for you the metaphor [i'tibr] according to the shar'ah,[8] and it is the passage [jawz] from the form which manifests its property in the sensory domain [al-hiss] to what is interrelated in your essence, or at the Side of the Real [janb al-haqq], from among that which indicates [dall] God. This is the figurative meaning of the metaphor [i'tibr]. It is like "You have crossed over ['.b.r.] the wadi [arroyo] when you have forded it and traversed it." For Ibn 'Arabi the "crossing over" does not negate or diminish the reality of the "sensory side". As Chittick has demonstrated thoroughly, Ibn 'Arabi is opposed to ta'wl (interpretation) and allegory.[9] We do not find a neo-Platonic or Gnostic denigration of the body in contrast, Ibn 'Arabi's treatment of the fiqh is true to its bodily and "earthy" ground. Ibn 'Arabi does not deal in symbols. Water is a metaphor for knowledge, as we shall see him argue, and the discerning eye will be able to "cross over" from water to knowledge and back again. This crossing over affirms both sides. As Reinhart showed in his study of tahrah,[10] ritual is the central means of re-creating the sacred world, and tahrah as a ritual addresses temporary imbalances (hadath) in order to restore a state of sacred purity which for Ibn 'Arabi is a state conducive to the intimate conversation with God, the salh. Let us take two cases from the issues involving "tayammum" (abluting with clean earth or sand) and a case concerning woman's 'aurah(imperfection/deficiency). In modern Islamicist writings, the subject of "tayammum" has received a line here and there, while the subject of woman's 'aurah has received books upon books, and articles upon articles, and has launched movement after movement. These writings

are a perfect foil for Ibn 'Arabi's work, as he, in great contrast, treats the revelation as entirely meaningful, content with letting God "speak for Himself" in assigning priorities and hierarchies and subjects for reflection.

I The first case under discussion is introduced by Ibn 'Arabi as follows: bb [Chapter/Subject] The 'ulam' of the shar'ah are in accord that tayammum is permitted for the sick and the traveler, if there is an absence of water. And according to us, "or non-use of water", despite its presence, for the sick in whom arises a fear that his sickness would increase, or he would die,[11] on the basis of the arrival of the plain text concerning that. The purification of tayammum is given by the text "Oh you who believe, when you prepare for salh, wash your faces, and your hands to the elbows, rub your heads, and your feet to the ankles. If you are in a state of ritual impurity, wash your entire body. But if you are sick or journeying, or come from excreting, or you have touched women, and find no water, take for yourselves [fa-tayammamu] clean sa'd (earth, sand) and rub therewith your faces and hands. God does not wish to place you in difficulty, but to make you clean" [5:6]. The first issue thefuqah' must deal with is the nature of tayammum and its relationship to the more intelligible forms of tahrah. The modern state 'ulam'conceive of tayammum as a divine emphasis on the importance in Islam of hygiene: This tayammum is a symbolic demonstration of the importance of the ablution, which is so vital for both worship and health. When Islam introduced the repeatable ablution, it brought along with it the best hygienic formula which no other spiritual doctrine or medical prescription had anticipated. [12] Ibn 'Arabi accepts the obvious fact that tayammum has nothing to do with cleanliness, understood as "spotlessness" (nazafah). Nor is it a "symbolic demonstration",[13] some kind of empty gesture. More sophisticatedly, traditional 'ulam' conceived of tayammum as a substitute, but this Ibn 'Arabi rejects as well. Returning to the central text quoted above, Ibn 'Arabi questions the purpose of tahrah (to make you clean) and the relationship of water to tahrah (if you find no water). Then he crosses over. (How does he find this bridge? Through disclosure (kashf), although the crossing over, once discovered, may be articulated.) First, water is knowledge. Knowledge is the means by which one gains access to the divine. Even when knowledge is lacking, we must still approach the divine, or, when we do not find water, we must "take for yourselves clean sand or earth". Second, the earth is tractable and lowly, the lowness where even the soles of the lowly's shoes tread. "Dust" metaphorically warns us about whence we came. So, in the absence of water, humility must suffice. The only humble way to approach God when knowledge is lacking is taqld (following authority), so tayammum crosses over to taqld, and the entire discussion oftayammum may be linked metaphorically with the issue of taqld. There are two routes, then, for attaining a state of purity conducive to the conversation with one's Lord, knowledge (water) and taqld (tayammum). An unacceptable route, in Ibn 'Arabi's thinking, is qiys, the analogical extension of a known text to cover yet another issue which the revelation is "silent" about. For Ibn 'Arabi, there is a legitimate qiys, but only in the sense of extending a command concerning a small issue to include larger issues; in his example, the command prohibiting saying a word of contempt to one's father extends to beating him with a stick. Of course the usual method of qiys is to perform dramatic leaps of logic, which Ibn 'Arabi and his Andalusian near-contemporary Ibn Hazm both denounced with vigor. The key offense in qiys, for Ibn 'Arabi, is its improper appropriation of lordship in creating a legal decision because qiys in effect creates a new text. When arguing that tayammum is not a substitute, Ibn 'Arabi says that it rather is based on a derivation of the property concerning this issue from a plain text in the book or sunnah, inserting the property concerning this issue into a synopsis [mujmal] of that discourse. It is the fiqh [legal discourse] in the religion [dn]. God said, "(Let a contingent from every expedition remain behind) to apply themselves [tafaqquh] to the religion (and admonish the people when they return to them that thus they may learn to guard themselves [against evil])" [9:122] and we do not need deduction [qiys] for that! So, when the text seems to pass over something in silence, technically the maskt, the solution is not in identifying an articulated text(mantq) and performing qiys, but in examining the entire synopsis of the revelation and "understanding and applying" (tafaqqah) the religion. (If this was Fazlur Rahman's life-long thesis, then yet another irony emerges: his dearest thesis found in the sufi thought he wrote off as psycho-sexual irrationality!) Instead, on the hypothetical case of the lawfulness of beating one's father with a stick, Ibn 'Arabi explains that we decide [h.k.m.] with what is mentioned, and it is the word of God: "treat with kindness your parents" [2:83] and the address is undifferentiated [ajmal], so we extract from this synopsis [mujmal] the property about everything which is not a "kindness". Beating with a stick is not one of the kindnesses which has been commanded by the revelation in our relationships with our parents. So we do not decide [h.k.m.] except with the plain text, and we do not need qiys. Tayammum, then, is a tahrah set down by the revelation based on humility, through the metaphor of earth and dust. The issue before us is whether a sick person may do tayammum instead of washing with water. For Ibn 'Arabi, the qualifications of people (sick, female, menstruating, traveling, mature) are bridges. As such, he is not talking about a sick person, or a woman, but the Sick person, or Woman. He now takes the case, outlined in the bb above, and explores its inwardness in the wasl (summary). wasl

Its metaphor in the inwardness is that the "traveler" is a master [shib] of consideration [nazar] concerning proof. He is a traveler with his reflection [fikr] through way-stations of his excursions [manzil muqadimat] and along a path of their hierarchies, so that the property for the issue sought would enter [the path] for him. In this discussion, Ibn 'Arabi links the "traveling as far as China" theme with "traveling". The concept of rihlah (journey), especially as traveling in order to gather hadth from Companions and Successors, also affirms this link. Travelers who do tayammum are searchers for knowledge who follow someone else's authority, at first. Then they find knowledge (water!) and gain a state which is pure from the point of view of the shar'ah and of the intellect the first purity of tayammum was so according to the shar'ah, but not according to the intellect, while the second (with water) is purity from both points of view. Specifically, he says that the master of consideration, even if he believed first through following authority, he [still] desires to investigate the considerative proofs which he believed in [but] not because of doubt, [but] in order to achieve for himself knowledge in the proof which he examines [consideratively, nazar]. And so he emerges from following authority [taqld][14] to knowledge ['ilm]. But among the "travelers", there is a hierarchy. The travelers who were not content with tayammum but sought out water vigorously with their own efforts and through applying their own ideas about how to find this water are below the travelers who based their efforts on practice. The first group are never quite sure whether the water they eventually found was produced by their own efforts or is straight from God. The second group are "upon insight", because their progression to water was through practice ('amal), not consideration (nazar). He writes, And it has been mentioned that "The knowledgeable ['ulam'] are the inheritors of the prophets" and so we call them "'ulam'" and "The prophets did not bequeath dinars and dirhams, but they bequeathed knowledge" and taking [akhdh] knowledge is through spiritual struggle [mujhadah] and practices, also, are a journey. So just as the intellect journeys with its reflective consideration [nazar al-fikri] in the cosmos, the practitioner journeys with his practice, and they both come together at the end result [natjah]. The master of practice is greater as he is "upon insight" in what he knows, and doubt does not enter into him. The master of consideration does not lack doubt entering upon him in his proof. So the master of practice is first in [deserving] the name "knower" compared to the master of consideration. And I will give the discourse about what is permitted in the "journey", and about what is not permitted, in [the chapter on] "the salh of the journeyer" in this book, if God so wills. He continues: The sick is the one to whose primordial nature was not bestowed consideration of proofs; given what he knows of his unfortunate primordial nature, and its inadequacy in reaching the intent [maqsd] with consideration [nazar], rather it is obligatory that he be restrained from consideration and be commanded to follow authority [taqld]. So the "sick" should not attempt to deal with potent waterknowledge. Rather they should remain with taqldtayammum.

II In this next case, Ibn 'Arabi examines the sick person who fears that using cold water would cause harm. He summarizes as follows. bb The 'ulam' of the shar'ah diverge concerning the sick who finds water but fears using it. There is a proponent for permittingtayammum for him, and I argue for it, and he need not repeat [the salh]. And there is a proponent that he shall not do tayammumwith the finding [wujd] of water, regardless of the sickness and the fear about that. And there is a proponent with respect to them both that he do tayammum and he repeat the salh when he finds water. And there is a proponent that he do tayammum, and if he finds water before the departure of the moment[15] he shall do ablution and repeat [the salh], and if he finds water after the departure of the moment he need not repeat [the salh]. The key elements which will undergo "cross over" are "sick" and "fear". The "sick", we have already seen, is "the one to whose inherent nature was not bestowed the [capacity for] consideration [nazar] [of proofs]". Water is available, but the "sick" fears it. Crossed over, this means that "proofs of God" are available, but the "sick" is worried about using them. Ibn 'Arabi says he is "fearful of destruction, and departing from the religion, if he were to examine [nazar] them [the proofs], on account of his inadequacy". Soon after I had first seen this passage, I was teaching fiqh methodology to some students in Malaysia. Some of them, exposed for the first time to the powerful and critical methodology of the traditional fuqaha' , told me they were fearful, in the face of strong, rational fiqhthinking, of their hold on the religion. Although I explained that anyone in a university environment would have to learn to deal with critical thinking, they had unconsciously been aware of the following observation: We have seen the majority of them departing from the religion through consideration [nazar], as their primordial natures were weak and they were presuming themselves to be, in that, upon correct knowledge, and they are as God said: "(Shall We tell you of those whose works are lost? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while) they reckoned that they were doing themselves good by their works" [18:104]. The likes of these took, if they desired deliverance, the articles of faith ['aq'id] through following authority, just as they took the properties through following authority; but they should follow the authority of the people of hadth and no one but them... Upon this [kind of incorrect taqld] are most of the common people, but they realize not. This is the "sick" who finds water but fears using it, in regard to the metaphor [i'tibr]. Ibn 'Arabi mentions briefly here a point whose importance is clear in the terse chapter later on usl al-fiqh (the foundations of Islamic jurisprudence): there, he posits a list of things to do when in doubt. The first response to doubt is taqw, as God promises to teach the one who fears him. The second response is taqld, but one must follow the authority of the ahl al-dhikr (the people of remembrance), which he links to the

scholars of hadth. (Ibn 'Arabi's fondness for hadth is amply demonstrated by Morris' article on "Esotericism".) Under no circumstances does Ibn 'Arabi accept recourse to opinion (ra'y).

III Finally, let us examine his discourse on woman's 'aurah. The profusion of literature and discourse surrounding woman's body and 'aurahis astonishing. Quite clearly, woman's body is the scene of great contestation, and especially so in social and cultural milieus of modernization and its concomitant economic deprivation. Just one factor mentioned in Leila Ahmed's[16] careful study of "fundamentalist" thinking on woman, the dramatic increase of publicly educated young women and the burgeoning surge of unemployed educated young men, is enough to get a grasp of the societal upheavals which sustain "fundamentalism". Sachiko Murata's[17] description of fundamentalist desire, not for the past, but for a supermodern, aggressively masculine society under their domination,[18] similarly goes far in explaining much of the polemics around woman. The standard narrative of woes attending woman's liberation (where glosses of the modern Arabic hurriyah descend rapidly from liberty to licentiousness, wild abandon, and fearful images of gender anarchy i.e., lack of male dominance!) are almost ludicrous in their modern form: First we condone female public exposure; next dating and easy mixing; next, pre-marital "games"; next, extra-marital relations and open marriages; next, the elevation of open homosexuality to an acceptable normal status; and next, uni-sex marriages... The result: broken laws, blood relations torn apart, deep dissatisfaction, a criminal climate, a disquieting sense of insecurity, fear and mutual mistrust, wide-spread corruption, irresponsible strikes, uncontrolled inflation, more frequent cases of rape, and the threat of depression and bankruptcy.[19] Ibn 'Arabi's discussion of man and woman's 'aurah, unusually, is an argument for a completely unique, as far as I know, position. Usually, Ibn 'Arabi argues for a position which others have argued for, adding to its great insights through "crossing over". Even his position that a woman may lead the salh when men are in the ranks, as bizarre as it sounds to most Muslims, is found in a handful of eminent scholars. But what has happened for this case, and which explains why Ibn 'Arabi must be unique in his argument, is that 'aurah has been conflated with covering. He begins, as usual, with a summary of positions. There is a proponent that all of her is 'aurah, except the face and the palms,[20] and there is a proponent for that and additionally that her feet are not 'aurah;[21] there is a proponent that all of her is 'aurah.[22] Then, he gives his argument. Assuming that 'aurah is "fitric", or based on our primordial selves, he naturally turns to a consideration of Adam and Eve. The Qur'an quite clearly describes God's attention to Adam and Eve's well-being, especially in the verse promising further guidance. Adam and Eve were not in a "state of sin", requiring later historical redemption: instead, whatever "lifestyle" they had was by definition "Islamic". This is the background for Ibn 'Arabi's argument. As for our school, the 'aurah is not, for the woman, in fact, anything but the two private parts [sau'ah], as God said, "(When they had tasted of the tree, apparent to them became their private parts) and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over them"[7:22]. It sufficed for Adam and Eve for covering their two private parts, and the two parts are the two 'aurahs. But while Adam and Eve fulfilled the primordial injunctions of the dn al-fitrah (primordial religion), they did not necessarily fulfill prescriptions of later revelations. And here Ibn 'Arabi finds a distinction. Even though the woman is commanded with covering, it is our school that yet [she does not do so] given the fact that it is 'aurah,rather because that is a property set down by the revelation mentioning the covering. It is not imperative that the thing be covered given its [supposedly] being 'aurah. There are numerous hadth concerned with what men, women, children, and elders are supposed to cover with clothes. Implied in Ibn 'Arabi's argument is that these hadth are the dictates for covering of the last shar'ah, but that they are not delimitations of 'aurah. Thus, while a man is enjoined to cover from navel to knees, that area is not necessarily his 'aurah. The importance of this distinction is automatic: it deals with determining the revelation's intent by asking if there are two different categories concerned with covering, that is, the covering of 'aurah (which is primordial) and the covering of the body which is peculiar to this shar'ah (in the way a man having a beard is peculiar to this shar'ah). But the distinction also has societal importance as well. 'Aurah is not simply a dry abstract concept: it carries a sense of shame and embarrassment. To label woman's entirety 'aurah, and even her voice and scent, as some modern groups do, is to erect a massive discourse around woman, her "place", her proper relegation to very private and shameful realms, and so on. That such discourses are sponsored with the semblance of fiqh argument makes it all the more imperative to transform an easily manipulated fossil-like fiqh into atafaqquk rhn (spiritual understanding) along the lines revived by Ibn 'Arabi.[23]

Translation of Tayammum Chapters [370/507] Tayammum is the striving [qasd] for clean earth, whether that earth is from among the [things] called "earth" dust, or sand, or stone, or zarnikh).[24] If any of these things each of them or their like quits the earth, tayammum is not permitted with what quits the earth from among those, except dust specifically, on account of an appearance of a plain text about it and about the earth, whether it quits the earth or does not quit [it]. wasl

Its metaphor in the inwardness: striving for earth is, in respect to its being tractable [dhallan], the absolute striving for servanthood ['ubudiyyah ] absolutely, since servanthood is humility [dhillah], and service ['ibdah] is part of it, so tahrah of the servant is rather fulfilling what the servant is obligated with by way of humility and dependency [on God], and halting upon the formalities of his master and his [master's] limits, and submitting to his commands. If the "rational consideration [nazar]"[25] quits its terrestrial being, then one may not do tayammum with that except with dust, since from dust was created the one of whom we are his offspring [Adam], and what remains thereof, including poverty and indigence, as the saying of the Arabs, "May the hand of the man be dusted",[26] and he became poor. Then, the dust is the lowest of the elements, so the servant halts with his reality in respect to his configuration, his purification being from every hadath ["temporary ritual impurity"] expelling him from this station. And this [occasion for tayammum] does not arise except in the absence of finding [wijdan] water. And water is knowledge, and in knowledge is the life of the heart, just as in water is the life of the earth. And as it [tayammum] is the state of the follower of authority [al-muqallad] concerning knowledge of God, and the follower of authority, according to us, concerning knowledge of God, is the one who follows his intellect in his rational consideration [ nazar] concerning his gnosis in God in respect to his reflection [fikr], and as, when the one doing tayammum finds water, or an amount [sufficient] for his use, tayammum is falsified, so, like that, when the revelation produces some command about divine knowledge, falsified is taqld [following authority] of the intellect for the sake of his rational consideration about knowledge of God for this issue, especially when the return to the revelation with the proof of the intellect is not in accordance with his proof. And so he is a possessor of revelation and intellect simultaneously, in this issue, so understand that! wasl The 'ulam' of the shar'ah are in accord that tayammum is a substitute for the minor tahrah,[27] but they diverge on the major [tahrah,i.e., ghusl]. But we, we do not argue about it that it is a substitute for anything, but rather we argue that it is a tahrah set down by the revelation specified with preconditions given expression by the revelation. It is not mentioned by the Prophet, may God give him blessings and peace, nor by the exalted Book, that tayammum is a substitute. There is no difference between tayammum and every other tahrah set down by the revelation. We rather say "set down by the revelation" since it is not a tahrah linguistically,[28] and I will give [371/510] the detailed explanation [tafsl] in the sections [fasl] of this subject [bb], if God so wills. There is a proponent that this tahrah, meaning the tahrah of dust, is a substitute for the major [tahrah], and there is a proponent that it is not a substitute for the major [tahrah] where the linguistic relationship of "minor" and "major" in tahrah is to the general tahrahof washing the entire body [i.e., ghusl] and to the specific [tahrah] of [washing] some of the bodily parts in wud'; so the "minor" hadath[temporary ritual impurity] is the one obligating wud', and the "major" hadath is every hadath obligating washing. wasl Every hadath maligning faith obligates washing from it with water, which is the renewer of faith in knowledge: if he is one of the people of consideration [ahl al-nazar] concerning intellectual proofs, then he is a believer based on intellectual proof and it is like finding water, an amount [sufficient] for its use. And if he is not one of the people of consideration concerning proofs, but is a follower of authority, tahrah is imposed on him, with faith, from that hadath which removes the faith from him by the [sword] or a good surmise [hasan al-zann]. He is the one doing tayammum with dust in the loss of water, or an absence of an amount [sufficient] for the water to be used. This is according to the school of the one who sees that tayammum is also a substitute for the major tahrah; they see tayammum for the one in a state of janbah [major ritual impurity]. As for the school of the one who does not see that tayammum is a substitute for the major tahrah, he sees that the one in a state of janbah does not do tayammum, like Ibn Mas'ud and others. He is the one who does not see following authority in [matters of] faith, no, inevitably for [matters of] gnosis of God, and he does not obligate him whether it is possible or impossible with considerative proofs. And the majority of the Mutakallimin [proponents of Kalm] argue for it. As for its being meaning tayammum a substitute for the minor tahrah, it is that a hadath maligns for him a designated issue, not faith, in the absence of a plain text from the book or sunnah or consensus [ijma'], concerning that. And so just as permitted for him is tayammum concerning this minor tahrah according to "substitute", permitted for him is deduction [qiys] concerning the property of this issue, on account of the general meaning ['illah al-jmi'ah] between this issue for which there is no property concerning it articulating it [ al-mantq] and the other issue for which there is a property articulated concerning it by the book, or sunnah, or consensus. Our school concerning our argument that tayammum is not a substitute but rather a tahrah set down by the revelation, specified and designated for a specific state; the one who revealed it [also] revealed the use of water for this specified [act of] worship, and it is God and his messenger, may God give him blessings and peace, so it is not a substitute. Rather it is based on a derivation of the property concerning this issue from a plain text in the book or sunnah, inserting the property concerning this issue into a synopsis [ mujmal] of that discourse. It is the fiqh [legal discourse] in the religion [dn]. God said, "(Let a contingent from every expedition remain behind) to apply themselves [tafaqqah] to the religion (and admonish the people when they return to them that thus they may learn to guard themselves [against evil])" [9:122] and we do not need deduction [qiys] for that! The similitude of that [qiys] is a man striking his father with a stick, or whatever it may be. The people of qiys say "There is no plain text, according to us [for this situation]."[29] But as God said "Say not (to your parents) 'oof' [a sound of contempt], nor repel them, (but address them in terms of honor)" [17:23], we argue that when it [the revelation] mentioned the prohibition of saying "oof" and it is a little thing, and beating with a stick is severer the admonishment [tanbh] from the Law-giver is with the lesser toward the uppermost, and so there is inevitably something of qiys on it. The "saying of oof" and the striking with a stick bring together the wrong, so we seek "the striking with a stick" the thing the text has passed over in silence [al-maskt] in the "saying of oof" the thing the text articulated [al-mantq]. We argue, we, that we do not have the exercise of governing control [ tahakkum] over the Law-giver concerning anything [even] among the things it is permitted that we be responsible for,[30] nor do we have the exercise of governing control [with no plain text of the Law-giver], and especially

not in the likes of this. If he will not refer to the articulation [nutq] of the revelation other than this, we do not impose qiys, and we do not argue for it, nor do we augment it from "the saying of oof". Rather we decide [h.k.m.] with what is mentioned, and it is the word of God: "treat with kindness your parents" [2:83] and the address is undifferentiated [ajmal], so we extract from this synopsis [mujmal] the property about everything which is not a "kindness". Beating with a stick is not one of thekindnesses which has been commanded by the revelation in our relationships with our parents. So we do not decide [h.k.m.] except with the plain text, and we do not need qiys. The religion is perfect,[31] and adding to it is not permitted, just as subtracting from it is not permitted. So the one who beats his father with a stick has not treated him kindly, and the one who does not treat his parents kindly has rejected what God commanded of him, that he practice [kindness] toward his parents. And the one who opposes the word of his parents, and does what his parents do not approve of, something which is [nevertheless] permissible for him to leave off, has in fact been disrespectful to them both. And it has been established that disrespect to parents is one of the great sins. For this reason we argue that the tahrah with dust and it istayammum is not a substitute. Rather it is set down by the revelation, just as [the command about] water was revealed. And it has a specific description for [its] practice it is explicated to us that we do not practice it except on the face and hands. Wud' and ghusl are not like that. It is appropriate that the substitute take the place of the thing it is substituting for, and this is the taking the place of the thing it is substituting for in the act. "(God has not made for any man 'two hearts in one body', nor has He made your wives whom you divorce by repudiating them as 'mothers', nor has He made your adopted sons your 'sons'. Such is your manner of speaking, but) God says what is really true and He shows the way" [33:4]. bb The 'ulam' of the shar'ah are in accord that tayammum is permitted for the sick and the traveler, if there is an absence of water. And according to us, [tayammum is permitted... if there is an absence of water] or non-use of water, despite its presence, for the sick in whom arises a fear that his sickness would increase, or he would die,[32] on the basis of the arrival of the plain text concerning that. wasl Its metaphor in the inwardness is that the "traveler" is a master [shib] of consideration [nazar] concerning proof. He is a traveler with his reflection [fikr] through way-stations of his excursions [ manzil muqadimat ] and along a path of their hierarchies, so that the property for the issue sought would enter [the path] for him. The sick is the one to whose primordial nature was not bestowed consideration of proofs; given what he knows of his unfortunate primordial nature, and its inadequacy in reaching the intent [ maqsd] with consideration [nazar], rather it is obligatory that he be restrained from consideration and be commanded to follow authority [taqld]. We have already said in what preceded that the follower of authority concerning faith is like the one doing tayammum with dust, since dust is not for the sake of tahrah meaning [in the sense of] spotlessness [nazafah] like water is. And yet we call it a purification according to the shar'ah meaning dust specifically, in contrast [khilf ][33] with water, and I call it [i.e., purification with water] a purification according to the shar'ah and the intellect. So, the master [372/521] of consideration, even if he believed first through following authority, he [still] desires to investigate the considerative proofs which he believed in [but] not because of doubt, [but] in order to achieve for himself knowledge in the proof which he examines [consideratively, nazar]. And so he emerges from following authority [taqld][34] to knowledge ['ilm]. Or he practices with the authority he was following and so is produced for him by that practice knowledge in God, and thus he differentiates therewith between the real and the false, with a correct insight, not through following authority about it. It is the disclosed [ kashf] knowledge. God said, "Oh you who believe, if you have taqw of God, He will make for you a criterion" [8:29] it is an entity of what we said about it "Be in taqw of God, and He will teach you" [2:282] and He said, "The merciful/who taught the Qur'an/created humankind/taught them the message" [55:1ff.], and He said, "(So they came across one of Our servants,) on whom We had bestowed mercy from. Ourselves and to whom We had taught knowledge from Our presence" [18:65]. And it has been mentioned that "The knowledgeable ['ulam'] are the inheritors of the prophets" and so we call them "'ulam'" and "The prophets did not bequeath dinars and dirhams, but they bequeathed knowledge" and taking [akhdh] knowledge is through spiritual struggle [mujhadah] and practices, also, are a journey. So just as the intellect journeys with its reflective consideration [ nazar al-fikri] in the cosmos, the practitioner journeys with his practice, and they both come together at the end result [ natjah]. The master of practice is greater as he is "upon insight" in what he knows, and doubt does not enter into him. The master of consideration does not lack doubt entering upon him in his proof. So the master of practice is first in [deserving] the name "knower" compared to the master of consideration. And I will give the discourse about what is permitted in the "journey", and about what is not permitted, in [the chapter on] "the salh of the journeyer" in this book, if God so wills. bb The 'ulam' of the shar'ah diverge concerning the sick who finds water but fears using it. There is a proponent for permitting tayammumfor him, and I argue for it, and he need not repeat [the salh]. And there is a proponent that he shall not do tayammum with the finding [wujd] of water, regardless of the sickness and the fear about that. And there is a proponent with respect to them both that he do tayammum and he repeat the salh when he finds water. And there is a proponent that he do tayammum, and if he finds water before the departure of the moment[35] he shall do ablution and repeat [the salh], and if he finds water after the departure of the moment he need not repeat [the salh]. wasl The metaphor of that in the inwardness is that the sick is the one to whose inherent nature was not bestowed the [capacity for] consideration [nazar] [of proofs] he is sick chronically, despite the wujd of proofs, but he was fearful of destruction, and departing from the religion, if he were to examine [nazar] them [the proofs], on account of his inadequacy. We have seen the majority of them departing from the religion through consideration [nazar], as their primordial natures were weak and they were presuming themselves to be, in that, upon correct knowledge, and they are as God said: "(Shall We tell you of those whose works are lost? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while) they reckoned that they were doing themselves good by their works" [18:104]. The likes of these took, if they desired deliverance, the articles of faith ['aq'id] through

following authority, just as they took the properties through following authority; but they should follow the authority of the people of hadth and no one but them. This following of authority of the prophetic hadth concerning God is "upon knowledge of God" concerning it with no allegorical interpretation [ta'wl] through [excessive] designatedtanzh [declaration of incomparability], and no [declaration of] similarities [tashbh]. Upon this [kind of incorrect taqld] are most of the common people, but they realize not. This is the "sick" who finds water but fears using it, in regard to the metaphor [i'tibr]...

Translation of 'Aurah Chapter [VI: 172] The 'ulam' are in accord that it is obligatory to cover the "shameful part" ('aurah), with no divergence, and absolutely. That is, it is a requirement during salh and during other times. I will indicate its limit for the man and for the woman. The metaphor for that in the inwardness is that it is obligatory on every reasoning person to cover the divine mystery which if disclosed, its disclosure would lead someone neither knowledgeable nor reasoning to a lack of reverence [ihtiram] for the divine Side, most mighty, most unapproachable. The reality of 'aurah is "inclination" [mail], and therefore the one who said it said "Truly Our houses are 'aurah (exposed)" [33:13], that is, the inclination was to cancel [their promise] after they had volunteered to go on the expedition. But God called them liars before His messenger, with His words: "Yet they were not 'aurah (exposed): they intended nothing but to run away" [33:13], meaning with this word [those who intended nothing but to run away] from what you [Muhammad] had called them to. And another [meaning of 'aurah] is a'war, a one-eyed man, and indeed his outlook inclines to a single perspective. Likewise, it is appropriate that the knowledgeable person cover before the ignorant person the mysteries of the Real, such as "There is not a secret conversation among three people but God is the fourth" [58:17], and His words, "We are nearer to him than his jugular vein" [50:16], and His words, "I become his ear and his eye and his tongue."[36] In fact, the ignorant person, when he hears that, it leads him to forbidden interpretations [fahm] [about God], like corporeal indwelling [hull] or delimiting [tahdd]. So it is appropriate that what God used to gladden the hearts of the 'ulam' be covered up, and He inclines glorified and exalted be He, praised and sanctified be He in His speeches to things which necessitate God's sublimity of total self-sufficiency and independence from the world, to His words on the tongue of His messenger, may God give him blessings and peace, "I was hungry and you fed Me not, I was sick and you visited Me not, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink. "[37] So let the knowledgeable cover up knowledge of a mystery from the ignorant and not add to what was said by way of explanation [tafsr] by God, just as God covered it [the mystery] with His words "Truly, when there is someone sick, and if you visit him, you will find Me there before him. "[38] This statement is more difficult than the first one, since God has given in this explanation [ tafsr] to the 'ulam' in God another knowledge about Him may He be exalted through it! that they did not previously have, and that is that in the first statement, God made Himself the "sick" and the "hungry" Himself, but in His explanation, God made Himself the "visitor of the sick", in that He was "there before him", in that whoever visits a sick person is in fact "there before him". What a difference between the [second statement and the first statement] where God makes himself the sick person! Each statement is true, and to every truth there is its reality. As for the covering which is for that, before the common person, it is that he should say to him about God's words "you would find Me there before him" that the state of the sick person is always one of dependency and needing the one who has in his hands the cure and he is none other than God! The most part of medicine is remembering God and being patient, in order to repel what has befallen him which is different for healthy people. He has said [for them] "I am sitting with the one who is remembering Me." This is a correct perspective, and the common person will be satisfied with it. But the knowledgeable person will remain with what he knows of that according to his knowledge, and this is the covering of the "divine inclination" from the sight of the common person...

Notes 1. For the spread of Ibn 'Arabi's teachings, see Seyyed Hossein Nasr's (1972) Sufi Essays (London); William C. Chittick (1991) "Ibn 'Arabi and His School", World Spirituality (New York), 49-79; Osman Yahia (1964) Histoire et classification de l'oeuvre d'lbn 'Arabi (Damascus); Masataka Takeshita's Ibn 'Arabi's Theory of the Perfect Man and its Place in the History of Islamic Thought; and for an extensive list of all the'ulam' who have spoken "for" or "against" Ibn 'Arabi's Fuss, see Osman Yahia and Henry Corbin (1975) Le Texte des Textes (Teheran and Paris). 2. See Michel Chodkiewicz (1986) Le Sceau des Saints (Paris), his translation and discussion of Amir 'Abd al-Qadir's "kitb al-mawqif" published in 1982 and entitled crits spirituels, and an article published in 1991 entitled "The Diffusion of Ibn 'Arabi's Doctrine", Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn 'Arabi Society IX: 36-57. 3. See Claude Addas (1989) Ibn 'Arabi, ou la Qute du Soufre Rouge (Paris). 4. William C. Chittick (1989) The Sufi Path of Knowledge (Albany). 5. See also Michel Chodkiewicz, editor (1988) Les Illuminations de La Mecque (Paris). Contributors included Chittick, Morris, Gril, and Cyrille Chodkiewicz. 6. See Michael Sells (1984) "Ibn 'Arabi's Garden Among the Flames", History of Religions 24, 2:287-315; Sells (1988) "Ibn 'Arabi's Polished Mirror: Perspective Shift and Meaning Event", Studia Islamica 62:121- 49; and for mystical language in general, his contribution in Moshe Idel and Bernard McGinn, editors, (1989) Mystical Union and Monotheistic Faith (New York).

7. James Winston Morris (1990) "Ibn 'Arabi's 'Esotericism': The Problem of Spiritual Authority", Studia Islamica 71:37-64. The definitive study of Ibn 'Arabi's interpreters is Morris', published in JAOS numbers 106-7 (1986-7). 8. The Beyazid MS. has "to the extent of your capability in this path may you carry out what you are responsible for through i'tibar". 9. His views on the Btiniyyah heresy are clear. He writes, [They] take the [legal] properties of the shar'ah and discharge them in their inwardnesses, and they left nothing of the properties of the shar'ah for their outwardnesses. They are called Btiniyyah, and they are, in that, in various schools. Imam Abu Hamid indicated, in his book [entitled] Kitb al-Mustazhiri refuting them, something of their schools and has explicated their errors in them. Felicity is with "outward people". They are diametrically opposite "inward people". But felicity, all felicity, is with the group who combine the outward and inward; they are "'ulam' in God" and his [legal] properties. 10. A. Kevin Reinhart (1990) "Impurity/No Danger", History of Religions, 1-24. 11. If he should use the cold water and get chilled. 12. Hammadah Ablati (1975) Islam in Focus (Indiana), 57. 13. One sees yet again the irony of Ibn 'Arabi rejecting the allegories and symbolisms so beloved by modern state fundamentalists, who distort Islam atrociously to make it fit their perversions; this from Ibn 'Arabi, the sufi they love to hate, opposing their pretence with literal and strict exegesis. 14. The Beyazid MS. has "until he emerges from the noose of taqld". 15. Time period, for salh. 16. Leila Ahmed (1992) Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate (New Haven). 17. Sachiko Murata (1992) The Tao of Islam (Albany, NY). 18. "Many Islamic movements in the modern world seem unwilling or unable to grasp the nuanced appreciation of masculine and feminine provided by the intellectual tradition. In some cases we see that Muslims have adopted the worst and most negative tendencies of the modern world as their own... All the problems of the ecological crisis which are the clear results of a negative masculinity run amuck are being adopted with glee... we see a headlong rush into a position of power and domination found in technology." 19. Muhammad Abdul-Rauf (1977) The Islamic View of Women and the Family (New York), 35. 20. For instance, Ibn 'Arabi's contemporary, Imam Nawawi, writes that "The 'aurah of a free woman is all of her body except the face and palms... and Malik says this... as do al-Auza'i and Abu Thaur" in his al-Majmu' III:175. 21. Imam Nawawi records that "Abu Hanifah, al-Thauri, and al-Mazni say her foot is not in fact 'aurah", Majmu' 111:175. 22. Imam Nawawi writes that Ahmad (Ibn Hanbal) says that "All of her body is 'aurah, except her face alone", and "al-Mawardi and al-Mutawali take from Abu Bakr ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Tabi'i (i.e., from the second generation after the Prophet) that all of her body is 'aurah", Majmu' 111:175. 23. Leila Ahmed understands the failing of non-Islamic feminism: "colonialism's use of feminism to promote the culture of the colonizers and undermine native culture has ever since imparted to feminism in non-Western societies the taint of having served as an instrument of colonial domination, rendering it suspect in Arab eyes... That taint has undoubtedly hindered the feminist struggle within Muslim societies." This is Murata's premise too, that "the rigidly 'patriarchal' stress of some contemporary Muslims is to be softened", but "Muslims will be able to do this as Muslims not as imitation Westerners only if they look once again at the spiritual and intellectual dimensions of their own tradition." 24. Yellow and red earth, pigmented by a compound including arsenic. 25. The Beyazid MS. has "earth". 26. The saying is an imprecation which recalls the dusty look of an impoverished person. 27. I.e., wud' 28. Rubbing dust on the face and hands is not an act of cleansing and purification in the customary usage and linguistic sense of the word. 29. Or "We have no plain text". 30. Exercising governing control, i.e., making decisions that the revelation allows us to make. 31. Complete. 32. If he should use the cold water and get chilled.

33. Or "divergence". 34. The Beyazid MS. has "until he emerges from the noose of taqld". 35. Time period, for salh. 36. "My servant continues drawing nearer to Me through supererogatory acts until I love him; and when I love him, I become his ear with which he hears, his eye with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks." See William A. Graham (1977)Divine Word and Prophetic Word in Early Islam (The Hague), 172-4. 37. Graham (1977) 179-80. 38. This hadth quds has been in effect split by Ibn 'Arabi into two columns, the first ("I was hungry") a confusing mystery, the second ("you would find Me there before him") a cover-up explanation which placates the confused person. The format of the entire hadth is"God says on the day of resurrection, 'Oh son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me.' He says, 'Oh my Lord, how could I visit You, when You are the Lord of all beings?' He says, 'Did you not know that My servant so-and-so was sick, and you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you had visited him, you would have found Me with him?' "

Religion and Pluralism in a Divided World

Public lecture by Anwar Ibrahim at the London School of Economics, March 18, 2010 Let me begin with a cryptic line from T.S. Eliots Burnt Norton: Go, go, go, said the bird: Human kind cannot bear very much reality. But I say bear it we must for indeed, it is a stark reality of our world that certain religious groups hold that only certain fundamental doctrines may lead to salvation. This exclusivist outlook unfortunately cuts across the board as between religions as well as within the denominations. In Christendom, we have seen the schisms and consequent upheavals arising from this sense of exclusivity. Within Islam, Sunni, Shiite and Sufi denominations have had a chequered history and continue to present the world with a scenario of violence and bloodshed. The backlash against Muslim migration to Europe has become more acrid in the aftermath of 9/11 and 7/7 with right wing politcal parties benefitting from the new bout of xenophobia and fearmongering. Frances ban on the burqa has elicited heated emotion on both sides, but many Muslims scratched our heads in disbelief when Switzerland outlawed minarets. Back in the 13th century, the mystical poet Jelaluddin al-Rumi wrote in the Masnavi: The lamps are different but the Light is the same, it comes from Beyond; If thou keep looking at the lamp, thou art lost; for thence arises the appearance of number and plurality. Those verses couldnt be more relevant for us today. Despite rancorous debates linking religion to conflict and discrimination, it remains a fact that at a personal level religious experience boils down to certain universal concepts. Where does man come from? What is his purpose? What happens when he dies? The spiritual path subscribes us to a universal quest for truth and the pursuit of justice and virtue. We rejoice in beauty, both within ourselves and in what surrounds us. We long for knowledge, peace and security amid the mysteries and uncertainties of the universe. In our disjointed world filled with ugliness, violence and injustice, religion gives all of mankind an opportunity to realize values which unify humanity, despite the great diversity of climes and cultures. Dante one of the great poets of the Christian tradition had much to say about this issue. Surrounded by civil strife that tore asunder the landscape of his 14th century Italian countryside, Dante was well acquainted with factionalism and the struggles for power between the Lords Temporal and the Lords Spiritual. Seeing the damage inflicted by the attempts to overcome these divisions he perceived a solution that was not merely political in nature. Writing in Monarchia he said that the ultimate aims in life are twofold happiness in this worldly life as well as happiness in the eternal life basking in the vision of God. The attainment of these two goals would come with great difficulty: only when the waves of seductive greed are calmed and the human race rests free in the tranquillity of peace. Dantes vision of universal peace could be achieved only when the nations of the world unite in an undivided planetary polity. This was surely a utopian dream but being European it is worth noting that his dream was not of an imperial Europe. Nor did he envision the Church expanding beyond its walls. The ruling authority in this utopian landscape would be the faculty of human reason, linking Dantes vision directly to the philosophical outlook of Muslim luminaries including al-Farabi and Ibn Rushd. Of course such a new world order never materialized. On the contrary if there is an enduring legacy of Enlightenment thought on the political geography of the world it is the dissection of empires and dynasties into individual, competing nation states rather than a greater unification. Much blood was spilled to create and then protect these boundaries. Despite attempts by some to purify their lands, the boundaries drawn around the nation-state have been blurred by the advent of modern transportation and communication. Todays world is perhaps more diverse and integrated than was the case in the golden age of Muslim Spain, where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived in peaceful harmonious coexistence. And yet we can hardly say that the overwhemling result of this new connectivity is peace and harmony.

Today, freedom of religion without which there can be no religious pluralism, is an entrenched constitutional liberty in the established democracies. As such, favouring one religion over another or granting it a position at the expense of others may be considered as being against the spirit of religious pluralism. Yet this still happens even in certain established democracies in Europe while in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia this ambivalence has been virtually taken for granted until recently. This is why the discourse on religious pluralism must deal with the fundamental question of freedom of religion and by association the freedom of conscience. The question arises as to whether it is the diversity of religions which makes the divided world more divided or the denial of religious freedom that causes it. I believe Im not alone in saying that for religious pluralism to flourish in a divided world, it is morally unacceptable to say to people of other faiths: We believe in our God and we believe we are right; you believe in your God, but what you believe in is wrong. If the Quranic proclamation that there is no compulsion in religion is to mean anything then it must surely be that imposition of ones faith unto others is not Islamic. But to say this is not to deny the reality of religious diversity for the Quran also tells us clearly: O people! Behold, we have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes to that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware. The Guru Granth Sahib tells us that he who sees that all spiritual paths lead to the One shall be freed but he who utters falsehood shall descend into hellfire and burn. The blessed and the sanctified are those who remain absorbed in Truth. Whatever the religion, whether it be Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and many others, I believe that the higher truths which go beyond mere practice and ritual all converge on the singular truth: and that is from God we were sent forth and unto God shall we return. Yet certain leaders of the major world religions continue to make exclusivist claims to the eternal truths rather than accepting the commonality that binds us. If we accept that there can be unity in diversity, religious pluralism can therefore be a unifying force, not a cause of division. That is the way to take us away from darkness into light, from war to peace and from hatred and evil to love and kindness. As for Muslims, there continues to be the problem of those who reject the value of free speech, free press, democracy, and freedom of conscience. They see the culture of religious pluralism as part of a grand conspiracy by others particularly Christians to proselytize and convert Muslims. Pluralism is also a ploy of smuggling Western-style democracy through the back door. But this is actually an aberration when it comes to the application of Muslim jurispriudence. Outside certain concerns of public policy there is no religious obligation upon Muslims to impose the laws and values of Muslims on the entire society. The Ottoman millet system is but one example of a system crafted by a Muslim state which was grounded in the principle of respect the recognized the rights of non-Muslims to follow freely the dictates of their religion. It was recognised that this was essential to maintain harmony in a pluralistic environment of an expanding empire. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah, an eight century Hanbali legal scholar offers us a more vivid case. In the case of the Zoroastrian practice of self-marriage whereby men are encouraged to marry their mothers, this is an act deemed morally repugnant from the Muslim perspective. When asked whether the Muslim state should recognise such unions, however, al-Jawziyah affirmed the rights of the Zoroastrians provided their cases not be presented in a Muslim court and that the said practices are deemed permissible within their own legal tradition. So, he said, the Muslim state has no business to interfere. It is unfortunate that some of the wisdom of Islams classical scholarship are forgotten. Ideological rigidity remains the stumbling block to progress and reform. Muslims must break free from the old practices of clich-mongering and name calling, move beyond tribal or parochial concerns. A rediscovery of the religions inherent grasp of pluralism is very much in need. The Quran declares: Say He is Allah, the One, Allah, the eternally besought of all. One of the greatest medieval Torah scholars, Maimonides, also known by the Arabic moniker Ab? ?Imr?n M?s? bin ?Ubaidall?h Maim?n al-Qur?ub?, in expounding the unity of God in Judaism said: God is one and there is no other oneness like His. With reference to the phrase hallowed be thy name from the Lords Prayer (Matt. 6:9), the late Swami Prabhavananda wrote that Gods name can be viewed as a mantra, the repetition of which both confers spiritual power and purifies the aspirants heart and mind. By means of this practice, Gods name is experienced as living and conscious, as one with Godand illumination is attained. Historically, Muslims viewed the Quran as addressing the intellect as well as the spirit. It set out the order in the universe, the principles and certitudes within it, and demanded a thorough examination of them so that we can be certain of the validity of its claims and message. This pursuit would inevitably lead to the realization of the eternal principles of the Divine Unity which in turn springs forth from the Divine Laws. But the Shariah was never cast in stone and evolves continuously through this dynamic process. In order to maintain a middle ground, the essential ingredients of an Islamic methodology must then be conceived in a holistic perspective which will be universal and eternal in appeal. It is said that pluralism in a divided world serves only to cement the schisms leading to the tired and tiring refrain of the clash of civilizations akin to the beating of an antique drum. This seems to be the metaphor that appeals to the imagination of historians and political scientists. The upshot is a clash of visions of history, perceptions, and images which in turn brings about differing and often opposing interpretations, not just of history, but world views. Nevertheless, as Eliot says: History may be servitude, History may be freedom

We should therefore disabuse ourselves of this notion of the clash between civilizations and refocus our attention on the clash that has been brewing within the umma. We see a more dangerous and portentous clash as one that is intra-civilizational between the old and the new, the weak and the strong, the moderates and the fundamentalists and between the modernists and the traditionalists. If we look at history as servitude, we could gloss over the historical perspective and consign it to the realm of academia on the ground that we are already in the 21st century. Turkey and Indonesia are clearly blazing the trail of democracy for other Muslim nations to follow. The impending accession of Turkey into the European Union is also a clear statement of the level of liberal democracy attained though unfortunately the obstacles thrown in the way by some member countries is very telling of the state of Islamophobia. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia has already reached the finishing line while her Muslim neighbors are still stuck at the starting block. So history is indeed freedom if indeed we are prepared to learn its lessons. Today, jihad has been invoked by certain quarters to legitimize acts of violence in varied forms and guises, blurring the line between jihad and terrorism. Thanks to the Obama administration, we have seen some palpable change from the Bush policy of selective ambivalence in the war on terror, supporting autocrats in the Muslim world on the one hand, and championing the cause of freedom and democracy on the other. Although after more than a year since the administration took office we have yet to see substantive changes in the substance of American foreign policy with the Muslim world. Within Islam, freedom is considered one of the higher objectives of the divine law in as much as the very same elements in a constitutional democracy become moral imperatives in Islam freedom of conscience, freedom to speak out against tyranny, a call for reform and the right to property. In closing permit me once again to draw on my perpetual reserve in Eliots Four Quartets: What we call the beginning is often the end And to make and end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

Mankinds Debt to the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] In certain parts of the world, people enjoy freedom of conscience and choice, are free to lead their lives in peace and amity, to devote their energies to teaching and preaching, researching and making new discoveries. Yet even these parts of the world have not always been so tolerant, nor free from strife, nor disposed towards the co-existence of different peoples, sects and groups, still less sufficiently broad-minded, to accommodate differences of opinion. Mankind has seemed, many times, to be bent upon self-destruction, and passed through stages when, by its own misdeeds, it has forfeited any right to survival. Men have sometimes behaved like crazed and ferocious beasts, flinging all culture and civilization, arts, literature, decency, the canons of moral and civil law, to the winds. All of us know that the writing of history is of a relatively recent origin. The pre-historic era was very much longer. The decline of mankind when it relapsed into savagery was by no means an agreeable task for historians and writers to record. Nevertheless, we do find narratives of the downfall of empires and the decay of human society, told at long intervals in the pages of history. The first of these date from the fifty century A.D. some are briefly touched and upon here. H.G. Wells, the well-known historian, writes about the decay of the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires as follows: Science and political philosophy seemed dead now in both these warring and decaying empires. The last philosophers of Athens, until their suppression, preserved the text of the great literature of the past with an infinite reverence and want of understanding. But there remained no class of men in the world, no free gentleman with bold and independent habits of thought to carry on the tradition of frank statement and inquiry embodied in these writings. The social and political chaos accounts largely for the disappearance of the class, but there was also another reason why the human intelligence was sterile and feverish during this age of intolerance. Both empires were religious empires in a new way, in a way that greatly hampered the free activities of the human mind.1

The same writer, after describing the onslaught of the Sassanids on Byzantium and their eventual victory, comments on the social and moral degradation to which both these great nations had fallen: A prophetic amateur of history surveying the world in the opening of the seventh century might have concluded very reasonably that it was only a question of a few centuries before the whole of Europe and Asia fell under Mongolian domination. There were no signs of order or union in Western Europe, and the Byzantine and Persian empires were manifestly bent upon mutual destruction. India also was divided and wasted. Another writer, Robert Briffault strikes a similar note: From the fifth to the tenth century Europe lay sunk in a night of barbarism which grew darker and darker. It was a barbarism far more awful and horrible than that of the primitive savage, for it was the decomposing body of what had once been a great civilization. The features and impress of that civilization were all but completely effaced. Where its development had been fullest, e.g., in Italy and Gaul, all was ruin, squalor and dissolution. The Civilizations nurtured by ancient religions were disintegrating; this according to J.H. Denison. In Emotion as the Civilization, he writes: In the fifth and sixth centuries the civilized world stood on the verge of chaos. The old emotional cultures that had made civilization possible, since they had given to men a sense of unity and of reverence for their rulers, had broken down, and nothing had been found adequate to take their place ... It seemed then that the great civilization which it had taken four thousand years to construct was on the verge of disintegration, and that mankind was likely to return to that condition of barbarism when every tribe and sect was against the next, and law and order was unknown ... The old tribal sanctions had lost their power ... The new sanctions created by Christianity were working division and destruction instead of unity and order. It was a time fraught with tragedy. Civilization, like a gigantic tree whose foliage had overarched the world and whose branches had borne the golden fruits of art and science and literature, stood tottering ... rotten to the core. At a time when mankind and human civilization were on the edge of destruction, the Lord and Creator of the word caused a man to be born in Arabia who was entrusted with the most difficult task: not only to rescue mankind from imminent destruction but also to raise it to sublime height, heights hitherto beyond the knowledge of historians and the imagination of poets. If there were not incontrovertible historical evidence to demonstrate his achievements, it would be difficult to believe such greatness. This man was Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was born in the sixth century. He saved mankind from imminent danger, gave it new life, new ambition, fresh energy, a revitalised sense of human dignity and intellect, as also a new found idealism. It was because of him that a new era came about, an era of spirituality in art and literature, of personal sincerity and selfless service of others, all of which produced an ordered, graceful and kindly culture. His most precious gifts to man were his devotion to righteousness and aversion to evil, his hatred of false gods and a passion for establishing justice and morality, and a readiness to lay down ones life for these righteous goals. Such goals ultimately are the fountainhead and incentive for all reforms and improvements. Whatever great and sublime heights man has attained have been the result of such noble sentiments indeed, all material resources, means and methods owe their existence to human will and determination. That great benefactor of humanity replaced barbarism and brutality with the milk of human kindness, magnanimity and courtesy. He struggled unceasingly for the propagation of his noble teachings with complete disregard for his own self, his life or prestige. Precisely because of this struggle, there arose from among an uncivilized and ill-mannered people noble-hearted men who led a graceful and kindly life, men who started a new era of

courtesy and warmth in human history, who engendered gentleness and goodness in those around them. The world obtained a fresh lease of life; justice and fairness became its hallmark; the weak were emboldened to claim their rights from the haughty and strong; mercy and kindness became the norms. It was a time when humanitarianism became a driving force, faith and conviction captured human hearts, mankind began to take pride in selflessness, and virtuous behaviour became habitual with people. We list below, in brief, the precious gifts of Islam which have played a key role in the advancement of human values and culture. A new and bright world, quite different from the decaying and disintegrating humanity at the time of its advent, came into being as a result of these Islamic contributions: 1. The clear and unambiguous creed of the Oneness of God. 2. The concept of human equality and brotherhood. 3. The concept of human dignity and man being the masterpiece of Gods creation. 4. Acknowledgement of the proper status of women and the restoration of their legitimate rights. 5. The rejection of despair and the infusion of hope and confidence in human beings. 6. The fusion of the secular and the sacred, the refusal to accept any cleavage between them. 7. The integration of religion and knowledge, making one dependent on the other and raising respect for knowledge by declaring it a means of attaining nearness to God. 8. Emphasis on the use of intellectual faculties in religious and spiritual matters and encouraging the study and contemplation of natural phenomena. 9. Charging the followers of Islam with the responsibility of spreading virtue and goodness in the world, and making it a duty incumbent on them to restore truth and justice. 10. The establishment of a universal creed and culture. I will not elaborate upon these points here. Instead, I would rather cite a few eminent western thinkers and writers who have acknowledged these virtues of Islam. one of the bases of culture and civilization something that enhances gentility, and refinement, civility in conduct as well as in literature is the acknowledgement of a truth, appreciation of the great achievements of others and returning thanks to those who have done us any favour. The day this noble sentiment is expelled from our lives, literature, ethical standards, intellectual labours, even the right of expressing our thoughts freely, will become meaningless. It will not be a world to live in and die for. It will be a world of beasts and brutes where the ruling passion is to fend for oneself alone. No sentiment will remain except the fulfilment of carnal desires. All rightly ordered relationships between teacher and taught, benefactor and beneficiary, physician and patient, even between parents and children, will peter out and lose their significance. Gratitude, as defined by William H. Davidson, a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, is a spontaneous and natural sentiment generated by the kindness and benefit conferred by someone. It is a human virtue, at once abiding and universal. Davidson in this respect says: Gratitude has been defined as that delightful emotion of love to him who has conferred a kindness on us, the very feeling of which is itself no small part of the benefit conferred. Gratitude is an unselfish joyous response to kindness a response that is immediate and spontaneous; the ultimate meaning of which is that human nature is so constituted that affection and unity between persons is the foundation of it, ill-will and enmity (all indications to the contrary notwithstanding) being abnormal and depraved.5 Ingratitude is, thus, a moral depravity and a perversion of human nature, a sign of benumbed human conscience. The lowest depth to which this immorality can fall is the ingratitude shown to founders of religion, the teachers of morals and the greatest benefactors of humanity. Grotesque parody in deliberately offensive language is not appropriate from

anyone, let alone of those noble souls who have founded religions, for it hurts the feelings of millions who not only follow them but who are also willing to lay down their lives for them. Efforts at such offensiveness also entail a denial of truth. No cultured people, country or society should tolerate or defend anyone so depraved and unmannerly, who possesses no conscience. Now let us refer to the compliments paid to the greatest benefactor of humanity by a few eminent men of letters from this part of the world where I am speaking. One of these candid men, Lamartine of France, says in his tribute to the prophethood of Muhammad (peace the upon him): If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammed? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls. On the basis of a Book, every letter of which has become law, he created a spiritual nationality which blended together peoples of every tongue and of every race. He has left us as the indelible characteristic of his Muslim nationality, the hatred of false gods and the passion for the One and immaterial God. This avenging patriotism of Heaven formed the virtue of the followers of Mohammad; the conquest of one-third of the earth to this dogma was his miracle; or rather it was not the miracle of man but that of reason. The idea of the unity of God, proclaimed amidst the exhaustion of fabulous the genies, was in itself such a miracle that upon its utterance from his lips it destroyed all the ancient temples of idols and set on fire one-third of the world. John William Draper, the reputed author of A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, writes: Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia, the man who, of all men, has exercised the greatest influence upon the human race. He says further: Muhammad possessed that combination of qualities which more than once has decided the fate of empires ... Asserting that everlasting truth, he did not engage in vain metaphysics, but applied himself to improving the social condition of the people by regulations respecting personal cleanliness, sobriety, fasting and prayer. The great historian-philosopher of this century, A.J. Toynbee, is on record as saying that: The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue.9 It is a strange coincidence that over a hundred years ago Thomas Carlyle chose Muhammad (peace the upon him) as the supreme hero, and now, in the closing decades of the twentieth century, Michael H. Hart of the United States of America has prepared a list of 100 most influential persons in history, placing the Prophet at the top. The Prophet of Islam and his followers conferred favours on humanity which have played an unforgettable role in the promotion and development of culture and civilization. We will mention here only two of these, amply supported by historical evidence. Students of history are aware that in the thirteenth century the civilized world, divided by the two great religions,Christianity and Islam, was suddenly confronted with a situation which threatened the imminent destruction of both the then vast empires, their arts and sciences, their cultures and morals. In short, all that the human race had laboriously achieved during the past hundreds of years once again faced its reduction to barbarism. This was brought

about by the sudden rise of Genghis Khan (Tamuchin), a chieftain of the nomadic Mongol tribes, who possessed remarkable qualities of leadership and was able to subdue all that sat in his way. In 619/1219, Genghis Khan turned towards the western and northern civilized countries, ravaging them with fire and sword. How severe a blow the Mongol invasion dealt to all social and cultural progress can be gauged by a few graphic descriptions of Mongol rapine and slaughter, as given by Harold Lamb, Genghis Khans biographer: "cities in his path were often obliterated, and rivers diverted from their courses; deserts were peopled with the fleeing and dying, and when he had passed, wolves and ravens often were the sole living things in once populated lands. And consternation filled all Christendom, a generation after the death of Genghis Khan, when the terrible Mongol horsemen were riding over western Europe, when Boleslas of Poland and Bela of Hungary fled from stricken fields, and Henry, Duke of Silesia, died under the arrows with his Teutonic Knights at Liegnitz12 sharing the fate of the Grand-Duke George of Russia.13 Such details are too horrible to dwell upon today. It was a war carried to its utmost extent an extent that was very nearly approached in the last European War. It was the slaughter of human beings without hatred simply to make an end of them. Unchecked by human valour, they were able to overcome the terrors of vast deserts, the barriers of mountains and seas, the severities of climate, and the ravages of famine and pestilence. No danger could appeal them, no stronghold could resist them, no prayer for mercy could move them. His achievement is recorded for the most part by his enemies. So devastating was his impact upon civilization that virtually a new beginning had to be made in half the world. The empires of Chathay, of Prester John, of Black Cathay, of Kharesem, and after his death the Caliphate of Baghdad, of Russia and for a while the principalities of Poland, ceased to be. When this indomitable barbarian conquered a nation all other warfare come to an end. The whole scheme of things, whether sorry or otherwise, was altered, and among the survivors of a Mongol conquest peace endured for a long time. Harold Lamb correctly says that the impact of the Mongols, brought about by Genghis Khan, has been well summed up by the authors of the Cambridge Medieval History in these words: This new power in history the ability of one man to alter human civilization began with Genghis Khan and ended with his grandson Kublai, when the Mangol empire tended to break up. It has not reappeared since. The terror of the Mongol invasion was not confined to Turkistan, Iran and Iraq alone.Mongol atrocities provoked trembling even in far-off corners of the world where they could hardly have been expected to carry their arms. Edward Gibbon writes in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Latin world was darkened by this cloud of savage hostility; a Russian fugitive carried the alarm to Sweden; and the remote nations of the Baltic and the ocean trembled at the approach of the Tartars, whom their fear and ignorance were inclined to separate from the human species. The Mongols first attacked Bukhara and razed it to dust. Not a single soul was spared by them. Thereafter, they laid Samarkand to ruin and massacred its entire population. The same was the fate of other urban centres in the then Islamic world. The Tartars would indeed have most probably devastated the whole of Christendom (then divided politically and suffering from numerous social evils), as stated by H.G. Wells: A prophetic amateur of history surveying the world in the opening of the seventh century might have concluded very reasonably that it was only a question of a few centuries before the whole of Europe and Asia fell under Mongolian domination. Harold Lamb also writes:

We only know that the German and Polish forces broke before the onset of the Mongol standard, and were almost exterminated; Henry and his barons died to a man, as did the Hospitallers .. In less than two months they had overrun Europe from the headwaiters of the Elbe to the sea, had defeated three great armies and a dozen smaller ones and had taken by assault all the towns excepting Olmutz. Then a miraculous event changed the course of history. It not only allowed the civilized world to heave a sigh of relief but also permitted culture and civilization to be built afresh. The hearts of the indomitable Mongols were captured by the faith of their subjects who had lost all power and prestige. Arnold writes in The Preaching of Islam: In spite of all difficulties, however, the Mongols and savage tribes that followed in their wake were at length brought to submit to the faith of those Muslim peoples whom they had crushed beneath their feet. The names of only a few dedicated servants of Islam who won the savage Tartars to their faith are known to the world, but their venture was no less daring nor the achievement less significant than a great and successful reform movement. Their memory shall always be cherished as much by the Muslims, as by Christendom, or rather by all mankind, since they rescued the world from the barbarism of a savage race, the insecurity of widespread upheaval, and allowed it to once again devote its energies to the establishment of social and political stability. Normalcy thus restored, the world was allowed to resume its journey of cultural development and the promotion of arts and crafts, learning and teaching, preaching and writing. After the death of Genghis Khan, his vast conquests were divided into four dominions headed by his sons children. The message of Islam then began to spread among all these four sections of the Mongol empire and before long all were converted to Islam. The Tartars not only accepted Islam but a number of great scholars, writers, poets, mystics and fighters in the way of God, rose from amongst them. Their conversion to Islam completely changed their outlook and disposition as also their attitude towards humanity and civilization. This, in turn, benefited not only the Islamic East but also Christendom and even India. The Tartars made nine or ten attempts to capture India during the thirteenth century but the Sultans of Turkish descent, among whom Alauddin Khilji (d. 716/1316) and his commander Ghiyathuddin Tughluq (d. 716/1316) and his commander Ghiyathuddin Tughluq (d. 725/1324) were the more prominent, repelled them on each occasion. It was on account of them that the cultural and intellectual heritage of this ancient and prosperous country was saved from destruction and the two great religions, Islam and Hinduism, continued to flourish there. This achievement of Islam, the transformation of the Tartars into a civilized people, was a service of a defensive nature rendered to humanity in general, and to the West in particular. Another accomplishment of Islam, in contrast to the one just described, was its introduction of a new way of thinking and learning. It was like a flash of light in the Dark Ages of Europe one which paved the way for its Renaissance. It transformed not only Europe but helped the entire human race to benefitted from new researches and discoveries. A new era of empirical sciences was inaugurated which has changed the face of the earth. The intellectual patrimony of the ancients (consisting of philosophy, mathematics and medicine) found it way to Europe through Muslim Spain. This intellectual gift consisted of observation and experiment a replacement of inductive logic with deductive logic where by Europes whole way of thinking was changed. Science and technology were the main fruits. All the discoveries made by European scientific explorations in short, whatever success has so far been achieved in harnessing the forces of nature are directly related to inductive reasoning, not known to Europe until it was bequeathed to it by Muslim Spain. The noted French historian, Gustave Ie Bon, writes of the Arab contribution to Modern Europe:

Observation, experimentation and inductive logic which form the fundamentals of modern knowledge are attributed to Roger Bacon but it needs to be acknowledged that this process of reasoning was entirely an Arab discovery. Robert Briffault has also reached the same conclusion, for he says: There is not a single aspect of European growth in which the decisive influence of Islamic civilization is not traceable. He further says: It is not science only which brought Europe back to life. Other and manifold influences from the civilization of Islam communicated its first glow to European life. Those who have studied the history of the Catholic Church and the Reformation are aware of the profound effect Islamic teachings had on the minds of those who initiated reform in Christendom. We can, for example, see the influence of Islam reflected in the thought of Martin Luthers (1483-1546) Reformation movement. The revolt against autocratic leadership in the Catholic Church in medieval Europe also reveals the influence of Islam, which had no organised church. It is, thus, our moral duty to acknowledge both these great favours conferred by Islam which have had a revolutionary impact on the world. When we speak of those who conferred these gifts or reassess their achievements we must at least keep in mind the rules of courtesy which have been accepted by all nations and cultured peoples and schools of thought. We should not abandon the norms of politeness, moderation, dignity and truthfulness, for these have been commended by the scriptures of all religions, moral treatises, as also by great writers and critics. It is on such civilized behaviour that good relations between different religions, communities and peoples depend, such behaviour alone makes possible a purposeful dialogue between people holding different views. In its absence, all serious writings, critiques and reviews must degenerate into obscene and sensational novels, vulgar and outrageous parodies. Such writings can unleash negative and disruptive forces, not only contemptible in themselves and harmful to serious intellectual endeavour, but also likely to embitter relations between different nations and countries. The argument that any restraint placed on freedom of expression amounts to coercion, restriction of personal freedom, or interference in the rights of individuals under the constitution of an independent country, is simply untenable. The obscene and offensive description of the benefactors of mankind, prophets and reformers, particularly if such narration is against the established facts of history, hurts the feelings of millions who respect and revere them and is also likely to cause disharmony between different groups within a country or even between countries. It is an intolerable infringement of moral values, an offense against humanity, that should not be overlooked by any peace-loving nation upholding the value of harmonious co-existence between its different ethnic and religious communities. Western political thinkers, too, do not subscribe to such an unlimited right of freedom of expression. They have argued that such unlimited liberty would be even more harmful than the limits placed on freedom of expression. The subject might be treated at great length, but I will cite here only two authorities who have explained why limitations on freedom of expression are essential for the maintenance of public order. Isaiah Berlin explains the two concepts of liberty in these words: To protest against the laws governing censorship or personal morals as intolerable infringements of personal liberty presupposes a belief that the activities which such laws forbid are fundamental needs of men as men, in a good (or, indeed, any) society. To defend such laws is to hold that these needs are not essential, or that they cannot be satisfied without sacrificing other values which come higher satisfy deeper needs than individual freedom, determined by some standard that is not merely subjective, a standard for which some objective status in principle or a priori is claimed.

The extent of mans or a peoples liberty to choose to live as they desire must be weighed against the claims of many other values, of which equality, or justice, or happiness, or security, or public order are perhaps the most obvious examples. For this reason, it cannot be unlimited.26 A speech delivered in the American Senate by Blackstone in 1897 and which forms the basis of American law on the subject, says about freedom of expression: Every free man has an undoubted right in law to air what sentiment he pleases before the public; to forbid this is to destroy the freedom of the press : but if he publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequences of his own temerity. To subject the press to the restrictive power of a licenser .. is to subject all freedom of sentiment to the prejudices of one man, and make him the arbitrary and infallible judge of all controversial points in learning, religion and Government. But to punish .. any dangerous or offensive writings which when published, shall on fair and impartial trial be adjudged of pernicious tendency, is necessary for the preservation of peace and good order, of Government and religion, the only solid foundations of civil liberty. Thus, the will of individuals is still left free; the abuse only of that free will is the object of legal punishment.27 I would like to conclude my talk with an exhilarating poem by Iqbal, the poet of the East, as he is known in the Muslim world, in which he enchantingly depicts the great favours conferred on humanity by the prophethood of Muhammad (on whom be the peace and blessings of God) favours which are unique and unparallaled: Touched by the breath of the unlettered one, The sands of Arabia began to sprout tulips. Freedom under his care was reared The today of nations comes from his yesterday. He put heart in the body of man, And from his face the veil he lifted. Every god of old he destroyed. Every withered branch by his moisture bloomed. The heat of the battle of Badr and Hunain, Haider and Siddiq, Farooq and Hussain. In the thick of battle the majesty of Azan, The recitation of As-Saffat28 at the point of sword. The scimitar of Ayub, the glance of Bayazid, Key to the treasures of this world and the next. Ecstasy of heart and mind from the same goblet, Fusion of Rumis rapture and Razis thought. Knowledge and wisdom, faith and law, polity and rule. Yearnings hidden within the restless hearts. Al-Hamara and Taj of beauty breath-taking. To which even angels pay tribute. These, too, a fragment of his priceless bequest, Of his glimpses just one glimpse. His exterior these enthralling sights, Of his interior even the knowledge unaware. Boundless praise be to the Apostle blessed, Who imparted faith to elevate a handful of dust.
Kami mengecam serangan ke atas saudara kami penganut agama Kristian dan ke atas beberapa gereja di Malaysia. Serangan terbaru ke atas All Saints Church di Taiping juga merupakan satu serangan terhadap salah satu warisan negara.

Sebagai sebuah negara kita masih bergelut untuk menjunjung semangat perpaduan yang dicita-citakan oleh pejuang kemerdekaan negara ini. Saya menyeru agar kita semua akur dengan Perkara 11 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menjamin kebebasan beragama dan hak penganut agamaagama itu untuk menjaga hal ehwal agama mereka masing-masing. Ketika ini semangat musyawarah dan dialog mestilah mengatasi suara-suara mereka yang mahu memecah belahkan kerukunan rakyat serta meniup api permusuhan di negara ini. Rakyat Malaysia mestilah bersatu menentang mereka yang mahu memperalatkan sentimem perkauman sempit dan agama untuk menyemarakkan kebencian demi laba politik puak-puak tertentu. Kita mestilah memperkukuh tekad mempertahan kebebasan beragama. Kejadian ini merupakan satu ujian terhadap keazaman semua agama dan kepercayaan yang mahukan keamanan dan rasa saling hormat menghormati. Kita seharusnya sedar Tuhan yang kita sembah merupakan, Tuhan yang sama, Allah SWT, Tuhan yang memelihara dan mentadbirkan sekalian alam. Sejarah menunjukkan kepada kita selama 14 abad ini, Muslim yang bertutur dalam bahasa Arab, penganut Kristian dan bangsa Yahudi, masingmasing menyembah Tuhan yang dikenal sebagai Allah. Sementara diakui keresahan umat Islam di Malaysia terhadap penggunaan kalimah Allah di kalangan penganut agama lainnya, tindakan seumpama menyerang gereja dan mengadakan protes hanya membantut usaha mencari penyelesaian. Jalan terbaik adalah melalui rundingan dan dialog antara agama. Saya mengajak umat Islam untuk kembali kepada ayat al Quran yang menyeru kita untuk hidup dalam kerukunan dan saling mengenali di antara agama. Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Wahai Ahli Kitab, marilah kepada satu Kalimah yang bersamaan antara kami dengan kamu, iaitu kita semua tidak menyembah melainkan Allah. (Ali-Imran, 3:64) Dan sepertimana yang termaktub di dalam surah al- Ankabut: Dan janganlah kamu berbahas dengan Ahli Kitab melainkan dengan cara yang lebih baik, kecuali orang-orang yang berlaku zalim di antara mereka; dan katakanlah (kepada mereka): Kami beriman kepada (Al-Quran) yang diturunkan kepada kami dan kepada (Taurat dan Injil) yang diturunkan kepada kamu; dan Tuhan kami, juga Tuhan kamu, adalah Satu; dan kepadaNyalah, kami patuh dengan berserah diri. (al-Ankabut, 29:46) Nabi Isa al Masih merupakan antara Rasul Ulul Azmi yang begitu dikasihi umat Islam. Saidina Umar r.a yang melawati Gereja Holy Sepulcher pada tahun 638 masehi, menggesa umat Islam untuk menghormati tempat peribadatan dan suci penganut agama Kristian. Oleh itu adalah tidak munasabah apabila pihak Polis teragak-agak untuk memberi jaminan keselamatan kepada gereja-gereja di seluruh negara. Api kebencian ini bolehlah ditudingkan kepada kegagalan Barisan Nasional yang diketuai Umno. Propaganda Umno yang berteraskan perkauman sempit terutamanya apabila berhadapan dengan isu penggunaan kalimah Allah serta retorika media yang dikongkong kerajaan, seperti Utusan Malaysia, yang meniupkan api kebencian, sewajarnya dipersalahkan berikutan dari serangan tersebut. Provokasi mereka bukan sahaja salah dari sudut undang-undang malah menzahirkan kempen 1Malaysia yang tidak tuntas serta bermuka-muka. Walaubagaimanapun saya terharu dan gembira kerana serangan tersebut dikecam keras oleh organisasi Islam dan pimpinan umat. Saya juga menyambut baik saranan wakil-wakil penganut Kristian yang menyeru agar sentiasa bertenang dan menolak sebarang tindakan pembalasan serta keganasan. Kejadian mutakhir ini menuntut kita agar segera memberi perhatian terhadap keperluan dialog antara agama. Semangat persaudaraan yang disarankan agama kita serta Perlembagaan Persekutuan perlu disemarakkan. Pakatan Rakyat akan berusaha memastikan dialog dan rundingan diadakan di semua peringkat seluruh negara. Saudara kita yang beragama Kristian perlu merasa selamat dan aman serta sedar bahawa kebebasan mereka untuk beragama adalah dijamin di negara ini. ANWAR IBRAHIM Ketua Pembangkang Kami mengutuk tindakan pihak tertentu yang menyerang 3 gereja di sekitar Lembah Klang awal pagi tadi. Serangan tersebut adalah satu perbuatan yang dikecam semua agama dan peradaban. Perbuatan seperti itu tiada tempat dalam mana-mana negara pun di atas dunia ini. Kami percaya ianya berpunca dari politik amarah yang sempit, ditambah dengan unsur provokasi jahat yang semakin menular dan runtuhnya rasa saling hormat menghormati dalam negara kita yang tercinta ini. Setiap rakyat dalam negara ini, tanpa mengira agama, kaum, keturunan dan etnik seharusnya dapat menikmati keamanan spiritual dan fizikal mereka. Seharusnya sebarang perbezaan pendapat dan pandangan tidak terus dilebarkan. Kami yakin sebarang perselisihan dapat diselesaikan dengan menumpukan usaha untuk membawa semua pihak ke meja rundingan. Oleh yang demikian, seluruh kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat dengan tegas meminta supaya individu atau mana-mana kumpulan yang menyebarkan api kebencian dan kekerasan sebegini agar dihukum dengan setimpalnya. Hari ini seperti yang diketahui, akan ada perhimpunan aman, di beberapa tempat di Kuala Lumpur, anjuran pelbagai pihak. Perhimpunan tersebut diadakan bertujuan membantah keputusan mahkamah tinggi yang membenarkan penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh mereka yang beragama Kristian.

Secara prinsip nya saya tidak menghalang sebarang usaha untuk berhimpun secara aman kerana ianya sebahagian dari hak asasi yang dijamin Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Malahan adalah sangat bertepatan dengan hasrat Pakatan Rakyat, demi membina sebuah masyarakat yang bertanggungjawab dan negara demokratik, hak untuk berhimpun serta menyatakan pendirian ini tidak dihalang. Namun beberapa hari kebelakangan, kita lihat sikap bermuka-muka pimpinan kerajaan apabila isu penggunaan kalimah Allah ini mulai hangat diperdebatkan. Drama ini berteraskan watak yang mahu menampilkan diri sebagai jagoan umat Islam. Tidak salah mahu mempertahankan Islam. Setiap muslim mahu membela agamanya. Akan tetapi yang salah apabila isu ini digunakan untuk meraih laba politik. Yang salahnya apabila api perkauman lebih marak membakar diri ketimbang wacana matang memahami pokok persoalan. Jika benar mahu membela orang Islam dan Melayu, banteras rasuah dengan iltizam yang jitu, basmi kemiskinan kerana umat Melayu-Islam adalah dari kalangan mereka yang masih mundur, pastikan pengagihan kekayaan yang adil kepada semua demi meninggikan syiar Islam dan perlihatkan keindahan keadilan Islam. Mengapa perbincangan dan rundingan dibelakangkan dan membiarkan laungan retorika perkauman menghantui tindakan? Sebagai dai, umat Islam mestilah merangka serta melakukan sesuatu berdasarkan hujah. Kita jangan tenggelam dalam kekaburan sentimen. Kekuatan hujah memberi keyakinan sekaligus memangkin kemantapan usaha dakwah yang berpanjangan. ANWAR IBRAHIM PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2010 We are outraged by the tragic attacks on our Christian brothers and sisters and reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of the bombing of churches in Malaysia. Todays attack on the oldest standing church in Malaysia, the All Saints Church in Taiping, is an attack on our nations heritage. As a nation we struggle to uphold the spirit of unity that our founding fathers envisioned at independence. We must hold fast to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion and the right of religious groups to manage their own affairs. In such times the spirit of engagement and dialogue must transcend those voices that would seek to sow discord and enmity across our land. The people of Malaysia must unite against those who exploit race and religion to incite hatred for political gain. We must renew our commitment to religious understanding and religious freedom. This is a time that tests the resolve of all religions for peace and mutual respect. We must remember that the God who we worship is in fact the same God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. With respect to the use of the word Allah, for example, it cannot be disputed that Arabic speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews have collectively prayed to God as Allah throughout the last fourteen centuries. While sensitivities over its usage have arisen in Malaysia, the way to resolve these conflicts is not by burning churches and staging incendiary protests but by reasoned engagement and interreligious dialogue. Muslims must recall the memory of our own traditions remarkable commitment to understanding and coexistence with the People of the Book. Islam clearly grants respect to Christians and Jews. In the Qurans second chapter, God says: Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God (Aal-Imran, 3:64) And in the 29th Chapter He says: And dispute not with the People of the Book but say We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and that which came down to you our God [Allah] and your God [Allah] is One, and it is to Him we bow (al-Ankabut, 29:46) Jesus is himself revered as one of the greatest prophets whose noble example should be followed. The Caliph Umar, who visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 638 AD, was careful to ensure that the Muslims respect the sanctity of Christian places of worship. What then of our own Polices hesitation to offer an assurance of safety and security for Malaysian churches? Much of the blame for the recent attacks can be placed at the doorstep of the UMNO-led BN ruling party. Its incessant racist propaganda over the Allah issue and the inflammatory rhetoric issued by government controlled mainstream media especially, Utusan Malaysia, are reprehensible. Such wanton acts of provocation are indeed criminal and demonstrate the duplicity of the 1Malaysia campaign. I am encouraged by the swift condemnation of the attacks issued by Muslim organizations and leaders. I likewise applaud our Christian leaders for their strong statements calling for calm and forgiveness and resisting revenge and retaliation. The need for interfaith dialogue in Malaysia is an idea whose time is long overdue. We must now advance the spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood which is inherent in our religions and enshrined in our Constitution. Pakatan Rakyat will collectively take steps to ensure that the necessary dialogue and discussion take place throughout the country. Our fellow Christians must feel safe and secure in this country knowing that their freedom to worship is protected. ANWAR IBRAHIM Opposition Leader Pencabulan Hak Asasi Manusia Oleh BN

Pihak polis juga dipergunakan untuk menghalang majlis ceramah yang dianjurkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat. Semua taktik kotor ini mengingatkan kembali rakyat kepada era Reformasi 1998. Rakyat berhak berhimpun secara aman. Mereka juga berhak untuk mendengar pemimpin mereka berucap dan memberi pandangan tentang hal Negara. Ini adalah hak yang asasi dan yang dilindungi di bawah Perlembagaan Malaysia dan juga diiktiraf di bawah piagam Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu. Di Malaysia hari ini pihak Polis telah bertindak menidakkan hak tersebut dan menggunakan kekerasan untuk memecahkan perhimpunan aman ini. Permit untuk berhimpun secara aman tidak diberi dan kalau pun diberi dengan syarat yang tidak munasabah. Lagi pun permit ini ditarik balik tanpa alasan yang munasabah. Adalah jelas pihak polis telah bertindak di atas arahan dan kehendak politik kerajaan BN dan bukan berasakan faktor keselamatan Negara. Oleh itu Pakatan rakyat akan membawa beberapa kes penyalahgunaan kuasa Polis ini kepada SUHAKAM untuk penelitian dan tindakan badan tersebut. Pakatan Rakyat juga akan menyediakan Dosier yang lengkap mengenai pencabulan kerajaan Malaysia terhadap hak asasi rakyat Malaysia, bertentangan dengan janji dan persetujuan mereka kapada Prinsip Hak Asasi di bawah piagam Bangsa Bangsa Bersatu untuk dibentangkan kepada International Human Rights Council dan juga kepada European Union Human Rights Council. Wakil-wakil Pakatan Rakyat akan ke ASEAN, New York dan Brussels tidak lama lagi untuk tujuan ini.

YB Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Ketua Umum PKR

BNs violation of Human Rights 1. Police was used to halt the public gathering held by Pakatan Rakyat. All these dirty tricks reminded the rakyat on what has happened during the era of Reformasi in 1998. 2. The rakyat has the rights for peaceful assembly. They also have the rights to listen to the speeches by their leaders, and to voice out their opinions regarding the state affairs. These are the basic rights protected by Malaysia constitution, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under the United Nation. 3. In Malaysia today, police has acted against those rights given to the people. They have used excessive violence to stop the peaceful assembly. Permission for the peaceful assembly was not given, or given with unacceptable clauses. It is clear that polices actions are the results of the directives from the BNs government, and is not based on the factors of national security. 4. Therefore, Pakatan Rakyat will bring a number of cases regarding the abuse of power by the police to SUHAKAM for detail investigation and action thereafter. Pakatan Rakyat will also prepare a complete Dosier of the abuses of Malaysia government towards the basic rights of Malaysians, which are clearly against the agreed human rights principles under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of United Nation that was presented to International Human Rights Council. Representatives from Pakatan Rakyat will be travelling to ASEAN, New York and Brussels soon for this purpose. BNs violation of Human Rights 1. Police was used to halt the public gathering held by Pakatan Rakyat. All these dirty tricks reminded the rakyat on what has happened during the era of Reformasi in 1998. 2. The rakyat has the rights for peaceful assembly. They also have the rights to listen to the speeches by their leaders, and to voice out their opinions regarding the state affairs. These are the basic rights protected by Malaysia constitution, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under the United Nation. 3. In Malaysia today, police has acted against those rights given to the people. They have used excessive violence to stop the peaceful assembly. Permission for the peaceful assembly was not given, or given with unacceptable clauses. It is clear that polices actions are the results of the directives from the BNs government, and is not based on the factors of national security. 4. Therefore, Pakatan Rakyat will bring a number of cases regarding the abuse of power by the police to SUHAKAM for detail investigation and action thereafter. Pakatan Rakyat will also prepare a complete Dosier of the abuses of Malaysia government towards the basic rights of Malaysians, which are clearly against the agreed human rights principles under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of United Nation that was presented to International Human Rights Council. Representatives from Pakatan Rakyat will be travelling to ASEAN, New York and Brussels soon for this purpose. "The idea that you can be successful in a country as diverse as Malaysia by marginalising more than 35% of our non-Malay

population is absurd. And to further assume that those policies benefit the Malay majority is also misplaced. The benefits of these policies are mainly accrued by the family members and cronies of [party] leaders billions are squandered every year." "The answer is yes on both accounts. Democracy can flourish in Malaysia. We see it happening before our very eyes and we are on the cusp of something great. And if given the chance, I don't think I or the many thousands who have sacrificed for the future of this land would want to be anywhere else but here

Q&A: Anwar Ibrahim discusses trial, Muslim issues

(CNN) -- Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is on trial in Kuala Lumpur on sodomy charges for a second time,

speaks to journalist Wajahat Ali about the controversy and discusses the country's ethnic and religious conflicts as well as issues facing the Muslim world. Wajahat Ali: Dr. Ibrahim, you are currently facing controversial, criminal charges of sodomy in Kuala Lumpur alleged by an ex-aide. The trial is under way as we speak, and the Malaysian press has dubbed this event "Sodomy 2" since you were convicted on similar charges in 1998 (which were overturned by the Supreme Court in 2004). You also served six years in solitary confinement after being convicted in '98 for corruption. First, if there was no truth to these allegations then why would the aide under oath swear and testify in graphic detail to such a sordid event and also be subjected to such humiliation, considering sodomy is both illegal and highly disfavored in Malaysia? Second, if these allegations are "trumped up" (by the ruling coalition) and a sham, as you and your followers have said, why? Anwar Ibrahim: The government today is in survival mode. Sensing its own protracted demise, and bereft of ideas that would enable it to regain popular support, its strategy is to tear down the opposition no matter what the cost. Since our unprecedented victory in the March 2008 polls, there have been relentless attacks to destabilize our state governments, to threaten and intimidate our elected officials and to undermine public confidence in our ability to govern. You name it and it's been hurled at us.... The charges leveled against me have to be seen in this broader context. The fact that the same plot that was hatched in 1998 is being repeated reflects a certain bankruptcy and lack of creativity on their part. They must still believe some segment of the Malay-Muslim electorate, who will likely determine the outcome of the next General Election, will be alienated by these charges. I doubt that is the case. There is polling to prove it and when we go around the country now the crowds of people number sometimes in the tens of thousands. The Malaysian people are much smarter and more aware today and will not easily be fooled. As for the swearing of oaths in courts and in mosques -- these are theatrics that ignore due process and legal principles. In a normal court of law, a verdict would rest on objective, incontrovertible evidence. But in Malaysia, show trials are being used to defame and discredit those who have fallen out of the favor of the establishment. This gives us all the more resolve to fight for reform. (The Malaysian government has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and all claims that it has tried to silence Anwar and his political party. The Government has also denied any involvement in the sodomy cases against Anwar.) Wajahat Ali: Malaysia promotes itself as a peaceful, democratic, multi-ethnic, Muslim country. On December 31, a court ruled that non-Muslims, namely Christians, were finally allowed to use the word "Allah" as a term for God, which quickly prompted a government appeal. Following the ruling, nearly 11 churches have been attacked, Christians have been harassed, and even a Sikh temple and several mosques were vandalized. Both the government's appeal and the conduct of several Malays seem to suggest discrimination towards their non-Muslim neighbors. Many in America assume this is due to an innate Muslim antagonism and elitism towards the "other." How would you explain this current phenomenon, and why is the term "Allah" only reserved for Muslims? Anwar Ibrahim: The handling of the Allah issue sent the wrong message to people around the world about Islam. In the current climate of xenophobia in Europe and the U.S., how can we as Muslims say we are any better when we treat our non-Muslim citizens with disrespect and disdain? It is odd that this issue seems relevant only in Malaysia and not in the Middle East or even Indonesia. Dialogue and engagement are essential. The mainstream media all controlled by the ruling coalition should present all viewpoints and not just the most extreme views supported by the government. Sensitive issues that touch on religious and ethnic sentiments should be handled delicately. Instead the government allowed the case to be dragged through the courts, sanctioned incendiary public demonstrations and only after the situation exploded in violence did its leaders start to make more measured statements and call for calm. I find this deplorable. In Malaysia such posturing by Muslim leaders has much more to do with politics than religion and ideology. The ruling government hopes that by taking a hard line it will curry some favor with an increasingly radical right wing upon which its party is increasingly based. The recent caning of individuals for illicit sexual relations is likewise part of an effort to boost the perceived Islamic credentials of the government and portray the opposition as soft on morals and subservient to international pressure. I understand there are broader concerns about the ability of contemporary Islamic societies to deal with issues of pluralism and diversity. Malaysia's handling of this issue is certainly not helping to abate these fears. But there is a silver lining. We have used this incident as an opportunity to launch a series of interfaith dialogues around the country. And I am very encouraged by statements from Pan Islamic Party of Malaysia, PAS, which has come out strongly in support of the rights of all Malaysian citizens under the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of conscience and religion. Wajahat Ali: Following on that question, is there space for Muslims and non-Muslims to live harmoniously in Malaysia? If your party had power, how would it handle the current situation and subsequently implement changes that would minimize ethnic and religious conflicts in the future? Anwar Ibrahim: Southeast Asian Islam is known for its inclusivistic approach. The religion came to this region via traders from Arabia and by Sufi masters who integrated with the existing cultural and social landscape. While Islam gradually became the dominant civilization this was not done at the expense of the other groups. In fact I recall back in the '90s we convened the first-ever conference on Islam and Confucianism that led to the founding of an entire department at the University of Malaya on this topic. This in my mind represents the vast potential of our multi-ethnic society. The religious tensions currently on display are a recent phenomenon in that they are largely the result of a political conflict rather than deepseated religious antagonisms. This is not to ignore the challenges Malaysia faces as a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. But for the most part these tensions can be alleviated through efforts to promote greater integration and interaction within the society. Politicians unfortunately have found it expedient to exacerbate ethnic and religious tensions as a means of prolonging a political system that benefits the few at the expense of the many. We see deliberate attempts to provoke religious tensions to give a pretext to clamp down on civil liberties and justify the continuation of the same old race-based policies of the past. The antidote for this behavior is to restore credibility to the institutions of civil society. The media should be free, politicians must be held accountable through free and fair elections and the judiciary must be able to operate without interference from politicians. Economics also factor importantly into the equation. Income inequality in Malaysia is among the worst in the world. Despite decades of an affirmative action policy designed to uplift the poor and marginalized Malays, in Malaysia the rich get richer while the poor stay poor -- and that includes poor Malays, Chinese and Indians. We need to revisit the design of economic policy and how the country allocates welfare and resources. Affirmative action remains essential to ensure that the poor marginalized are not forgotten. But there is no reason to exclude poor Chinese and Indians from the policy, as has been the case for so long. Endemic corruption has led to the enrichment of a few well-connected businessmen and politicians but the vast majority of their wealth never trickles down.

If we can overcome some of the most basic shortcomings in governance and accountability I am quite confident that Malaysia will be on a better footing when it comes to building a peaceful society. Wajahat Ali: U.S. President Barack Obama was embraced with rapturous applause, standing ovations, and stunning poll numbers by Muslim communities worldwide last year when he gave his historic speech in Cairo. A year later, there has been a significant dip in his polls numbers both domestically and abroad. How confident do Muslims feel about him and America as a "true partner" in 2010 when compared to Bush's administration? What will Obama have to do to regain Muslim trust and achieve a true conciliation between America and Muslims around the world? Anwar Ibrahim: When he won I shared in the optimism expressed by many that his presidency would usher in a new chapter in relations between America and the Muslim world. I did not expect he alone to solve all the problems. After all he is not the Caliph. He is the President of the United States, and therefore bound by significant constraints. But he is certainly better than his predecessor and we appreciated his Cairo speech, which was a historic and bold statement of friendship between two civilizations. His pronouncements -- such as closing Guantanamo, an end to settlement activity in the West Bank and pushing for a two state-solution, withdrawing from Iraq and searching for diplomatic solutions to dealing with Iran -- are the right statements. Unfortunately he has yet to deliver on major initiatives. At this point, few see much difference between his foreign policy and that of the Bush administration. I remain optimistic for now -- it is too soon to offer a final verdict. I believe Muslims are willing to give whoever sits in the White House a chance. Muslims respect America as a democracy and want to see its policies as fair, just and consistent. For there to be a real watershed in the Obama administration's approach he will have to be seen to be acting fairly in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict and show more compassion (when) it comes to dealing with Afghanistan, where thousands of innocent people are still being killed. Otherwise I fear the good will he has built will be forgotten. Wajahat Ali: Why does the Israeli occupation of Palestine overwhelmingly dominate the emotions and anger of Muslims worldwide when Muslims are also suffering tremendously in Iraq, Africa, Russia, Afghanistan and so forth? Can Muslims move "beyond" the Palestine issue? Anwar Ibrahim: It is often forgotten that Jerusalem holds a special, symbolic meaning for Muslims as the site of the Prophet Muhammad's ascent to heaven. In fact, Muslims living during the Prophet's time prayed towards Jerusalem until instructions were later given to switch the direction of the prayer to Mecca. This makes Jerusalem and access to the holy sites very relevant to Muslims around the world. Certainly there is deep anger over the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. The enduring conflicts in other countries, the imposition of dictatorial regimes and the legacy of colonialism and rampant poverty are all factors which affect the relationship. But the Arab-Israeli conflict has come to symbolize the entire grouse of the Muslim world with the interference of foreign powers in our affairs. Our frustration with the United States stems entirely from its lopsided handling of the conflict. Consider the result of Palestinian elections which were held democratically and brought Hamas into power. America punished Palestinians for voting (with) their conscience. Or consider (Israel's) blockade on Gaza -- another example of collective punishment being used to force a different political outcome. If America is seen to be inconsistent in applying principles of freedom, justice and self-determination in Palestine then Muslims elsewhere are going to have a hard time believing the rhetoric is real. And the failure to achieve a meaningful peace gives authoritarian Muslim governments an easy opportunity to score political mileage out of the Palestinians' plight. Stoking the flames of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism is a good distraction from the stench in their own backyard, namely rampant corruption, denial of basic human rights, abuse of power and the suppression of civil society. Wajahat Ali: Do you think it's time for Muslims to readjust their grievances and sources of victimization? Anwar Ibrahim: When Abu Ghraib happened it was rightly condemned as a terrible injustice and came to symbolize what was wrong about the American invasion and occupation of Iraq. But Muslims have to be consistent. The lack of due process, gruesome prison conditions and corruption in law enforcement agencies are very serious problems in Muslim countries that must also be condemned. So when many Muslim governments attacked the U.S. they were being hypocritical. Muslims have expressed clear views on this matter. The (Gallup) Muslim World Poll demonstrated that the vast majority of Muslims prefer governments that are more democratic, more accountable and more humane than the ones that exist today. Which means many would be quite supportive of a change in the corrupt and authoritarian governments that exist throughout the Middle East. The frustration that many Muslims have with the West is that America often preaches one thing about democracy but turns a blind eye to some of the worst dictators. So they are squeezed on both sides -- their own governments and the so-called savior from the West. I think oppression and injustice has to be condemned whenever and wherever it exists and Muslims should be at the forefront of this call for justice. Otherwise what is it that we hope to tell the world about our values and ethics? Wajahat Ali: Do you believe that democracy and Islam are capable of coexistence, especially as a functional system of government in the modern age? Judging by the track record over the past century, it seems Islam and politics make volatile bed fellows. Anwar Ibrahim: The experience of democracy in the Muslim world has not been entirely negative as the question suggests. Independence movements were often based on political parties which organized around principles of freedom and justice. Freedom fighters didn't expel their colonial master only to want to replace them with ruthless dictators. On the contrary -- there were vibrant democracies emerging in places like Indonesia, Iran and even Iraq in the 1950s. The great betrayal happened later, when secular autocrats who, in the name of nationalism, socialism or modernity, hijacked the governments and imposed a level cruelty worse than what existed under colonialism. But let us be clear -- these were secular movements which used religion only to buy legitimacy from the people. It is therefore quite historic to see democracy re-emerging in places like Indonesia and Turkey. The peaceful transformation of Indonesia to the world's largest Muslim democracy is one of the most important developments in the world. Likewise, Turkey has taken its place as a vibrant democracy. And what is more interesting is that in Indonesia in recent elections the more conservative Islamic parties were allowed to campaign openly -- and they were handed defeat. This did not require locking them up in prison. On the contrary it was the people themselves who opted for a system that was inclusive, democratic and at the same time cognizant of the country's religious and cultural heritage. Wajahat Ali: You're an active presence in new media with a popular Facebook profile and a steady stream of tweets from your Twitter account. In fact, you and many of your supporters have been tweeting throughout the trial. Last year, Iranians successfully used Twitter to educate the world about the daily protests against the government crackdowns following the controversial election results. First, what do you hope to achieve by tweeting throughout your trial? Secondly, do you believe new media and the Internet is the transformative vehicle and tool for Muslims in the 21st century to reclaim both their political and religious voices, which have been silenced or hijacked by those claiming legitimacy and power? Anwar Ibrahim: New media has been a cornerstone of the opposition's communications strategy. The mainstream press in Malaysia is completely controlled by the government, but the Internet has remained free. An attempt last year to introduce an Internet filter was quickly shot down, not surprisingly, by an overwhelming response of Internet users in Malaysia. The coverage of my trial has been quite favorable in the international media but locally you would be surprised how vicious and despicable the manipulation of facts has already become. We need to be active online and develop innovative ways of reaching out to online and offline constituencies to compensate for this information deficit.

And we also realize there is a new generation of Malaysians who were too young to remember the Reformasi movement that started a decade ago. Reaching out to them will happen in large part through technology. I never believed technology is a panacea. But it is certainly changing the course of politics and policy around the world. The president of the United States ran an effective online campaign and continues to do so while in office, but so too have extremist groups. Opposition parties in Malaysia are actively courting voters online. Who ultimately benefits from technology will depend on two things -- the execution of a coherent strategy and the quality of the message. Information tends to travel quickly by whatever means if there is a demand for the content.
Wajahat Ali is a playwright, journalist, attorney, humorist and consultant. He is a contributor to The Washington Post, The Guardian, Huffington Post, McSweeney's Quarterly Journal, Counterpunch and Chowk. He is an Associate Editor of the American Muslim online magazine Altmuslim.com and Contributing Editor of Illume Magazine. He also produces a blog: "Goatmilk: An Intellectual Playground" (goatmilk.wordpress.com).

Pemecatan 1998: Keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan Dikesalkan

Keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan dikesalkan. Hakim membaca berjela isu yang tidak berkaitan mengenai kuasa Perdana Menteri melantik dan menyingkir menteri; Raja Berperlembagaan bertindak atas nasihat. Perkara tersebut tidak pun dipertikai. Yang dibangkitkan ialah berkaitan Perkara 43(5) bahawa perlantikan dan penyingkaran sah hanya dengan perkenan SPB YDP Agong. Dalam kes saya, ini tidak berlaku! Dua isu timbul iaitu: i) Keputusan Hakim sekadar memperkukuh kedudukan Perdana Menteri kerana keputusan hanyalah mere formality. Ini bercanggah dgn Perkara 43(5) dan meletakkan Perdana Menteri berkuasa mutlak mengenepikan YDP Agong. ii) Tatkala saya dirawat di Munich, Almarhum Tuanku Jaafar dan Tuanku Najihah berkenan menziarahi saya. Ketika itu, Almarhum memaklumkan saya dengan disaksikan oleh Tuanku Najihah dan Azizah bahawa Baginda tidak dimaklumkan mengenai pemecatan saya sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Menteri Kewangan pada 2 September 1998 dan hanya memberi perkenan pada minggu berikutnya! Aneh sekali keputusan Hakim, berbeda pula dengan kes Perak di mana Raja diberi kuasa mutlak. ANWAR IBRAHIM

interview with Anwar Ibrahim

"We Face a Deficit of Democracy in Malaysia"

As leader of the opposition, Anwar Ibrahim is one of Malaysia's most influential politicians. In this interview with Rizki Nugraha he speaks about Muslim-Christian relations, the influence of religion on politics and the outlook for democracy in his country Tension between religions in Malaysia has been rising since the court ruling that allows non-Muslims to use the word "Allah". Anwar Ibrahim: Certain groups feel that it is in their interest to ratchet up tension because it serves their ulterior motives, but I would not say that great damage has been inflicted on Muslim-Christian relations. The Christian community's response to the arson attacks has been very positive and measured, and many Muslims have come out in support of the Christian community, for example, forming neighbourhood watch committees to protect Churches. I have travelled far from the epicentre of the so-called "disturbances" and I find that people are generally unperturbed by the court ruling and are wary of being manipulated by the powers-that-be, whose steady decline in the popular ratings is the real reason for this artificially created crisis. I'm happy to say that the broader population is not easily hoodwinked. Why did the Malaysian government insist on appealing the court's decision, despite the fact that in doing so, it risks widening the gap between Muslims and Christians? Ibrahim: The government appealed because it is hostage to the demands of an incendiary few. This group insists on using this issue to drive a wedge between different parts of the electorate hoping to score a few points with fringe elements. They are not very concerned that the consequences of their actions could broaden divisions in society and lead to strife. Maznah Muhammad, the Singapore-based political expert, is concerned that the Malaysian government is increasingly mixing politics and religion. Do you think this concern is justified? Ibrahim: The Federal Constitution of Malaysia clearly outlines the role of religion in Malaysian society. Islam is the religion of the state, but the freedom to practice other religions is guaranteed. We think it is wholly appropriate that religion be manifest in the political world in that the values that are greatly esteemed by religion such as justice, mercy, love and compassion inspire policies that lead to peace and prosperity. However, the current government in Malaysia is notorious for mixing religion and politics to rather unscrupulous ends. Islam is being applied in ways that are deemed oppressive, contrary to the principles of the religion and in violation of some of our constitution's basic provisions. This is an abuse of power that must be checked. The government's decision to appeal creates the impression that it is standing up for the interests of a certain group. Is there no future for secularism in Malaysia? Ibrahim: The government's bias in all matters judicial is clear. Since the new prime minister came to power in April 2008, the government has not lost a single court case that has gone to the Court of Appeals. There is hardly any doubt that politically charged

cases will eventually be decided in favour of or at the discretion of UMNO (the United Malays National Organization, Malaysia's largest political party ed.) The issue is, therefore, not secularism, or the demise of it per se; the real dilemma we face in Malaysia is a deficit of democracy. A corrupt judiciary, a shackled media and the lack of personal freedoms means that the ruling party can run roughshod over the provisions of the constitution. Right now, religion is being used by the ruling party to garner support from certain fringe elements and in doing so, it is overstepping some of the bounds that define the relationship between the state and religion. But the ruling party's willingness to overstep the bounds of the law to maintain its grip on power has been manifest in many forms including rampant corruption and incitement of racial sentiments. So our primary concern in the opposition coalition remains the safeguarding of the constitution in order to sow the seeds of democratic pluralism and greater accountability. How did the minorities parties that are affiliated with the National Front (Barisan Nasional), such as the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress, react to Prime Minister Najib Razak's policy? Ibrahim: The contradiction of their affiliation with the increasingly parochial and racist UMNO is glaring, but their options at this point are limited. How can they not moot their grievances given their dependence on government largesse. These parties represent the old school of Malaysian politics, which has more or less seen its heyday and is now in its twilight years. It would be unrealistic to expect a sea-change in their outlook, no matter what the prevailing circumstances are. Two political forces, the most influential parties in Malaysia, the Barisan Nasional and your party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, PAS, have been branded as conservative Islamic forces. So what is the difference between your party and the government party, for instance concerning the importance of promoting religious dialogue? Ibrahim: I don't agree that PAS, which is a major player in the opposition coalition, is a conservative party. In the crisis over the "Allah" issue, they made their stance very clear, namely that Christians and Jews can use the term, upholding what is considered a mainstream position throughout the Muslim world. Therefore, to lump them together with UMNO as eVao day nghe bai nay di ban http://nhattruongquang.0catch.com xponents of conservative Islam is to badly misperceive them. Both PAS and the rest of the opposition coalition are in favour of dialogue among all who want to talk about preserving and promoting religious harmony in our diverse population. The ethnic groups in Malaysia are still fragmented, especially politically. They tend to defend the political interests of each group. Sometimes they also try to outdo or eliminate the interest of other groups. Do you see this phenomenon as a challenge or even an opportunity for democracy in Malaysia? Ibrahim: It is true that the various ethnic communities in Malaysia continue to perceive their interests in a narrow and parochial manner. That is because the government, which has been in power without interruption for 52 years, has promoted and fostered this sort of mind-set as a divide-and-conquer strategy. As a consequence, the various ethnic groups often react to situations by falling into a zealous ethnic turf protection and demarcation mind-set that in time creates ethnic ghettoes. Pakatan Rakyat, the opposition coalition I help to lead, vigorously rejects this approach. Through its recent collectively endorsed Common Policy Framework it has accelerated the process of dissolving these hardened strata and set in motion the transformation of Malaysian political society so that it is no longer in thrall to structures that engender ethnic hegemony, financial and judicial corruption, and overall decay. So far, the people have responded positively to what we have to offer. We have been able to secure victories in elections in five of Malaysia's key states and have become contenders for power at federal level in just a few years. I think the future is bright for the new agenda we are offering the people. Interview Rizki Nugraha
Pagi tadi bermulalah perbicaraan fitnah kali kedua ke atas saya. Mainan wayang yang sama diulang putar bertujuan mengelirukan rakyat dan menimbulkan kesangsian terhadap diri saya. Bahkan mereka sanggup memperalatkan sentimen agama demi kepentingan politik sempit. Mubahalah diulang-ulang walaupun ulama muktabar seperti Syeikh Yusuf al Qaradawi, Syeikh Wahbah Zuhaili dan mantan Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Hashim Yahaya menjelaskan ianya tidak selari dengan tuntutan Syariah. Sesuai dengan pendapat dari jumhur ulama, makanya saya menfailkan tuntutan qazaf ke atas pemfitnah saya. Buktikan fitnah ke atas diri saya sebagaimana yang gariskan oleh prinsip syariah! Jangan berani berdolak lagi serta cuba melengah-lengahkannya! Berhadapan dengan makar yang direncanakan dengan penuh helah membabitkan keseluruhan jentera dan sistem kenegaraan, ternyata ianya bukanlah mudah, namun perjuangan menuntut Perubahan ini tidak akan sekali-kali mengendur. Cita-cita dan harapan kita bukanlah satu mimpi di siang hari. Kita mendambakan sebuah negara yang menjamin perlaksanaan Keadilan untuk semua. Bukannya sebuah negara yang hanya menyempurnakan nafsu jahat pemerintah semata-mata. Tidakkah pimpinan umno-bn sedar bahawa keyakinan rakyat terhadap sistem kehakiman dan pasukan polis semakin hari semakin luntur. Rakyat sudah mual dengan kehakiman dan pihak polis yang tunduk mengabdi kepada kehendak elit umno-bn. Pun begitu saya tidak mempunyai pilihan lain selain dari berhadapan dengan fitnah tersebut di mahkamah. Barisan peguam yang terdiri dari Karpal Singh, Datuk Param Cumaraswamy, Sankara Nair dan Datuk Prabhakaran mahukan dakwaan ini digugurkan. Berasaskan peraturan serta proses perundangan, pelbagai permohonan diajukan, misalnya untuk mendapatkan bukti sesuai dengan kehendak peruntukan seksyen 51A Kanun Acara Jenayah. Apa kan daya, permohonan ini dihalang sistem kehakiman, sekaligus membenarkan saya diserang hendap oleh pihak pendakwa.

Adakah dengan segala perancangan yang direkayasa ini, mereka sangka saya akan berundur dari memperjuangkan agenda Perubahan demi kemaslahatan rakyat? Inshaallah dengan segala daya dan upaya serta diiringi doa semua, akan kita terus mara menewaskan kebejatan yang bermaharajalela. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Imam al-Ghazali and hadith

As for the Hadith question there is a short monograph by al-mahdaly (see below). In

this book al-mahdaly points out that there is more to the hadiths that Imam Ghazali quotes than meets the eye. Also and most importantly is the sharah of ihya by alMurtada al-zabidi (d. 1205/1791) ithaf al-sadah al-muttaqin bi sharh asrar Ihya' 'ulum al-din (Cairo: Matba'a al-Maymaniya, 1311 AH.) A manuscript of which is available at Princeton University Library that seems to be the author's own working copy (muswada) as there is quite a bit of crossing out. In the ithaf the author provides detailed takhrij (verification) of the hadith that alGhazali quotes in depth much more than al-hafiz al-`Iraqi (d. 806 /1404) does in his almughni 'an haml al-'asfar fil al-'asfar fi takhriji mafi al-Ihya' min al-akhbar (published in the Margins of the ihya' and separately; Riyad: maktab Dar Tabriya, 1995 ed. Ashraf b. Abdelmaqsood sample). Al-zabidi mentions that al-hafiz al-iraqi intended to write three versions takharijof the hadith of the ihya' only the shorter version was the only one that was completed. The longer version of thetakhrij was only completed up to book 7 -Mysteries of Pilgrimage. Al-zabidi claimed to have one copy of this work in which he used in his ithaf (c.f. 1:p123, 312) where he mentions al-takhrij al-saghir and al-takhrij al-kabir (the smaller verification and the grand verification- respectively). It would be of interest to note at this juncture that for a scholar like al-Ghazali who wrote works of jurisprudence (fiqh) and jurisprudential theory (isul al-fiqh) he was never criticized for his hadith usage. Which begs the question how can a scholar who seems to know his hadith material in one field go so wrong in another? The answer to seemingly puzzling turn of events lies in the fact that for matters of pertaining to asceticism (zuhd) a scholar is allowed to use hadith that is of weaker standing than in ones that are allowed to be used in jurisprudence and this opinion is well know in Hadith circles. Even ibn al-Jawzi (d. 597/1201) who criticized al-Ghazali for using such material turns around and uses similar material in his book sifat al-safwa (Hyderabad, 1355 A.H.) Therefore it would seem to the astute reader that al-Ghazali knows his hadith material well contrary to popular belief. He may not know the intricacies of hadith sciences but he knows the texts and which ones to use in which occasion. We can therefore safely say that he know hadith (diraya la riwya)! Also there was a project to print the takhrij of both al-Iraqi and al-zabidi on the margins of the ihya but I have only seen one volume in print and the link is provided below. Finally there is an effort that some enterprising collators in which they published the takhrij of al-Iraqi as separate book under the rubric of Hadith studies along with that of al-zabidi and al-subki's list with a seditious title such as exposing al-Ghazali's lack of knowledge ofHadith.

List of Books and Articles: Al-Ghazali and the Sunna. J. Robson Muslim World () pp. 324 -333. (PDF) Al-Ghazali and ilm al-Hadith by al-mahdali (Arabic PDF) Volume 1 (books 1 and 2) of the Ihya with Hadith verification by al-Iraqi and alzabidi complied by al-tijani. (Arabic PDF)

Prestasi Kerajaan Negeri-Negeri Pakatan Rakyat sepanjang 2 tahun Pakatan Rakyat secara tuntas memperlihatkan kerjasama dan muafakat utuh demi memasti serta menjamin kemaslahatan rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat akan sentiasa menjunjung prinsip-prinsip Perlembagaan yang menjamin hak orang Melayu, agama Islam sebagai agama Persekutuan, kedudukan

istimewa Raja-Raja Melayu dan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa rasmi. Pakatan Rakyat akan terus memastikan dasar-dasar yang dilaksanakan didasari prinsip ketelusan dan pertanggungjawaban. Berdepan dengan masalah perkauman yang meruncing, rakyat di bawah pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat menunjukkan perpaduan kaum yang semakin jitu dan utuh. Negeri-negeri Pakatan menunjukkan prestasi ekonomi yang memberansangkan jika dibandingkan dengan negeri yang ditadbir Umno-Barisan Nasional. Selangor: Negeri Selangor mencatatkan jumlah pelaburan sebanyak RM 6.76 billion pada tahun 2009 dan mencipta sebanyak 20 753 peluang pekerjaan. Dari jumlah pelaburan tersebut, RM 2.752 billion(40.8%) merupakan pelaburan tempatan. Manakala Projek Industri yang diluluskan di Selangor berjumlah 278, ianya merupakan yang tertingi dicatatkan di Negara ini. Kerajaan Negeri Selangor juga mensasarkan enam hingga tujuh peratus pertumbuhan dalam Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar (KDNK) tahun ini daripada penguncupan sebanyak 3.87 peratus tahun lepas. Selangor juga mencatatkan penurunan indeks jenayah sebanyak 5.3 peratus iaitu sebanyak 54,339 kes sepanjang tahun 2009 berbanding 57,704 kes pada tahun sebelumnya. Kerajaan Negeri juga memperuntukkan kira-kira RM6 juta kepada Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) di negeri ini bagi menjalankan aktiviti pendidikan dan pembelajaran berteraskan Islam sepanjang 2010.Peruntukan ini diberikan kepada SAR yang tidak pernah mendapat sebarang peruntukan kewangan dan peralatan pembelajaran dari Kerajaan Negeri mahupun sumbangan individu. Pulau Pinang Pulau Pinang meluluskan sebanyak 104 projek industri(ketiga tertingi). Dasar CAT(daya saing, pertanggungjawaban dan ketelusan)menjadi pemangkin kepada kejayaan Pulau Pinang untuk merekodkan lebihan belanjawan(surplus) sebanyak RM 88 juta berbanding jangkaan defisit sebanyak RM 35 juta(belanjawan 2008) Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang juga mewujudkan 200 ekar hub pendidikan untuk menjadikan Pulau Pinang sebagai pusat pendidikan terunggul. Pengiktirafan serta bantuan kewangan (pemberian tunai) kepada pelajar terbaik SPM dan STPM serta para huffaz. Bantuan kewangan kepada Sekolah Agama Rakyat berjumlah RM 97 ribu per sekolah, RM 60 ribu kepada setiap sekolah cina dan RM 63 ribu kepada setiap sekolah tamil. Jumlah keseluruhan ialah RM 11.3 juta Kedah Pelaburan adalah penyumbang kepada pembangunan ekonomi negeri. Di bawah kepimpinan YAB Dato Seri Ustaz Azizan Abdul Razak, Kedah telah mencatatkan pelaburan keseluruhan lebih RM839 juta bagi tempoh Januari hingga September 2009, dengan nilai pelaburan tempatan sebanyak RM279.4 juta dan pelaburan asing sebanyak RM559.8 juta. Kini dengan keluasan 1,000 hektar kerajaan mendapat hasil RM16.7 juta, tidak termasuk cukai per tan metrik bila balak dikeluarkan dari hutan. Sedangkan di bawah pentadbiran umno-bn, dengan keluasan yang sama, hanya mampu mengutip RM3 hinggga RM4 juta sahaja termasuk cukai kayu pertan metrik. Kejayaan ini merupakan hasil dari pelaksanaan dasar yang telus serta tidak berkompromi dengan rasuah. Kelantan Semenjak 20 tahun lepas Kerajaan Kelantan secara berterusan dianaktirikan akan tetapi Kelantan tetap berjaya dengan program negeri berkebajikan. Program Kifalah untuk anak yatim, golongan miskin, ibu tunggal dan orang kurang upaya telah menjadi contoh kepada banyak negeri. Begitu juga dengan program Perbadanan Ladang Rakyat yang membantu golongan marhaen, Bandar Baru Tunjung dibina menjadi pusat komersil satelit kepada Kota Bharu. Kerajaan Negeri berjaya mengambil alih bekalan air daripada Thames Water kepada Air Kelantan. Selain itu PMBK menjadi agensi pelaburan utama negeri yang sebelum ini gagal di bawah pemerintahan BN sebelum 1990. Kerajaan Negeri berjaya menguruskan 20 sekolah agama bantuan penuh kerajaan negeri yang cemerlang dan menjadi saingan kepada sekolah premier di bawah Kementerian Pendidikan. Kehadiran pelbagai syarikat multinasional adalah bukti kuasa beli rakyat Kelantan terus kukuh. Sepanjang 20 tahun pemerintahan ekonomi tempatan dibina secara kendiri tanpa bantuan stimulus dari kerajaan Pusat

Al-M zar al-Dhak : al-Ghaz l 's Maghribi Adversary in Nishapur

Ab mid al-Ghaz l 's letters provide a terse and sometimes contradictory description of a controversy that erupted after he returned to teaching in Nishapur in 499/1106. This account refers to an unnamed Maghribi M liki who played a role in the controversy by denouncing al-Ghaz l to men of the state at the urging of the latter's Nishapuri enemies. This article proposes an identity for the Maghribi: a Sicilian religious scholar named Ab Abd All h Mu ammad Ibn Ab al-Faraj al-M zar , known as al-Dhak (d. 510/1116). An examination of seven of his biographies corroborates some charges against al-Ghaz l mentioned in the letters, gives a year for the controversy, and reveals some of the strategies used by al-Ghaz l 's enemies to try to cause his downfall. An appendix considers and dismisses the possibility that a surviving critiqueof I y ul m al-d n entitled alKashf wa-l-anb an kit b al- I y was authored by the same al-M zar .

Islamic Literary Networks in South and Southeast Asia

Abstract: Networks of travel and trade have often been viewed as pivotal to understanding interactions among Muslims in various regions of South and Southeast Asia. What if we thought of language and literature as an additional network, one that crisscrossed these regions over centuries and provided a powerful site of interaction and exchange facilitated by the dissemination of stories, ideas and beliefs' This article presents a history of such networks in Southeast India and the IndonesianMalay world, drawing on sources in Javanese, Malay and Tamil. Among Muslim communities in these regions practices of reading, learning, translation, adaptation and transmission helped shape a cosmopolitan sphere which was both closely connected with the broader, universal Muslim community and rooted in local and regional identities. Circulating shared stories, beliefs and citations of prior works created a space that allowed those with similar convictions to connect over great distances by virtue of a common technology. In previous centuries the technology was one of copying, translating and disseminating texts in local languages infused with Arabic words, idioms, syntax and literary forms. For example, the famous Book of One Thousand Questions, composed in Arabic around the tenth century, was translated among other languagesinto Persian, Urdu, Tamil, Javanese, Malay and Bugis. Such translationsin their myriad variationspoint to interactions not only among particular people but also to interactions between and among languages and scripts, between the cosmopolitan Arabic and vernaculars like Javanese or Tamil. Drawing on Pollock's theory of the Sanskrit cosmopolis of 3001300 ad I argue for a later, partially overlapping Arabic cosmopolis in some of the same regions. Literary networks within this cosmopolis contributed to the rise of Islamic educational institutions, life cycle rites, and the adoption of modes of expression and creativity common across a great geographical and cultural space.

Religious Education and Reformist Islam in Thailand's Southern Border Provinces: The Roles of Haji Sulong Abdul Kadir and Ismail Lutfi Japakiya
Scholarship about Muslims in Thailand has rightly maintained that Thai Islam has enjoyed a long and vibrant tradition, and that the country has been home to a wide variety of representations of Muslim identity. Predictably, Muslim heterogeneity has also generated multifarious patterns of dissonance and contestations. While differences between the state and Muslim society, as well as between Malay and Thai identities, have sparked considerable press and academic coverage of late, this paper focuses on contestations within Thailand's Malay minority community as it seeks to negotiate identity and authenticity in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.

Empowering Women Through Islam: Fatayat NU Between Tradition and Change

This article investigates the empowerment strategies of Fatayat NU, the young women's branch of the Indonesian Muslim mass organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). It raises the following questions: what instruments the women have used to realize their visions of empowerment and gender equality since the foundation of Fatayat NU, what programmes they have recently set up to advance the position of women in Indonesian society, and how they have addressed controversial topics such as female leadership, polygyny, and abortion. In Fatayat NU's early history male dominance confined its room for action. The young women have increased their influence step by step, although they still have to negotiate their status vis--vis male authorities. It was not until the 1980s that important changes occurred in the organization. Women's empowerment based on Islamic values has been a declared goal of Fatayat NU. Terima kasih kepada Tan Sri Speaker kerana memberi ruang kepada saya untuk memberi penjelasan mengenai peranan dan skop penglibatan firma perhubungan awam bernama APCO. Isu ini wajar diberi perhatian khusus kerana ianya bukan sekadar isu 1Malaysia atau 1Israel atau tohmahan yang dilemparkan kepada saya sebagai seorang agen Yahudi. Namun demikian, isu-isu terbabit ditenggelami jika hendak dibandingkan dengan skandal dahsyat yang bakal didedahkan hari ini; yang tidak bersangkutan dengan kedudukan mahupun reputasi saya atau pun reputasi rakan-rakan saya. Sesungguhnya keselamatan negara kita dalam bahaya. Isu ini membongkar politik kronisme yang membarah serta rundingan sulit pihak tertentu sehingga membelakangkan kepentingan rakyat dan negara. Tidak dapat dinafikan lagi kini wujud ancaman terhadap keselamatan nasional, maklumat strategik negara terdedah kepada agensi perisikan asing dan tercalarnya maruah umat. Bagi mengelak sebarang keraguan penjelasan saya hari ini bukan sekadar muslihat politik atau tuduhan tidak berasas, Insya Allah, setiap kenyataan saya hari ini akan disokong dengan dokumen, rencana malah salinan perjanjian yang ditandatangani oleh pihak-pihak terbabit. Sehingga kini Perdana Menteri belumpun memberi sebarang maklum balas terhadap gesaan saya agar segera mendedahkan serta memperincikan bentuk hubungan di antara kerajaan dan APCO, apa skop tugasannya, jumlah peruntukannya, setiap penasihat yang terbabit; peranan serta pengaruh mereka dalam kerajaan. Selama ini kita hanya dimaklumkan bahawa penglibatan APCO adalah terhad, tetapi kenyataan-kenyataan yang dikeluarkan kebelakangan ini menunjukkan penglibatan yang lebih menyeluruh dan membimbangkan. Ini berdasarkan kepada jawapan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri sendiri yang menyatakan: Kerajaan ada melantik Syarikat APCO Worldwide Sdn Bhd untuk melaksanakan perkhidmatan berkaitan komunikasi kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan secara menyeluruhAPCO Worldwide juga disarankan menjayakan program untuk mempromosi dan meningkatkan imej Malaysia di luar negara. Manakala bagi pihak APCO sendiri, mereka merumuskan penglibatan mereka seperti berikut: APCOs work has included communication support for a broad range of reform initiatives undertaken by the government of Malaysia, especially in the areas of creating jobs, promoting education, and strengthening delivery of services to the people. Kenyataan tersebut sebenarnya membuka pekung serta memunculkan lebih banyak persoalan. Ini bukan syarikat perhubungan awam biasa yang sekadar menulis ucapan mahupun kenyataan akhbar ataupun bertindak melonjakkan imej Perdana Menteri walau itupun amat dikesalkan kerana

ianya dilakukan menggunakan dana rakyat. Dilaporkan usaha ini menelan belanja sekitar RM 20 juta. Secara sedar atau tidak kenyataan APCO mengakui bahawa lantikannya adalah untuk membantu strategi komunikasi yang menyeluruh, bermakna firma tersebut terlibat secara langsung memberi bantuan komunikasi di dalam pelbagai inisiatif dan dasar kerajaan. Ini bermakna, APCO terlibat secara langsung dalam mempengaruhi mesej yang disampaikan kepada rakyat dan saya akan terangkan dengan mendalam kenapa perkara ini sangat membahayakan kepada rakyat dan negara. Pada 18hb Mac 2010, APCO mengeluarkan kenyataan menafikan penglibatan mereka dengan gagasan 1Malaysia, kononnya konsep itu wujud sebelum APCO dilantik sebagai firma perunding. Penafian yang dibuat oleh APCO itu merupakan usaha mereka untuk mengelirukan kita akan tarikh sebenar firma tersebut terbabit dengan pentadbiran Perdana Menteri sekarang. Penafian tersebut menggambarkan bahawa ianya tidak mempunyai sebarang hubungan dengan pentadbiran Dato Sri Najib Razak, atau Dato Sri Najib sendiri, pembantunya atau para penasihatnya. Sebuah portal berita telah melaporkan pada 28 Julai 2009 setakat mana penglibatan APCO dengan pentadbiran Perdana Menteri Dato Seri Najib. Antara lain, dilaporkan bahawa perkhidmatan APCO ini diperkenalkan kepada Perdana Menteri oleh Omar Mustapha, penasihat Perdana Menteri yang juga teman lama YB Rembau dan rakan kongsi firma perunding Ethos Consultancy. Saya akan buktikan selepas ini bagaimana perkaitan di antara Omar Mustapha dan APCO sebelum pun APCO dilantik secara rasmi sebagai perunding kerajaan. Walaupun yang diumumkan kepada negara dan rakyat bahawa 1Malaysia dicetuskan sendiri oleh Perdana Menteri peranan Ethos Consultancy tidak boleh diremehkan. Ternyata kebanyakan dari kita tidak menyedari hubungan akrab eksekutif Ethos dan APCO yang masih berterusan. Sebab itu kita tidak hairan, sebaik sahaja Dato Seri Najib menjadi Perdana Menteri, Omar Mustapha dikhabarkan membawa masuk APCO menjadi perunding komunikasi kerajaan. Malah, laporan berita tersebut dengan jelas menyatakan bahawa seorang penasihat dari APCO telah pun ditempatkan di pejabat Perdana Menteri sejak dari awal Perdana Menteri mengambil alih. APCO juga dilaporkan terlibat secara langsung dalam menentukan strategi 100 hari pentadbirannya, termasuklah mesej dan dasar utama seperti 1Malaysia dan inisiatif yang lain. Berdasarkan laporan tersebut juga pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan dikatakan tidak selesa apabila Perdana Menteri ingin menganugerahkan kontrak bernilai RM20 juta kepada APCO untuk meneruskan kerja-kerja rundingan kepada kerajaan. Kontrak itu dijangka dianugerahkan antara bulan Julai dan September 2009; iaitu selepas penglibatan individu dari APCO yang dibawa masuk pada tempoh awal Perdana Menteri mengambil alih. Semua ini bukan saya yang kata, bukan Pakatan Rakyat yang cipta semuanya telah pun dilaporkan sejak tahun lalu dan ianya belum pun dinafikan pihak yang dikatakan terlibat. Sebab itu mengambil kira beberapa peristiwa atau contoh yang berlaku apabila kerajaan ditipu oleh penasihat-penasihat asing sehingga menyebabkan kerugian berbillion ringgit; atau diaibkan di peringkat antarabangsa; saya melihat episod perlantikan APCO ini sebagai satu lagi kelalaian yang boleh merugikan dan membahayakan negara. Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab saya untuk mengingatkan Perdana Menteri dan kerajaan untuk tidak mengulangi kesilapan dan kelalaian lepas apabila terlalu percayakan penasihat asing sehingga kita tidak memeriksa dengan tepat reputasi mereka serta penglibatan mereka sebelum ini. Apatah lagi perlantikan tersebut diselubungi misteri dan tanpa penelitian. Dulu, mantan Perdana Menteri mengizinkan kerajaan melantik David Zaidner dari firma Marc Rich untuk menasihati agensi kerajaan dan Bank Bumiputra cuba memanipulasi pasaran timah sedunia sehingga kita kerugian besar. Tidak sewajarnya kita lupa skandal Maminco itu. Mantan Perdana Menteri ketika itu seolah-olah tidak meneliti dahulu rekod David Zaidner, yang diketahui umum tidak suka mengikut peraturan dan undang-undang di dalam amalannya. Kemudian, episod yang membabitkan Jack Abramoff hanya untuk mendapatkan satu temujanji dengan Presiden Bush dalam tahun 2002 dengan membayar USD$1.2 juta tanpa memeriksa dahulu latar belakang Jack Abramoff. Dalam tahun 2006, kerajaan Malaysia dimalukan apabila Jack Abramoff didapati bersalah menipu dalam satu transaksi kewangan sehingga dipenjarakan dan pada masa itulah semua penglibatan kerajaan Malaysia didedahkan. Abramoff juga merupakan seorang pelobi yang terlibat dalam penipuan tanah kaum peribumi Amerika Syarikat(Red Indian) untuk tujuan pembinaan kasino. Perlantikan Abramoff juga dibuat dengan penuh kerahsiaan dan pasti tidak diketahui umum sekiranya Abramoff tidak diheret ke muka pengadilan di Amerika Syarikat. Walaubagaimanapun, mantan Perdana Menteri tersebut hanya memberikan tugasan yang spesifik kepada firma Marc Rich dan Jack Abramoff dan tidak melibatkan perjalanan jentera kerajaan yang menyeluruh. Dalam konteks inilah, kita melahirkan kebimbangan kerana kenyataan keraajaan sendiri menjelaskan bahawa mereka memainkan peranan penting membentuk strategi komunikasi kerajaan dalam dasar-dasar penting terutamanya yang melibatkan rakyat. Kenyataan APCO menyatakan:

will work to assist in strengthening the governments online and other strategic communication capabilities to speed the delivery of accurate information to the media and public. Sekarang, kebimbangan kita bukan sahaja latar belakang APCO, tetapi bentuk penglibatan APCO dengan kerajaan Malaysia dan apakah maklumat yang telah dikongsi oleh kerajaan dengan APCO. APCO DAN MODUS OPERANDI Tetapi sebelum kita meneliti dengan lebih dalam kenapa penglibatan APCO secara rapat dengan kerajaan merupakan satu risiko yang wajar kita elakkan, kita perlu meneliti dahulu modus operandi firma-firma seperti APCO. Hanya dengan memahami modus operandi yang digunakan oleh APCO, baru kita boleh memahami kenapa penglibatan APCO dengan kerajaan Malaysia diselubungi misteri dan rahsia. APCO memanglah sebuah firma hubungan awam bertaraf antarabangsa. Reputasinya digilap kerana penglibatan tokoh-tokoh yang ada kaitan dengan pentadbiran Amerika Syarikat atau pun ahli-ahli politik di Capitol Hill. Pada masa yang sama, APCO juga menggunakan khidmat mereka yang mempunyai pengaruh di dalam bidang atau kerajaan masing-masing. Kalau kita lihat senarai Panel Penasihat Antarabangsanya, ahli penasihat APCO termasuklah beberapa tokoh diplomatik dan tokoh perisikan Israel. Oleh itu, adalah penting untuk Dewan dan rakyat memahami bahawa reputasi APCO adalah sebagai sebuah firma pelobi. Apa fungsi firma pelobi di Washington? Selalunya mereka akan mengaturkan perjumpaan atau seminar untuk membaiki imej sesebuah organisasi; terutamanya pemimpin-pemimpin yang mempunyai rekod hak asasi atau rasuah yang buruk di mata dunia. Jadi, fungsi utama mereka adalah untuk membaiki imej pemimpin-pemimpin (atau badan-badan) yang mempunyai rekod yang tidak baik. Saya akan senaraikan selepas ini contoh-contoh pemimpin sebegini; yang secara tidak langsung kini Perdana Menteri Dato Seri Najib telah mendapat penghormatan kerana tergolong dengan pemimpin-pemimpin sebegini. Untuk menjalankan tugas ini, mereka juga perlu menjaga nama dan reputasi mereka sebagai firma perhubungan awam. Sebab itu ada beberapa perkara penting di dalam modus operandi mereka yang perlu kita fahami. Pertama mana-mana pihak yang mengambil APCO sebagai perunding akan menandatangani perjanjian. Salah satu bahagian utama di dalam perjanjian ini adalah mengenai perkara-perkara rahsia; dengan izin Confidentiality atau non-disclosure. Reputasi APCO sebagai firma pelobi banyak bergantung kepada kemampuannya menangkis soalan-soalan mengenai peranan dan penglibatannya dengan badan yang melantiknya, terutamanya pemimpin-pemimpin yang berimej buruk ini. Sebab itu, tidaklah sukar untuk Barisan Nasional ingin mengabui mata rakyat dengan meminta APCO mengeluarkan kenyataan menafikan penglibatan dalam 1Malaysia, atau peranan sebenar dengan kerajaan Malaysia. Biar saya ingatkan rakyat Malaysia tidak mudah untuk diputarbelitkan. Mereka faham bahawa adalah menjadi sebahagian dari tugas APCO, seperti yang termaktub di dalam perjanjian lantikan bersabit perkara-perkara sulit dan rahsia; untuk melindungi klien mereka dan secara langsung menafikan penglibatan. Saya ambil contoh dua perjanjian lantikan yang melibatkan APCO. Satu yang ditandatangani oleh kerajaan Malaysia dengan APCO bertarikh 4hb Ogos 2009 yang secara khusus memberi tugasan kepada APCO untuk membaikpulih imej kerajaan Malaysia. Ini mempunyai tandatangan Setiausaha Akhbar Perdana Menteri sendiri, iaitu Datuk Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad yang menunjukkan betapa dekatnya APCO dengan Perdana Menteri sedangkan pada kebiasaannya perjanjian kerajaan hanyalah ditandatangani oleh pegawai-pegawai kerajaan sahaja. Satu lagi contoh adalah perjanjian lantikan oleh Kerajaan Israel yang melantik APCO untuk menjalankan tugasan yang sama, bertarikh 9hb Januari 1992. Pada jangka waktu yang sama, Ehud Barak masih berkhidmat sebagai Ketua Turus Angkatan Tentera Negara Israel. Kedua-dua perjanjian ini dengan jelas menghuraikan peranan APCO sebagai pelobi; yang antara lain perlu menyimpan rahsia-rahsia kerajaan yang diberikan kepada APCO dalam menjalankan tugasan. APCO juga tidak boleh mendedahkan maklumat kecuali diberi keizinan oleh kerajaan Malaysia. APCO malahan terlibat dengan apa yang dipanggil sebagai komunikasi strategik yang menyeluruh. Kita berhak menuntut kerajaan dan Perdana Menteri datang ke Dewan Rakyat dan berterus terang mengenai perjanjian yang telah ditandatangani dengan APCO terutamanya semua soalan-soalan yang telah saya timbulkan minggu lalu mengenai tugasan, bayaran, penasihat-penasihat yang terbabit dan pengaruh mereka setakat ini. Berbalik kepada modus operandi yang kita tekankan tadi. APCO dalam operasinya membentuk pertalian dengan kerajaan-kerajaan yang melantiknya menggunakan firma bersekutu (dengan izin associates) di seluruh dunia. Selain Asero, firma bersekutu lainnya adalah Global Political Strategies.

Di Israel, salah satu firma bersekutu adalah Asero Worldwide10 yang diketuai oleh Doron Bergerbest-Eilon, bekas Ketua Perlindungan dan Keselamatan, Agensi Keselamatan Israel dengan berpangkat Mejar Jeneral. Beliau juga adalah salah seorang penasihat antarabangsa kepada APCO. Jadi kontrak-kontrak yang melantik APCO tidak semestinya di antara APCO dan kerajaan semata-mata. Kerajaan boleh sahaja melantik firma bersekutu APCO tetapi tenaga pakar dan jaringan penasihatnya serta jaringan sekutunya adalah dari APCO. Kalau di Israel, lantikan dibuat melalui Asero Worldwide. Contohnya, kontrak lantikan bertarikh 9hb Januari 1992 itu adalah di antara kerajaan Israel dan sebuah firma bersekutu bernama GCI International. Tetapi apabila kita meneliti kandungan perjanjian tersebut termasuk tenaga utama yang akan menjalankan tugas-tugas melobi, salah seorang pengurus kanannya adalah Margery Kraus yang kini merupakan CEO APCO. Oleh sebab itu, kita perlu berhati-hati dengan penafian oleh APCO bahawa ianya tidak terlibat. APCO sebagai sebuah firma mungkin tidak terlibat dengan idea gagasan 1Malaysia Apa mungkin Perdana Menteri hadir ke Dewan Rakyat dan menyatakan secara tegas bahawa tidak ada manamana individu yang ada kaitan dengan APCO atau firma bersekutu dengan APCO atau penasihatnya yang terlibat dengan gagasan 1Malaysia? Kita pertikai gagasan penting bagi pentadbiran sekarang tidak tergolong dengan apa yang dikira sebahagian dari komunikasi yang menyeluruh. Bolehkah Perdana Menteri menerangkan adakah sebelum Ethos atau Omar Mustapha; yang dikatakan bertanggungjawab membawa gagasan 1Malaysia bagi pertimbangan Perdana Menteri; Omar Mustapha atau mana-mana eksekutif Ethos tidak mempunyai apa-apa hubungan langsung dengan mana-mana individu yang ada kaitan dengan APCO? Perdana Menteri perlu menerangkan adakah kerajaan atau Ethos atau mana-mana firma yang dilantik kerajaan; pernah melantik Mind Teams Sdn Bhd iaitu nama syarikat sebelum APCO secara rasmi bertapak di Kuala Lumpur. Paul Stadlen yang kini mengetuai APCO di Kuala Lumpur merupakan individu sama yang menandatangani perjanjian bagi pihak Mind Teams Sdn Bhd dengan Kerajaan Malaysia. Antara pengarahnya juga adalah Margery Kraus; CEO APCO dan invidu penting yang terlibat dengan akaun di Israel. Perdana Menteri juga perlu menerangkan kepada Dewan; kenapa Omar Mustapha penasihat yang dipercayai Perdana Menteri dilaporkan membawa APCO untuk menasihati kerajaan dalam dasar-dasar penting terutamanya 1Malaysia? Tidakkah ini menimbulkan persoalan mengenai perkaitan di antara Ethos, APCO dan 1Malaysia? Manakala itu Perdana Menteri beria-ia menonjolkan Omar Musthapa sebagai salah seorang ahli lembaga pengarah Petronas walaupun ditolak pada mulanya oleh Lembaga Pengarah atas alasan gagal membayar biasiswanya. Soalan-soalan ini perlu dijawab oleh Perdana Menteri, kerana kita tahu modus operandi APCO yang diselubungi degan rahsia dan melibatkan banyak individu yang bernaung dengannya tetapi menggunakan firma-firma yang berlainan. REKOD APCO Kebimbangan kita mengenai penglibatan APCO dengan kerajaan Malaysia banyak bersabit dengan rekod APCO dengan pemimpin-pemimpin yang mempunyai rekod hak asasi manusia atau penyelewengan harta rakyat di seluruh dunia. Ada dua aspek yang membimbangkan kita pertama; APCO banyak memberi khidmat untuk memulihkan imej pemimpin-pemimpin sebegini yang menindas rakyat di negara masing-masing. Sehinggakan akhbar The Times of India menulis bagaimana APCO mempunyai diktator-diktator di dalam senarai pelanggannya. Rencana tersebut menyenaraikan antaranya: Adolf Hitler was a brilliant propagandist. Narendra Modi too believes in the power of image. Which is probably why the chief minister hired a US lobbying firm which has serviced clients like former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and President-for-life of Kazakhstan Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev. This Washington-based firm, Apco Worldwide, was hired by Modi sometime in August this year, in the run-up to an important Assembly election, to improve his image before the world community. Among its recent clients are Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Communist youth leader-turnedRussian billionaire with mafia links. Keduanya; mereka yang terlibat dengan APCO mempunyai kaitan yang sangat rapat dengan Israel serta ahli politik Amerika Syarikat yang mempunyai pandangan yang serong terhadap umat Islam. Soalan saya kepada Perdana Menteri jika ini reputasi dan rekod APCO yang diketahui umum; apakah mesej yang ingin disampaikan kepada rakyat melalui perlantikan APCO sebagai perunding kerajaan? Apakah pentadbiran Perdana Menteri mengakui bahawa Perdana Menteri dan partinya Umno adalah setaraf dengan rejim-rejim diktator di dunia; sehinggakan khidmat APCO yang selama ini membaiki imej diktator perlu digunapakai? Saya ingin kupas kedua-dua aspek dan memberikan bukti bahawa berdasarkan rekod APCO selama ini, sewajarnya kerajaan tidak melantik mereka kecualilah kepakaran yang diperlukan kerajaan adalah kepakaran menggunakan wang untuk membeli pengaruh di Washington. Dalam tahun 2007, seorang wartawan penyiasat yang terkenal di Amerika Syarikat bernama Ken Silverstein telah menyamar untuk melantik APCO mewakili kerajaan Turkmenistan. Beliau telah melaporkan hasil siasatannya mengenai peranan dan pendekatan APCO membantu membersihkan imej diktator-diktator dunia di dalam sebuah rencana yang disiarkan di dalam Majalah Harpers. Berikut antara pendedahan majalah tersebut: Apco was the first firm I contacted, because it was a natural candidate to represent Turkmenistan: it has experience working not just on behalf of authoritharian regimes in general-the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha in Nigeria, for example, which employed the firm in 1995, the same year it hanged 9 democracy activists.

Pendedahan Ken Silverstein itu jelas menunjukkan peranan yang dimainkan oleh APCO dalam membantu pemimpin-pemimpin yang begitu buruk rekodnya. Nama-nama yang disebut di dalam pendedahan tersebut termasuklah Barry Schumacher yang juga pernah terlibat di dalam tugasan lantikan kerajaan Israel pada tahun 1992 dan Jennifer Millerwise Dyck, bekas jurucakap CIA dan jurucakap Naib Presiden Dick Cheney; yang rekodnya di dalam perang di Afghanistan dan Iraq kita semua sedia maklum. Sekiranya YB meneliti laporan tersebut, lebih membimbangkan adalah pendekatan yang diambil oleh APCO dalam menjalankan assignment itu. Kepada kerajaan yang melantiknya, mereka dijanjikan pertemuan-pertemuan dengan pemimpin Kongres, dialog atau seminar dengan pelbagai institusi untuk memberi imej yang amat berlainan dengan apa yang berlaku. Kepada pemimpin Kongres dan kerajaan Amerika Syarikat, mereka akan menjaja pertemuan-pertemuan ini sebagai peluang untuk mempengaruhi kepimpinan kerajaan yang melantik mereka sebagai perunding. Tidakkan ini satu amalan yang kurang beretika kerana ia seolah-olah mengambil untung di kedua-dua belah pihak? Bukankah ini satu isu yang besar apabila ada risiko campur tangan semata-mata untuk mendapatkan pertemuanpertemuan di Washington? Sebab itu saya akan terangkan selepas ini risiko-risiko yang telah ditanggung oleh negara apabila Perdana Menteri dicucuk hidung oleh Omar Mustapha dan juak-juak dari Ethos untuk melantik APCO. Senarai pemimpin-pemimpin yang menggunakan khidmat APCO untuk membaikpulih imej diktator adalah panjang dan mengejutkan. Selain Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan dan Azerbaijan; salah seorang klien APCO yang paling terkenal adalah bekas diktator Nigeria iaitu General Sani Abacha. Mengikut laporan-laporan BBC General Sani Abacha merupakan pemimpin berkedudukan No. 4 yang paling korup di dunia. Semasa pemerintahannya, berbillion-billion dollar dilesapkan. Wang yang dilesapkan oleh orang kanannya sahaja berjumlah USD$2.5 billion. APCO sebagai firma perhubungan awam yang terlibat dengan komunikasi strategi mempunyai misi untuk melunakkan imej Sani Abacha yang melesapkan wang negara. Aspek kedua yang membimbangkan kita adalah kehadiran ramainya tokoh-tokoh yang berkait rapat dengan kerajaan Israel dan organisasi pertahanan negara itu termasuklah agensi perisikan sebagai perunding atau penasihat APCO. Tidakkah tindakan Perdana Menteri melantik APCO, yang umum diketahui rapat dengan tokoh-tokoh kanan rejim Zionis, merupakan sikap kepurapuraan? Di depan rakyat, kerajaan Barisan Nasional bercakap mengenai perjuangan Palestin, mengutuk rejim Zionist malah merotan pesalahpesalah rakyat marhaen yang lemah untuk membuktikan ia sebuah kerajaan yang menegakkan Islam adil atau tidak itu belakang kira. Tetapi secara senyap di belakang, tanpa pengetahuan rakyat; Perdana Menteri dinasihati secara terus dan dekat oleh sebuah firma yang ditunjangi oleh tokoh-tokoh kanan rejim Zionis? Regim yang memenjarakan Gaza dan menindas baik umat Islam dan mereka yang beragama Kristian di Palestin. Secara khususnya, saya ingin membawa perhatian Dewan kepada tiga tokoh utama Israel di dalam APCO iaitu Doron Bergerbest-Eilon, Ittamar Rabinovich dan Shimon Stein14. Ketiga-tiga tokoh ini adalah tokoh kanan rejim Zionis. Doron Bergerbest-Eilon adalah Ketua Bahagian Keselamatan dan Perlindungan, Agensi Keselamatan Israel. Apa itu Agensi Keselamatan Israel? ( Israel Security Agency) ISA adalah nama rasmi kepada satu organisasi yang cukup busuk namanya di kalangan umat Islam; iaitu Shin Bet. Apa ini Shin Bet? Shin Bet adalah adik kembar kepada Mossad; iaitu agensi perisikan Israel. Bezanya Shin Bet adalah agensi perisikan dalam negara dan Mossad adalah agensi perisikan luar negara. Siapa lagi tokoh-tokoh kanan rejim Zionis di dalam APCO? Antaranya Itamar Rabinovich; Duta Israel ke Amerika Syarikat, salah satu jawatan terpenting dalam rejim Zionis. Ini adalah jawatan diplomatik paling kanan dan hanya tokoh paling kanannya sahaja yang menjawat jawatan ini. Begitu juga dengan Shimon Stein iaitu mantan duta Israel ke Jerman. Kedua-dua ini merupakan jawatan diplomatik kanan buat Negara Israel. Kedudukan mereka yang kanan dalam lingkaran diplomatik memperlihatkan keupayaan mereka untuk mempengaruhi serta melobi bagi pihak APCO sekarang. RISIKO KEPADA NEGARA Sebab itu kita menimbulkan isu ini kerana ia melibatkan keselamatan dan reputasi negara serta maruah umat. Kita jelas mengapa kita bangkitkan isu ini. Ianya kerana kita mempertikaikan tindakan kerajaan menganugerahkan kontrak perkhidmatan puluhan juta ringgit kepada sebuah syarikat yang mana ada dari kalangan eksekutif kanannya pernah memegang jawatan tinggi dalam organisasi seperti Shin Bet dan Kerajaan Israel. Kita khuatir kerana pentadbiran Dato Sri Najib seperti tidak runsing dan gundah mengambil sebuah firma yang tercemar dengan rekod berkhidmat untuk para diktator dan petindas. Sikap membisu Perdana Menteri pastinya mengundang pelbagai kemusykilan serta persoalan. Membicarakan persoalan seperti komunikasi menyeluruh, pastinya ia berkait rapat dengan Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, Kementerian Penerangan dan banyak kementerian lainnya. Maknanya APCO mempunyai akses/terdedah kepada jaringan strategik serta penting dan pastinya memberi kesan kepada keselamatan negara. Melantik organisasi asing yang mempunyai rekod seperti APCO, lalu mengamanahkannya

dengan tanggungjawab besar serta kemudahan sedemikan rupa pastinya menggadai kepentingan negara. Oleh kerana itu saya menggesa kerajaan agar segara membatalkan kontrak perkhidmatan dengan APCO dan menubuhkan sebuah Suruhanjaya DiRaja untuk menyiasat skandal yang memalukan ini.

*Ini bukan sebahagian dari ucapan. Sekadar penilaian dan perbandingan berhubung persamaan di antara 1Malaysia dan 1Israel:
- 1Israel adalah parti gabungan yang dipimpin oleh Ehud Barak yang menang pilihanraya Israel pada tahun 1999. Ia pada asalnya mengumpulkan Parti Buruh, Gesher dan Meimad dan kemudiannya bergabung dengan parti-parti agama Yahudi dan sayap kanan seperti Shas, Meretz dan beberapa parti lain. - 1Israel menandakan beralihnya dasar Parti Buruh menjadi lebih keras dan bersayap kanan; dengan kemasukan parti-parti lain di dalam gabungan. Ia merupakan gabungan pilihanraya yang mengumpulkan parti-parti perkauman bersayap kanan yang berbeza ideologi dan kepentingannya. - Sebab itu pendekatan yang diambil oleh Ehud Barak adalah dengan menumpukan kepada perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan oleh 1Israel kepada rakyat untuk mengalih perhatian pengundi daripada perbezaan ideologi parti-parti di dalam 1Israel. - Platform 1Israel menjanjikan perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan yang lebih baik terutamanya di dalam pendidikan dan kesihatan yang terpampang di papan tanda besar. - Mesej-mesej yang konsisten di papan tanda besar ini adalah tumpuan 1Israel untuk mendahulukan rakyat; dengan mendahulukan perkhidmatan seperti pendidikan dan kesihatan sebelum meluaskan kawasan penempatan Israel. - Jadi mesej 1Israel adalah rakyat didahulukan, mesej 1Malaysia adalah rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan. -Satu lagi inisiatif utama kerajaan 1Israel adalah dengan merombak sistem kesihatan. Di bawah 1Israel, fungsi Kementerian Kesihatan diubah dengan menjadi perancang dan mengurangkan penekanan kepada rawatan wad dan hospital sebaliknya rakyat digalakkan mendapatkan rawatan pencegahan sebelum ke hospital; sama ada di klinik atau dengan ubatubatan yang diberikan. - Maka 1Israel penekanannya adalah klinik, di Malaysia kita ada Klinik 1Malaysia. - Selain itu di bawah 1Israel pelbagai tabung, yayasan dan kempen dilancarkan secara bertubi-tubi; semuanya di bawah payung 1Israel. Begitulah juga di Malaysia tiap-tiap hari kita disuap dengan pelancaran, yayasan (contohnya Yayasan 1Malaysia), tabung, kampung dan pelbagai lagi semuanya konsep 1Malaysia.

The Angel of Consolation

10:62, 64: "Lo! verily the friends of God are those on whom fear cometh not, nor do they grieve... Theirs are good tidings in the life of the world and in the Hereafter." The angel of consolation follows the angel of tears. When the angel of tears touches someone's heart with his wing, that person begins to weep. One of the great saints, named `Urwa, grew very old and began to pray that God take Him back to Him and place Him among His beloved ones. One day, as he was making such a prayer by the graveside of St. John the Baptist in Damascus, he saw a very handsome young man coming to him, dressed in green and covered with blazing light. The young man smiled at `Urwa and said: "O my father, may God bless you! What prayer are you making?" Urwa told him: "O my son, may God have mercy on you! I am asking for a good end and a quick return to God for a goodly meeting with the loved ones. Who are you, my dear son?" He said: "I am the mercy of your Lord sent to console human beings. My name is and I am an angel. I was created to wipe away the sadness and pain from the breast of those beloved to God." Then the angel disappeared, and `Urwa's sadness was gone with him. One day, the disciples of another great saint went among a certain tribe in Central Asia and weeks passed without them coming back. Their master was meditating one day with a heavy heart, worried that something might have happened to them. A green bird of Paradise came to his window and began to chant with

Artiya-il

ArinailHeaven from copper and has

named it Zaytun

The Third Heaven

The Lord Almighty created this Heaven from copper and has named it Zaytun. The name of its guardian angel is Arinail. Its gate is of white pearls and it has a lock of light. When Jibrail knocked upon the gate, the guardian angel called from within, Who is it requesting entry? Jibrail answered, It is I, Jibrail. And who is this with you? asked the keeper of the gate. It is Muhammad {s}, replied Jibrail. Again he asked, Has he been given prophethood? Yes, he has, answered Jibrail. Has he received summons and invitation? Yes, he has, replied Jibrail. Then Arinail opened the gates, saying, Welcome to you, how pleasing a guest! I entered this Heaven and I beheld Arinail to be a great and majestic angel. He had at his command three hundred thousand angels who engaged in this Tasbih:

Subhanal-mutiyl-wahhab, Subhanal-fattahil-alim, Subhanal-mujibi liman daahu.

(Praise be to the Giver of all things, the generous Bestower, Praise to the Opener of All Ways, the AllKnowing, Praise to Him who answers all prayers.) I greeted this angel and he responded with full reverence and gave me news of many and varied blessings and gifts that were to come to me. After that, I went on and came upon a large group of angels ranged in rows and all in the position of Sajda. While bowing thus, they were engaged in this Tasbih:

Subhanal-khaliqil-azhim, Subhana-lladhi la mafarra wa la maljaa minhu illa ilayhi, Subhanal-aliyyil-ala.

(Praised be the Almighty Creator, Praise be to Him from whom there is no escape and no refuge but in Him; Praised be the Highest of All.)

Jibrail then said to me, They are perpetually engaged in this form of worship. Pray that the Lord grant that also to your nation. Then I prayed to the Lord and He granted to my nation the Sajdah in their prayer. This is the reason why the Sajdah in our prayer is doubled: when I came and saluted them, they raised their heads from their Sajdah to receive my salute, then they again bowed down. Therefore, my nation was obliged to perform the Sajdah twice in their prayer.

Harquaeel.God has created this

Angel to show the greatness of the Throne

The Angels of the Throne

39:75: "And thou (O Muhammad) seest the angels thronging round the Throne, hymning the praises of their Lord. And they are judged aright. And it is said: Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds!" 69:17: "And the angels will be on the sides thereof, and eight will uphold the throne of their Lord that day, above them." God has created the divine Throne with light from His light. The greatness of the Throne is such that, besides it, all the seven heavens and the seven earths are like a tiny mustard-seed in the midst of a great desert. When God wanted to show the greatness of the Throne, He created an

angel by the name of Harquaeel. This angel has eighteen thousand wings. Delighting in his many wings, this angel was taken by the desire to appraise the size of the divine Throne. God said to that angel: "O Harquaeel, I know that you have an ambition to see the greatness of My divine Throne, so I am granting you another eighteen thousand wings, and allowing you to fly with all your might roundabout My divine Throne. Harquaeel deployed his wings and flew for three thousand light-years until he grew tired, even though angels do not get tired, and had to rest. Again, the divine command came, saying to him: "Harquaeel, fly on!" A second time, the angel deployed his wings and flew on for another three thousand light-years. Again, he grew tired and had to stop. A third time the command came to him to fly more. And a third time he deployed his wings. He flew on another three thousand lightyears until he stopped again, dazed by the great distance which not even his wings allowed him to encompass. Harquaeel spoke to His Lord: - "O my Lord and Creator, tell me how many times now I have circled Your Throne?" The Lord of heavens and earth and all creation answered: "O Harquaeel!

Angel HabibWeeps for the Sinners

and Prays for Mercy Upon Them"

Meeting Isma`il
The Holy Muhammad {s} resumes his narrative: When I entered this heavenly realm, I encountered Ismail in his impressive aspect, seated upon a throne of light. One hundred thousand angels surrounded him, standing in front, in back, to his right and to his left. Each of these angels had another hundred thousand soldiers at his command. Ismail and all those with him engaged in this Tasbih:

Subhanal-malik-il-ala. Subhanal-aliyy-il-azhim. Subhana man laysa ka-mithlihi shayin.

(Praise be to the Highest King; Glory to the High, the Mighty; Glory to Him who is unlike any other.) I then saluted him and he returned my greetings and honored me. After this I beheld another group of angels, who stood in pious reverence in Qiyam, (the standing position of ritual prayer). They all were engaged in this Tasbih:

Subbuhun quddus Rabbuna wa Rabb-almalaikati wa-r-ruh

(Praised be He with exalted praise, He who is holier than holy, our Lord and the Lord of the angels.) I beheld a number of angels created from wind and water. The angel appointed as their head and overseer was called Raad (which means thunder). He is responsible for the clouds and the rains. The Tasbih they were engaged in was this:

Subhana dhil-mulk wal-malakuti

(Praise be to Him in whose Hand lies the entire creation and its dominion.)

Habib From this angels voice issued the sounds of thunder and lightning.
In the heavenly sphere there remained not one empty space, angels were cramped even into the smallest corner, prostrating themselves and

Angel Quroos The Rooster This Roosters call The Holy

angel who has the form of a rooster descends to the earthly skies when it is night, and this is his Tasbih

Muhammad {s} makes clear to us these pearls of spiritual wisdom when he says, There are three things that Allah Almighty loves and is pleased with: the voice of him who recites the Holy Quran; the sound of the roosters call; the voice of him who prays for forgiveness in the time before the dawn. To continue with the Holy Prophet's {s} narrative: This angel who has the form of a rooster descends to the earthly skies when it is night, and this is his Tasbih:

Subhanal-malikil-quddus, Subhanal-kabiril-mutaal, La ilaha illAllah-al-hayy-alqayyum.

(Glory to the All-Holy King, Glory to the Great and Exalted God, There is no God but Allah, the Ever-Living, Eternally Abiding.)

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim, La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah. Kullu shayin halikun illa wajhahu, alWahid ul-Qahhar.
(In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the AllCompassionate. There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is Allahs Messenger. All must perish save His Divine Countenance, He who is One, the All-Vanquishing.) At every prayer time, this angel would raise his head and repeat the glorification:

Bismillahil-azhim wa bihamdihi
(In the Name of Allah, the Mighty and in Praise of Him.) His Tasbih was thus:

Subhanaka, ma azhama

shanuka.
(Praise be to Thee, how great is Thy Glory!)

Angel Mikhail

I entered and beheld the guardian angel of this Heaven, Mikhail. There were two hundred thousand angels at his service, each one of whom had another two hundred thousand helpers to assist him. I greeted him and he returned my greetings with reverence. He gave me the joyous news of the many honors and blessings the Almighty was to bestow on me. They were engaged in this Tasbih:

Subhana-llahi kullama sabbaha-llaha musabbihun, wal-hamdu lillahi kullama hamid-allaha hamidun wa la ilaha illAllahu kullama hallala-llaha muhallilun wallahu akbaru kullama kabbara-llaha mukabbirun.
(Glory be to Allah whenever the glorifier glorifies Him; And praised be He whenever the praiser praises Him; There is no God but He each time this Tahlil is recited; And Allah is Greatest each time this Takbir is affirmed.) They remained always in this position and recited this Tasbih:

Subhanal-warithul-wasiu-lladhi yudrikul-absar; Subhana-lladhi la tudrikuhulabsar; Subhanal-azhimul-alim.

(Praised be He, the Heir Universal who sees, the All-Discerning; Praised be He whom our eyes cannot perceive; Praised be the Majestic, the All-Knowing.) Passing on, we reached the angel Mikhail who was seated upon a tremendous throne. In front of him was a great set of scales. Each scale of the balance was so great that it might have contained all the heavens and earths. A great many scrolls of paper were stacked in front of him. I went up to him and gave him my Salams. He received my greetings and rose to greet me in return. Then he

Prophet {Isa} Jesusand John Prophet Jesus And John They are related to each other, being cousins. I saluted {Yahya} them and they received my Salams with
reverence and greeted me, saying, Welcome to you, oh righteous Prophet, our righteous brother! Then they gave me tidings of the many Gifts of Grace the Highest and Holiest Lord had in store for me.

The Tasbih of Isa Jesus {as} was this:

Subhanal-hannanil-mannan; Subhanal-abadiyyul-abad; Subhanal-mubdi-al-muid.

(Praised be to the All-Compassionate, the Allbounteous; Praised be the Eternal, Never-Ending; Praised be He who creates from nothing, then causes to die and returns to its previous state.) After we had passed them, I saw a very great angel who had seventy thousand heads, and on every head there were seventy thousand faces. Every face had seventy thousand mouths and in every mouth there were seventy thousand tongues. Each tongue spoke a different language, which bore no resemblance to the next. Each tongue glorified the Lord as follows:

Subhanal-khaliqil-azhim; Subhanal-azhimil-alim; Subhanallahi wa bi-hamdihi; Subhanallahil-azhim wa bihamdihi, Istaghfirullah.

(Praise be to the Creator, the Glorious; Praise be to the All-Powerful, All-Knowing; Praise be to Allah and glorified be He; Praise be to Allah the Magnificent and glorified be He, I beseech Allah for forgiveness.)

Angel Qasim
This is the angel who is charged with the distribution of provisions

The Angel of Provision

Who is this? I asked Jibrail u, who told me, This is the angel who is charged with the distribution of provisions, and his name is Qasim.
He distributes to every single one his daily provision, no one receives more or less than his apportioned lot. According to one narration, he is to have said, If a person finds himself in straightened circumstances and in the morning prayer (Fajr) recites one-hundred times the last line of the Tasbih of this angel between the Sunna and the Fard Rakats, then Allah will supply him plentifully and make his provision bounteous. This is the line of this Tasbih:

Subhana-llahi wa bi-hamdihi, Subhana-llahil-azhim wa bihamdihi wa istaghfirullah.

(Praise be to Allah and glorified be He; Praise be to Allah the Magnificent and glorified be He, I beseech Allah for forgiveness.)

AzrailAngel of Death, his name

is Azrail

Angel of Death, his name is Azrail After passing by this angel, I beheld an even greater, even more wondrous angel who was seated upon a throne of light. He was silent and of morose aspect. The throne he was seated upon had four corners and each corner was supported by seven hundred thousand pillars of gold and of silver. Around him were grouped such multitudes of angels, only the Omnipotent Owner of Might and Bounty, Allah Almighty alone knows their number. To his right angels were ranged row upon row, seventy thousand in all, dazzling in their light. All of them were clad in green and they gave off a lovely scent. Their words, too, were sweet, and their beauty was so great that it was impossible to gaze at them. To the left were another seventy thousand angels, ranged row upon row. Their aspect was of terrible and sinister portent, their faces were black as night and their speech was rude. Their clothing was ugly and the smells they emitted were noxious. When they began reciting their Tasbih, tongues of fire erupted from their mouths. They held before them fiery clubs and blades, and their eyes were so cruel, no one could stand to look at them for long. The angel seated upon the throne was covered with eyes from head to foot, which sparkled as Mars and Venus in the sky. He also had shimmering wings and in his hand he held sheet of paper, while before him there was a tablet. He gazed incessantly at that tablet and not once lifted his gaze from it. There was also before him a tree, and only Allah can know the number of its leaves. Upon each leaf was written the name of a certain person. Then there stood before him a type of vessel. At times he reached in it with his right hand and drew something out of

ProphetJoseph {as}

Tasbih of Yusuf
I then passed on, and I saw Yusuf in all his great beauty. Of all existing beauty, Yusuf was given one half. I gave him my Salams and he returned them with dignity and bade me welcome. He informed me of many miracles to come and he prayed for me. His Tasbih was this:

Subhanal-karimil-akram, Subhanal-jalilil-ajall, Subhanal-fardil-witr; Subhana-abadiyyil-abad.

(Praised be the Most Bounteous of the Bountiful; Praised be the Greatest of the Great; Praised be the Peerless, Unique; Praised be Eternal, Never-Ending.)

Prophet Daud and his son Suleiman {as}

I saw Daud and his son Sulayman. I greeted them both and they returned my Salams with respect. They gave me great good tidings and said, Pray in this night that you might be given intercession for your nation and that the Lord grant them security. In this way they counseled me. Da`uds Tasbih was this:

Subhana khaliqi-n-nur; {7Veil,Rajab} Subhana-t-tawwabil-wahhab.

(Praised be the Creator of Light; Praised be He who accepts Repentance and the Bestower of All Good.). Sulaymans Tasbih was this:

Subhana malikil-mulk , Subhanal-qahiril-jabbar, Subhana man ilayhi tasir-alumur.

(Praise to the Lord of All Dominions, Praise to the Compeller, the Imposing; Praised be to whom all Things must return.)

Angel Sohail

Tasbih of the Tyrants 5

After I left them, I came to an angel seated upon a throne. This angel had seventy heads and seventy pairs of wings, each pair spanning all the way from the east to the west. All around him I beheld enormous angels, each of which was extremely tall.These angels were punishing a certain group of sinners, beating them with sticks until they fell apart. Then they became whole again and the angels began beating them again. I asked whom this great angel was who I saw seated upon the throne. Jibrail told me that he was the angel Sohail and he told me that those I saw being punished were the unjust tyrants and cruel oppressors from among my nation. In this way they would be punished until the Day of Judgment. Their Tasbih was as follows:

Subhana man huwa fauqaljabbarin; Subhanal-musalliti fauqalmusallitin; Subhanal-muntaqimi mim-man asahu.

(Glory to Him who is above all oppressors; Glory to Him who attacks all attackers; Glory to Him who takes revenge on whomever disobeys Him.) After this, I beheld a Sea of Fire surrounded on its shores by fierce and terrible angels. What is this? I asked, and Jibrail explained to me, This sea is the Sea of Saq (Lighting), and these angels here throw down thundering bolts of fire and lightning from the heavens onto the earth. As it written in this Holy Verse of the Quran: He looses the thunderbolts, and smites with them whomsoever He will.

Angel Malik This is the Guardian of Jahannam (Hell)

The Guardian Angel of Hell

After this I beheld a door, which was made all of camphor wood. Its lower groundsill reached down to the lowest level of the earth, while its upper doorsill reached to just below the Divine Throne. This door was a double door, on which was mounted a lock as great as Heaven and earth together. I asked in amazement, What is this door? and Jibrail answered me, The name of this door is Bab al-Aman, the Door of Safety. I asked why it was so called and Jibrail told me, The Lord Almighty created Hell and filled it with various torments. There came a breath out of Hell, and all the creatures on earth and in the heavens appealed to the Lord for help and protection. Then, the Lord of All Majesty created this door between Hell and the rest of all creation, so that all the creatures of the seven heavens and earths will find safety from it. Therefore, the name of this door is the Door of Safety. I then asked to see what was behind that door and asked for it to be opened, but Jibrail u said, Behind this door you will find Hell, is that really what you want to see? Yes, indeed, I wish to see it, I said. Thereupon a Divine Command was heard, saying, Oh My Beloved, upon a sign of your finger, this door will open. I then signaled with my hand and the door opened. I looked beyond it and this is what I saw: a great Minbar of iron, which had six hundred thousand pedestals. Upon it sat a great and terrible angel created from fire. He was busy twisting ropes of fire, making shackles and fetters of fire. His face was awesome and frightful to behold. His hand was powerful and his anger was plain to see. His head was bowed forward and he recited this Tasbih:

Subhana-lladhi la yajuru wa huwal-malik-al-jabbar; Subhanal-muntaqimu min adaihi, Subhanal-muti li-man yashaa,

Angel SalsailFourth Heaven is

created of raw silver

The Fourth Heaven

The Seal of Prophethood r narrates, regarding his journey to the Fourth Heaven: The Fourth Heaven is created of raw silver or, according to a different narration, from white pearl. The name of this Heaven is Zahir. Its gate was of Light and the lock to the gate was of Light and written upon it were the words, La ilaha illAllah, Muhammadan Rasulullah. The angel guarding the gate to this Heaven was the angel Salsail. After we had knocked on the gate and had answered the same questions as before, we were admitted and the gates were opened to us. I beheld the angel in charge, Salsail. He was responsible for all that happened here. Under his command were four hundred thousand angels, and each one of these angels commanded another four hundred thousand angelic lieutenants. These angels praised the Lord in the following words:

Subhana khaliq-iz-zulumati wan-nur, Subhana khaliq-ish-shamsi walqamar-il-munir, Subhana-r-rafi-il-ala.

(Praise be to the Creator of darkness and light, Praise be to the Creator of the sun and the shining moon; Praise be to the Highest of the High.) Among these angels I noticed a special group; some of them stood in Qiyam, some were prostrated in Sajda, their gaze unswerving from the place of their prostration, so rapt were they in devotion. Another party of those in Sajda were so entranced that they remained gazing at their noses.

The Tasbih of these three groups of angels was this:

Subbuhun quddus, Rabbun-arRahman-ar-Rahim illadhi la ilaha illa huwa.

(Glorified be our Lord, the All-Holy, the All-

Compassionate, The All-Merciful, besides whom there is no other god.) I then asked Jibrail, Is this their form of worship? Jibrail replied, Ever since they were created, they have remained in this pose of humility. Make supplication for your nation that they, too, might be given this form of worship. I prayed and asked this for my nation, and my nation, too, was given this attitude of humility during their prayer.

Prophets Idris and Nuh

Then I met the Prophets Idris and Nuh. I gave them Salams and they replied reverentially, saying, Greetings to you, oh righteous brother, oh righteous Prophet of Allah and they gave me glad tidings of many good things to come.

This was the Tasbih of Idris:

Subhanal-mujibi-s-sailin, Subhana qabzil-jabbarin, Subhana-lladhi ala fa la yablughu uluwwahu ahad.

(Glorified be He who answers those who ask of Him, Praised be He who constrains the tyrants, Praised be He whose lofty height none can reach but He.)

The Tasbih of the Prophet Nuh was this

Subhanal-Hayyil-Halim, Subhanal-Haqqil-Karim, Subhanal-Azizil-Hakim.

(Glory be to God, the Living and Gentle, Glory to God, the True and Munificent, Glory to God, the Powerful and Wise.)

Mansions of Maryam, Buhayyid and Asiya

Thereafter, I saw Maryam, the mother of Isa, and the mother of Musa, Buhayyid, and the wife of Fir awn, Asiya may Allah be well pleased with them. They all came to greet me. Maryam, the mother of Isa, had seventy thousand mansions, all made of white pearls. The mother of Musa had seventy thousand mansions all made of green emeralds. Finally, Asiya had seventy thousand mansions made of red corals. After this, I came to a great sea, the water of which was white with snow. What sea is this? I asked. Jibrail told me, This sea is called the Sea of Snow. After we had passed by there, we came to the sun.

Angel KalqailHeaven from red

gold and its name is Safiya.

The Fifth Heaven

The Beloved of Allah narrates details of his visit to the Fifth Heaven: Allah Almighty created this Heaven from red gold and its name is Safiya. The keeper of the gate is called Kalqail. As before, we requested entry at its gates. After a set exchange of certain questions and answers, the gates opened and we entered. Upon entering, I beheld the guardian of this Heaven seated upon a throne of light. I greeted him, and he returned my Salams with much respectfulness. Five hundred thousand angels are at his service, and each one of these has another five hundred thousand attendants at his disposal. They are constantly engaged in glorification of the Lord, and their Tasbih is this:

Quddusun quddus Rabb-alarbab, Subhana Rabbinal-alal-azham, Quddusun Rabb-al-malaikati war-ruh

(Holy, Holy, the Lord of All Lords! Glory to our Lord, the Lofty, the Majestic! All-Holy the Lord of the angels and the spirit.) Having passed by these angels, I came upon another flock, and Allah alone knows their number. These were seated in an attitude of perfect devotion in the posture of Qada, never raising their gaze from their knees as they recited this Tasbih:

Subhana Dhil-fadhlil-akbar Subhanal-adl illadhi la yajur.

(Praise be to the Possessor of Greatest Grace. Praise be to the Perfectly Just One who wrongs none.) I turned to Jibrail and asked, Is that their form of worship? He replied, Yes, since the day they were created, they have busied themselves with their devotion. Entreat your Lord that He might grant your nation this form of worship as well. I prayed for this and the Qada (kneeling position) was thus included in our ritual prayer.

Prophets Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Lut and Harun

Prophets Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Lut and Harun

We passed on and met the Prophets Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Lut and Harun. I gave them my greetings and they replied, Welcome to you, oh righteous son, our upright brother and truthful Prophet! They greeted me with full honors and gave good tidings of great good things to be. Their glorification was the following:

Subhana man la yasiful-wasifuna azhmatahu wa muntahahu Subhana man hadaat lahu-rriqab wa dhallat lahu-s-sifaq.
(Glory to Him before the Extremity of whose Majesty all attempts at description must pale, Glory to Him before whom princes bow their heads and the brazen are humbled). Having passed by, we came to a sea the expanse of which is known to Allah Almighty alone, none but He can say aught about it. I asked, What is this sea? Jibrail answered, This sea is called

the Bahru-n-Niqam, the Sea of Vengeance. From here descended the waters of the flood of Nuh.
We passed on and Jibrail called the Adhan and the Iqama, and I led all the inhabitants and angels of the fifth Heaven in a prayer of two Rakats. After this we ascended to the Sixth Heaven.

AngelSamkhailthis Heaven from

a yellow gem and has called it Khalisa.

The Sixth Heaven

Allah Almighty has created this Heaven from a yellow gem and has called it Khalisa. Its guardian is Samkhail. We came to its gates and requested their opening; the customary question and answering took place and the gates opened for us. As we entered, I beheld the angel Samkhail. He had six hundred thousand angels at his command, and each of these had another six hundred thousand helpers under him. All were engaged in glorification of the Lord, chanting these words:

Subhanal-Karim, subhana-nNur-al-mubin, Subhana-lladhi huwa ilahu man fi-s-samawati wa ilahu man filard.
(Glory be to the Munificent, Glory to the Unmistakable Light, Glory to Him who is God of all that is in the heavens and on the earth.) I greeted the angel Samkhail and he returned my greetings with full appreciation and ceremony. Then he made this supplication: May the Almighty bless your good works, your works of sanctity and the light within your heart! to which I rejoined, Amin!

Prophet Musa

Then we passed on until we came upon a group of angels who are called theCherubim (Karubiyun). Only Allah knows their number. Their chief is a great angel who is given seventy thousand angels in attendance. Each of these helpers had another seventy thousand angels to serve him. With loud voices, they are continuously chanting Tasbih and Tahlil. Passing by them, I met my brother, the Prophet Musa. I greeted him and he rose in response and kissed me between the eyes. Then he spoke and said, Praise be to Allah who has sent you and shown you to me. The Lord has given me tidings of the great miracles about to be performed. Tonight, you are to be honored by meeting and conversing with the Lord of the Universe. However, do not forget your weak nation. Whatever bliss you are granted, also seek it for your nation. Should anything be made obligatory on them, ask for it to be reduced to a minimum. The glorification of Musa was this:

Subhanal-Hadi man yashau. Subhanal-Mudillu man yashau; Subhanal-Ghaffur-ur-Rahim.

(Glory be to Him who leads to righteousness whomsoever He will; Glory to Him who leads astray whom He will; Glory to the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.)

Angel is Afrail
7th Heaven is Ghariba

The Seventh Heaven

Our beloved Prophet continued the narration of his visit to the Seventh Heaven: Allah Almighty has it created from Light. Its name is Ghariba and the name of its guardian angel is Afrail. Jibrail requested entry at the keeper of the gates as he had done before, and after a succession of questions and answers, the gates swung open and we were admitted. I beheld Afrail and the seven hundred thousand angels under his command. Each one of these had in turn seven hundred thousand helpers, and their glorification was this:

Subhana-lladhi sataha-ssamawati wa rafaaha, Subhana-lladhi basatal-arda wa farashaha, Subhana-lladhi atlaal-kawakiba wa azharaha, Subhana-lladhi arsal-jibala wa hayaha.
(Glory be to Him who has fashioned the skies as a roof and raised them aloft; Glory to Him who has flattened the earth and fitted it accordingly; Glory to Him who brought forth the stars and made them to be adornments; Glory to Him who has set up the mountains and fixed them in their places.) I greeted Afrail and he received my greetings with pleasure. He gave me glad tidings of many spiritual gifts of grace and much reward for accepted good works. Above the gate to this Heaven were written these words: La ilaha ill-Allah, Muhammad-urRasulullah, wa Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. There I beheld an angel whose head was at a level with the Throne, while his feet were placed firmly on the earth. He was so great that he might have swallowed up all the seven layers of Heaven with one gulp, had Allah Almighty permitted him to do so. The Tasbih of this tremendous angel was this:

Angel Israfil

After passing by this one, I beheld another angel, seated upon a throne. His head was beneath the Divine Throne, and his feet reached to the bottom of the earth. He was so great, that he could have swallowed up the world and what is within it in a single gulp. The tip of one of his wings touched the west, whereas the other touched to the east. Seven hundred thousand angels were at his service, and each one of these commanded another seven hundred thousand angels. Who is this? I asked the angel Jibrail. This is Israfil, he told me. I went up to him and gave him Salams and he received them well and gave me great good tidings. His Tasbih was this:

Subhana-s-sami-al-alim, Subhanal-muhtajibi an khalqihi, Subhana Rabbina wa taala.

(Glory be to Him, the All-Hearing, the AllKnowing, Glory be to Him who is veiled from His Creation, Glorified and exalted be He, our Lord Almighty.)

Prophet Abraham

After this, I came upon a person all drowned in Light. He was seated upon a throne in an attitude of awesome dignity, and before him was a multitude of little children. I asked Jibrail who was this person of such light, majesty and awe, and who were all the children with him. The angel answered me, This is your great grandfather Ibrahim. He loves you and the entire nation that believes in you. He once prayed to the Lord of the Worlds that he might be of service to your nation, and the Lord heard his supplication. He gave him all these little children who are the little boys and girls from your nation who die before reaching adulthood. Allah Almighty has entrusted Ibrahim with their upbringing and education. Until the Day of Judgment, he will be instructing them in proper behavior and training their minds in the useful sciences. After having perfected their schooling, on the Day of Gathering he will lead them forth and bring them to the site of Resurrection. There, before the Lords Holy Presence, he will entreat Him with these words: Oh my Lord, here are the youngsters of the nation of Your Beloved Muhammad Z who died before reaching the age of maturity. According to Your order and command, I have taught and trained them in all useful branches of knowledge, and brought them before Thy Majestic Throne. Thine is all kindness, favor and grace. At this invocation, the Almighty Lord will reply with the full glory of His Majesty, Oh children, go and enter the Gardens of Paradise. Thereupon, these children will reply, Oh our Lord, by Thy Grace and Thy Munificence, let our parents go with us! The Almighty Lord will again direct His Divine Speech at them, and say, You have nothing to answer for, go and enter into Paradise forthwith; as for your parents, they are accountable and there are things they have to answer for. Again, these children entreat the Lord, During their lives in the material world, we caused them sorrow through our absence; now, by the vastness of Thine Mercy

Angel Ramadanthe Blessed

This angel engaged in exaltation of the Lord, placing one hand upon his head and one hand behind his back. The beauty of his voice was such that it caused a commotion at the Divine Throne itself. I asked Jibrail to tell me who that angel was and he said, The Lord Almighty created this angel two thousand years before He created Adam. I then asked where he had been all this time and where was his place of dwelling. Jibrail replied, In Paradise there is a place to the right of the Divine Throne, that is the abode of this angel. From there he was brought here.

Ramadan, the Blessed

I went up to him and greeted him and he rose in answer to my Salams. Then he spread his wings, and all the heavens and the Earth were covered by their expanse. He then kissed my face and said, Good tidings to you, and to your nation!

The Lord Almighty has decreed that your nation might have a singularly blessed month so that He might forgive them their sins. This holy month is the month of Ramadan and it is meant as a gift for you and your nation. For its sake your nation will find forgiveness. I have been sent here this very night to announce to you this great gladness.

Sayedena Gabriel Angel Ijabirun Rihu Sibha Angel Kitam Kiram Qatebeen

Angel of Revelation and Anointing More to Come.....

http://www.nurmuhammad.com/Meditation/Angelic/ Holy Prophet's Commandments for Imam Ali (A.S.)

(1)

Hemmad bin Amr and Anas bin Mohammed related from his father from Jafar bin Mohammed from his father from his grandfather from Ali bin Abi Talib (a) that the Prophet (s) said to him: O Ali, I will convey to you a commandment that you should retain. You will keep up yourself in goodness as long as you follow my commandment. O Ali, for those who suppress their anger while they are able to punish, Allah will endow them with security and tasteful faith on the Day of Resurrection. O Ali, he who does not provide a proper will in his final hours is suffering a defect in his personality and will be deprived of the right of Intercession. O Ali, the best of jihad is to begin your day without intending to oppress anybody. O Ali, he whose utterance is avoided by people will be an inhabitant of Hell. O Ali, the evilest of my people are those whom people respect for avoiding their evildoings. O Ali, the evilest people are those who sold their lives to come with their worldly lives. Those who sold their lives to come with others worldly lives are eviler than the previous. O Ali, he who rejects an apology, whether true or false, will be deprived of my Intercession (on the Day of Resurrection). O Ali, Allah liked telling fibs for the purpose of conciliation and disliked telling truths for the purpose of antagonism. O Ali, for those who give up drinking wines for sake of something other than Allah, Allah will serve them with the sealed wine of Paradise. Ali (a) wondered: Even if it is for sake of something other than Allah? The Prophet (s) answered: Yes, it is. Even if he gives it up for saving himself (from its disadvantages). Allah will thank him for so. O Ali, the drinker of wines is as same as the idolater. O Ali, for the drinkers of wines, Allah will not accept their prayers for forty days. If they die in this period, they will be regarded as the atheists. Commentary of the compiler: (Only those who deem lawful to drink wines are included in such a ruling.) O Ali, any intoxicating drink is haram prohibited-. A single dose of a drink whose much amount causes intoxication is haram. O Ali, all the sins are situated in a house whose key is drinking wines. O Ali, an hour comes upon the drinkers of wines in which they do not realize their Almighty Lord. O Ali, to move a mountain from its place is easier than trying to ruin a power in other than its deadline. O Ali, it is worthless to sit with him who does not benefit by his religion and his worldly life. You should not respect or honor him who did not respect and honor you. O Ali, the (faithful) believer should enjoy eight characters; he should be venerable in shaking situations, steadfast against misfortunes, thankful in luxury, satisfied with what Allah has decided for him, avoid oppressing the enemies, avoid overtaxing the associates, should fatigue his body, and make people feel glad with him. O Ali, the prayers of four classes of people are never refuted: the just rulers, fathers when they pray for their sons, people who pray for their brothers secretly, and the oppressed. Allah says: By My glory and majesty I take the oath, I will give triumph to the oppressed even if a long period passes. O Ali, eight classes of people should blame no one but themselves if they are insulted: he who attends a banquet without invitation, he who behaves imperiously upon the owner, he who seeks goodness from his enemies, he who seeks favors from the mean ones, he who intrudes himself in a secret matter of two persons, he who mocks at the rulers, he who sits himself in an improper place, and he who speaks to him who does not listen to him. O Ali, for every obscene, indecent, and shameless individual who does not care for his speech or for what is said to him, Allah has banned him from being in Paradise. O Ali, blessed is he whose age is long and deeds are good. O Ali, do not joke; lest, you will lose respect, and do not tell untruths; lest, you will lose illumination. Beware of two characters: indolence and laziness, for if you are indolent, you will not stand the right and if you are lazy, you will not fulfill the right properly. O Ali, every sin can be repented except bad mannerism. Whenever the ill-mannered quits a sin, he enters into another. O Ali, four matters are the quickest in punishment: to recompense the favor with mistreatment, to trespass him who does not show hostility, to break the faith of the party who keeps up his faith, and to rupture the relations with the relatives who regard you properly. O Ali, rest will depart him whomever is predominated by indolence. O Ali, a Muslim should enjoy twelve characters in regard with sitting to the dining tables, four of which are obligatory, four are recommendable, and four are ethical. The four obligatory characters are to know what to eat, begin with bismillahirrahmanirraheem (In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful), thank, and satisfy (yourself with the food). The four recommendable characters are to rely on the left leg, eat with three fingers, eat from only what is before you, and suck the fingers. The four ethical characters are to make the bite as small as possible, chew the food properly, avoid looking in peoples faces, and wash the hands. O Ali, Allah created Paradise from two adobes: golden and silver. He created the walls from corundum, the ceiling from aquamarine, the pebbles from pearl, and the dust from saffron and odorous musk. Then Allah ordered it to speak; hence, Paradise said: No god but Allah the Everlasting the Eternal. He who enters me will be surely happy. Allah then said: By My glory and majesty I swear, the alcoholic, the talebearers, the pimps, the detectives, the effeminate, the gravediggers, the tithers, the disregarders (of their relatives), and the Qadaritesall these shall not enter Paradise. O Ali, ten people of this umma are disbelieving in Almighty Allah: the talebearer, the sorcerer, the pimp, he who copulates with a lady annally illegally, he who copulates with an animal, he who copulates with married ladies, the agitator, he who sells weapons to the parties of war, he who refrains from defraying the zakat, and he who dies before he performs the obligatory hajj while he was wealthy enough to do so. O Ali, banquets should be served only in five situations: wedding parties, birth of male babies, circumcision, purchase of houses, and arrival from Mecca (after performing the hajj). Commentary of The compiler: The Prophet (s) said: To observe fasting in winter is a blessed gain. O Ali, the intelligent should not travel except in three situations: in seeking the worldly earnings, getting supplies for the life to come, and gaining a legal pleasure. O Ali, three manners are the charities of this world and the world to come: to pardon him who oppressed you, regard him who ruptured relations with you, and possess yourself when ones ignorance inflicts you. O Ali, employ four before the falling of four: employ your youth before old age comes upon you, employ your health before ailment comes upon you, employ your wealth before poverty comes upon you, and employ your life before death comes upon you. O Ali, Allah disliked for my people to play during offering prayers, to remind those to whom alms are given of favors, to attend in mosques while being ceremonially impure, to laugh among graves, to spy on houses, and to look in womens genitals, for this may cause blindness. Allah also disliked (for people) to speak while copulation, for this may cause deafness. He disliked to sleep in the period between the Maghrib Prayer and the Esha Prayer, for this may deprive of sustenance. He disliked to wash oneself (naked) outdoors unless an apron is put on. He disliked to be in rivers very naked, for they are inhabited by angels. He disliked to be in bathrooms very naked unless an apron is put on. He disliked to speak between the azan and iqama of the Fajr Prayer. He disliked to embark on a ship in seaways. He disliked to sleep on a surface (of a house) without a fence and said: No responsibility is taken of those who sleep on a surface (of a house) without a fence.

He disliked for men to sleep alone in a house. He disliked for men to copulate with their menstrual women for if their babies are born mad or leprous, they should not blame anybody but themselves. He disliked to speak with leprous people unless a distance of one cubit is left between the two. (The Prophet (a) said: Escape the leprous people in the same way as you escape from lions.) Allah disliked for men who had wet dreams to copulate with their women before they wash themselves. If they copulate before washing themselves and their babies are born insane, they should blame nobody except themselves. He disliked to urinate on the coast of a running river. He disliked for men to excrete under a fruitful tree (including date-palm trees). He disliked for men to excrete while they are standing up. He disliked for men to wear sandals while they are standing up. He disliked for men to enter dark houses unless there is a torch in the hand. O Ali, pride is the epidemic of ancestry. O Ali, as for him who fears Allah, Allah will make everything fear him, and will make him who does not fear Him fear everything. O Ali, Allah will not accept the prayers of eight classes: the fugitive slaves until they return to their masters, the recalcitrant wives whose husbands are angry at them, those who refrain from defraying the zakat, those who leave the (ritual) ablution, the pubescent bondmaids who offer the prayers without veils, the imam (of a collective prayer) whose followers are not satisfied with him, the drunken, and those who resisted urination and excretion. O Ali, Allah will establish a house in Paradise for those who enjoy four characters: to shelter the orphans, compassion the weak, treat the parents kindly, and treat the slaves leniently. O Ali, those who meet Allah enjoying three features are the most favorable of people: the best worshipper is he who fulfills the obligatory duties of Allah properly. The most pious of people is he who abstains from the forbidden matters. The wealthiest of people is he who satisfies himself with that which Allah has given to him. O Ali, the umma cannot stand three characters: to console the friends by offering them ones fortune, to consider people fairly, and to mention Allah in every situation. To mention Allah does not mean to utter: subhaanallah walhamdu lillah wa la ilaha illallah wallahu akbar (All Glory is to Allah, All praise is to Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the most greatest). To mention Allah stands for leaving a prohibited matter out of fear of Allah. O Ali, three will wrong you if you do not wrong them: the lows, the wife, and the servant. Three cannot be treated fairly by three: the masters cannot be treated fairly by the slaves, the knowledgeable cannot be treated fairly by the ignorant, and the strong cannot be treated fairly by the weak. O Ali, the reality of faith and the portals of Paradise are perfect and opened for those who enjoy seven characters: to perform the (ritual) ablution properly, offer the prayers perfectly, defray the zakat, suppress the anger, control the tongue, seek Allahs forgiveness for the sin, and advise for the sake of (following) the Prophets household. O Ali, Allah curse three ones: those who eat their food alone, those who travel in the deserts alone, and those who pass a night in a house alone. O Ali, insanity is expected from doing three things: to excrete among graves, to walk in a single sandal, and to sleep alone (in a house). O Ali, lying is acceptable in three situations: in trickeries of war, promising ones wife, and reconciliation between two parties. O Ali, sitting with three ones deadens the heart: the mean, the rich, and to talk with women (excessively). O Ali, within the realities of faith is to spend in times of hardship, treat people fairly, and offer knowledge to the learners. O Ali, a mans deed is imperfect before he enjoys three characters: piety that stops him from committing acts of disobedience to Allah, morality through which people are treated courteously, and clemency by which the ignorance of the ignorant is refuted.

(2)

O Ali, a (faithful) believer has three situations of bliss: meeting with the friends, offering food to the fasting, and practicing rites of worship in the last hours of night. O Ali, I warn you against three characters: envy, acquisitiveness, and arrogance. O Ali, four things are signs of unhappiness: solidity of the eye, hardheartedness, long hope, and fondness of the worldly survival. O Ali, three characters raise the rank, three others forgive the sins, three others cause perdition, and three others achieve salvation. The three characters that raise the rank are to perform the (ritual) ablution perfectly in biting cold, to wait for the coming prayer after accomplishing the current one, and to walk to the collective prayers in days and nights. The three characters that cause the sins to be forgotten are to greet everybody, to offer food (to the needy), and to worship at nights when people are sleeping. The three characters that cause perdition are the obeyed niggardliness, the pursued passion, and self-conceit. The three characters that achieve salvation are to fear Allah, Exalted is He, openly and secretly, to be moderate in richness and poverty, and to say the right in situations of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. O Ali, suckling after weaning is void and orphanage after puberty is meaningless.

(3)

O Ali, walk for two years so as to treat your parents piously, walk for one year so as to regard your relatives, walk for a mile so as to visit a sick person, walk for two miles so as to participate in a funeral ceremony, walk for three miles so as to answer an invitation, walk for four miles so as to visit a friend with whom you made friends for the sake of Allah, walk for five miles so as to aid a seeker of help, walk six miles for the sake of supporting the oppressed, and keep on seeking Allahs forgiveness.

(4)

O Ali, there are three signs for the (faithful) believers: offering prayers, paying the zakat, and fasting. The false believer enjoys three characteristics: he flatters slavishly when he witnesses (a situation), backbites the absent, and rejoices over the others misfortunes. The unjust people enjoy three characteristics: they dominate him who is less powerful than they are by means of their powers, dominate him who is more powerful than they are by means of acts of disobedience (to Allah), and support the oppressors. The showy has three characteristics: he activates among people, becomes lazy when he is alone, and desires to be praised in all situations. The hypocrite has three characteristics: he lies in speech, breaks his promise, and breaches his trusts. O Ali, nine things cause oblivion: to eat sour apples, to eat coriander and cheese, to eat remainders of mice, to recite the writings of the graves, to walk between two women, to kill lice, to cup in the pit of the head, and to urinate in stagnant water. O Ali, nice life lies in three: wide house, beautiful maiden, and handsome horse. O Ali, if the modest, in the government of the evils, are in the bottom of a well, Allah will cause wind to blow for raising them over the good people. O Ali, Allah curse those who claim of being the subjects of other than their (true) masters. Allah curse those who refrain from giving the wage of a hireling. Allah curse those who brings about a heresy or protect him who brings about a heresy. O Allahs Messenger, he was asked, What is that heresy? He (s) answered, It is killing. O Ali, the true believer is only he whom Muslims can trust in regard with their estates and souls. The true Muslim is only he whom Muslims are saved from his hand physical harm- and tongue- verbal harm-. The true Muhajir emigrant- is that

who deserts the sins. O Ali, the firmest handle of faith is to support and hate for the sake of Allah. O Ali, for those who obey their wives, Allah will turn them on the faces in Hell. Ali (a) asked, What sort of obedience is that? The Prophet (s) answered: (That obedience is) to permit her to participate the collections of women, go for wedding parties, go for mourning ceremonies, and wear transparent clothes. O Ali, by way of Islam, Allah took away the arrogance and taking pride in ancestors that were followed in the pre-Islamic era. All people are (the offspring) of Adam who was created from dust. The honorable among them in the sight of Allah is the most pious of them. O Ali, prices of the dead animals, dogs, and wine, dowry of the fornicatress, bribe of the judge, and wages of the diviner all these are parts of ill-gotten properties.

(5)

O Ali, as for those who learn (knowledge) for the purpose of disputing with the foolish ones, vying proudly with the scholars, or attracting peoples attentions so that they will deify them, they will be in Hell. O Ali, when a servant (of Allah) dies, people ask about what he leaves, while the angels ask about what he has advanced. O Ali, this world is the jail of the believer and the paradise of the atheist. O Ali, sudden death is rest for the believers and regret for the disbelievers. O Ali, Allah revealed to this world: Serve him who will serve Me and disturb him who will serve you. O Ali, Allah will not give any atheist or hypocrite a single drink of water of this world if it equals for Him the amount of a mosquitos wing. O Ali, on the Day of Resurrection, every individual, including all the past and the coming generations, will hope were they given only the minimum sustenance. O Ali, the evilest of people is that who complains against the act of Allah. O Ali, as for the believers, their moaning is (regarded as) Tasbih saying subhaanallah: All glory is due to Allah, their cries are tahlil saying la ilaha illallah: there is no god but Allah, their sleep in beds is a sort of worship, and their turnings are (regarded as) jihad for Allahs sake. If they are cured, they walk among people guiltless. O Ali, if a foot of an animal is presented to me, I will accept it. If I am invited to a foot of a sheep, I will answer. O Ali, it is not obligatory upon women to attend the Friday Prayers and the collective prayers, recite the azan or the iqama, visit the sick, participate in funeral ceremonies, roam between Safa and Marwa, kiss the Black Stone, have their hair cut (as a ritual of the hajj), assume the magistrature, be consulted, slaughter animals except in emergencies, recite the talbiya loudly, reside near a grave, listen to the sermon (of the Friday Prayers), and manage the ceremonies of their marriage themselves. Women should not leave their husbands houses before they obtain their permissions; lest, Allah, Gabriel, and Michael the angles- will curse them. They should also avoid giving anything of their husbands houses before they obtain their permission and avoid passing a single night while their husbands are angry at them even the husbands were the wrong. O Ali, Islam is naked; pudency is its dress, gravity is its ornament, righteous deed is its personality, and piety is its support. Everything has its basis; the basis of Islam is to cherish usthe Prophets household. O Ali, bad mannerism is evil omen and the compliance with women is regret. O Ali, if evil omen is found in something, it will definitely be found in womens tongues. O Ali, the light will be saved while the heavy will lose. O Ali, he who forges lies against me intentionally should find himself a place in Hell. O Ali, three things better the memory and remove the phlegm: chewing gum, cleaning the teeth (with a special stick called miswak), and reciting the Quran. O Ali, cleaning the teeth (with a special stick called miswak) is a recommendable practice, for it purifies the mouth, betters the sight, satisfies the Lord, whitens the teeth, removes the bad smell of mouth, strengthens the gums, stimulates the appetite, removes the phlegm, betters the memory, doubles the advantages, and makes the angels happy. O Ali, sleep is of four categories: the sleep of the prophets is on their backs, the sleep of the faithful believers is on their right sides, the sleep of the atheists and the hypocrites is on their left sides, and the sleep on the devils is on their faces. O Ali, Allah selects the progeny of every messenger that He chooses from that messengers descendants, but He selects my progeny from your descendants. Without you, I would not have progeny. O Ali, four matters deal a death blow: a leader who is obeyed while he disobeys Allah, a wife who betrays her husband while he considers her, a cureless poverty, and a bad neighbor in the permanent residence. O Ali, in the pre-Islamic era, Abdul-Muttalib passed five laws that Allah enacted in Islam. He forbade sons from marrying their fathers women, and Allah revealed: Do not marry, from now on, the ex-wives of your fathers. (4:22) As Abdul-Muttalib found a treasure, he gave its one-fifth as alms. Allah revealed: Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to Allah, the Messenger, the kindred, orphans, the needy and those who need money while on a journey. (8:41) When he dug the Zamzam spring, he called it the watering of the pilgrims. Allah revealed: Do you, because you served water to the pilgrims and constructed the Sacred Mosque, consider yourselves equal to those who have believed in Allah, the Day of Judgment, and have fought for the cause of Allah? (9:19) Abdul-Muttalib issued the law that one hundred camels should be paid as the blood money of murdering. Allah passed the same in Islam. For the Koreishites, they did not stop at a limited number of circumambulations around the Kaaba; hence, Abdul-Muttalib decided seven circulations for them. In Islam, Allah passed this law. O Ali, Abdul-Muttalib used to avoid dividing by casting superstitious and gambling arrows, worshipping the idols, and having the flesh of an animal that had been sacrificed on the stone blocks. He used to say: I follow the religion of my father Abraham the prophet (a). O Ali, the people of the most admirable faith and the greatest conviction are those who will live in the last of time: they did not catch (the time) of the Prophet (s) and were not given an opportunity to meet the Representative of Allah; yet, they believed while they did not see anything. O Ali, three matters harden the heart: listening to the unlawful amusement, seeking of hunt, and stopping at the rulers doors. O Ali, do not offer prayers while you wear a skin of an animal whose milk is unlawful to drink or a skin of an animal whose meat is unlawful to eat. Do not offer prayers in Thatul-Jaysh, Thatus-Salassil, and Dhajnan. O Ali, eat only the eggs whose edges are not even, the fish who has shells, the birds whose wings are flapping and leave those whose wings are still, and the waterfowls that have gizzards or back nails. It is unlawful to have the meat of any beast that has a canine tooth or any bird that has a claw. O Ali, it is unacceptable to offer fruits or treasure in mortmain. O Ali, it is unacceptable for the fornicators to slaughter an animal as ransom. There is no doctrinal provision for the innuendo and there is no intercession in the execution of the doctrinal provisions. Oaths are invalid if they are taken for rupturing the relations of kinship. The oath of sons, wives, and slaves regarding their fathers, husbands, and masters is void. To observe fasting a whole day up to night is void. To fast for two (or more) days ceaselessly is void. To migrate to the non-Muslim countries after living in a Muslim country is void. O Ali, retaliation is inoperative for fathers who kill their sons. O Ali, Allah, Exalted is He, will not answer the prayer of an inattentive heart. O Ali, the sleep of the knowledgeable is better than the rituals of the (unknowing) worshipper. O Ali, two rakas of the knowledgeable is better than one thousand rakas of the (unknowing) worshipper. O Ali, it is unacceptable for wives, slaves, and guests to offer optional prayers before they obtain the permission of the husbands, masters, and hosts (respectively). O Ali, it is haram to fast on the days of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha. It is also haram to fast on two days continuously, fast from speaking, fast for the vow of an act of disobedience to Allah, and fast all lifetime. O Ali, fornication causes six bad consequences; three are in this world and the others are in the world to come. Regarding

the three of this world, it takes away the brightness, hastens the perdition, and stops the sustenance. Regarding the three that are in the world to come, it causes hard judgment, dissatisfaction of the Beneficent Allah, and immortality in the fire (of Hell). O Ali, usury is of seventy parts the (punishment of the) easiest of which is as same (punishment) as perpetrating incest with ones mother inside the Holy House of Allah. O Ali, a single dirham of usury is more horrible in the sight of Allah than seventy times of the commitment of incest inside the Holy House of Allah. O Ali, he who refuses to pay a single carat of the zakat of his estate is definitely neither believer nor Muslim. O Ali, those who neglect to defray the zakat will ask Allah to take them back to the world. They are the intendeds in Allahs saying: When death approaches one of them, he says, Lord, send me back again so that perhaps I shall act righteously for the rest of my life. Although he will say so but his wish will never come true. After death they will be behind a barrier until the day of their resurrection. (23:99-100) O Ali, those who omit performing the hajj while they are capable enough for so are regarded as disbelievers. Allah says: Those who have the means and ability have a duty to Allah to visit the House and perform the hajj (pilgrimage) rituals. (3:97) O Ali, as for him who neglects to perform the hajj until he dies, Allah will reckon him with the Jews or the Christians on the Day of Resurrection. O Ali, almsgiving stops the act of Allah that is finally determined. O Ali, regard of the kinship increases the age. O Ali, begin and end your meals with salt, for it cures from seventy-two maladies. O Ali, when I come up to the Praiseworthy Position, I will intercede for my father, uncle, mother, and a friend of mine in the pre-Islamic era. O Ali, I am the son of the two slain men. O Ali, I am the pray of my father Abraham the prophet. O Ali, the best of intellect is that by which Paradise is gained and the satisfaction of the Beneficent Allah is sought. O Ali, the first creation of Allah was the intellect. When Allah created him, He said to him: Approach (by Me). The intellect approached. Allah said: Go away. The intellect went away. Then, Allah said: By My glory and loftiness I swear, I have never created anything that is more favorable to Me than you are. By you, I will give and take. The reward will be for you and the punishment will fall on you. O Ali, almsgiving (to the strangers) is unacceptable when one of the relatives is needy. O Ali, to spend a single dirham for the dye is better than one thousand dirhams that are spend for the sake of Allah. There are fourteen characteristics in the dye: it releases the wind from the ears, betters the sight, softens the nasals, scents the flavor, strengthens the gums, dismisses feebleness, lessens the devilish inspirations, gladdens the angels, bears the good tidings to the believers, enrages the disbeliever, (it is his ornament and odor,) makes Munkar and Nakeer feel shy, and it is a document of acquittal (of sins) in the grave. O Ali, wording is worthless unless it is applied practically. Appearances are worthless unless they agree with the reality. Wealth is worthless unless there is liberality. Truthfulness is worthless unless there is loyalty. Knowledge is worthless unless there is piety. Almsgiving is worthless unless there is good faith. Life is worthless unless there is health. Homeland is worthless unless there is security and pleasure. O Ali, Allah deemed unlawful seven things of the sheep: the blood, genitals, urinary bladder, bone marrow, glands, spleen, and gallbladder. O Ali, do not bargain with those from whom you want to buy a sacrifice (animal), a coffin, or a slave or when you want to hire a riding animal to Mecca. O Ali, may I inform of the closest to my mannerism? Yes, you may, Allahs messenger, said he. The Prophet (s) expressed: The closest to my mannerism are the most wellmannered, the most self-possessed, the kindest to their relatives, and the fairest. O Ali, my people will be saved from drowning if they recite the following (Quranic Verses) when they embark on ships: . . . (In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. They have not paid due respect to Allah. The whole earth will be gripped in His hands on the Day of Judgment and the heavens will be just like a scroll in His right hand. Allah is too Glorious and High to be considered equal to their idols. 39:67 It will sail in the name of Allah, in His Name it will sail and in His Name it will cast anchor. My Lord is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 11:41) O Ali, my people will be saved from larceny if they recite the following (Quranic Verses): . . (Muhammad, tell them, "It is all the same whether you call Him Allah or the Beneficent. All the good names belong to Him." (Muhammad), do not be too loud or slow in your prayer. Choose a moderate way of praying. Say, "It is only Allah who deserves all praise. He has not begotten a son and has no partner in His Kingdom. He does not need any guardian to help Him in His need. Proclaim His greatness. 17:110-1) O Ali, my people will be saved from pulling down if they recite (Allahs saying): . (Allah prevents the heavens and the earth from falling apart. If they do fall apart, then, no one besides Him can restore them. He is All-forbearing and All-forgiving. 35:41) O Ali, my people will be saved from care if they recite: . La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, la maljaa (All power and might belong to Allah. No refuge and O Ali, my people will be saved from burning if they recite (Allahs sayings): wa no la manja escape from min Allah allahi except illa to ilayh Him.)

. . (The true Guardian is certainly Allah who has revealed the Book and is the Guardian of the righteous ones. 7:196.) (They have not paid due respect to Allah. The whole earth will be gripped in His hands on the Day of Judgment and the heavens will be just like a scroll in His right hand. Allah is too Glorious and High to be considered equal to their idols. 39:67) O Ali, he who fears beasts should recite (Allahs saying): . (A Messenger from your own people has come to you. Your destruction and suffering is extremely grievous to him. He really cares about you and is very compassionate and merciful to the believers. (Muhammad), if they turn away from you, say, "Allah is Sufficient (support) for me. There is

no Allah but He. In Him do I trust and He is the Owner O Ali, he whose riding animal refuses to move should recite in its right ear (Allahs saying):

of

the

Great

Throne."

9:128-9)

. (All that is in the heavens and the earth have submitted themselves to His will, either by their own free will or by force? To Allah do all things return. 3:83) O Ali, he whose abdomen is affected by a yellow liquid should write the Verse of Kursi on his abdomen and drink it. By the will of Allah, he will be cured (if he exercise so). O Ali, he who fears a sorcerer or a devil should recite (Allahs saying): . (Your Lord is Allah who established His dominion over the Throne (of the realm) after having created the heavens and the earth in six days. He made the night darken the day which it pursues at a (considerable) speed and He made the sun and the moon submissive to His command. Is it not He Who creates and governs all things? Blessed is Allah, the Cherisher of the Universe. 7:54) O Ali, the rights of sons that are imposed upon their fathers is to choose good name for them, educate them properly, and choose good positions for them. The rights of fathers that are imposed upon their sons is to avoid calling them by name, preceding them in paths, sitting before them, and entering to bathrooms with them. O Ali, three deeds are originated from extreme solicitude: eating soil, clipping the nails with the teeth, and biting the hair of the beard. O Ali, Allah curse the parents who encourage their sons to treat them disrespectfully. O Ali, like sons treating their parents impiously, fathers may treat their sons impiously. O Ali, Allah may have mercy upon the parents who educate their sons how to treat them respectfully. O Ali, to depress the parents is impiety to them. O Ali, for those who could defend their Muslim brothers whom had been backbitten but they did not, Allah will disappoint them in this world as well as the world to come. O Ali, Paradise is unquestionably inevitable for him who meets the needs of an orphan out of his own fortune until that orphan attains maturity. O Ali, for those who pass their hands on an orphans head as a sign of mercy, Allah will give them illumination for every single hair (of that head) on the Day of Resurrection. O Ali, no poverty is harsher than ignorance, no fortune better than the intellect, no loneliness drearier than pride, no intellect like moderation, no piety like abstinence from the acts that Allah forbids, no lineage like good manners, and no worship like pondering (over things). O Ali, untruth is the epidemic of talking, oblivion is the epidemic of knowledge, laziness is the epidemic of worship, arrogance is the epidemic of handsomeness, and envy is the epidemic of knowledge. O Ali, four matters go uselessly: to eat after (attaining) satiety, to light a lamp in the moonlit, to seed in the briny land, and to do favors to the undeserved. O Ali, he who forgets to seek blessings for me is missing the path to Paradise. O Ali, beware of the knock of crow and the prey of lions. O Ali, to put your hand to the elbow between the jaws of a dragon is better than asking those who have newly had fortune. O Ali, the remotest people from Allah are those who avenge themselves improperly. He who claims of being the subject of other than his proper masters is disbelieving in all that which was revealed to me by Allah, Powerful and Majestic is He. O Ali, wear your ring in the right hand, for it is a merit of Allah for the preferential ones. Imam Ali (a) asked: What should I choose for the ring, Allahs messenger? He (s) answered: Use the garnet, for it is the first mountain that declared its submission to Allah, Exalted is He, and confessed of my prophecy, your succession of prophecy, your sons imamate, your Shias being in Paradise, and your enemies being in Hell. O Ali, as Allah, Powerful and Majestic is He, took a look at the creatures, He selected me among the men of this world. He took a second look and selected you among the men of this world. He took a third look and selected the Imams that are your descendants among the men of this world. He took a fourth look and selected Fatima among the women of this world. O Ali, I saw your name attached to mine in four places. I was so delighted for so. When I was ascended to the heavens, I found that it was written on the Rock of the Jerusalem, There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah. I support him with his successor and back him with his successor. I asked Gabriel (the angel) about that successor. He is Ali bin Abi Talib, answered the angel. When I arrived at the Lote-tree (of the seventh heaven), I found that it was written on it, I am Allah, there in no god but I exclusively. Mohammed is the choice of My creatures. I support him with his successor and back him with his successor. Who is my successor? I asked Gabriel. He answered, He is Ali bin Abi Talib. When I passed by that Lote-tree, I came to the (Divine) Throne of the Lord of the worlds, Highly Exalted is He. On the supports of that Throne, I found that it was written, I am Allah. There is no god but I exclusively. Mohammed is My dear. I support him with his successor and back him with his successor. When I raised my head to the inside of the Throne, I found that it was written, I am Allah. There is no god but I exclusively. Mohammed is My slave and messenger. I support him with his successor and back him with his successor. O Ali, Allah gave you seven characters that are common with me. You, along with me, are the first man whose grave will be split apart (for the Resurrection). You, along with me, are the first man who will stand on the Path. You will be dressed when I will be dressed and you will be resurrected when I will be resurrected. You will be the first man who will live in Illiyyin with me. You will be the first man who will drink the sealed nectar (which is sealed by musk) of Paradise. The Prophet (s) then said to Salman al-Farsi, Allah may have mercy upon him: O Salman, when you become sick, you win three things: you mention Allah continuously, your praying is answered, and all your sins are pardoned due to that ailment. Allah may make you enjoy good health up to the time of your death. The Prophet (s) then said to Abu Tharr, Allah may have mercy upon him: O Abu Tharr, beware of petition, for it is present humiliation, current poverty, and will cause long judgment on the Day of Resurrection. O Abu Tharr, you will live alone, die alone, and enter Paradise alone. Some Iraqi people will be delighted because of you. They will wash your (dead) body, arrange your funerals, and bury you. O Abu Tharr, do not ask from people directly, but if something is offered to you, you should accept it. The Prophet (s) then said to his companions: May I inform you of the evilest of you? Yes, you may, Allahs messenger, answered they. He (s) said: They are the talebearers who sow enmity between the associates and stick defects to those who are acquitted of defects. Source: Al-Mawaaizh Shaykh Saduq

http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.
The First ThingThat AllahCreatedWasMy Nur
We do not have the entire Musnad of `Abd al-Razzaq in our hands. The 11 volumes presently published are not the entire work. Below is a repost of some old material on the question.

[The original question was:]

I'm looking for this hadith: " Awwalu ma khalaqallahu nuri" (The first thing that Allah created was my nur) Then author of Kashful Khifa quotes Al-Mawahib and says it's in Musannaf Abdur Razzaq but the muhaqqiq of Mawahib says it's not there and this hadith is mawdu`. He also says that sheikh Abdullah Ghumari wrote a risalah saying it's mawdu` and Allamah Suyuti in Al-Hawi lil Fatawi says it's not established.

LIGHTOF THEFULLMOON
by GF Haddad "Hadith of Jabir" It is related that Jabir ibn `Abd Allah said to the Prophet : "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, tell me of the first thing Allah created before all things." He said: "O Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet from His light, and that light remained (lit. "turned") in the midst of His Power for as long as He wished, and there was not, at that time, a Tablet or a Pen or a Paradise or a Fire or an angel or a heaven or an earth. And when Allah wished to create creation, he divided that Light into four parts and from the first made the Pen, from the second the Tablet, from the third the Throne, [and from the fourth everything else]." The judgments on this narration vary greatly among the scholars. Their words are listed below under the alphabetical listing of their names. `Abd al-Haqq al-Dihlawi (d. 1052) the Indian hadith scholar cites it as evidence in Madarij al-nubuwwa (in Persian, 2:2 of the Maktaba al-nuriyya edition in Sakhore) and says it is is sahih (sound and authentic). `Abd al-Hayy al-Lucknawi (d. 1304) the Indian hadith scholar cites it in his al-Athar al-marfu`a fi al-akhbar almawdu`a (p. 33-34 of the Lahore edition) and says: "The primacy (awwaliyya) of the Muhammadan light (alnur al-muhammadi) is established from the narration of `Abd al-Razzaq, as well as its definite priority over all created things." `Abd al-Razzaq (d. 211) narrates it in his Musannaf according to Qastallani in al-Mawahib al-laduniyya (1:55) and Zarqani in his Sharh al-mawahib (1:56 of the Matba`a al-`amira edition in Cairo). There is no doubt as to the reliability of `Abd al-Razzaq as a narrator. Bukhari took 120 narrations from him, Muslim 400. `Abidin (Ahmad al-Shami d. 1320), the son of the Hanafi scholar Ibn `Abidin, cites the hadith as evidence in his commentary on Ibn Hajar al-Haytami's poem al-Ni`mat al-kubra `ala al-`alamin. Nabahani cites it in his Jawahir al-bihar (3:354). `Ajluni (Isma`il ibn Muhammad d. 1162) in his Kashf al-khafa' (1:265 of the Maktabat al-Ghazali edition in Beirut) narrates the hadith in its entirety from Qastallani in his Mawahib. Alusi (al-Sayyid Mahmud) in his commentary of Qur'an entitled Ruh al-ma`ani (17:105 of the Beirut edition) said: "The Prophet's being a mercy to all is linked to the fact that he is the intermediary of the divine outpouring over all contingencies [i.e. all created things without exception], from the very beginnings (wasitat al-fayd al-ilahi `ala al-mumkinat `ala hasab al-qawabil), and that is why his light was the first of all things created, as stated in the report that "The first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet, O Jabir," and also cited is: "Allah is the Giver and I am the Distributor." [See al-Qasim #261.] The Sufis -- may Allah sanctify their secrets -- have more to say on that chapter." Alusi also cites the hadith of Jabir as evidence in another passage of Ruh al-ma`ani (8:71). Bakri (Sayyid Abu al-Hasan Ahmad ibn `Abd Allah, d. 3rd c.) in his book al-Anwar fi mawlid al-nabi Muhammad `alayhi al-salat wa al-salam (p. 5 of the Najaf edition) cites the following hadith from `Ali: "Allah was and there was nothing with Him, and the first thing which He created was the light of His Beloved, before He created water, or the Throne, or the Footstool, or the Tablet, or the Pen, or Paradise, or the Fire, or the Veils and the Clouds, or Adam and Eve, by four thousand years." Bayhaqi (d. 458) narrates it with a different wording in Dala'il al-nubuwwa according to Zarqani in his Sharh almawahib (1:56 of the Matba`a al-`amira in Cairo) and Diyarbakri in Tarikh al-khamis (1:20). Diyarbakri (Husayn ibn Muhammad d. 966): He begins his 1,000-page history entitled Tarikh al-khamis fi ahwal anfasi nafis with the words: "Praise be to Allah Who created the Light of His Prophet before everything else," which is enough to disprove al-Ghumari's exaggerated claim that "anyone who reads it will be convinced that the hadith is a lie." Then Diyarbakri cites the hadith as evidence (1:19 of the Mu'assasat Sha`ban edition in Beirut). Fasi (Muhammad ibn Ahmad d. 1052) cites it as evidence in Matali` al-masarrat (p. 210, 221 of the Matba`a al-taziyya edition) and says: "These narrations indicate his primacy (awwaliyya) and priority over all other creations, and also the fact that he is their cause (sabab)." Ghumari (`Abd Allah) in his Irshad al-talib al-najib ila ma fi al-mawlid al-nabawi min al-akadhib (p. 9-12 of the Dar al-furqan edition), commenting on Suyuti's words (quoted below) whereby the hadith has no reliable

chain: "This shows great laxity on the part of Suyuti, which I thought him to be above. First, the hadith is not present in `Abd al-Razzaq's Musannaf, nor in any of the books of hadith. Secondly : the hadith has no chain of transmission to begin with. Thirdly: he has not mentioned the rest of the hadith. It is mentioned in Diyarbakri's Tarikh, and anyone who reads it will be convinced that the hadith is a lie about the Messenger of Allah." This exaggerated conclusion is disproved by the fact that Diyarbarkri himself does not consider it a lie since he cites the hadith in the first words of his book. Gilani (Shaykh `Abd al-Qadir, d. 561) in his book Sirr al-asrar fi ma yahtaju ilayh al-abrar (p. 12-14 of the Lahore edition) said: "Know that since Allah first created the soul of Muhammad from the light of His beauty, as He said: I created Muhammad from the light of My Face, and as the Prophet said: The first thing Allah created is my soul, and the first thing Allah created is the Pen, and the first thing Allah created is the intellect -- what is meant by all this is one and the same thing, and that is the haqiqa muhammadiyya. However, it was named a light because it is completely purified from darkness, as Allah said: There has come to you from Allah a Light and a manifest Book. It was also named an intellect because it is the cause for the transmission of knowledge, and the pen is its medium in the world of letters. The Muhammadan soul (al-ruh almuhammadiyya) is therefore the quintessence of all created things and the first of them and their origin, as the Prophet said: I am from Allah and the believers are from me, and Allah created all souls from me in the spiritual world and He did so in the best form. It is the name of the totality of mankind in that primordial world, and after its creation by four thousand years, Allah created the Throne from the light of Muhammad himself , and from it the rest of creation." This book has now been translated by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi as The Secret of Secrets (Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society, 1994). Halabi (`Ali ibn Burhan al-Din, d. 1044) cites it as evidence in his Sira (1:31 of the Maktaba Islamiyya edition in Beirut) and then states: "It provides evidence that he is the root of everything that exists (in creation) and Allah knows best." Haqqi (Isma`il, d. 1137) cites it as evidence in his Tafsir entitled Ruh al-bayan and says: "Know, O person of understanding, that the first thing Allah created is the light of your Prophet... and he is the cause for the existence of everything that was brought to existence, and the mercy from Allah upon all creatures... and without him the higher and the lower worlds would not have been created." Yusuf al-Nabahani mentions it in his Jawahir al-bihar (p. 1125). Haytami (Ahmad ibn Hajar d. 974) states in his Fatawa hadithiyya (p. 247 of the Baba edition in Cairo) that `Abd al-Razzaq narrated it, and cites it in his poem on the Prophet's birth entitled al-Ni`mat al-kubra `ala al`alamin (p. 3). Ibn al-Hajj al-Abdari (Muhammad ibn Muhammad d. 736) in his book al-Madkhal (2:34 of the Dar al-kitab al`arabi in Beirut) cites it from al-Khatib Abu al-Rabi` Muhammad ibn al-Layth's book Shifa' al-sudur in which the latter says: "The first thing Allah created is the light of Muhammad , and that light came and prostrated before Allah. Allah divided it into four parts and created from the first part the Throne, from the second the Pen, from the third the Tablet, and then similarly He subdivided the fourth part into parts and created the rest of creation. Therefore the light of the Throne is from the light of Muhammad , the light of the Pen is from the light of Muhammad , the light of the Tablet is from the light of Muhammad , the light of day, the light of knowledge, the light of the sun and the moon, and the light of vision and sight are all from the light of Muhammad ." Isma`il al-Dihlawi (Shah Muhammad, d. 1246), one of the leaders of the Wahhabi-influenced Deobandi school in the Indo-Pakistani Subcontinent in one of his booklets entitled Yek rawzah (p. 11 of the Maltan edition) says: "As indicated by the narration: The first thing Allah created was my Light." Jamal (Sulayman d. 1204) cites it as evidence in his commentary on Busiri entitled al-Futuhat al-ahmadiyya bi al-minah al-muhammadiyya (p. 6 of the Hijazi edition in Cairo). Gangowhi (Rashid Ahmad) a leader of the Wahhabi-influenced Deobandi school of India and Pakistan in his Fatawa rashidiyya (p. 157 of the Karachi edition) said that the hadith was "not found in the authentic collections, but Shaykh `Abd al-Haqq (al-Dihlawi) cited it on the basis that it had some grounding of authenticity." Actually Shaykh `Abd al-Haqq not only cited it but he said it was sound (sahih). Jili (`Abd al-Karim, b. 766) in his Namus al-a`zam wa al-qamus al-aqdam fi ma`rifat qadar al-bani as evidence. Nabahani relates it in his Jawahir al-bihar (see below). cites it

Kharputi (`Umar ibn Ahmad, d. 1299) in his commentary on Busiri entitled Sharh qasidat al-burda (p. 73 of the Karachi edition). Maliki al-Hasani (Muhammad ibn `Alawi) in his commentary on `Ali al-Qari's book of the Mawlid entitled Hashiyat al-Mawrid al-rawi fi al-mawlid al-nabawi (p. 40) said: "The chain of Jabir is sound without contest, but the scholars have differed concerning the text of the hadith due to its peculiarity. Bayhaqi also narrated the hadith with some differences." Then he quoted several narrations establishing the light of the Prophet. Nabahani (Yusuf ibn Isma`il) cites it as evidence in al-Anwar al-muhammadiyya (p. 13), in his Jawahir al-bihar (p. 1125 or 4:220 of the Baba edition in Cairo), and in his Hujjat Allah `ala al-`alamin (p. 28).

Nabulusi (`Abd al-Ghani d. 1143) says in his Hadiqa al-nadiyya (2:375 of the Maktaba al-nuriyya edition in Faysalabad): "The Prophet is the universal leader of all, and how could he not be when all things were created out of his light as has been stated in the sound hadith." Nisaburi (Nizamuddin ibn Hasan, d. 728) cites it as evidence in elucidation of the verse: "And I was ordered to be the first of the Muslims" (39:12) in his Tafsir entitled Ghara'ib al-Qur'an (8:66 of the Baba edition in Cairo). Qari (Mulla `Ali ibn Sultan, d. 1014) cites it in full in his book al-Mawlid al-rawi fi al-mawlid al-nabawi (p. 40), edited by Sayyid Muhammad `Alawi al-Maliki. He also said in his Sharh al-Shifa, in commenting upon the Prophet's title "as a Lamp spreading Light" (33: 46): "Muhammad... is a tremendous light and the source of all lights, he is also a book that gathers up and makes clear all the secrets... sirajan muniran means a luminous sun, because of His saying: "He hath placed therein a great lamp and a moon giving light" (25:61). There is in this verse an indication that the sun is the highest of the material lights and that other lights are outpourings from it: similarly the Prophet is the highest of the spiritual lights and other lights are derived from him by virtue of his mediating connection and pivotal rank in the overall sphere of creation. This is also inferred from the tradition: "The first thing Allah created is my light."" (Sharh al-Shifa 1:505) Qastallani (Ahmad ibn Muhammad, d. 923) narrates it in his al-Mawahib al-laduniyya (1:55 of the edition accompanied by Zarqani's commentary). Rifa`i (Yusuf al-Sayyid Hashim) cites it as evidence in Adillat ahl al-sunna wa al-jama`a al-musamma al-radd al-muhkam al-mani` (p. 22): `Abd al-Razzaq narrated it. Suyuti in al-Hawi li al-fatawi, in the explanation of Surat al-Muddaththir: "It has no reliable chain"; and in Takhrij ahadith sharh al-mawaqif: "I did not find it in that wording." Thanwi (Ashraf `Ali), a leader of the Wahhabi-influenced Deobandi school in the Indian Subcontinent, in his book Nashr al-tib (in Urdu, p. 6 and 215 of the Lahore edition) cites it as evidence on the authority of `Abd alRazzaq, and relies upon it. Zarqani in Sharh al-mawahib cites it (1:56 of the Matba`a al-`amira edition in Cairo) and refers it to `Abd alRazzaq's narration in his Musannaf. Zahir (Ihsan Ilahi), a leader of the Wahhabi-influenced Deobandi school and declared enemy of the Barelwi school of Ahl al-Sunna in Lahore, India, in his book Hadiyyat al-mahdi (p. 56 of the Sialkut edition) says: "Allah began His creation with the Muhammadan light (al-nur al-muhammadi), then He created the Throne over the water, then He created the wind, then He created the Nun and the Pen and the Tablet, then He created the Intellect. The Muhammadan Light is therefore a primary substance for the creation of the heavens and the earth and what is in them... As for what has come to us in the hadith: The first thing which Allah created is the Pen; and: The first thing which Allah created is the Intellect: what is meant by it is a relative primacy." Blessings and peace on the Prophet Muhammad, the Light of the Full Moon in its beauty, and upon his Family and Companions. GF Haddad [2000-09-18] The Light of the Prophet
Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim Innal-Hamdalillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa Rasoolillah As-Salaamu alaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuhu

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Fatimah Bint Muhammad

Fatimah Bint Muhammad

Sunday, 03 July 2005

Fatimah was the fifth child of Muhammad and Khadijah. She was born at a time when her noble father had begun to spend long periods in the solitude of mountains around Makkah, meditating and reflecting on the great mysteries of creation.

This was the time, before the Bithah, when her eldest sister Zaynab was married to her cousin, al-Aas ibn ar Rabiah. Then followed the marriage of her two other sisters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum, to the sons of Abu Lahab, a paternal uncle of the Prophet. Both Abu Lahab and his wife Umm Jamil turned out to be flaming enemies of the Prophet from the very beginning of his public mission. The little Fatimah thus saw her sisters leave home one after the other to live with their husbands. She was too young to understand the meaning of marriage and the reasons why her sisters had to leave home. She loved them dearly and was sad and lonely whe n they left. It is said that a certain silence and painful sadness came over her then. Of course, even after the marriage of her sisters, she was not alone in the house of her parents. Barakah, the maid-servant of Aminah, the Prophet's mother, who had been with the Prophet since his birth, Zayd ibn Harithah, and Ali, the young son of Abu Ta lib were all part of Muhammad's household at this time. And of course there was her loving mother, the lady Khadijah. In her mother and in Barakah, Fatimah found a great deal of solace and comfort. in Ali, who was about two years older than she, she found a "brother" and a friend who somehow took the place of her own brother al-Qasim who had died in his infancy. Her othe r brother Abdullah, known as the Good and the Pure, who was born after her, also died in his infancy. However in none of the people in her father's household did Fatimah find the carefree joy and happiness which she enjoyed with her sisters. She was an unusually sensitive child for her age. When she was five, she heard that her father had become Rasul Allah, the Messenger of God. His first task was to convey the good news of Islam to his family and close relations. They were to worship God Almighty alone. Her mother, who was a tower of str ength and support, explained to Fatimah what her father had to do. From this time on, she became more closely attached to him and felt a deep and abiding love for him. Often she would be at Iris side walking through the narrow streets and alleys of Makkah , visiting the Kabah or attending secret gatherings off, the early Muslims who had accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet. One day, when she was not yet ten, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haram. He stood in the place known as al-Hijr facing the Kabah and began to pray. Fatimah stood at his side. A group of Quraysh, by no means well-disposed to the Prophet, gathe red about him. They included Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, the Prophet's uncle, Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and Shaybah and Utbah, sons of Rabi'ah. Menacingly, the group went up to the Prophet and Abu Jahl, the ringleader, asked: "Which of you can bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw it on Muhammad?" Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, one of the vilest of the lot, volunteered and hurried off. He returned with the obnoxious filth and threw it on the shoulders of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, while he was still prostrating. Abdullah ibn Masud, a companion of the Prophet, was present but he was powerless to do or say anything. Imagine the feelings of Fatimah as she saw her father being treated in this fashion. What could she, a girl not ten years old, do? She went up to her father and removed the offensive matter and then stood firmly and angrily before the group of Quraysh thu gs and lashed out against them. Not a single word did they say to her. The noble Prophet raised his head on completion of the prostration and went on to complete the Salat. He then said: "O Lord, may you punish the Quraysh!" and repeated this imprecati on three times. Then he continued: "May You punish Utbah, Uqbah, Abu Jahl and Shaybah." (These whom he named were all killed many years later at the Battle of Badr) On another occasion, Fatimah was with the Prophet as he made; tawaf around the Kabah. A Quraysh mob gathered around him. They seized him and tried to strangle him with his own clothes. Fatimah screamed and shouted for help. Abu Bakr rushed to the scene a nd managed to free the Prophet. While he was doing so, he pleaded: "Would you kill a man who says, 'My Lord is God?'" Far from giving up, the mob turned on Abu Bakr and began beating him until blood flowed from his head and face. Such scenes of vicious opposition and harassment against her father and the early Muslims were witnessed by the young Fatimah. She did not meekly stand aside but joined in the struggle in defence of her father and his noble mission. She was still a young girl and instead of the cheerful romping, the gaiety and liveliness which children of her age are and should normally be accustomed to, Fatimah had to witness and participate in such ordeals. Of course, she was not alone in this. The whole of the Prophet's family suffered from the violent and mindless Quraysh. Her sisters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum also suffered. They were living at this time in the very nest of hatred and intrigue against the Prophet. Their husbands were Utbah and Utaybah, sons of Abu Lahab and Umm Jamil. Umm Jamil was known to be a hard and harsh woman who had a sharp and evil tongue. It was mainly because of her that Khadijah was not pleased with the marriages of her daught ers to Umm Jamil's sons in the first place. It must have been painful for Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum to be living in the household of such inveterate enemies who not only joined but led the campaign against theft father. As a mark of disgrace to Muhammad and his family, Utbah and Utaybah were prevailed upon by their parents to divorce their wives. This was part of the process of ostracizing the Prophet totally. The Prophet in fact welcomed his daughters back to his home w ith joy, happiness and relief. Fatimah, no doubt, must have been happy to be with her sisters once again. They all wished that their eldest sister, Zaynab, would also be divorced by her husband. In fact, the Quraysh brought pressure on Abu-l Aas to do so but he refused. When the Qurays h leaders came up to him and promised him the richest and most beautiful woman as a wife should he divorce Zaynab, he replied: "I love my wife deeply and passionately and I have a great and high esteem for her father even though I have not entered the religion of Islam." Both Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum were happy to be back with their loving parents and to be rid of the unbearable mental torture to which they had been subjected in the house of Umm Jamil. Shortly afterwards, Ruqayyah married again, to the young and shy Uthma n ibn Allan who was among the first to have accepted Islam. They both left for Abyssinia among the first muhajirin who sought refuge in that land and stayed there for several years. Fatimah was not to see Ruqayyah again until after their mother had died.< P> The persecution of the Prophet, his family and his followers continued and even became worse after the migration of the first Muslims to Abyssinia. In about the seventh year of his mission, the Prophet and his family were forced to leave their homes and s eek refuge in a rugged little valley enclosed by hills on all sides and defile, which could only be entered from Makkah by a narrow path. To this arid valley, Muhammad and the clans of Banu Hashim and al-Muttalib were forced to retire with limited supplies of food. Fatimah was one of the youngest members of the clans -just about twelve years old - and had to undergo months of hardship and suffering. The wailing of hungry children and

women in the valley could be heard from Makkah. The Quraysh allowed no food and contact with the Muslims whose hardship was only relieved somewhat during the season of pilgrimage. The boycott lasted for three years. When it was lifted, the Prophet had to face even more trials and difficulties. Khadijah, the faithful and loving, died shortly afterwards. With her death, the Prophet and his family lost one of the greatest sources of comfort and strength which h ad sustained them through the difficult period. The year in which the noble Khadijah, and later Abu Talib, died is known as the Year of Sadness. Fatimah, now a young lady, was greatly distressed by her mother's death. She wept bitterly and for some time was so grief-striken that her health deteriorated. It was even feared she might die of grief. Although her older sister, Umm Kulthum, stayed in the same household, Fatimah realized that she now had a greater responsibility with the passing away of her mother. She felt that she had to give even greater support to her father. With loving tendernes s, she devoted herself to looking after his needs. So concerned was she for his welfare that she came to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". She also provided him with solace and comfort during times of trial, difficulty and crisis. Often the trials were too much for her. Once, about this time, an insolent mob heaped dust and earth upon his gracious head. As he entered his home, Fatimah wept profusely as she wiped the dust from her father's head. "Do not cry, my daughter," he said, "for God shall protect your father." The Prophet had a special love for Fatimah. He once said: "Whoever pleased Fatimah has indeed pleased God and whoever has caused her to be angry has indeed angered God. Fatimah is a part of me. Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her a ngers me." He also said: "The best women in all the world are four: the Virgin Mary, Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad." Fatimah thus acquired a place of love and esteem in the Prophet's heart that was o nly occupied by his wife Khadijah. Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, was given the title of "az-Zahraa" which means "the Resplendent One". That was because of her beaming face which seemed to radiate light. It is said that when she stood for Prayer, the mihrab would reflect the light of her countenance. She was also called "al-Batul" because of her asceticism. Instead of spending her time in the company of women, much of her time would be spent in Salat, in reading the Quran and in other acts of ibadah. Fatimah had a strong resemblance to her father, the Messenger of God. Aishah. the wife of the Prophet, said of her: "I have not seen any one of God's creation resemble the Messenger of God more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah, may God be pleased with her. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting." She would do the same when the Prophet came to her. She would sta nd up and welcome him with joy and kiss him. Fatimah's fine manners and gentle speech were part of her lovely and endearing personality. She was especially kind to poor and indigent folk and would often give all the food she had to those in need even if she herself remained hungry. She had no cravin g for the ornaments of this world nor the luxury and comforts of life. She lived simply, although on occasion as we shall see circumstances seemed to be too much and too difficult for her. She inherited from her father a persuasive eloquence that was rooted in wisdom. When she spoke, people would often be moved to tears. She had the ability and the sincerity to stir the emotions, move people to tears and fill their hearts with praise and g ratitude to God for His grace and His inestimable bounties. Fatimah migrated to Madinah a few weeks after the Prophet did. She went with Zayd ibn Harithah who was sent by the Prophet back to Makkah to bring the rest of his family. The party included Fatimah and Umm Kulthum, Sawdah, the Prophet's wife, Zayd's wife Barakah and her son Usamah. Travelling with the group also were Abdullah the son of Abu Bakr who accompanied his mother and his sisters, Aishah and Asma. In Madinah, Fatimah lived with her father in the simple dwelling he had built adjoining the mosque. In the second year after the Hijrah, she received proposals of marriage through her father, two of which were turned down. Then Ali, the son of Abu Talib, plucked up courage and went to the Prophet to ask for her hand in marriage. In the presence of the Prophet, however, Ali became over-awed and tongue-tied. He stared at the ground and could not say anything. The Prophet then asked: "Why have you come? Do you need something?" Ali still could not speak and then the Prophet suggested: "Perhaps you have come to propose marriage to Fatimah." "Yes," replied Ali. At this, according to one report, the Prophet said simply: "Marhaban wa ahlan Welcome into the family," and this was taken by Ali and a group of Ansar who were waiting outside for him as indicating the Prophet's approval. Another re port indicated that the Prophet approved and went on to ask Ali if he had anything to give as mahr. Ali replied that he didn't. The Prophet reminded him that he had a shield which could be sold. Ali sold the shield to Uthman for four hundred dirhams and as he was hurrying back to the Prophet to hand over the sum as mahr, Uthman stopped him and said: "I am returning your shield to you as a present from me on your marriage to Fatimah." Fatimah and Ali were thus married most probably at the beginning of the second year after the Hijrah. She was about nineteen years old at the time and Ali was about twen ty one. The Prophet himself performed the marriage ceremony. At the walimah. the guests were served with dates, figs and hais ( a mixture of dates and butter fat). A leading member of the Ansar donated a ram and others made offerings of grain. All Madin ah rejoiced. On her marriage. the Prophet is said to have presented Fatimah and Ali with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet. a leather cushion filled with palm fibre, a sheepskin, a pot, a waterskin and a quern for grinding grain. Fatimah left the home of her beloved father for the first time to begin life with her husband. The Prophet was clearly anxious on her account and sent Barakah with her should she be in need of any help. And no doubt Barakah was a source of comfort and sol ace to her. The Prophet prayed for them: "O Lord, bless them both, bless their house and bless their offspring." In Ali's humble dwelling, there was only a sheepskin for a bed. In the morning after the wedding night, the Prophet went to Ali's house and knocked on the door. Barakah came out and the Prophet said to her: "O Umm Ayman, call my brother for me." "Your brother? That's the one who married your daughter?" asked Barakah somewhat incredulously as if to say: Why should the Prophet call Ali his "brother"? (He referred to Ali as his brother because just as pairs of Muslims were joined in brotherhood aft er the Hijrah, so the Prophet and Ali were linked as "brothers".)

The Prophet repeated what he had said in a louder voice. Ali came and the Prophet made a du'a, invoking the blessings of God on him. Then he asked for Fatimah. She came almost cringing with a mixture of awe and shyness and the Prophet said to her: "I have married you to the dearest of my family to me." In this way, he sought to reassure her. She was not starting life with a complete stranger but with one who had grown up in the same household, who was among the first to become a Muslim at a tender age, who was known for his courage, bravery and virtue, and whom the Prophet described as his "brother in this world and the hereafter". Fatimah's life with Ali was as simple and frugal as it was in her father's household. In fact, so far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout their life together, Ali remained poor because he did not set great store by material wealth. Fatimah was the only one of her sisters who was not married to a wealthy man. In fact, it could be said that Fatimah's life with Ali was even more rigorous than life in her father's home. At least before marriage, there were always a number of ready helping hands in the Prophet's household. But now she had to cope virtually on her own. To relieve theft extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water and she as a grinder of corn. One day she said to Ali: "I have ground until my hands are blistered." "I have drawn water until I have pains in my chest," said Ali and went on to suggest to Fatimah: "God has given your father some captives of war, so go and ask him to give you a servant." Reluctantly, she went to the Prophet who said: "What has brought you here, my little daughter?" "I came to give you greetings of peace," she said, for in awe of him she could not bring herself to ask what she had intended. "What did you do?" asked Ali when she returned alone. "I was ashamed to ask him," she said. So the two of them went together but the Prophet felt they were less in need than others. "I will not give to you," he said, "and let the Ahl as-Suffah (poor Muslims who stayed in the mosque) be tormented with hunger. I have not enough for their keep..." Ali and Fatimah returned home feeling somewhat dejected but that night, after they had gone to bed, they heard the voice of the Prophet asking permission to enter. Welcoming him, they both rose to their feet, but he told them: "Stay where you are," and sat down beside them. "Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me?" he asked and when they said yes he said: "Words which Jibril taught me, that you should say "Subhaan Allah- Glory be to God" ten ti mes after every Prayer, and ten times "AI hamdu lillah - Praise be to God," and ten times "Allahu Akbar - God is Great." And that when you go to bed you should say them thirty-three times each." Ali used to say in later years: "I have never once failed to say them since the Messenger of God taught them to us." There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah had to face. Often there was no food in her house. Once the Prophet was hungry. He went to one after another of his wives' apartments but there was no food. He then went to Fatimah's ho use and she had no food either. When he eventually got some food, he sent two loaves and a piece of meat to Fatimah. At another time, he went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and from the food he was given, he saved some for her. Fatimah also knew tha t the Prophet was without food for long periods and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a piece of barley bread and he, said to her: "This is the first food your father has eaten for three days." Through these acts of kindness she showed how much she loved her father; and he loved her, really loved her in return. Once he returned from a journey outside Madinah. He went to the mosque first of all and prayed two rakats as was his custom. Then, as he often did, he went to Fatimah's house before going to his wives. Fatimah welcomed him and kissed his face, his mouth and his eyes and cried. "Why do you cry?" the Prophet asked. "I see you, O Rasul Allah," she said, "Your color is pale and sallow and your clothes have become worn and shabby." ,P."O Fatimah," the Prophet replied tenderly, "don't cry for Allah has sent your father with a mission which He would cause to affect every house on the face of the earth whether it be in towns, villages or tents (in the desert) bringing either glory or h umiliation until this mission is fulfilled just as night (inevitably) comes." With such comments Fatimah was often taken from the harsh realities of daily life to get a glimpse of the vast and far-reaching vistas opened up by the mission entrusted to her noble father. Fatimah eventually returned to live in a house close to that of the Prophet. The place was donated by an Ansari who knew that the Prophet would rejoice in having his daughter as his neighbor. Together they shared in the joys and the triumphs, the sorrow s and the hardships of the crowded and momentous Madinah days and years. In the middle of the second year after the Hijrah, her sister Ruqayyah fell ill with fever and measles. This was shortly before the great campaign of Badr. Uthman, her husband, stayed by her bedside and missed the campaign. Ruqayyah died just before her father returned. On his return to Madinah, one of the first acts of the Prophet was to visit her grave. Fatimah went with him. This was the first bereavement they had suffered within their closest family since the death of Khadijah. Fatimah was greatly distressed by the loss of her sister. The tears poured from her eyes as she sat beside her father at the edge of the grave, and he comforted her and sought to dry her tears with the corner of his cloak. The Prophet had previously spoken against lamentations for the dead, but this had lead to a misunderstanding, and when they returned from the cemetery the voice of Umar was heard raised in anger against the women who were weeping for the martyrs of Badr a nd for Ruqayyah. "Umar, let them weep," he said and then added: "What comes from the heart and from the eye, that is from God and His mercy, but what comes from the hand and from the tongue, that is from Satan." By the hand he meant the beating of breasts and the smiting of cheeks, and by the tongue he meant the loud clamor in which women often joined as a mark of public sympathy. Uthman later married the other daughter of the Prophet, Umm Kulthum, and on this account came to be known as Dhu-n Nurayn - Possessor of the Two Lights.

The bereavement which the family suffered by the death of Ruqayyah was followed by happiness when to the great joy of all the believers Fatimah gave birth to a boy in Ramadan of the third year after the Hijrah. The Prophet spoke the words of the Adhan int o the ear of the new-born babe and called him alHasan which means the Beautiful One. One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called al-Husayn, which means "little Hasan" or the little beautiful one. Fatimah would often bring her two sons to see their grandfather who was exceedingly fond of them. Later he would take them to t he Mosque and they would climb onto his back when he prostrated. He did the same with his little granddaughter Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab. In the eighth year after the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a third child, a girl whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab who had died shortly before her birth. This Zaynab was to grow up and become famous as the "Heroine of Karbala". Fatimah's four th child was born in the year after the Hijrah. The child was also a girl and Fatimah named her Umm Kulthum after her sister who had died the year before after an illness. It was only through Fatimah that the progeny of the Prophet was perpetuated. All the Prophet's male children had died in their infancy and the two children of Zaynab named Ali and Umamah died young. Ruqayyah's child Abdullah also died when he was no t yet two years old. This is an added reason for the reverence which is accorded to Fatimah. Although Fatimah was so often busy with pregnancies and giving birth and rearing children, she took as much part as she could in the affairs of the growing Muslim community of Madinah. Before her marriage, she acted as a sort of hostess to the poor and d estitute Ahl as-Suffah. As soon as the Battle of Uhud was over, she went with other women to the battlefield and wept over the dead martyrs and took time to dress her father's wounds. At the Battle of the Ditch, she played a major supportive role together with other women in preparing food during the long and difficult siege. In her camp, she led the Muslim women in prayer and on that place there stands a mosque named Masjid Fatimah, one of seven mosques where the Muslims stood guard and performed their d evotions. Fatimah also accompanied the Prophet when he made Umrah in the sixth year after the Hijrah after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the following year, she and her sister Umm Kulthum, were among the mighty throng of Muslims who took part with the Prophet in th e liberation of Makkah. It is said that on this occasion, both Fatimah and Umm Kulthum visited the home of their mother Khadijah and recalled memories of their childhood and memories of jihad, of long struggles in the early years of the Prophet's mission . In Ramadan of the tenth year just before he went on his Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet confided to Fatimah, as a secret not yet to be told to others: "Jibril recited the Quran to me and I to him once every year, but this year he has recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time has come." On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet did become seriously ill. His final days were spent in the apartment of his wife Aishah. When Fatimah came to visit him, Aishah would leave father and daughter together. One day he summoned Fatimah. When she came, he kissed her and whispered some words in her ear. She wept. Then again he whispered in her ear and she smiled. Aishah saw and asked: "You cry and you laugh at the same time, Fatimah? What did the Messenger of God say to you?" Fatimah replied: "He first told me that he would meet his Lord after a short while and so I cried. Then he said to me: 'Don't cry for you will be the first of my household to join me.' So I laughed." Not long afterwards the noble Prophet passed away. Fatimah was grief-striken and she would often be seen weeping profusely. One of the companions noted that he did not see Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, laugh after the death of her father. One morning, early in the month of Ramadan, just less than five month after her noble father had passed away, Fatimah woke up looking unusually happy and full of mirth. In the afternoon of that day, it is said that she called Salma bint Umays who was loo king after her. She asked for some water and had a bath. She then put on new clothes and perfumed herself. She then asked Salma to put her bed in the courtyard of the house. With her face looking to the heavens above, she asked for her husband Ali. He was taken aback when he saw her lying in the middle of the courtyard and asked her what was wrong. She smiled and said: "I have an appointment today with the Messenger of God." Ali cried and she tried to console him. She told him to look after their sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn and advised that she should be buried without ceremony. She gazed upwards again, then closed her eyes and surrendered her soul to the Mighty Creator. She, Fatimah the Resplendent One, was just twenty nine years old

H ad rat Mikael is my favo rit e . Tho ugh no t his m ain jo b , if yo ure b eing fo ll o wed aro und by b ad jinns yo u c an ask Al l ah to send H ad rat Mikael and hel l m ake t hem go away . H el l al so answer ghaib kno wl ed ge q uest io ns. Y o u just keep rep eat ing his nam e and he sho ws up . H ad rat G ib rael is very p rim and p ro p er and y o u wo ul d nt d are c al l him fo r t he hec k o f it . As to They are c reat ed in suc h a way t hat t hey d o no t eat o r d rink. Their fo o d is t asb eeh (gl o rific at io n o f A ll aah) Y es, t heir wo rship generat es so m uc h sp irit ual energy it sust ains t hem . Sam e wit h goo d jinns . I f a jinn wo rship s it generat es eno ugh sp irit ual energy to sust ain t he jinn. I f he d o esnt wo rship , he t ries t o p o ssess p eo pl e to t ry t o l eec h energy o ff t he p erso ns et heric fiel d . W el l H ad rat Mikael and my am al writ ing angel s d o no t m ind d o gs. I havent sp o ken t o o t her angel s so I wo ul d nt kno w ho w t hey feel . P eo p l es am al writ ing angel s d o nt get to go o n vac at io n just b ec ause t here is a do g aro und . To say Raso o l A ll ah was against d o gs is wro ng. Raso o l A ll ah was Rehm at - ul -A l am in. H e wo uld nt b e unkind to ward s any o f A ll ahs c reat io ns. I n fac t Raso o l Al l ah had hunt ing do gs. I f p eo pl e t hink b eing mean t o any o f A ll ahs c reat io ns inc l ud ing a d o g wil l earn y o u p o int s o n jud gem ent d ay , t hey re serio usl y m ist aken. I f yo u t hink t hat say ing o h I was m ean to d o gs b ec ause o f a had it h wil l get yo u o ut o f t ro ub l e o n jud gem ent d ay t hey l l say W hen 99% o f t he had it h say t o b e nic e t o Al l ahs c reat io ns, and when 100% o f t he Q uran t el l s y o u t o b e nic e to A ll ahs c reat io ns, why wo ul d y o u d ec id e to fo l l o w t his o ne had it h whic h m ay no t even b e said b y Raso o l Al l ah? A ll we kno w is t hat so m eo ne to l d Musl im t hat t hey heard Raso o l A ll ah say t his. May b e t hey fo rgo t o r m isheard . Y o u t hink m aking a d o g st ay o ut sid e t he ho use in t he sno w and wint er and suffe r and freez e t o d eat h wil l m ake Al l ah hap p y ? H as A ll ah no t given us a b rain to t hink wit h?

I kno w p eo pl e fear ghaib kno wl ed ge b ut y o u sho ul d at l east l earn ho w t o hear yo ur angel s t el ep at hic al l y so yo u are no t igno ring t hem (whic h I t hink is rud e) when t hey say val ay kum asal am b ac k to yo u aft er p ray ers. They ve b een y o ur co nst ant c om p anio ns, t hey ve l ived wit h y o u sinc e y o u were a b aby . Usual l y o ur right hand angel s get to t ake l o ng b reaks when t hey are no t writ ing b ut o ur l eft hand angel is o verwo rked and never get s t o t ake a b reak. A ny way in general t ho ugh I l iked t his art ic l e. Thank y o u fo r p o st ing it

By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri

Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah created the angels from light. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you. (narrated by Muslim, 2996) The angels are by nature obedient to Allaah: [they, i.e., angels] disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded

[al-Tahreem 66:6 interpretation of the meaning]

They are created in such a way that they do not eat or drink. Their food is tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and tahleel(saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah), as Allaah tells us concerning them (interpretation of the meaning): They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so) [al-Anbiyaa 21:20 interpretation of the meaning] The angels bear witness to the Oneness of Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Allaah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in justice. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the All-Mighty, the All-Wise

[Aal Imraan 3:18 interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah has honoured some of the angels by choosing them as Messengers, just as He has chosen some of mankind as Messengers: Allaah chooses Messengers from angels and from men

[al-Hajj 22:75 interpretation of the meaning]

When Allaah created Adam and He wanted to honour him, He commanded the angels to prostrate to him: And (remember) when We said to the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam. And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)

[al-Baqarah 2:34 interpretation of the meaning]

The angels are a mighty creation, and they perform many tasks, and they are divided into many groups, which no one knows except Allaah. Some of them carry the Throne: Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah)[Ghaafir 40:7 interpretation of the meaning] Among them is the one who brings down the Revelation to the Messengers. He is Jibreel (peace be upon him), who brought the Quraan down to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down

Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners [al-Shuaraa 26:193 interpretation of the meaning]
Among them is Mikaaeel, who is appointed in charge of the rain and vegetation, and Israafeel who is appointed to blow the Trumpet when the Hour begins. And among them are the recording angels who are appointed to watch over the sons of Adam and their deeds: But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you,

Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen writing down (your deeds), They know all that you do [al-Infitaar :10-12 interpretation of the meaning]
Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of writing down all deeds, whether good or evil: (Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions)

Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it) [Qaaf 50:17-18 interpretation of the meaning]
Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the believers: Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a pious state (i.e. pure from all evil, and worshipping none but Allaah Alone) saying (to them): Salaamun Alaykum (peace be on you) enter you Paradise, because of that (the good) which you used to do (in the world)

[al-Nahl 16:32 interpretation of the meaning]

And among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the disbelievers: And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire

[al-Anfaal 8:50 interpretation of the meaning]

Among them are the gatekeepers of Paradise and the servants of the people of Paradise: And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying):

Salaamun Alaykum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home! [al-Rad 13:23-24 interpretation of the meaning]
And among them are the gatekeepers of Hell: O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe

[al-Tahreem 66:6 interpretation of the meaning]

Among them are some who strive in jihaad with the believers: (Remember) when your Lord revealed to the angels, Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes

[al-Anfaal 8:12 interpretation of the meaning]

On Laylat al-Qadr in the month of Ramadaan, the angels come down to witness goodness with the Muslims, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaahs Permission with all Decrees [al-Qadr 97:3-4]
The angels do not enter a house in which there is a statue, picture (image) or a dog. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image. (Narrated by Muslim, 2106). Belief in the angels is one of the pillars of faith, and whoever denies it is a kaafir: and whosoever disbelieves in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away[al-Nisaa 4:136 interpretation of the meaning] (Source: w