Two Blessings which many lose

Sahih Bukhari
Volume 8, Book 76, Number 421:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
The Prophet said, "There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) Health and free time for doing good."

Islamic Development Bank could increase $500 mln bond

Thursday - Islamic Finance News of the Week

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, July 8 (Reuters) - The Islamic Development Bank could raise the size of a $500 million Islamic bond depending on market conditions, the latest in a flurry of sukuk issuances from the Gulf Arab region."The minimum amount for the sukuk is $500 million," Mohammad Tariq, the bank's treasurer told Reuters on Wednesday. "

It may be upsized depending on market conditions ... when people show interest we will see what rate will be good."The Saudi-based triple-A rated lender said last month it planned to issue sukuk soon as part of a $6 billion Islamic bond programme to soften the impact of the financial downturn on its members, which include some of the world's poorest nations.

HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and BNP Paribas are lead arrangers with Malaysia's CIMB and Brunei Islamic Bank co-arrangers, Tariq said.The global credit crunch and the slowing of economies in key Islamic financial centres are putting pressure on the $1 trillion Islamic finance industry, its biggest test since it began 30 years ago.

Tariq said IDB would decide in the next two weeks on a roadshow in the Middle East, Far East and Europe."The maturity and pricing will be decided depending on the investor base but the two options for the maturity date are three or five years," he said.

The value of sukuk issued globally in 2008 fell more than 56 percent from 2007 to $14.9 billion, according to Standard & Poor's.Still, quasi-sovereign debt instruments -- that are either linked to the government or state-run companies -- have been rising as governments look to boost infrastructure spending to shelter the region's economy from the global financial crisis.

Saudi Electricity Co 5110.SE closed a 5 billion Saudi riyals ($1.33 billion) issue last week.The emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, one of seven comprising the United Arab Emirates, completed roadshows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this week for a $500 million sukuk, bankers told Reuters on Wednesday. Standard Chartered and BNP Paribas are lead managing.

Source: GIFC

Teaching about the Creator in simple terms

How can we help a child to know his Lord?

Praise be to Allaah.

A child can be taught about Allaah in a suitable manner, according to his level of understanding. He can be told that Allaah is One and has no partner. He can be told that He is the Creator of all things, so He is the Creator of the earth, the heavens, people, animals, trees, rivers, etc. The educator can make the most of some situations by asking the child, whilst walking through a garden or in the countryside, about Who made the water, rivers and things in the natural scenery around him, to draw his attention to the greatness of the Creator. The father, mother or educators in general may be with a child or group of children in a car on a journey or a trip at the time of sunset, when the sun disappears from sight gradually. All that the educator has to do at that point is to draw the attention of those who are with him to the power of Allaah displayed in that.

A child can also be taught to understand the bounty of Allaah and the blessing of good health that He has bestowed upon him. For example, you could say to him, “Who gave you your hearing, sight and mind? Who gave you strength and the ability to move?” and so on. The child can also be encouraged to love Allaah and to thank Him for this blessing and bounty. Making a child love Allaah and the things that Allaah loves is a good action which will bring educational benefits sooner or later, by Allaah’s Leave.

A mother opened a window on the second floor of the house to let some air in, but her child came and quickly closed it. When his mother asked him why he had done that, he said, “I saw the dish on one of our neighbours’ roofs and I don’t want to look at anything that my Lord does not like.”
A child may ask about his Lord, whether He eats or sleeps. In that case we have to answer and tell him that there is nothing like Allaah, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. Allaah is not like us, He does not need to sleep, eat or drink.
If these meanings are made simple for a child and explained to him in a way that is suited to his age, then the veneration of Allaah in his heart is one of the things that will help him to be aware that Allaah is watching him in secret and in public.

From Ummahaat qurba Abnaa’ihinna, p. 26.

Source: Islam Q & A

Iman Academy

Tuesday - Islamic Institution in USA Series

http://www.imanacademy.org/

History

The Foundation to Advance Islamic Teaching in Houston (FAITH) was formed as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization in 1996 to meet the educational needs of the Muslim families living in Houston. The main objective of the Foundation is to create quality educational institutions that excel in academics and produce morally responsible citizens. Since its inception, FAITH has experienced tremendous growth averaging 10-15% per year in increasing enrollment.

In 1996, FAITH purchased its southeast (SE) campus and opened the doors as Iman Academy with approximately 50 students. The original building was a office facility that was remodeled to provide approximately 12,000 square feet of classroom and office space. The facility has gone through several renovations to accommodate the growing student population. Today, the SE campus serves students through the 9th grade and has over 15,000 square feet of functional space.

With growing demand from the southwest (SW) side of Houston, a second campus was opened in 1998. In 2000, the SW campus was relocated to its current 11,000 square foot location on Highway 6 South. Iman Academy SW opened their Middle School in 2002. In 2004 and again in 2006, the SW campus was expanded by leasing the adjacent spaces adding over 8,000 square feet to accommodate a growing demand. They now have students through 11th grade.

In 2000, FAITH Childcare Center SE was initiated as a Mother's Day Out program at the Southeast campus and has grown into a State-Rising Star (4-Star) childcare center with children from newborns to Kindergarten (KG). A new licensed Childcare Center was established in 2005 at the Southwest (SW) campus to serve the families in that area. The SW childcare also provides care for children from newborns to KG.

FAITH now operates 2 full-time Iman Academy schools and 2 FAITH Childcare Centers serving over 650 children. We have plans to expand our facilities by building new schools in both locations and there are constant request to expand into other areas of Houston.

Source: Iman Academy website

The Year of Grief

Monday - Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Abu Talib’s Death
In Rajab, the tenth year of the Prophethood, Abu Talib fell ill and passed away, six months after leaving the confinement at Ash-Sh‘ib. In another version, Abu Talib breathed his last in Ramadan, three days prior to the death of Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her). On the authority of Al-Musaiyab, when Abu Talib was on the death bed, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) entered the room where he saw Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Omaiyah. He requested his uncle:

“My uncle, you just make a profession that there is no true god but Allâh, and I will bear testimony before Allâh (of your being a believer)”.

Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Omaiyah addressing him said: “Abu Talib, would you abandon the religion of ‘Abdul-Muttalib?” The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) constantly requested him (to accept his offer), and (on the other hand) was repeated the same statement (of Abu Jahl and ‘Abdullah bin Abi Omaiyah) — till Abu Talib gave his final decision and he stuck to the religion of ‘Abdul-Muttalib and refused to profess that there is no true god but Allâh. Upon this the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) remarked:

“By Allâh, I will persistently beg pardon for you till I am forbidden to do so (by Allâh)”.

It was then that Allâh, the Magnificent and Glorious revealed this verse:

“It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allâh’s forgiveness for the Mushrikûn (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire (because they died in a state of disbelief).” [9:113]

And it was said to the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him):

“Verily! You [O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ] guide not whom you like.” [28:56]

It goes without saying that Abu Talib was very much attached to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) . For forty years, Abu Talib had been the faithful friend — the prop of his childhood, the guardian of his youth and in later life a very tower of defence. The sacrifices to which Abu Talib exposed himself and his family for the sake of his nephew, while yet incredulous of his mission, stamp his character as singularly noble and unselfish. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) did his best to persuade his octogenarian uncle to make profession of the true faith, but he remained obdurate and stuck to the paganism of his forefathers, and thus could not achieve complete success. Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib narrated that he said to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) “You have not been of any avail to your uncle (Abu Talib) (though) by Allâh, he used to protect you and get angry on your behalf.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “He is in a shallow fire, and had it not been for me, he would have been at the bottom of the (Hell) Fire.”
Abu Sa‘id Al-Khudri narrated that he heard the Prophet (Peace be upon him) say, when the mention of his uncle was made, “I hope that my intercession may avail him, and he be placed in a shallow fire that rises up only to his heels.”

Khadijah passes away to the Mercy of Allah
Only two months after the death of his uncle, did the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) experience another great personal loss viz., the Mother of believers, his wife Khadijah passed away in Ramadan of the tenth year of his Prophethood, when she was sixty-five years old, and he was fifty. Khadijah was in fact a blessing of Allâh for the Prophet (Peace be upon him). She, for twenty-five years, shared with him the toils and trials of life, especially in the first ten years of his ministry of Prophethood. He deeply mourned over her death, and once he replied in an honest burst of tender emotions:

“She believed in me when none else did. She embraced Islam when people disbelieved me. And she helped and comforted me in her person and wealth when there was none else to lend me a helping hand. I had children from her only.”

Abu Hurairah reported that Gabriel came to Allâh’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) and said: “Allâh’s Messenger, lo, Khadijah is coming to you with a vessel of seasoned food or drink. When she comes to you, offer her greetings from her Lord, and give her glad tidings of a palace of jewels in Paradise where there is no noise and no toil.”

These two painful events took place within a short lapse of time and added a lot to his grief and suffering. The Makkans now openly declared their campaign of torture and oppression. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) lost all hope of bringing them back to the right path, so he set out for Al-Ta’if seeking a supportive atmosphere. But there too, he was disappointed and he sustained unbearable tortures and maltreatment that far outweighed his miserable situation in his native town.

His Companions were on equal footing subjected to unspeakable torture and unbearable oppression to such an extent that his closest friend, Abu Bakr, to escape pressure, fled out of Makkah and wanted to leave for Abyssinia (Ethiopia) if it were not for Ibn Ad-Daghanah who met him at Bark Al-Ghamad and managed to dissuade him from completing his journey of escape and brought him back under his protection.

Tdeath of Abu Talib rendered the Prophet (Peace be upon him) vulnerable, and the polytheists availed them of that opportunity to give free rein to their hatred and highhandedness and to translate them in terms of oppression and physical tortures. Once an insolent Quraishite intercepted him and sprinkled sand on his head. When he arrived home, a daughter of his washed the sand away and wept. “Do not weep, my daughter. Allâh will verily protect your father.” The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said.

Rapid succession of misfortunes, led the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to call that period, ‘the year of grief and mourning’. Thenceforth, that year bore that appellation.

His Marriage to Sawdah (May be please with her) in Shawwal, the tenth year of Prophethood
The death of Khadijah left the Prophet (Peace be upon him) lonely. The name of Sawdah was suggested to him for marriage which he accepted. This lady had suffered many hardships for the sake of Islam. She was an early convert to the Islamic Faith and it was by her persuasion that her husband had embraced Islam. On the second emigration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), Sawdah had accompanied her husband As-Sakran bin ‘Amr. He died on their way back to Makkah leaving her in a terrible state of destitution. She was the first woman for the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to marry after the death of Khadijah. Some years later she granted her turn with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to her co-wife, ‘Aishah.

To be Continued...

Source: Al Raheeq Al Makhtum

Author: Safiur Rahman Al Mubarakpuri