Let's learn something new about our religion

[maro]

I am starting this thread so that we can share the ' new ' stuff we learn about Islam with each other

so , let me start

I was reading a book for Dr. mohammed omara ,the egyptian thinker , and it was talking about the islamic Waqf in one of its chapters...
of course ,i had already heard of al waqf before i read the book....but after reading it ,i realized that i was totally ignorant of its real meaning ,its importance and the huge role it played in constructing the islamic civilization , and in giving the Ummah a great deal of ' independance ' from its rulers and governments , which enabled her to build a great civilization ,inspite of the early deviation of the ruling system in the muslim world ,soon after the death of the 4 guided caliphs (As dr. Omara describes it )

He also describes the deterioration of such great institution in the islamic world...and how this plays a significant role in both the economical and political deterioration .

I made further research on the topic ,and i realized that no wonder i was ignorant ,because...

The study on Philanthropy for Development in Egypt revealed that 30% of the Egyptian Public does not know what waqf as a concept means and the majority has distorted understanding and mainly relating al waqf / al awqaf (endowment) to government's properties

Philanthropy for Development


I also learned about the relation between the islamic waqf and the english 'trust law '..and the difference between both

The trust law developed in England at the time of the Crusades, during the 12th and 13th centuries. The trust was introduced by Crusaders who were influenced by the waqf institutions they came across in the Arab World.[7][8]

Waqf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


As for the deterioration of al waqf in the muslim world...i found this :

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, after the colonial powers had, to varying degrees, marginalized the waqfs, the secular states that succeeded them dismantled or appropriated them to a significant degree throughout most of the Muslim world. Motivations were partly economic , but mainly political, aiming to increase state function, authority, and wealth at the expense of the civil (especially, the religious) sector.
Despite the diminution in their properties, size, and autonomy, the waqf remains a significant element of Islamic society. In recent years they have experienced a resurgence, especially in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, and Algeria.

Waqf: Information from Answers.com

Effects of the Government's Control over the Waqf in Egypt
As mentioned before, since the mid of the last century, the government had a total control over the waqf properties and banned any participation from the community while it lacked the sufficient experience to efficiently manage the waqf and solve its problems. This tight control had several negative impacts on the waqf system, the most important of which is that the government did not abide by the terms and conditions decided by the endowers to distribute the revenues of their waqfs. This prevented the original beneficiaries for whom the waqfs were founded from receiving their rights. In addition, the wealthy segments in the society were discouraged to develop new waqfs since it became totally managed by the government. This led to the increase of the culture of indifference and helplessness where the citizens felt that it is not their role to make an effort for development and change; it is the government's role. Besides, some people abused the loss of the documents related to waqfs and used illegal means to put their hands on endowed properties and own them. Besides all this, under the government's control, most of the endowed properties became neglected and not invested in the right way, which deteriorated their conditions and diminished their values. Finally, lots of the waqf documents are lost or stolen which led to a serious lack of accurate data and statistics about their size in Egypt.18

However, despite the deteriorated conditions that face the waqf system in Egypt, there are currently lots of voices that are aware of the significance of waqf and call for reviving and re-organizing it. In fact, reviving the waqf could play a vital role in mobilizing our local resources and achieving development. Therefore, it is necessary to unite and empower all possible efforts that aim at revitalizing the culture of waqf in Egypt and to emphasize on its potential as a financial institution able to achieve sustainable development.

Philanthropy for Development

For further reading :
ISLAMIC ‘WAQF ENDOWMENT’

and by Dr. Monzer Kahf (professor of islamic economics and banking ) :

http://monzer.kahf.com/awqaf.html
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/AWQAF_OF_THE_MUSLIM_COMMUNITY_IN_WESTERN_COUNTRIES.pdf
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/revival_of_awqaf_-_islamic_horizon.pdf
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/ROLE_OF_WAQF_IN_THE_WELFARE_OF_THE_UMMAH.pdf
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/FIQHI_ISSUES_FOR_REVIVAL_OF_waqf.pdf
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/WAQF_A_QUICK_OVERVIEW.pdf
http://monzer.kahf.com/papers/english/WAQF_and_its_Sociopolitical_Aspects.pdf

 

[Gharib]

thats quite an interesting read sister. thanks for sharing it.

in my home country there was one of these waqf hospitals up untill maybe the late 19'th century just before the ottomans were defeated. some people do know where it once stood and do know many stories about it told to them by their grandparents.

 

[Sajdah]

Thanks Maro for the information

I've read something in " Questions for the Non-Muslims " thread about two opinions regarding the eternity of Hell....It was my first time to know that there are two opinions...So if you know more about the opinion which says that Hell is not eternal, please elaborate here if it is possible.

 

[maro]

Thanks Maro for the information

I've read something in " Questions for the Non-Muslims " thread about two opinions regarding the eternity of Hell....It was my first time to know that there are two opinions...So if you know more about the opinion which says that Hell is not eternal, please elaborate here if it is possible.

i think not4me can answer this question better than me

 

[Sahar]

Thanks Maro for the information

I've read something in " Questions for the Non-Muslims " thread about two opinions regarding the eternity of Hell....It was my first time to know that there are two opinions...So if you know more about the opinion which says that Hell is not eternal, please elaborate here if it is possible.

Salamu alikum Sajdah,
They are Arabic links:
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This one is in details:
ÅÓáÇã Ãæä áÇíä.äÊ - ÇÓÃáæÇ Ãåá ÇáÐßÑ - åá ÞÇá ÇÈä ÇáÞíã æÇÈä ÊíãíÉ ÈÝäÇÁ ÇáäÇÑ¿

I made that post before:
Some scholars said that Jahannam will remain and last for ages after that it will vanish and its dwellers will come out of it after they become purified from kufr by what they tasted in Hell.
They take the following verses as evidence:

"قَالَ ٱلنَّارُ مَثْوَاكُمْ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَآ إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ حَكِيمٌ عَليمٌ "
"He will say: "The Fire be your dwelling-place: you will dwell therein for ever, except as Allah willeth." for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge." Al-An'am, verse: 128

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ وَٱلأَرْضُ إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ
106. Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: There will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs:
107. They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) accomplisher of what He planneth." Hud.

They say in these two verses (in th blue color), there isn't what establishes eternity of Hell after using the exception; "except as thy Lord willeth" as He did in His saying about Paradise:

وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ سُعِدُواْ فَفِي ٱلْجَنَّةِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا مَا دَامَتِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُ وَٱلأَرْضُ إِلاَّ مَا شَآءَ رَبُّكَ عَطَآءً غَيْرَ مَجْذُوذٍ
"108. And those who are blessed shall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy Lord willeth: a gift without break." Hud.
The exception; "except as thy Lord willeth" was followed by what asserts eternity of Paradise; "a gift without break".
So they say that Paradise is eternal but Hell is not.

Also, they use the verse 23 in Surat An-Naba' as evidence for what they say:
لاَّبِثِينَ فِيهَآ أَحْقَاباً
22. For the transgressors a place of destination:
23. They will dwell therein for ages."
Ahqaba (which is translated as ages) are limited time that will come to an end.

In addition, they use sayings of some companions like Abu hurayrah, Abdullah Ibn Mas'oud and Umar Ibnil-Khattab, which pointed to the same thing.

 

[Sajdah]

Salamu alikum Sajdah,

Wa alaikum assalam dear sister

Thank you so much for the links, and the explanation..That was very informative.
Rabena yeg3alu fe mizan 7asanatek

 

[TashaN]

I admit that i was totally ignorant of the concept of Waqf and this is the first time it been introduced to me in this way.

I also find it interesting that the opinion which not4me has mentioned was known to me few years back, but i wasn't aware that many of the companions of prophet Mohammed have believed in it. I was under the impression that Ibn Alqayim was the first person to introduce this opinion.

Thank you so much maro and not4me for your great effort to enlighten us and may Allah reward you.

 

[TashaN]

That's really scary, sis Maro. As i read more about this, i feel we have been brainwashed and blinded by our governments. We only knew what been introduced to us and many important facts of Islamic laws in the past were omitted. I think governments controlled everything for many reasons, and one of these reasons was to enslave us, and make us depend on our governments in EVERYTHING. I really feel sad and angry now. They make people feel that they should be grateful for what they are already have, while the fact is all of that belong to people, not to governments.

I think those who try to challenge the government today will be labeled as extreme, or defiant, or one who try to do mischief on earth. I'm talking about real thinkers and real scholars who might peacefully challenge the government authority.

From this link: http://www.neareast.org/phil/en/page.asp?pn=28

Since this incident, waqf has been spread among Muslims at the time of the prophet and continued after him for long centuries.7 It is allowed in Islam to provide the benefit from waqf to non-Muslims like Christians as Safeya, one of the Prophet's wives made a waqf for her Jew brother.8

I feel sad when many Muslims think badly about the people who donate to non-Muslims. Some Muslims are hypocrites, they criticize some Christians when they use money to convert others and find it normal when Muslims do it. They also believe that money should be spent on those who they feel might convert to Islam. I think donation should be spent even to those non-Muslims who need it, who might never embrace Islam, just for humanity purposes.

Yesterday, a writer in a Saudi newspaper mentioned this hypocrisy. He said that a non-Muslim Sweden football player who play in Saudi Arabia has donated some money to some charitable causes in Saudi Arabia and been praised a lot by people and press, but it would another issue, if a Muslim in Saudi Arabia have donated something to people or to some charity institutions in another non-Muslim country.

 

[maro]

I think donation should be spent even to those non-Muslims who need it, who might never embrace Islam, just for humanity purposes.

I certainly agree brother. a good point , jazak allah kharian .
Let's not forget Omar Ibn abd el aziz who achieved welfare for both muslims and the people of the book

 

[maro]

I have learned a new meaning of al Riya ,which -i think- most of us don't pay attention to

this is the traditional meaning i always knew :

The Arabic term riya' is roughly translated as "showing off," which means doing something to please others or to gain their approval and admiration, instead of focusing on receiving God's approval, satisfaction, and pleasure. Riya' is the opposite of the Arabic term ikhlas [purity of intention]. ​

Read more: Purity of Intentions - Reading Islam.com​

And this is the new meaning i have learned :​

Riya’ - ostentation - is possible even if we are alone. Even if we know that no-one knows we are praying, or fasting, we can still commit riya’. How? By showing-off to ourselves. By going through the motions of the prayer, we gratify our own self-image as pious, superior people. To the extent that the prayer lacks a batin, that will be a mortal danger. Even if our minds are concentrated on the meaning, our souls may be disengaged. And to the extent that the prayer, or the fast, or the Hajj, or the qurbani, does have an inner reality, we will be less interested in showing-off to ourselves, in taking the nafs as our real qibla. The act will lead us, we will not lead the act.​

Seeing with Both Eyes - Abdal-Hakim Murad

 

[maro]

Many muslims dont know about the term Ahl al-Fatrah

 

[maro]

What's the difference between (ummah al-ijâbah) and (ummah al-da`wah) ?

here