On Friday, November 21, 2008, a group of three Chinese Muslims, comprising an Imam of a mosque, a University Professor and an Educator and Website developer, accompanied by two interpreters, visited Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center and Al-Iman School as part of ’21-day program in the United States to promote communication and exchange between Chinese and American Muslim communities and to enhance the participants’ understanding of Islam and Muslims in the United States”. Our Center was chosen due to “the outstanding reputation and work of the Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center and the Al-Iman School as well as your involvement with a previous group of Chinese Muslims participating in the International Visitors Program.”

 The Group described life of 20 million Muslims in China, the confinement of religious activities within the four walls of a mosque and prohibition to propagate, broadcast, publish or publicize Islam. No teaching of Islam is allowed in schools or universities. Only research articles can be published. All children must undergo atheistic teachings in schools and colleges. Hence, the knowledge and practice among Chinese Muslims leaves a lot to be desired and young Chinese Muslims are becoming atheists. When Chinese Muslims tried to teach religion to Muslim children during vacations, the Government banned this teaching and so most Chinese Muslims have never read The Qur’an. There are about 13 different translations of The Qur’an but only one is officially recognized and this is only basic translation, no commentary. Our Br Rizvi had one of the Chinese translations and he showed it to the delegation. However, this was not the officially recognized translation.

Chinese Muslims are divided into ten ethnic groups, of which 6 speak Turkic language. So, Muslims are classified in terms of nationality rather than religion in China. There are 40,000 mosques in China; all of them historical for no new mosques are allowed to be built. However, the situation is even worse for Christians who have fewer churches and are under close surveillance because of their underground activities.

Majority of Muslims live in the North West which was the entrance to china through the Silk Road that linked it to the outside world in trade and from Arabia through this route came the first Muslims.

A group of senior students and three teachers, namely Sr. Mangalla, Sr Marziyah and Sr. Fehmida Mohamedali were assigned by The Principal to meet the group and talk to them as the guests had  requested the meeting.  The Vice-Principal, Syed Meesam Rizvi also joined the tete-a-tete. The delegation was able to meet briefly with Sheikh Maan Al-Sahlani but unfortunately not with the Principal who was occupied with some other urgent matters of the school.

The visitors expressed satisfaction and gratitude for the visit and hope to keep in touch with us. The delegation also visited several classrooms and were warmly greeted by the teachers and students. Go to Top

Al Huda Monthly Magazine
Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center
89-89 Van Wyck Exp Way
Jamaica, NY 11435
Fax: (718) 658-5530
Ask Online: http://www.al-khoei.org/question.asp

Q. In many places sijdaghah (turbah) being use in salaat have turned black. Is prostration (sajdah) in order on such sijdaghah?

A. It is necessary that there should be nothing between the forehead of the person doing prostration and the thing on which he rests his forehead. If the turbah is so  caked with dirt that the forehead does not touch the actual turbah, then the sajdah is invalid. But, if only the color of the turbah has changed, then there is no issue.

Q. Can a ma.mum (follower behind imam of Jama’ah) in a congregational salaat say  Takbiratul Ihram before the imam has completed his Takbir?

A. The follower should not say Takbiratul Ihram before the Imam. As an obligatory precaution (ihtiyat wujubi), the follower should not utter the Takbiratul ihram until the imam has completed his Takbir.

Q. Can a follower in the congregational prayer precede the imam as far as recitation (other than Takbiratul ihram) is concerned?

A. If a follower recites other parts of prayers other than Takbiratul Ihram before the ihram, there is no objection. However, if the follower hears

Q. Can a follower in the congregational salat precede the imam as far as recitation (dhikr, other than Takbiratul ihram) is concerned?

A. If a follower recites other parts of prayers other than Takbiratul Ihram before the imam, there is no objection. However, if the follower hears the recitations of the imam, or if the follower knows when the imam is going to recite them, the recommended precaution (ihtiyat mustahhabi) is that s/he should not recite them before the imam does.

Q. In a congregational salaat, can a follower go to Ruku’u or Sajdah before the imam has done so?

A. It is necessary for the follower, besides the recitations, to perform all acts   such as Ruku’u or Sujood with the imam or a little after him. If the follower performs these acts before the imam, or after considerable delay, intentionally, the his/her congregational salaat becomes invalid. However, if this follower converts the salaat to the intention of furada (individual salaat as opposed to congregational salaat), his/her salaat will be in order.

Q. If a father decides that he does not want to give any share from his property to his disobedient son and makes a will to give his property to his other obedient sons, Does the son who has been denied this share thusly have a   Shari’i claim in the property left by the deceased father?

A. If the deceased father distributed his property to obedient sons and left out the disobedient son in his own lifetime, then the latter has no right to any of the disbursed property. However, if the deceased father leaves a will as described in the question, the deprived son can claim a share in the property. A person is allowed to will away only thuluth (one-third) of his property. The rest must be distributed to all the surviving heirs.

Q. When a person is in the midst of prayers and the phone rings. Can s/he make a sign to someone else to pick up the phone?

A. Yes, provided the sign does not disturb the shape or form of salaat. Go to Top

Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr (Price $12.00)

Click here to buy

By: Zainab Nathani

Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr is a book by Azra Jessa that explains what Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr is all about.  It is very easy to understand and can be used to explain the subject to people who do not understand it, like non-Muslims.

For example, in Ramadhan, when I was fasting, my friends in school always used to ask me why I wasn’t eating or drinking anything.   I kept on telling them, but they never really understood.  So I brought this book to school and read it to my class.  After I finished reading the book, I let the students ask any questions they had.   All of my classmates understood Ramadhan perfectly.  The same day, my teacher spoke to a kindergarten teacher and said that the book I had read was really nice and that maybe I could read it to her class.  A little while later, I was invited by the teacher to read the book to her class.  This was a really good experience for me and I really think that all the other students learned something valuable. 

This book is now available through Amazon.com everywhere.  Amazon had an editorial review that described the book by saying, “Twelve-year-old Azra Jessa wrote and illustrated this sweetly simple picture book when she was only eight years old, because she wanted to share her favorite holidays — Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr — with her classmates. Children read about how the beginning and end of Ramadhan is based on the lunar calendar. They learn what it is like to fast for 30 days, along with the meaning behind and the motivation for the fast. Lastly, she explains what a typical Eid-ul-Fitr, the day after the month of Ramadhan, is like in her family. Charming computer illustrations complement this candid glimpse into a child’s spiritual life.”

This book is also available online at http://www.al-khoei.org/catalog      

Azra has dedicated this book to the children of Iraq, because these kids are suffering very much, and are not able to celebrate these festive occasions like her.  A portion of the money received is going to help the orphans in Iraq.  So why not buy a copy of this book?  Buy one today and you can help educate others about Islamic holidays and tradition.  Ramadhan and Eid-ul-Fitr is published by Tahrike Tarsile Quran (TTQ). Go to Top

“Wa maa Buithtu illa li makarimal akhlaq”, quoth The Prophet SAWW. This is the saying upon which rests every Islamic teaching i.e. best human behavior. Scholars of ethics say that worship of ALLAH SWT leads to every aspect of akhlaq. The hajj includes every aspect of ibadah: physical, financial, social and spiritual and each of these affect our behavior: “Ijmaul akhlaq alhajj”.

            Social aspect: Man cannot live alone unless he is in solitary confinement or mentally challenged. In the Hajj, people have to travel eat, sleep, and communicate with strangers. Togetherness affects behavior because travel shows true character of a person. A person came to Imam Al-Sadiq AS who asked him if he knew a particular person well. The man replied in the affirmative. The Imam AS asked him if he had ever travelled with that person. The man replied in the negative. So, the Imam AS said he did not really know the man with whom he had not travelled.

            Spiritual aspect: The sacrifice in Hajj has spiritual significance that transcends its physical aspect. Amirul Mu.miniin AS was struck by an arrow in his heel and extracting it was very painful for the Imam AS. Yet, when he was in salaat, the arrow was removed without the Imam AS neither wincing from pain nor noticing that the arrow had been removed. The Imam AS’ physical state was completely lost into the spiritual. Similarly, Imam Al-Sajjad AS would tremble when doing wudhoo because he was approaching the presence of The Great Being!

            Nabi Ibraim AS in The Qur’an is quoted saying:“Rabbi inni askantu min ẓuriyyati biwadin ghayri ẓi zar’in ‘inda Baytikal Muharrami Rabbana liyuqiimu  ṣalaata…” (14:37) when he was commanded in a dream to take his family from Palestine to Arabia. So, the rihlatul Haji reminds us of the sunna of Nabi Ibrahim AS i.e. the hardships of travel and expenditure are part of the sacrifice. The Hajj cleanses the person of sins as water cleanses the body of dirt. Imam Al-Sadiq AS said that whatever is expended in Hajj is compensated 700 times. A person comes to The Prophet SAWW and says that he is unable to go for Hajj for his business would suffer by his absence. The Prophet SAWW pointed to the Mountain of Abu Qubais and said that if he spent the as much wealth as that mountain, he would still not be able to get the reward of performing one Hajj.

            Those who do not travel to Hejaz for Hajj can still glean virtue. The Prophet SAWW has commanded good deeds in the first ten days of Dhulhijjah i.e. by salat, a’maal, Du’a etc. The ninth day of Dhulhijjah is the Day of Arafah on which there are many a’maal and on 10th Day slaughtering an animal.

            Attached to the Hajj is also the Celebration of 18th Dhulhijjah: The Day of Eid Al-Ghadeer, the Day on which the religion of Al-Islam was completed and perfected following the proclamation of Imam Ali ibni Abi Talib AS as the successor to The Prophet SAWW. This declaration of The Prophet SAWW came as a result of compliance with the command of ALLAH SWT to convey the message that had been revealed to him previously. The command came when The Prophet SAWW was returning to Madinah after the Hajjatul Widaa (The Farewell Pilgrimage) in the 10th year of Hijrah when The Prophet SAWW, with over a hundred thousand pilgrims. Ghadeer Al-Khum is at the crossroads where the hujjaj part company as they head towards various directions to return home. The place, the time and the occasion are all significant because the future of the religion was set on course as The Prophet SAWW was to leave the world and in his absence there had to be a guide for all time to the Day of Judgment. Hence, he chose the best person after him and declared him his Wasii (Legatee), Khalifah (Successor), and Brother (Akhi) Imam Ali ibni Talib AS, who is always with The Qur’an and The Qur’an with him. “Aliyyin ma’al Qur’ani wal Qur’ani ma’ Aliyyin” is an authentic hadith of The Prophet SAWW that is accepted by all Muslims. So, anyone who does not have The Qur’an with him cannot be a successor. Go to Top