Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

So what’s with all this new Halal KFC business?

Is it really Halal – no really, is it?  Cos I really wanna know if I can finally sink my teeth into one of them tasty Zinger Burger Meals and sample the Colonel’s ’secret recipe’ myself!!

Well although its a very promising thing that major burger chains such as KFC are now recognising the demand from Muslim consumers in our area, we still have to make sure that their ‘version’ of Halal is the same as our ‘version’.

Ok, I’m not professing to be some sort of expert on this but I merely intend to pass on the small number of facts that I have gleaned through the virtual bread crumb-storm that has come to pass as a result of KFC making this decision to go Halal!

Now the Halal chicken put out by KFC is certified by a London based body called HFA.  According to their website, they are a ‘not for profit’ organisation launched in 1994 and that they ‘introduced a unique system of identifying halal meat from non-halal, by putting marking or tagging for authenticity of halal on the carcasses, soon after slaughter at the slaughterhouses’.

In their guidance as set out on their website, HFA state that they allow electric water bath stunning of the chickens as the low amperage is not sufficient to kill them but does calm them down, which then gives time for a Muslim slaughterman to slaughter the stunned chicken to halal standards.

Now as far as I’m aware, there is still division between the Scholars and indeed the minds and hearts of the public as to whether this method of slaughter is halal is not.

So the decision to eat chicken from these halal KFC outlets is one you have to make.  A decision which must be backed up by your Taqwa (piety) and reconciled by your own conscious.

Fortunately, there are some people trying to shed some more light on this issue.  The Lancashire Council of Mosques has published in its interim guidance, the scope of the problem and also what efforts they are making on behalf of the Muslim community of Britain in order to clarify this issue once and for all and thereby making the decision to eat halal for us, based on what is truly halal.  Insha-Allah (with the Will of Allah) they will soon reach a decision and advise us in the best possible light.

In the meantime, if you have any further clarification on this issue, then please, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or email us at hidayahblog@googlemail.com so that we may be a means of informing the Ummah.

To read the full text of the Lancashire Council of Mosques statement, click on the link below.

Statement to Mosques re KFC 26 02 2010

And Allah knows best – may He guide us all.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Whether you are a Muslim or a non-Muslim, I’m sure everybody’s either heard or read this before; that Islam is a religion which oppresses women.

Or you may have heard or read that Islam doesn’t give women equal rights, etc, etc…..and the list goes on.

One thing in common with all these statements is that they are all untrue!  It is clearly evident from whoever publishes or believes these sorts of comments to be true, that they have obviously not done their research and found out the real position of women in Islam.

Let me tell you how highly Islam regards women, let me tell you what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us:

He taught us that that the thing every Muslim strives to attain as the purpose of his or her existence; the pleasure of Allah and a place in Jannah (Paradise), can be attained by being obedient, faithful and respectful to our mothers. Indeed, the Prophet of Islam stated that ‘Jannah lies under the feet of your mother.’

This means that every Muslim, throughout his or her life, is expected to be highly respectful and to honour one’s mother in every single way.  Now have a look at society today, and how it teaches us to ‘talk back’ to our mothers and fathers as a sign of so-called ‘independence’, and look at how Islam exalts the status of being a mother – look at how Islam raises the profile of women!

What about our sisters and daughters- what have they done not to deserve any respect??

Well when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started expounding upon the principles of Islam, he gave daughters and sisters the rights they never had before Islam came to the fore.  Regarding the issue of inheritance, women in general have an Islamic right to one third of their father’s estate.  And furthermore, the other two thirds which may be distributed between their brothers or husbands, bring an obligation upon the husband or brother to provide for their sister/wife out of their portion.  So in reality, the wife/sister/daughter/mother is not only getting her own share of the estate, but also, through the obligations upon the men, a share in their portion as well.

Now how can anyone say that Islam does not provide for women or that Islam ‘oppresses’ women??  Why would Islam give women any share at all if they weren’t expected to spend it in their own way and according to their own whims and fancies?? Just another one of the MANY ways in which Islam has actually exalted the status of womankind through independence and freedom of choice.

Still not convinced?

What about the wives you say – what about their independence?

Well first of all, I would have to say, that all depends upon your definition of independence…..

If you are of the opinion that a woman, who is the Queen of her house, is not independent if she has to stay at home and cook for her husband, but that she is independent if she toils at some cafe serving tea to strangers, then sorry, but I think you need to have a bit of a re-think as to what you define as independence.

Allah has promised any woman who fulfils the rights of her husband and safeguards his honour and property a place in Paradise.  Now of course this works both ways, and Islam also clearly stipulates that the wife also has rights which the husband must fulfil.

But just going back to the part about safeguarding honour and property – how many women these days yearn to have supervision of their own little piece of the pie?  Every woman I think!! Every woman wants to be in control of the house, car, children, etc, etc.  And Islam gives it to them – Islam states that they are the Queens of the Households and must safeguard not only their own honour, but the honour of their husbands, family and property.  So if that is not independence as a by-product of the responsibility conferred upon women Islamically, then I don’t know what is!!!

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m, not saying that women should not go out and work full stop.  On the contrary, in this age of high bills and broken families, the woman is sometimes forced to take on work to support herself and her dependents.  However, when that is not the case and the woman does not have income to worry about, then she should fulfil the obligations set by Allah, i.e. to her husband and family, and then go out and work, if needed, and according to the principles of Shariah.

So there you have it, just a small snapshot of the vast mural that is women’s rights as given to them by the way of life of Islam.  And I’m sure that any fair minded person will see, that if the media and other biased parties did their research objectively, then there is no way on this earth that they could ever say that Islam degrades or suppresses women – because that would be an outright lie and the media wouldn’t want to print lies now……………would they…..?

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

This week, we have a hard hitting, and thought provoking video relating to the illegal blockade that Israel has put up in Palestine.

And it shows an incident which has happened hundreds of times already in the West Bank – a humanitarian issue which makes us realise how lucky we are to be granted the right to such a basic thing as healthcare.  And it makes us realise that the actions of the Israeli government are still killing innocent civilians on a daily basis.

I apologise in advance for the swearing and to be honest, I refrained from putting up this video for a long time for that very reason, however, the message it contains is of paramount importance and therefore, I thought, the main reason for why this video should be put up on Hidayahblog.

And one more thing, the issue of Palestine is one which has not gone away, and nor will it go away until we do as much as we can to be a means of ending the illegal occupation and blockade of Palestine.  So please, watch this video and take part in as many activities as you can like lobbying your MP, e-mailing the Home Office to accept the findings of the recent Goldstone report and generally learning as much about the issue of Palestine as possible.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift Film Competition Winner: No Way Through from Ctrl.Alt.Shift on Vimeo.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

And we continue the conversation between Shaikh Shibli and his student:

The Shaikh: “Did you perform Ramal at the time of Tawaaf around the Ka’aba?” (Ramal signifies a running motion)

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “Did you at that time flee from this world in such a manner that you felt you were completely out of this world?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “In that case you did not perform Ramal.  Did you place our hands on the black stone and kiss it?”

I replied: “Yes I did.”

The Shaikh the became very pale and greatly frightened, so much so that a shriek passed from him and he said:

The Shaikh: “Woe unto you: Rasulullah (SAW) has said, ‘Whoever places his hands on the black stone, is like him who actually shook hands iwth Allah; and whoever shakes the hand of Allah shall in every way remain safe from all things.’ Did you then feel anything about that security?”

I replied: “No I did not.”

The Shaikh: “Then you did not touch the black stone.  Did you perform two rak’ahs  at the Maqaam-e-Ibrahim?”

I replied: “Yes I did.”

The Shaikh: “You were at that particular time placed on a high rank by Allah.  Did you carry out what is due for that high rank for which you stood there?”

I replied: “No I did nothing.”

The Shaikh: “In that cased you did not perform Salah at the Maqaam-e-Ibrahim.  Did you perform Sa’ee between Safaa and Marwa – and did you ascend teh Safaa?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “And what did you do there?”

I replied: “I recited takbeer thrice, and prayed to Allah to accept my Hajj.”

The Shaikh: “Did the angels also recite the takbeer with you, and did you have the knowledge of the signficance of your own takbeers?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you did not actually recite the takbeer.  Did you descend from Safaa?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “When you descended, did you feel all evil and every weakness departing from you and inner cleanliness entering you?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never ascended Safaa nor descended from it.  Did you run between Safaa and Marwa?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “At that time of running, did you feel yourself running away from everything else besides Allah and reaching Him?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never ran.  Did you ascend Marwa?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “While on Marwa, did you perceive the great inner calmness and peace that descended upon you?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never ascended Marwa.  Tell me, did you proceed to Mina?”

I replied: “I did.”

The Shaikh: “While you were there did you attain such hopes in Allah that have nothing to do with evil?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never went to Mina.  Did you visit Masjid-ul-Khaif?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “And did you then experience such fear for Allah that you have never exprienced before?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh; “Then you never entered Masjid-ul-Khaif.  Did you reach the plain of Arafaat?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “And on Arafaat, did you recognise the cause for your coming into this world, what youare doing here and where you shall proceed to afterward – and did you recognise the thing that points towards these things?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never visited Arafaat.  Did you visit Muzdalifah?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “And did you remember Allah there so much so that everything else was forgotten?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “In that case you never reached Muzdalifah.  Did you perform Qurbani at Mina?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “Did you then sacrifice your own self?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you performed no Qurbani.  Did you perform Rami? (pelting the Shaytaan)

I replied: “Yes.”

The Sheikh: “With every stone that you threw, did you feel yourself shaking off every form of ignorance an feel your knowledge increasing?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you did not actually perform Rami.  Did you perform the Tawaaf-us-Ziyaarah?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “Did you experience any spiritual enlightenment at that time, and from Allah, did honour and respect descend upon you? For Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘One who performs Hajj, or one who performs Umrah is Allah’s guest, and when a visitor vists someone it is only correct that he should be honoured’.”

I replied: “No I experienced nothing.”

The Shaikh: “Then you never actually performed Tawaaf-us-Ziyaarah.  Did you then release yourself from Ihraam?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “Did you at that time promise to adhere to strictly Halaal earnings at all times?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “In that case you did not become Halaal (released from Ihraam).  Did you perform the farewell Tawaaf?”

I replied: “Yes.”

The Shaikh: “Did you then say a complete farewell to your whole self, your desires and your passions?”

I replied: “No.”

The Shaikh: “Then you did not perform Tawaaf-ul-Widaa.  Go back and perform Hajj again, and perform it in the manner which I have described to you.”

Subhanallah (Allah is Pure) what an amazing story!  Makes you wonder doesn’t it that what does the average Hajji think of and do when he/she goes and performs Hajj.  If our Hajj was even half as good as that then believe you me my dear readers, there would be immense changes in not only our lives as individuals but our lives as a collective.

May Allah give us all the ability to learn the right lessons from this extremely illustrative story and may He takes us all to His House again and again so that we can repeat the call of Labbaik.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

So the BNP appeared recently on Question Time on the BBC – and as well as his outlandish and disgusting theories and views of which we are more aware of than he thinks, the whole country is also now in uproar debating whether or not Nick Griffin should have been allowed on in the first place.

But enough of that…..

Enough of the hate-mongering BNP and let’s ask ourselves, what does Islam say about racism and the race question in general?  Does Islam say that Muslims of a certain race are better than others?  Are the Arab Muslims better than the Asian Muslims?  And what about non-Muslim people – just because they are not Muslims does that make them automatically inferior – should they even (Allah forbid) be killed as a result of their disbelief?

I’m sure I’ve talked about this before, but never mind, there’s never anything wrong with going over our past homework to make sure the lesson is positively drilled in!!

In  his definitive Farewell Speech on the Day of Arafat on his Farewell Hajj, the great Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH) emphatically stated that no Arab is superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab; no white is superior to a black and no black is superior to a white – and that the best amongst us are those who are the most righteous, the most pious.

Indeed, Allah Himself has stated in His Book, the Holy Qur’an:

O mankind!  We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another.  Verily, the most honorouble of you with Allah is that Believer who has Taqwa (piety).  Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Quran [49:13]

Just by looking at the aforemntioned Hadith and verse from the Quran it is plain to see that the way of life of Islam has broken down all barriers of colour, race and creed and instead has placed the mantle of superiority on he/she who is the most righteous in conduct.

Obviously Islam teaches that it is the only, true way of life, however, it does not under any circumstances force itself upon anyone – indeed, the Quranic verse states that there is ‘no compulsion in religion’.   As I mentioned before, it is not merely a religion, but a way of life and therefore, whoever accepts Islam does so out his/her own free will.  And that is why the people who do accept Islam, the Muslims, are taught to respect the people of other faiths as well.

The man whom Allah describes as the Mercy to the Worlds, Muhammad (PBUH), himself propagated the teaching that people, irrespective of colour, race or creed, should all be respected, not just the Muslims.  His teachings go so far as to say that even during times of extremeties, like when war is being waged, if the Muslims come across any place of worship belonging to people of other faiths, then they should not be destroyed and the worshippers therein should be left unharmed.

This to me, is just one of the vast plethora of reasons why I regard Islam as not just a teaching for a particular time and for a particular people, but for the rest of time and for all humanity – it is so simple, so clear cut, and overflowing with common sense!

It teaches people to worship One God, to fulfil our rights towards Him but not for a second forgetting that we have rights towards other people and that we should do everything in our power to fulfil those too.

So please, Question Time is over, the BNP have had their day in the sun.  Therefore, let’s not ask those hate-mongering, inciteful so-and-so’s what they think and divide humanity, but ask the right questions to the right people and unite humanity.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

To realise the Greatness of Allah we really don’t have to look far, time and time we hear the Scholars say to see Allah’s Greatness look at the sun, the sky, the trees, his animals and you will see Allah’s Greatness.  You see, Allah has created such a beautiful world for us human beings to live in. A world where the Earth provides food for us, not only from the soil but from the sea too. The millions of types of food and fish we have  – absolutely amazing!!

As we know on the Day of Judgment when Allah will question us on how we spent our health, wealth and time, we will also be asked how did you use the Nemahs (blessings)  that were provided for us…..?

You see global warming, climate change are not just a fancy words it is in fact very true. As Muslims, it is our duty that we use what Allah has provided for us in the way He intended us to as shown by the great Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). The Prophet (PBUH) showed mercy not only to mankind but for all of Allah’s creations. Many times we hear from Scholars and talks that the trees praise Allah, the fish praise Allah, indeed everything in this world, the whole of Creation praises Him. But if we as Muslims don’t help protect Allah’s creation then have we really followed the Prophet (PBUH)’s teachings and shown mercy to Allah’s creation?

Simple things like re-using handbags, recycling – very very small things are helping protect Allah’s creation. But the question I ask is as we watch Allah’s beutiful creation get harmed, have we as Muslims have really done our bit to help -  have we shed a tear, or even prayed to Allah to help protect his creation….?

Our hearts get heavy when we hear of people dying and being harmed but should we not feel the same sorrow and sadness as we see the very environment around us including the animals, being destroyed by our very hands?

So let us pray to Allah that His creation is saved from harm and let us do our bit.  And although this post is one of millions done by bloggers all over the world about climate change on Blog Action Day 2009, let’s really take the message on board and do something positive for our planet and thanking Allah by doing something everyday to preserve it.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) I’ve got to be one of the luckiest people in the world – or at least in West Yorkshire!

You see, I say this because of the fact that Sheikh Yakub Qasmi has once again re-started his evening discourses reading and elucidating upon the seminal work by Hazrat Sheikh Moulana Mohammed Yusuf Khandlawi (RA), Hayatus Sahaba or Lives of the Sahaba at Zakaria Masjid.

Now for a Muslim, the lives of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are in themselves a deep ocean of knowledge, as these were the people who had lived with the Prophet (PBUH), and had been given the glad tidings of Paradise by him due to the fact that they practised what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told them to.

And through general consensus of opinion amongst the Scholars, it is a widely held and accepted opinion that whatever the Sahaba practised actually became tenets of Islam.  Therefore, to have access to authentic accounts of their lives is an invaluable source for any Muslim, as it is a direct glimpse of life at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and also immediately after his demise, into the glorious days of the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen - the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

So this book Hayatus Sahaba, which has been acclaimed all over the Islamic world since its publication provides us with that priceless knowledge.  A knowledge which tells Muslims today and those to come, how to live upon the earth in the fair, just and righteous manner of the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH).

At the moment, I am currently being amazed yet again by the piety, the fear of God and the unrelenting sense of duty which was the trademark of the great Umar bin Khattab, (RA) – the second of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs.  Here was the man who, through the Grace of Allah, had inflicted consecutive crushing defeats upon the mighty Persian and Byzantine empires of the day and had filled Medina with the wealth of Chosroes, yet, when he was on his deathbed, one of the first matters he had set out to be concluded was his personal debt, which had built up due to his selfless spending on the poor and needy of Medina.

Here was the man about whom the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had once remarked that if Umar (RA) walked down any street, then the Devil himself would turn and run away, but on his deathbed he is saying to his son Abdullah out of pure fear of God, that he does not have the nerve to face Allah…..

I sat there listening to this, my mind blown to bits and thought that truly, these people were of a different mettle, truly these people were of a calibre and a standard of such a high level, that we cannot even begin to conceive thinking of.

And even during his life, during the conquests which ousted the Romans and Persians and which spread the Islamic empire, just look at the sense of fair play and justice of the Leader of the Believers, Umar (RA); When the Muslim army decided to quit Hems before the Battle of Yarmuk, the Muslims returned all the tribute to the citizens from whom it had been collected as they could no longer provide protection to the citizens there – needless to say the local populace was extremely impressed by this unheard act of fair play!

Never mind that, have we ever heard of a leader of modern times spend so much money out of his own pocket on the poor and needy that he actually goes into a little debt?  And whilst it is a well known fact that the Islamic state saw more riches during Umar (RA)’s reign than in any other, we must also remember that the same leader had barely enough money to clothe himself and indeed, one could see as many as 12 patches on the clothes he wore, even one of leather as he could not find enough cloth to cover all of them.

So this is what I have been enjoying and pondering over these last couple of nights.  As ever, I am thunderstruck by the way these supersonic personalities of Islam lived their lives – they were so humble, so sincere, they had so much fear of Allah in their lives – all qualities which I am dreadfully lacking…..

But what gives these discourses their sparkle is the accuracy of Hayatus Sahaba and the in-depth elucidation by the Sheikh who has brought the demise of Umar (RA) and its associated sadness ‘alive’ before my very eyes as it were.  I cannot stress enough how much we are missing if we do not attend these discourses, especially those fortunate enough to live nearby.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

Well I have something really special for you today people.

Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) we all get a spiritual boost when we hear somebody narrate the story of how they entered the fold of Islam.  The hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you continually wonder how amazing Allah is when we hear these individuals tell us of their journey through life and how they found Allah.

So I present to you the story of this Australian brother who tells us how he found Islam.  It’s told with a refreshing sense of humour and I guarantee you will be chuckling all the way through!!  However, watch it through to the end and I also guarantee you that every single hair on your body will stand up in true recognition of Allah’s Greatness and His amazing power – may Allah give us all the Taufiq (ability) to recognise Him.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

Most role models these days tend to be the famous celebrities that we see on the screen or in print everyday.  They range from your  beautiful film stars, soap stars, right through to the latest fashion models, sports men and women and also increasingly, as money is taking over our lives more and more, business men and women.

By definition, these people are the sorts of people who we look up to and imitate.  Some we may imitate because of their skill in footbal, others because of their latest haircut, and some simpy because they have money, riches and a lifestyle which we want for ourselves – therefore, you could say that the models we follow today are those who have something to do with the material nature of this world and nothing spiritual, moral or ethical whatsoever.

And that is why we are content to read the front pages of the tabloids and crticise the celebrity who has been pictured, but yet we still hold them in some sort of awe just because of their ‘rank’ as celebrity. In short, you could even say that today we have become more and more driven by the material and aesthetic side of life and, therefore, we follow those who have achieved that.

But is that the definition of a role model?

Aren’t role models supposed to be those special people who have great human and personal qualities which have set them apart from the rest of us?  Aren’t they the people who have shown us true morals and have thus led the human race, showing us what is meant to be a true human being?

Let me introduce you to my role model…..the greatest man that will ever walk the face of the earth, Muhammad (Peace be Upon him).

Muhammad (PBUH)  showed us through his conduct, how to respect each and every person according to their worth and that how each and every creation is special and valuable in the eyes of Allah.

Muhammad (PBUH)  taught us the virtues of patience, piety, honesty, courage, bravery and humility.

Muhammad (PBUH)  invigorated out minds with the knowledge of Islam and recharged our dead spiritual batteries with the light of Faith.

Muhammad (PBUH)  told us to respect the poor and take good care of the orphans.

Muhammad (PBUH) gave women the highest rank ever given by a human being by declaring that if anybody wanted Heaven, then they would find it under the feet of their mothers.

Muhammad (PBUH)  taught us to respect our elders, have mercy on our youngsters, and he ground the importance of keeping peace between people deep in our hearts.

And not only did Muhammad (PBUH) teach us how to live amongst each other, but he also taught us how to live with ourselves.

He told us that purity is half of Faith and taught us all that we needed to know to uphold that teaching.  We follow him in everything; from the way we dress, to the way we eat, right through to the way we sleep – he has given us everything we need to know in order to live comfortably in this life pleasing Allah and in such a way as to prepare for the life to come.

So that, my dear readers, is MY idea of a role model – one who gives us the complete way to live our lives – a way which is pleasing to Allah and a way which fulfils the rights of each and every living thing around us.  Not one of shock, of outrage and of indecency which the ‘celebrities’ of are muddying our lives with today.  I think it would not be out of place for me to even say that these people are only held in high esteem because of their wealth and that if they did not have that, then they would have no other endearing qualities about them that would make them fit to be role models.

And that is why you will find that it is not for any old reason that Western and non-Muslim writers have themselves written after studying the life of the great Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), that the way of life he showed humanity is the most perfect and complete way of live for a human being.

Out of the many examples I could give you, let’s just take one of his teachings.  1400 or so years ago, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us regarding the etiquettes of eating, that when we eat, we should divide our stomach into thirds and have one third for food, one third for water and one third for air.

Now, 1400 years later science can now prove the health benefit if a person eats according to that structure!

So whether it be physical, mental or spiritual, by studying the lifestyle of Muhammad (PBUH) and following it, the human being can attain perfect equilibrium with the surroundings Allah has given us in this life without for a moment forgetting the life to come in the Akhirah (Hereafter) and making the necessary preparations for it.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

At the time of writing, the current Swine Flu pandemic has claimed 29 lives in the UK with experts saying that unfortunately more loss of life is to follow.

So how do you beat it? How do you protect yourself from one of the most deadliest viruses on this planet right now?

Well in this short article, we at Hidayahblog aim to put forward the steps we should take in both the material world as well as the spiritual world to safeguard ourselves and our families from Swine Flu. Of course, at the end of the day, the matter rests with Allah Almighty, but that does not mean that we cannot make do with whatever means He has given us.

The NHS Swine Flu Pandemic says that good hygiene is the most effective action to minimize the spread of inflection.  As the catch-line goes:

CATCH IT – Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and using a tissue when possible.  If someone coughs or sneezes and they do not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft).

BIN IT – Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully do not put in pocket and re-use.

KILL IT - Maintain good basic hygiene, for example, washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to your face or to other people. Clean hard surfaces (such as door handles and telephones) frequently using a normal cleaning product

If you do become ill stay at home until 2 days after your symptoms resolve you can get the help you need from the NHS and your flu friends as described below.

If you are at work or in a school, nursery, mosque, church, synagogue or any other public or religious building, you should consider the following:

• Ensure adequate supplies of cleaning materials are available and that there are procedures for regular cleaning of hard surfaces.
• Ensure that hand hygiene facilities are adequate and working properly.

• Ensure that you have stocks of tissues, paper towels and soaps.

• Consider how you might use hand cleansers, for example at the entrances to rooms or sites without hand-washing faclities.
• Check that you have procedures for isolating (with appropriate supervision) anyone who falls ill within your building.
• Ensure that your communities are all aware of the relevant procedures that will be put in place during a pandemic and of the infection control.

Flu friends – Please encourage and even organise members of your congregation to be Flu Friends to collect antivirals, essential supplies and food for those in the community that are unable to do so themselves.

So now that we’ve discussed the practical meausres we can implement, let’s talk about the spiritual.

Although there are lost of prayers and supplications of the Prophet (PBUH) we can make, the only authentic Dua (supplication) which is on everybody’s texts and e-mails is the following one:

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الجنون، والجذام والبرص، وسيئ الأسقام

Allahumma Innee A’uthubika Minal Barasi Wal Junooni Wal Judhaami Wa Sayyi’il Asqaam

Oh Allah, I seek your refuge from leprosy, insanity, mutilation and from all serious illnesses.

Sunan an-Nasai

There are also lots of other prayers from the Ahaadith (Traditions of the Prophet PBUH) and the Holy Qur’an which we should all be praying on a daily basis for general protection from harm and disease, but you will be able to see the relevance of this one by looking at the meaning.

So there you have it – our quick guide to combating Swine Flu.  Insha-Allah (with the help of Allah) I hope that I have shown all our readers how Islam teaches us to tackle even things like disease.  By taking the practical means that God has given us, but then at the end ALWAYS turning back to Him and acknowledging that we only have these practical means because of Him and they only work because He wills it.

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace