The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002

A Journal By The Students Of Darul Uloom Sabeelus Salam, Hyderabad, India

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_____________________________________________________________________________
Vol.1 No.1 Zul Hijjah 1422 A.H. Feb-Mar 2002
PATRON: MAULAANAA RIZWAN AL QASMI

Under the guidance of: ADVISORY BOARD

Master Ameeruddin Sb
Chief Editor: Maulaanaa Akhtar Imaam Aadil
Noamaan Bader Sb Qasmi
Editor: Ml Abdul Basit Sb Nadvi
Syed Rashid Hussain Ml Khursheed Anvar Sb Nadvi
Sub-Editor: Madani
Shamsul Islam Ml Md Ayyub Sb Siddiqi Nadvi

C O N T E N T S
1 Editorial: The significance of sacrifice Noamaan Bader 2
2 Kaabah: the sacred house Syed Rashid Hussain 4
3 The farewell pilgrimage Md Jamaluddin 5
4 The Talbiyah Md Hakeemuddin Khan 5
5 What a great sacrifice! Shamsul Islam 6
6 Haj Wasi Akhtar Nadvi 8
7 The importance of Haj Hafiz Shaik Imran 8

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002
Editorial

The Significance Of Sacrifice

Historical perspective
Since the dawn of humanity, offering of blood and animal sacrifice was the
most popular system of approach to God. It was an ancient idea that sacrifice was
made to appease an offended deity and served as atonement for sins. “Throughout
the Semitic field,” observes Robertson Smith in his book The Religion of the Semit-
ics, “the fundamental idea of sacrifice was that of communion between the God and
His worshipper by joint participation in the living flesh and blood of a sacred vic-
tim.” The Greeks also looked upon sacrifice as a „Communion feast‟ with the Di-
vinity, in which the God and His people became of one flesh by partaking together
of the flesh of the victim; the animal was regarded, in some degree, divine as having
the divine spirit incarnate in it.
Islaamic perspective
The act of sacrifice in Islaam is the symbol of a Muslim‟s readiness to lay
down his life, and to sacrifice all his interests and desires in the cause of truth. The
purpose of sacrifice is not fulfilled only by shedding the blood of an animal. Exter-
minating the wrong concepts of ancient sacrifice, the holy Qur‟aan asserts in Soorah
Haj, verse 37:
‫اَ ْن ا ََيَ َاا الَّل َااُ ُ ُو َ ا َ َ ا ِ َو ُا َ ا َ اَ ِ ْن ا ََيَ اُ ُا الَّلَي ْن َ ِاو ْن ُ ْنا‬
“It is not their (sacrificial animals‟) meat or their blood that reaches Allaah: it is
your piety that reaches Him.”

This verse eloquently speaks of the fact that sacrifice in Islaam is nothing else
than a natural expression of reverence and gratitude to the Creator. It is the spirit of
wiling devotion and cheerful obedience underlying the sacrifices that is accepted by
Allaah. It is only the piety of heart, nobility of soul and righteousness of conduct
that is acceptable to Him.

The above verse clearly shows that the idea of atonement is totally foreign to
Islaamic sacrifice and Allaah is not pleased with the shedding of blood alone, rather
He likes the deeper impression left by sacrifice on our hearts. What that deeper im-
pression is can better be felt than expressed. It is the awakening of the latent moral

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002
faculties of man to greater sacrifice and deeds of action than mere animal slaughter.
It demands of a man that for the sake of establishment of God‟s unity, propagation
of truth, restoration of peace, freedom of conscience and preservation of the bonds
of fraternity of mankind, the highest sacrifices be offered without demur and hesita-
tion.

In a similar manner, the words “you have indeed fulfilled the vision” (Holy
Qur‟aan 37:105) show that it was not in fact the act of slaughtering which was
needed for fulfillment of the vision, but it was the attitude of submission and sur-
render, an attitude of preparedness to sacrifice one‟s all in the path of Allaah, that
was demanded of Prophet Ibraaheem ‫ عليه السالم‬and his illustrious son, and they emi-
nently stood this test.

Eed-ul Azhaa commemorates this unparalleled act of devotion of the noble

soul of Prophet Ibraaheem who in obedience to the command of his Lord, readily
offered the life of his son Ismaa‟eel ‫عليهوا السالم‬. This soul-stirring event of Ibraa-
heem and Ismaa‟eel ‫ عليهوا السالم‬is well-documented in the Noble Qur‟aan.

But today, how far we are from these noble and great personalities! There is
little that we have to face when compared to the trials and sacrifices that the noble
Prophet Ibraaheem made throughout his life.

Now more than ever, we are in need of those who would guide us to the true
and correct path, those who would show us compassion and understanding and who
can correct us and reinforce the tradition of Ibraaheem and of his outstanding des-
cendant, the last and greatest of all prophets and messengers, Muhammad ‫عليهن‬
‫الصالة والسالم‬.

Noamaan Bader
(Jamaa’at e Khaas)

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002

Ka’bah: The Sacred House

One of the major places of pilgrimage is the Ka‟bah, which is called “the sa-
cred house”, “the ancient house” and “the first house of divine worship”. It is a
symbolic centre for the entire mankind. It came into existence on earth under the
name of Ka‟bah in the city of Makkah (Saudi Arabia), to provide a united order.

The Ka‟bah is made of dark, rough stones laid in a very simple manner with
white chalk filling the fissures. It is an open-squared empty room. It reflects no arc-
hitectural skill, artistic beauty, art inscription or quality and no grave is found there.
The building is very simple with no design or decoration involved.

The Ka‟bah which is the first mosque on the earth, was built by prophets
Ibraaheem and Ismaa‟eel ‫عليهوا السالم‬, the father and the son respectively. The
Qur‟aan has declared Ka‟bah as Qiblah i.e. the centre for mankind (Markaz e mil-
laat). Such a centre does not mean to refer simply to the structure constructed in
mud and stone. Rather it refers to the world-centre of that government which is es-
tablished totally on the basis of Qur‟aanic laws. The objective of declaring Ka‟bah
as the centre, it seems, is to bring together the entire humanity for universal peace.
While declaring Ka‟bah as the centre for world peace, the Qur‟aan declares that “he
who enters it has entered the abode of peace …” (Holy Qur‟aan 3:97)

On completion of the construction of Ka‟bah, Prophet Ibraaheem prayed to

Allaah:
“My Lord! Make this a city of peace.” (Qur‟aan 2:126) .‫رب اجعل هذا بلدا آهنا‬
and grant me and my progeny the power to withstand those forces which create ob-
structions in Your way.

Prophet Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬fulfilled this objective, and completed
this mission by establishing a Qur‟aanic state with Ka‟bah as its centre during the
seventh century C.E. Thus, Ka‟bah began to serve as a centre for the world social
order established as per the guidance of the Qur‟aan, and the people who join this
order will always remain secure and fearless.

The Haj gathering, commenced by Prophet Ibraaheem continued afterwards

too, as per the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليهوا وسلن‬. In

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002
the year 10 A.H. (632 C.E.), Hajj was performed in accordance with the Qur‟aanic
guidance under the direct leadership of Prophet Muhammad himself.

And this is the month in which all the pilgrims go there to perform pilgrimage.

Syed Rashid Hussain

(Jamaa’at e Khaas)
§ § § § § § § § § §

The Farewell Pilgrimage

th
In the 10 year of Hijrah, the Farewell Pilgrimage took place under the leader-
ship of Prophet Muhammad ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬. In this pilgrimage, more than one hun-
dred thousand people participated. On the 9 th of Zul Hijjah, our prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬addressed the large gathering of pilgrims in which he presented a summary of
the whole concept of Islaam.

It was our prophet‟s last pilgrimage.

Md Jamaluddin
(Jamaa’at e Khaas)
§ § § § § § § § § §

The Talbiyah
If one wants to appreciate the feelings, emotions, zeal and enthusiasm of a
Haajee (pilgrim) during the pilgrimage, it will be enough for him to understand the
meaning and significance of “the talbiyah” which is as follows:
.‫ ال شزيك لك‬،‫ إى الحود والنعوت لك والولك‬،‫ لبيك‬،‫ ال شزيك لك‬،‫ اللهن لبيك‬،‫لبيك‬
“Here I am, O Lord, here I am! You are free from all partners. Truly, the
praise and the gift are Yours and so is the dominion. You are free from all part-
ners.”

Md Hakeemuddin Khan
(Hifz ‘Jeem’)
§ § § § § § § § § §

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002
What A Great Sacrifice!
“No pains, no gains.” “No rose without a thorn.” Often have we heard this said. But
did we ever try to know its truthfulness? If not, let us at least try to know the men
who had the determination to suffer all pains for one God i.e. to please Allaah, the
Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds in the light of the above maxim.

Out of many such heroes, there is one whose great sacrifice is commemorated
every year by more than one-fifth of the world‟s population. This great hero is
Prophet Ibraaheem whose heroic character did not remain confined to him alone,
but was transmitted to his son, Prophet Ismaa‟eel ‫ عليهوا الصالة والسالم‬too as is obvi-
ous from the following incidence.

After long years of separation from his son Ismaa‟eel and his spouse Haajirah,
Ibraaheem ‫ عليهن السالم‬returns to Makkah to cool his eyes by meeting his beloved
ones. It is a moment of great happiness for Prophet Ibraaheem to meet his near and
dear ones whom he had not seen for years. But alas! This was not destined to be a
lasting pleasure. Ibraaheem‟s love for Allaah is put to a test severer than that of any
other lover by his beloved. Allaah commands Ibraaheem to sacrifice his only little
boy and the command is conveyed through dreams. So, what happens next? Does
his paternal love deter him from moving the knife over his son‟s throat? Does his
love for his son prove to be greater than his love for his Lord Allaah? And more-
over, does the son agree to get slaughtered?

Let us look into the holy Qur‟aan for answers. The glorious Book says:
ِ ‫كافَ نْنظُراو ذَ اتََير اقَ َاا اأَب‬
‫تا‬ ‫ب‬ ‫َذ‬ ‫أ‬‫يا‬ِّ
‫ن‬َ‫أ‬‫ا‬‫م‬ِ َ‫اس ْنعياقَ َاا َ ابَُيَ َّلياإِنِّياأ ََر افِيا ا َْنم‬
َ َ َ َ ‫ْن‬ َ ُ َ ‫ْن‬ َ ‫او َع ُا َّل‬ َ ‫فََيلَ َّلم ابََيلَ َغ‬
)102(‫اص بِ ِر َ ا‬ ‫اسلَ ِج ُدنِياإِ ْننا َش َءا الَّل ُ ِاو َ ا َّل‬
َ ‫او اتَُي ْنؤَو ُر‬
َ ‫فْنَي َع ْنل‬
“Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: “O my
son! I have seen in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice, now see what is your
view!” (The son) said: “O my father! Do as you are commanded: you will find me,
if Allaah so wills, one of the steadfast.” (Qur‟aan 37:102)

Neither is inferior to the other in his willingness to bow to Allaah‟s will. The
father agrees to slaughter his son to please Allaah and the son too agrees to get
slaughtered for the same purpose.

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002
This is not a story of Shakespeare‟s play The Merchant of Venice, where each
of the two friends Antonio and Bassanio attempts to sacrifice himself for the other‟s
sake where Bassanio, overwhelmed by emotion, says to Antonio:
“The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere (before) thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.”
The difference is obvious. In Antonio-Bassanio‟s case, the cause is worldly (Bassa-
nio‟s quest for a woman) whereas in Ibraaheem-Ismaa‟eel‟s ‫ عليهوا السالم‬case, the
cause is holy.

The father-son duo now leaves for the altar. The father prepares to slaughter
his son whom he loves more than his own heart and the son prepares to part with
that which is, to all creatures, dearer than anything on the earth i.e. life. The son
prostrates himself on the ground. The father is about to draw his knife across his
dear son‟s throat. The atmosphere is overwhelmed. Islaam (submission to Allaah‟s
will) is priding itself. Satan is finding no place to hide his face. Good stands trium-
phant while Evil stands routed. The earth and the sky are unable to hold back their
emotions. Even the mountains find it difficult to witness such a momentous event.

The Most Gracious too cannot remain undisturbed now. He calls out:
َ ‫اص َّلدق‬
. َ‫ْنتا ُّارْنا‬ ‫د‬‫ْن‬ ‫ق‬
َ ‫ا‬ ‫ي‬ ِ ‫اإِبَير‬
َ ُ َ ‫َ ْن‬
“O Ibraaheem! Surely you have fulfilled the dream.” (Qur‟aan 37:104-105)

Allaah, the Beneficent, sends a fine ram from Heaven, through Jibreel to be
slaughtered in place of Ismaa‟eel ‫عليهوا السالم‬. Undoubtedly, the Merciful never in-
tended to deprive Ibraaheem ‫ عليه السالم‬of his only son. The All-Kind just wanted to
see what His khaleel (intimate friend) does in such an outstanding trial. And lo! The
khaleel does succeed in this big test.

Shamsul Islam
(Jamaa’at e Khaas)

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The Ray of Hope Zul Hijjah 1422 Feb-Mar 2002

Haj
One of the most important duties of a Muslim is to perform Haj once in his
lifetime if he is capable of it. It is performed in accordance with certain regulations
of which everyone has a special significance. During this pilgrimage, all male Mus-
lims wear Ihraam i.e. white garments. They go round the Ka‟bah seven times and
kiss – actually or through gesture – Hajar e Aswad (Black Stone) every time. Then,
they run between the hills of Safaa and Marvah seven times. After that, they go to
Minaa and „Arafah and on the 10th of Zul Hijjah, they sacrifice the animals to com-
memorate the heroic acts of Ibraaheem and Ismaa‟eel ‫ عليهوا السالم‬They also cast
pebbles at the Jamaraat (pillars).
Haj is a very important pillar of Islaam.
Wasi Akhtar Nadvi
(Kulliyat-ul Hadeeth)
§ § § § § § § § § §

The Importance of Haj

Allaah, the Most Gracious, has said:
)96(‫اوبَ َرًك ا َ ُ ًد ااِل َْنع اَ ِمي َ ا‬ ِ ِ ‫ضعااِلَّل‬
ُ َ‫سااَلَّلذيابِبَ َّل ة‬
ِ ٍ
َ ُ ‫إِ َّلناأَ َّل َاابََي ْنيتا‬
“The first house (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakkah (i.e. Makkah):
full of blessing and of guidance for all the worlds.” (Qur‟aan 3:96)
The importance of the pilgrimage of the first sacred house is obvious.

ِ ‫ ارس َاا الَّلِا!انََير ا ا‬:‫ت‬

‫ا‬.‫ْنج َ َاأَفْن َ َلا ا َْنع َم ِال‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ْن‬ ‫ا‬
َ ‫ق‬
َ ‫ا‬ َ ‫َّل‬
‫َي‬ ‫ن‬َ‫أ‬‫ا‬ َ ‫َي‬ ‫ْن‬ َ ‫ا‬ُ ‫َّل‬
‫ال‬ ‫ا‬‫ي‬ ِ ‫َ ا َ اِ َ ةَاأ ُِّما اْنم ْنؤِوِي ار‬
‫ض‬
َ َُ َ َ ََ ُ ‫ْن‬
‫ا‬.‫او ْنبَي ُر ٌار‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ
َ ‫اَا!ااَ َّل اأَفْن َ َلا اْنج َ ا َ ٌّج‬:‫أَفَ َ انُ َج ُاد؟اقَ َاا‬
„Aaishah ‫ رضي هللا عنها‬narrates that she said, “O Prophet of Allaah! We consid-
er Jihaad to be better than all (other) good acts. So shouldn‟t we women too go for
Jihaad.”
Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: “For you women, the best Jihaad is that Haj
which is free from all sins.” (Bukhaaree 1423)

Haafiz Shaik Imran

Jamaa’at e Khaas (I/V)
§ § § § § § § § § §