islam the PC way.

reagrding the post in Winds Of Jihad and the story on the sicko sheik and his site... islam4UK....I checked down the bottom of this site to see what the copyright arrangements were, and apparently there are none, so I am taking the liberty and posting some of the propaganda and teachings of this site.... what a laugh it is but yet it gave me the absolute shudders to think that these people live among us. I tried to send an email to them through the comments section but for some reason it did not go through. I must say that the following is a very sanitized view and to think this is the garbage they dish up to their gullible followers...they do not hide their contempt for Westerners in any way...as far as they are concerned we are all filth and so teach their children to despise us. I don't know whether it is more sad than sick or sick than sad.
It is a fair bit of reading, but it does let the reader know in no uncertain terms what they think of us and how they plan on taking everything we hold to away from us. Send them all packing is what I say....If there is ever a war then are the muslims who live here going to be interred in a camp like the Japanese were when we were at war with them???

BEAUSEANT!!!!!

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If this wasn’t such a serious issue then the following would be bloody hilarious. The writers of the following garbage have surely put a darn good spin on it all…shees, talk about PC Crap…. And we westerners thought we could put a spin on almost anything… I gotta say, this lot seems to have it down pat…but for one thing…. Just who do they think they are fooling????? Not this little white duckie that’s for sure. They…those islamist loving musos, are here in our lands, our Country, and yet they hate everything about us and our way of life….Why don’t they just all go to a country that is already under their precious Sharia islamist law. Then they would not have to suffer us any more. I wish they would just do us all a bloody favour and piss off to where they deserve to live, in the desert next to a pile of camel dung….then they can worship their pedophile leader and have sex with as many women, children and slaves as they want to marry while their wives just have to keep their mouths shut and cop it sweet.


Attack on the Muslimah



The Kuffaar (unbelievers), continuing in their onslaught against Islam and Muslims, have adopted a new strategy designed to distort the mind of the Muslim woman in order to destroy her and the family unit. The Messenger Muhammad (SAW) informed us that ‘the Muslim woman is the backbone of the Ummah,’ yet the Kuffaar have still managed to infiltrate the mind of the Muslim woman and have distorted the image of her role as defined by Allah (SWT).

There are many enemies of the Muslimah ranging from the Shaytaan to the Jews, Christians, Mushriks and secularists, who carry the same aim which is to poison her mind with the filth and oppression that the Western woman faces today. Under the guise of liberty and freedom, the Muslim woman is preyed upon by the media and various educational institutes as well as the national curriculum, from a very young age. With this, several strategies and tools are used as conspiracies to poison her mind so that she is no longer happy with her primary roles, such as being a mother or housewife; rather, she too wants to be subjected to humiliation and degradation in the current society in which we live.

Conspiracies against Muslim women

New magazines are introduced with the aim of replacing the righteous role models, such as the Sahaabiyaat (female Companions), to the pop icons and catwalk models of today. These same magazines promote the cosmetic industry and ideas such as beauty, fashion and ‘the successful business woman’, and carry ideas and slogans such as ’sex with the same man everyday is boring,’ giving an open advert for adultery and promiscuity, which is totally forbidden in Islam.

They aim to distort the picture of the Muslim husband and compare it to the Western man. They promote the Muslim husband as one who doesn’t allow his wife to have a ‘life’ and portray him as having a backward and old fashioned mentality, claiming that his thoughts and views have no value in social life today. Little do they realise that the true Muslimah already clearly understands the hadeeth which says, ‘The woman whose husband is pleased with her when she dies can go to Paradise through any gate she wishes.

’The Kuffaar design programmes to get Muslim women back into mainstream education, an education which focuses on “Britishness” and ways to adopt its culture and Western (kufr) values. Yet the true Muslimah understands that her identity is directly linked to her belief; thus, her identity can never be the same as the Kaafirah (disbeliever), and if it is, then she has clear signs of weakness in her Imaan. The Messenger Muhammad (SAW) informed us that, ‘He is not from us who imitates the Kuffaar.

’They use soaps to befog the minds of the Muslim women in order to make her materialistic. They even go to extra lengths to translate these soaps into languages that the Muslim woman will understand in different parts of the world.

Housewives are offered ‘better’ alternatives such as education and entertainment and it is ensured that this entertainment is not in accordance to the Sharee’ah; for example, free-mixing is prevalent during the alternatives that are offered. The Muslimah, however, will understand the saying of the Nabi (SAW) when He said,

‘Oh men and women, separate yourselves; it is not allowed for you to be in the same place.’

Muslim women are repetitively informed about their rights in the West and told how they are free women and how they should not carry a slave-like mentality. Yet, how can this be possible when the Muslim, regardless of whether they are male or female, is a ’slave’ to the Almighty Allah?

The Muslimah is encouraged to call for equality alongside the men and she is frequently told that the religion she follows is biased. Yet, the true Muwahhidah (Monotheist) will know that if her Creator has decided something then she will submit to it willingly as she will understand the verse from the Qur’aan, Surah 33, verse 36: ‘It is not allowed for a believer, man or woman, to have any choice when Allah and His Messenger decide a matter.’

They portray the image of the mother/housewife as degrading and highlight the modern Western woman. They also try to instil into her mind that she doesn’t require the protection of any man and that her father/husband is not her ameer (leader and guardian) but someone who is equal to her.

They tell the Muslimah that the Muslim male is oppressive and ultimately Islam is to blame as he acts according to his beliefs. They fail to differentiate between culture, tradition and Deen, and promote Islam as a repressive way of life which is designed to suppress the needs of a woman by elevating the man.

Women are lured into fitness suites and gyms and told that slim bodies are attractive thus deterring them from wanting children as they become more interested in maintaining their figures. Yet, the true Muslimah will know that the Messenger (SAW) has told us that He (SAW) will be proud of those women on the Day of Judgement who marry and multiply their children, and she can still maintain her body as well as doing this!

Although only a few examples have been highlighted above, it has become obvious that the Kuffaar (and apostates) are prepared to go to any lengths to attempt to sabotage the mind of the Muslimah with their continuous conspiracies and rotten agendas. Yet, the true Muslimah will see straight through these lies and false perceptions and will understand the reality that there is no ideology on the planet Earth and no school of thought that exists today which honours the Muslim woman like Islam does.

She will understand and firmly believe that the Sharee’ah protects her as a mother, daughter, wife, sister, aunt etc., and that Allah (SWT) has dignified her and given her a high status in the dunyaa. She will not succumb to the wishes of the non-Muslims and will continue to obey Allah (SWT) exclusively in all aspects of her life, be this in the public arena or the private arena, and will continue to establish the Word of Allah (SWT) until it becomes the highest.

The Messenger Muhammad (SAW) said about the Muslim woman, ‘The whole world is a provision, and the best object of provision in this world is the pious woman.’


A comparison between Western marriages and Islamic marriages
Marriage is a significant event in one’s life as it involves beginning a new life with a lifelong companion, however its connotations, meaning and importance varies depending on from which perspective it is considered. In today’s Western society weddings are portrayed as ‘the big day’, an expensive and lavish affair devoid of any commitment. The differences between Western and Islamic marriages which will be elaborated on, will reveal that the former has contributed to many problems which exist in society whilst the latter is a source of comfort, harmony and happiness in society.

Western society does not promote marriage predominantly because it has no value seeing as morality has been replaced by instant self-gratification. Consequently sex before marriage, one-night stands and homosexuality have become the norm whilst marriage has become an undervalued institution. The British government has also failed to encourage people to marry, despite the chant of ‘back to basics’ slogans.

Marriage in the west is an extremely extravagant and expensive event. Services and products such as brides magazines, bridal suites designed specifically for weddings are popular as the idea that the wedding should live up to the image of the ‘big day’ is advertised. Weddings, like so many other events, has become a purely commercialised occasion. The purpose and importance of marriage has been demeaned as the wedding day has become the main centre of attention with little or no thought paid to the actual marriage itself.

It seems that the marriage itself is not expected to last because divorce is regarded as a highly probable event as more couples insist on pre-nuptial agreements. This fatalistic and negative attitude does not stop there as people do not want to commit themselves to another person by getting married, instead the ‘HIV test’ has become the new marriage. The HIV test is the twenty-first century form of commitment and is taken by couples who want to be ‘serious’. In order to manifest this ‘serious’ attitude to their partner, the HIV test is taken to show that each partner is coming clean and promising fidelity to each other and thus revealing to their partner that they have no intention to engage in promiscuity.

It is not only the West that has commercialised marriage as many countries in the third world have also imitated the west by focusing on organising expensive weddings. Weddings have become an ideal opportunity to show off one’s wealth and it seems that this has become the only purpose of the weddings. There is also a lot of pressure on people to conform to the expectation of having a very elaborate and costly wedding.

Countries like Pakistan have incorporated traditions and customs which are alien to Islam such as the bride’s family giving money to the grooms family, free mixing between males and females at the wedding ceremony and marrying people from a particular ‘caste’. As a result of adopting the capitalistic attitudes of the west and following non-Islamic traditions, many people in Muslim countries have encountered problems which have hindered the process of marriage or become obstacles in the way of marriage. Some of these problems include oppression of the poor as they cannot afford to give the dowry money, organise a huge wedding for a large number of people and buy costly jewellery and clothes.

The only means by which these problems can be completely eradicated is through the implementation of and adherence to Islam. The whole attitude and value of marriage in Islam is entirely different. Islam differs from monastic religions that condemn sex as a ‘sin of the flesh’ because it recognises that one of the basic instincts that appear in men and women is the urge to procreate and feel attraction to members of the opposite sex. Thus Islam has provided a method to channel and fulfil this instinct, giving detailed guidance which results in a system that is in harmony with human nature.

Islam forbids unmarried men and women from having intimate relationships outside marriage, whereas the west does not adopt this view and thus the consequences are manifestly apparent by the huge number of problems that exist including rape, abortion, infidelity, single parents, economic problems, depression, suicide, the emergence of AIDS and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

Relationships between man and woman in Islam are based on a sense of responsibility and mutual respect, where there is no place for irresponsibility, immorality and exploitation. Allaah (swt) says, "And among his signs is this, that the created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts undoubtedly, in this are signs for those who reflect." [EMQ 30: 21]

Marriage is highly recommended in Islam, especially for those who have the means to do so i.e. those possessing maturity, ability to support a wife etc. It is a noble action and Islam has praised those who engage in it. Anas bin Maalik reported that the messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "When a man gets married, he has fulfilled half of his Deen, so let him fear Allaah regarding the remaining half."

The Prophet (saw) affirmed that Allaah (swt) will help those who married to preserve their chastity, saying, "There are three who have a right to the help of Allaah: the one who marries out of the desire to live a chaste life, the slave whose master has agreed to his buying his freedom when he wishes to pay the sum, and the one who fights in the cause of Allaah (swt)." (Ahmad, an-Nasaa-i, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah, Al-Haakim)

The fact that Allaah (swt) has promised His help to those who marry for a good purpose means that it is not befitting for a Muslim to refrain from marriage out of fear of poverty or not being able to meet his obligations. A Muslim must make the effort to find the financial means to support a wife e.g. getting a job, borrowing money or obtaining it in other halaal ways and Inshaa-Allaah he will see the help of Allaah (swt). Allaah (swt) says: "And marry those among you who are single, and the virtuous ones among your slaves, male and female. If they are in poverty, Allaah will enrich them out of His bounty." [EMQ 24: 32]

In Islam, the contract of marriage is called Nikaah. It is a contract between the man and woman of which all the pillars and conditions must be fulfilled for it to be correct and valid. The Nikaah is easy and simple, and does not require the spending of thousands and thousands of pounds in order for it to be valid. A part of the marriage agreement is the mahr (dowry) which is paid by the man to the woman and not reverse, as is the case in some other cultures.

This in itself removes many problems for families in the East. Quite often the arrival of a baby daughter in many Muslim families is met with contempt and derision because parents feel that when it is time for her to get married, they have to give money to the groom’s family, buy expensive jewellery and indulge in other costly purchases. It is quite clear that the implementation of Islam would effectively eradicate these problems as these trouble inducing practices are not a part of Islam but Eastern and capitalistic culture.

Islam recognises that there are physical and mental differences between man and woman. A husband and wife are companions for each other, and they have clearly defined roles within the family. The husband is responsible for the economic maintenance of the family and the wife is responsible for the management of the household. The woman’s wealth is her own and it is the husband’s responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter her and the family.

In Islam, marriage is a valid institution through which an unrelated man and woman can have an intimate relationship with each other. In the west having a relationship with any person before marriage is accepted, tolerated and promoted whilst marriage itself has become devalued. This is one of the reasons why society is in its current pathetic degraded state, afflicted with a vast range of problems and diseases. The source of these is ignored and not even examined, in lieu the problems are treated with temporary ‘solutions’ or just swept under the carpet and attributed to being a part of today’s modern, hectic and fact paced lifestyle. The only solution which would permanently remove these problems and ensure they do not re-occur, as well as injecting harmony, peace and justice to society in all areas of life not just in marriage, would be the implementation of Islam in its totality.

To the Wives of Muslim Activists
Oh wives of the Da’ees (those who work day and night calling to Islam) fear Allah and be firm and patient. Verily you are the cause of the success of your husband’s da’wah and the cause of its decline.

There is a saying that behind every great man is a great woman. Many people differ about this parable, between those in support of it and those who appose it. I believe we all must agree about the importance of the wife in the life of her husband and the fact she has a role that if fulfilled, the boat of da’wah will sail peacefully and successfully. For this reason we find the Messenger Muhammad (saw) emphasised on the importance of the woman in more than just one place. He encouraged the Muslim man about the necessity to look for a wife with good Deen (practicing woman), who fears Allah in her relationship with her husband, at his home and with his children.

I believe nobody will differ with me if I say that the Da’ees are so needy for a unique, sophisticated, special, and magnificent wife unlike any other, who will stand by him through hardship and ease, supporting him, staying at his home helping him to fulfil his roles and responsibilities, encouraging him to carry da’wah more and more and to fulfil his mission.

The wife of a Da’ee needs to have these qualities because:

1. The da’ee is different from any other man. His time schedule is not like any others, nor is his concern like the concern of others. Therefore his actions and efforts will inevitably be different from the actions of other men. An average man’s concerns are nothing but his own personal concerns such as food, clothes and shelter. Whereas the da’ees concerns do not stop to the limit of only a house, food and children but rather his concerns escalates to the level of being concerned about the recovery of the Ummah, to live her concerns and suffering and working actively to change that reality from a state of fear to a state of peace.

2. The normal man does not have any concerns but to seek his provision and to enter happiness into the hearts of his family by fulfilling their wishes. Whereas the work and concerns of the da’ee will be multiplied and increased to the limit that he will have very little time left to his wife or to his own children, not to mention to be concerned about his health and wealth to a level where his wife may believe that he is neglecting her as he is so busy with the affairs of the Muslim Ummah, more than his own family affairs. Therefore if a Muslim woman does not support her husband who is a da’ee nor does she have an extra talent that distinguishes her from any other woman, who looks to the concerns and visions of her husband and how much it is more important than any other concern, then no doubt her husband’s ship will face a huge struggle to sail in the ocean of difficulties from the enemies, opponents and disbelievers. And that will be the first nail in their relationship.

Excuse me if I put an example that could relate to you but I do not mean a particular person. Let us imagine a da’ee who comes back to his home after a hard days work, exhausting himself for the sake of calling people to Islam, commanding good and forbidding evil and elevating this Ummah for the sake of Allah. Suddenly he finds that when he arrives home, there is a woman who declares her rejection, moaning and complaining about the long time she spends on her own at home or repeats in his ears the same list of complaints and demands and throws them over his head without to bother about the damage that could happen to him, their relationship or the da’wah.

Let us imagine a woman who looks in the face of her husband for a long time and yet she is surprised about the thoughts and ideas that he carries and the amount of energy he has that makes him look after the affairs of the Ummah, which doesn’t concern her at all. I have seen these women who put obstacles in the path of her husband, discouraging him and destroying his will and determination. Moreover she will make him withdraw his concerns, zeal and energy regarding his Deen and the Muslim Ummah and will start to work actively in disperse, discouraging him by letting him down and watering down his responsibilities, which will cause him to have depression. Moreover she will request and demand her husband to do things that are not important, very difficult or nearly impossible to do.

3. The difficulties and the dangers which will occur in the way, the bloody arrows which have been shot towards his chest and all other attacks from all directions will make him seriously need to have beside him a wife that understands the needs of the level of da’wah which he is at, to be patient with him, firm and supportive in his way which is full of thorns, hardship and pain. She must be patient, firm and realise that her husband is not the first and only one who walks on this path full of mines and thorns; rather history is full of men who have paid blood as a price for the da’wah and the Deen of Islam.

She must also realise that not all the harm and threats surrounding her husband means he has failed the battle, rather victory could be hiding itself in the form of loss and it may surprise people by the ideas and thoughts that come out from the mouth of the da’ee and goes beyond all obstacles to spread and be implemented as-well as break all barriers. Therefore if a da’ee does not have at his home a wise and mature woman that believes in what he believes in, then no doubt his home will miss its main cause of family stability, which may affect the behaviour of every member of the household, male or female.

4. There is no doubt that a da’ee, whose concern is about the Muslim Ummah and challenges the Pharaoh in authority is going to be so busy to the level where he will rarely have time for his own children as he will be too busy teaching the children of the Ummah and therefore have no time to teach his own. Definitely he is needy for a believing mother (for his children) that is unique and carries with him all the responsibilities to reform the children and to look after them during the absence of their own father, which inevitably will happen many times.

We only need to look at some of the top Mujaahideen from among the Sahabah and Tabi’een who had children yet did not see them except in very rare occasions, whereas others did not see them at all as the father was too busy on the da’wah field or battle field whilst his wife was delivering a baby.

This will give the women extra certainty that a da’ee is needy for a woman so unique who is not like any other woman. In edition, the wife of the da’ee is needy for special nurturing that enables her to pass the obstacles, duties and responsibilities that are going to face her by standing firm. This will push the husband for the continuity of his activities in order to help him in his own struggle, especially as we are living in a time where to stand firm to what you believe in is strange or unusual, and those affected by defeatism (compromisers, hypocrites etc.) do not want to do anything. Beyond doubt, a da’ee deserves to have a special wife who gives him tranquillity, love and shelter.

Dear Muslim sisters, you are the hope of your da’ee husband to carry the responsibilities from his shoulders and enable him to be fit and go out to the da’wah field or jihad without to be concerned about his responsibilities towards you and his children by being firm, patient, supportive and appreciative and accepting any destiny that Allah has designated for you and for the test which Allah inflicts upon you by having a da’ee husband. Verily if you become patient on the path of Haq (truth) you will get the maximum amount of reward from almighty Allah.

Dear Muslim sister, I can summarise to you my advice in 4 main points:

1. Make Khadijah (ra) your example and leading role model who was a strong right hand for her husband and a firm gentle touch to our Messenger which enabled him to carry his message to mankind. Khadijah supported him, believed in him, covered him and said to him her famous statement: By Allah! Allah will never let you down because you are the one who maintains the blood relationship, carry heavy responsibilities, help the needy, support the weak, command the good and forbid the evil and challenge all the corruption in society.

2. Wake up in the night time and throw the arrows of the dark night in the sehri time by supplicating to your Lord and ask him to protect your husband and all the da’ees and to make them firm, victorious, have ‘izza and support.

3. Keep yourself busy by nurturing the children of your husband, provide the best knowledge and good deeds that makes them full of taqwa and Imaan and plant in them that the conviction their father stands for is the truth, and encourage them to do the same thing as their father.

4. Dear Muslim sisters, if your husband is a da’ee be proud that your husband carries the truth and be confident that the banners of Haq he carries will never fall down even if he does.


Education, A Mothers Perspective
Written by a concerned sister

As a Muslim woman and mother living in this kufr society, it is difficult for me to go by my day-to-day practises without being exposed to some kind of kufr. It’s hard enough to refrain from looking at it, let alone explain to my two-and-a-half year old daughter that not everyone is a Muslim. Al-Hamdulillah though, she knows the difference between a kaafir and a Muslim. Some days she’ll stand at the window telling me she’s looking at the kaafir go by. Other days when I speak to her about Sheikh Usaamah, she’ll think about it and reply with ‘Go away kaafir’, and raise her hand as if to hit someone.

Times are getting more and more difficult for the Muslims, with our brothers and sisters being arrested up and down the country. The hatred towards Muslims is blatant, yet we still choose to leave our children in the hands of the kuffaar. How can we say ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’ and allow our children to be educated (and dictated) by the kuffaar in school everyday? With the introduction in the last few years of Citizenship into the Curriculum, we are allowing our children to be taught that they must give allegiance to the Queen, and have hatred towards our great scholars and Mujaahideen.

In English, as part of GCSE, they must study Shakespeare, whose books are full of homosexuality, fornication and adultery, each of which are great sins in Islam.

When we allow them to do PE, they must expose parts of their awrah as a ‘safety measurement’. In Religious Education, come Christmas time, our children are taught how to sing Christmas Carols, and come Halloween they are indoctrinated with ghosts and spooks, whereas in Islam we believe that the Jinns are created by Allah (swt). They worship and obey Him, as we as Muslims should, and they cannot harm us unless we harm them. Aside of this, each year they are taught about Diwali, Hanukkah, Vaisakhi and Chinese New Year, to name but a few.

Allah (swt) has informed us that it is prohibited to teach our children anything other than the deen of Islam until the age of seven, after which, anything that they are taught, is solely for the reason of refutation and nothing else.

The amount of things our children are indoctrinated with are unbelievable. Once, before I started practising, I went on a school trip with some five-year olds whom a member of my family used to teach, and in the coach, I was sitting in front of one girl who had two boys next to her. She was telling them what she intimately wanted to do to them. A’oodhubillah! Only recently, someone I know was talking about something in her school, and she mentioned that a girl in her school had a boyfriend. The first incident was almost ten years ago now, yet both events are related, as they were a result of the kufr taught in schools. In Islam, we separate the two genders for this very reason, yet we are labelled backwards. Realise sisters, that the child that you think is ‘safe’ in the hands of the kuffaar, is being indoctrinated with kufr day by day. Ask yourselves, how aware are you of what your child gets up to at school?

At the end of the day, we are responsible for our own children. After all, why have children if you’re going to put them into school at the age of three and a half, and in the hands of the kuffaar?! They are enemies of Allah, yet we think that education is the best way forward for our children; it may be so, but what kind of education? Even the so-called Islamic school nowadays are full of kufr.

We need to ask ourselves what we want our children to be when they grow up. Do we want them to be great scholars like Imaam Abu Haneefah (ra) and ‘Aa-ishah bint Abee Bakr (ra) or pop stars and film stars? Do we want them to be like Usaamah bin Zayd and Khaled ibn Waleed or the next Michael Jackson or David Beckham?

It is time that the Muslims woke up and began taking interest in their children’s lives. For every word they speak and every action they take is based on what they have been taught by either what they have been taught at school or by what they are being taught at home. Let it be that latter my dear sisters. Let it be the future for our children and not their failure.

The Islamic Verdict on Clapping.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) forbade us from imitating the Kuffaar (disbelievers) in their worship, traditions, customs, rituals, ceremonies, events and practices. Muhammad (SAW) said, 'whosoever imitates a people he is one of them' [Musnad al-Imaam Ahmad].

Today the reality of clapping hands has become a norm. We witness children applauding audiences at schools all the way to "bravoing" speeches conducted in temples and houses of parliament. However, in the Days of Jaahiliyyah (ignorant pre-Islamic times) clapping was regarded as a ritual action performed as a gesture to please the gods. This change from a religiously based act to a customary habit has not altered the general Islamic verdict on clapping – it is forbidden to clap. Allah (SWT) says:

"Their (Quraysh) prayer (Salaah) in the house (of Allaah - Ka’bah in Makkah) was nothing but whistling and clapping (of hands). (Its only answer can be), Taste the penalty because you disbelieved." [EMQ al-Anfaal, 8: 35]

Tafseer (Qur'aanic commentary and explanation) on this verse by as-Salaf us-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors); Abdullaah bin 'Abbaas, Abdullaah bin 'Umar, Atiyyah, Mujaahid, Ad-Dahhaak, Hassan and Qataadah (RA) all state that the word tasdiyyah in the above verse means clapping the hands. A note worth mentioning here is that the Salaf us-Saalih are the best people to understand the wahy (Divine Revelation – Qur'aan and Sunnah) and they are our Islamic benchmark.

It has been authentically narrated that Hassaan bin Thaabit (RA) used his articulate poetic skills to dispraise the idolaters of Makkah by saying, “Whenever you pray you clap and whistle”.

It is proven from the Sharee'ah that it is forbidden for Muslims to imitate the Kuffaar in their 'ibaadah (ritual acts) even if it is intended for a different purpose. Therefore the Muslims are not allowed to clap their hands even if it is for amusement purposes, encouragement or just playing a game. Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Whatever the Mushriks (polytheists) do whether ritually or customarily it is forbidden to do that same action even if the Muslims do it for another reason (i.e. not for the same purpose).” [Al-Iqtidaa volume 1, p196]

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said, “Clapping is haraam (forbidden) and munkar (evil); by practising it you come out of the fitrah (natural disposition) and you imitate the kuffaar, all of which Allaah (SWT) dispraises”, and he quotes al-Anfaal, 8: 35 to prove his case. [Talbees ul-Iblees volume 1, p316]

Abu Umaamah al-Baheeli reported that the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) said, 'The people of Loot (AS) had ten characteristics; among those ten were clapping and whistling.' [Ibn Asaakir in his Taareekh volume 50, verse 321]. Imaam 'Ali, Qataadah and Hassan (RA) also testify to this.

This hukm (Islamic rule) on clapping applies to both men and women. However, some people try to restrict the ruling of clapping as being forbidden for men only in salaah. Based on an incident where the Sahaabah (RA) of the Prophet (SAW) clapped during prayer to attract the attention of Abu Bakr (RA). After the salaah Muhammad (SAW) said, 'The saying subhaan-Allaah is for men and clapping is for women' [Saheeh al-Bukhaari]. This view is incorrect because if one claims that clapping is not allowed only in salaah then you need to bring further evidence to say that this only applies in salaah and not in any other sphere of life; bearing in mind the generality of the evidences consulted above.

Amongst the 'ulamaa (Islamic scholars of jurisprudence) there is dispute on what constitutes clapping for the women during salaah, some say it is clapping the thighs with hands, or clapping the palm of one hand against the back of the other hand; the latter being the stronger opinion. However in any case there is evidence to substantiate that women clapped outside of salaah and Muhammad (SAW) criticised them.
The Economic System in Islam [Part 1]
The word economy (iktissad) is derived from an old Greek term, which means "the planning of home affairs", such that its able members share in producing the goods and performing the services, and all its members share, as well, in enjoying what they possess. Through time, people extended the meaning of 'home' until it meant the group of people which is governed by one state. Thereupon, it is not intended to use the word economy in its linguistic meanings which are saving or property. What is meant is the technical meaning of the word, i.e. the administration of property affairs, either by its increase, and securing of its production which is discussed in the economic science; or by the manner of its distribution, which is discussed in the economic system.
Though both the economic science and the economic system deal with the economy, their respective meanings differ significantly. The economic system is not affected by fluctuations in the amount of wealth. The fluctuations in the amount of wealth do not affect the form of the economic system. Therefore, it is a serious error to look at the economy as one subject, and to discuss it as one matter, as this leads to either an error in understanding the economic problems required to be solved, or misunderstanding the factors that increase the wealth, in the country, since the planning of the community affairs in respect of creation of wealth is one matter, and planning of the peoples affairs in respect of wealth distribution is entirely another matter. So, the subject of planning the production of economic material must be separated from the subject of planning its distribution. The first is connected with the means and the second is connected with the thought. The economic system must be discussed as a thought that is based upon the viewpoint of life (creed of a particular ideology), and economic science must be discussed as a science that has no relationship with the particular viewpoint in life. The important subject of them is the economic system, because the economic problem revolves around mankind's needs, the means of their satisfaction, and benefitting by these means. Since the means are present in the universe, their production does not cause an essential problem in satisfying the needs, but rather the needs drive man to produce these means. However, the real problem present in the relationships of the people, i.e. the society, results from enabling or restricting the people from benefitting from these means. This results from the subject of man's ownership of these means and so is the basis of the economic problem, which must be treated. So the economic problem results from the subject of possessing the benefits not from producing the means which gives the benefit.
The 'benefit' in a thing represents the suitability of that thing to satisfy the need of man. Benefit comprises two elements. One is the extent of desire for the particular thing felt by man. The second is the merits existent in the thing and its suitability to satisfy man's need, not the need of only one particular person. This benefit results from either man's efforts, or of the property, or through both of them. The form of man's effort includes the intellectual and the physical effort which he spends to develop a property or a benefit from a property. The word property includes everything possessed for utilization through buying, leasing or borrowing, whether by consumption, such as the apple or by usage such as a car; or through the benefit of using it like borrowing machinery, or leasing a house.
Property includes money such as gold and silver, commodities such as clothes and foodstuffs, and immovable properties such as houses and factories; all things which are possessed. Since property itself satisfies man's needs, and man's effort is a means to obtain the property or its benefit, then the property is the basis of the benefit.
property is the basis of the benefit - whilst man's effort is of the means that enables man to obtain the property. Hence, man by his nature strives to obtain or possess the property. Thereupon man's effort and the property are the tools which are used to satisfy man's needs, they are the wealth which man strives to possess. Therefore wealth is the property and the effort together.
The individuals possession of the wealth occurs either from other individuals, such as in possession of a gift, or directly such as the possession of the raw materials. Possession of the matter or thing is either:
1. for consumption, like possessing an apple,
2. for utilization, like owning a house,
3. the possession of the benefit of the property, like leasing the house, or
4. for possessing the benefit resultant from man's efforts, like an architect's blueprints.
Possession, in all of its applications, is either with compensation, such as selling and leasing property, and wages of the employee; or it is without compensation such as donations, grants, presents, inheritance or loans. However, the economic problem lies in the possession of wealth not in creating wealth. The economic problem results from the view towards ownership, from the ill disposition of this ownership, and from the ill disposition of the wealth among people. The problem does not stem from any other matter, and therefore addressing this aspect is the basis of the economic system.
The basis upon which the economic system is built constitutes three principles: 1. Ownership, 2. Disposal of the ownership, and 3. The distribution of wealth amongst the people.
THE VIEW OF ISLAM TOWARDS ECONOMY
The view of Islam towards wealth differs from its view of utilizing it. Islam considers the means which gives a thing a certain benefit different than the actual possession of the benefit. So the property/asset and man's efforts are the components of the wealth, and they are the means which give the benefit. Their position in the view of Islam regarding life's affairs and in regard of their production differs from the question of using them, and from the method of possessing this benefit. Islam interferes directly in benefiting from some forms of wealth. So it prohibits the use of some properties such as wine and dead foodstuffs. Similarly it prohibits benefiting from some of man's actions, such as dancing and prostitution. It prohibits selling assets which are forbidden for eating, and it prohibits hiring for the actions which are forbidden to be performed. This refers to the benefits of the property/asset, and man's effort. However, regarding the way of acquiring the property/asset and man's effort, Islam has put numerous laws regulating this ownership, such as laws of hunting and land reclamation, and the laws of leasing, manufacturing, inheritance, donations, and wills.
This is regarding the utilization of the wealth and the manner of its initial ownership or acquisition. Regarding generating the production of the wealth, Islam encouraged it through motivating the people to earn. Islam does not interfere in defining the technical manner of increasing production, or the quantity of production, rather it left that to the people to achieve as they like. Turning to the existence of the wealth, property exists in this world naturally. Allah, the Glorified, the Supreme, has created it, and left it for man's disposal (Taskheer). Allah, the Exalted says:
"It is He Who created for you all that exists on Earth"
And said:
"Allah is He Who put at your disposal the sea so that the ships may sail by His command ,and so as you may seek His bounty" [45:12]
And said:
"He put at your disposal that which is in the heavens and that which is in the earth, all from Him" [45 :13]
And said:
"Let man consider his food. How we pour water in showers: Then split the earth in fragments. And cause the grains to grow therein. And grapes and fresh vegetation. And olives and dates, and enclosed gardens, dense with lofty trees. And fruits and grazes. Provision for you and your cattle" [80:24-32]
And said:
"And we taught him the art of making garments (of maille) for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence" [21 : X0]
And said:
"And we sent down iron, in which is great might, as well as many benefits for mankind". [57:25]
Allah (SWT) illustrated in these verses, and others like them, that He created the property and created man's efforts, and He did not expose to things other than that related with it, which indicates that He did not interfere in the property or in man's efforts, except that He showed that He created them for people to utilize them. He also did not interfere in the production of wealth, there is no Shar’iyah text (Divine legal text) which denotes that Islam interferes in the production of wealth. On the contrary, we find the Shar’iyah texts indicating that the Shar’iyah has left the issue of mining or extracting the mineral resources, and improving man's effort. It was narrated that the Prophet (saw) said in the issue of manual pollination of date trees, "You are more aware of the daily, routine issues of your life". It is also narrated that the Prophet (saw) sent two of the Muslims to Jurash of Yemen to learn weapon manufacturing. These examples indicate that Shar’iyah has left the matter of production of property to the people, so as to produce according to their experience and knowledge.
From all of this, it is apparent that Islam looks at the economic system and not at economic science. It makes the use of the wealth, and the way of initiating the ownership of its benefit as its subject. It does address or interfere in the production of the wealth, or in the technical means of benefit at all.
THE ECONOMIC POLICY IN ISLAM
The economic policy is the goal aimed at by the laws which deal with the management of economic affairs. The economic policy in Islam is to secure the satisfaction of all basic needs for every individual completely, and then enabling him to satisfy his luxurious needs as much as he can. Mankind is referred to as a man living in a particular society which has a special way of life.
So Islam looks at every individual by him/herself rather than the total of individuals who live in the country. It looks at him as a human being first, who needs to satisfy all of his basic needs completely, then to him in his capacity as a specific individual to enable him to satisfy his luxurious needs as much as possible. Islam looks to him at the same time, considering him a person connected with others by certain relationships that is directed in a specific course, according to a particular law. The economic policy in Islam is not to raise the standard of living in the country without looking to secure the rights of life for every individual completely; nor is it just to provide the means of satisfaction in the society, leaving the people free to take from it any way that they want, without securing the rights of each individual to take; rather it is addressing the basic problems of everyone as a human being, who lives according to particular relationships, and it then enables each individual to raise his standard of living and achieve comfort for himself, according to a particular way of life. As such it is different from the other economic policies.
While putting the economic rules for the human being, Islam relates the legislation to the individual to secure the right of livelihood and to secure the luxurious needs, while it verifies that the society has a special way of life. So, it looks at what the society should be, at the same time that it looks to secure livelihood and luxurious needs. It makes its view towards what the society ought to be as a basis for its view towards the livelihood and the luxurious needs. Therefore, one will find that the divine rules (Ahkam Shar’iyah) have secured the satisfaction of all of the basic needs (food, clothing and housing) completely, for every citizen of the Islamic State. This is achieved by obligating each capable person to work, so as to achieve the basic needs for himself and his dependents. Islam obligates the children or the heirs to support the parents if they are not able to work, or upon the State Treasury (Beit el Mal) if there is nobody to support him. As such, Islam requires that the individual secures for himself and his dependents the satisfaction of the basic needs, i.e. adequate foodstuffs, clothing and housing. Islam then encourages the individual to secure the luxuries of life as much as he can.
Islam also prevents the government from taking property through the imposition of taxes, except in cases where it is obligatory on all Muslims to address, i.e. famine or jihad, and the tax is taken only on wealth which exceed that which each individual uses normally to satisfy his basic and luxurious needs. As such, it achieves the right of livelihood for everyone individually, and facilitates the securing of the luxurious needs. At the same time that Islam sets certain limits within which the individual can earn in order to satisfy his basic and luxurious needs, and organizes the relationships according to a particular way. So Islam prohibits the production and consumption of wine by every Muslim, and it does not consider it as economic material. Islam prohibits the taking of Riba (usury, interest, etc.) and its usage in transactions for everyone who holds Islamic citizenship; it does not consider Riba as an economic good, whether for Muslims or non-Muslims. So Islam considers what the society ought to be when considering any property as an economic material or good, in order for it to be utilized.
The Individual and Society
Islam did not deny individuality while it looked at the human being, nor did it deny the aspect of humanity when viewing the individual. Furthermore, Islam does not separate what the society should be from the aspect of working to secure the satisfaction of the basic needs for every individual, and then enabling him to satisfy his luxurious needs. Rather, Islam makes the satisfaction of the needs and what the society should be, as two matters which are inseparable from each other by considering what the society should be as a basis for satisfying the needs. For the sake of satisfying all the basic needs completely, and to enable the satisfaction of the luxurious needs, the economic goods should be available to the people, and the material should not come to them unless they put some effort to earn it. Therefore, Islam encourages people to earn and to seek the provision and to work in life; and it made working for earning the provision compulsory.
Earning and Enjoying Property
Allah the Supreme said:
"So walk in the paths of the earth and eat of His sustenance which He provides". [67:15]
However, this does not mean that Islam interfered in the production of the wealth, or that it demonstrated the technical matters related to increasing production, or the amount of production, because it has no relationship with that. Rather it only encourages working and the earning of property. Many Hadiths came to encourage the earning of property. In one narration, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) shook the hand of Sa'd bin Mu'adh (ra) and found his hands to be rough. When the Prophet (saw) asked about it, Sa'ad said: 'I dig with the shovel (mishah) to spend on my family'. The Prophet (saw) kissed Sa'd's hands and said: '(They are) two hands who Allah The Supreme loves."
The Prophet also said:
"Some sins are not forgiven by the fasting or the prayer. He was asked: 'What will forgive them O messenger of Allah?' He said: The concern in seeking the provisions".
It was also narrated that Omar Ibn Al Khattab passed by some people, who were known as readers of the Qur'an. He saw them sitting and bending their heads and asked who they were. He was told: "They are the dependents who depend on Allah (Al-Mutawwakiloon). Umar replied: No, they are the eaters who eat the peoples properties (Al-Muta-aakiloon). Do you want me to describe who the real dependents (Al-Mutawwakiloon) are? He was answered affirmatively, and then he said: He is the person who throws the seeds in the earth and then depends on His Lord The Almighty, The Exalted"
Thus we find that the Ayahs and the Hadiths encourage the striving to seek provision, and working to earn property, just as they encourage the enjoyment of the property and eating of the good things.
The Supreme said:
"Say: who has forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He has provided for his servants, and the things, clean and pure, (that He has provided?" [7:32]
And:
"And let not those who are stingy, who withhold the gifts which Allah has given them from His Grace, think that it is good for them. Rather it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is informed of what you do."[3: 180]
And:
"O you who believe! Spend of the good things which you have named, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you." [2:267]
And:
"O you who believe! don't prohibit the good things which Allah made Halal for you." [5:87]
And:
"And eat of that which Allah provided you, Halal and good." [5:88]
These verses, and the like, denote clearly that the divine rules (Ahkam Shar'iyah) related to the economy, aim at securing and acquiring the property and enjoying the good things. So Islam obliged individuals to earn, and ordered them to enjoy the wealth that they earned, to achieve economic growth in the country, to satisfy the basic needs for every person, and to enable the satisfaction of luxurious needs.
In order to facilitate the acquisition of property, we find that Islam puts the rules related to the manner of possessing the wealth without any complications, so it made the way of initiating the
acquisition of property to be very easy. Thus Islam defined the legal means of initiating ownership, and it defined the contracts through which property/assets are exchanged, and left man free to develop the styles and means by which he earns, and it did not interfere in the production of the wealth.
Islam puts the legal means of initiating ownership, and contracts, in general guidelines that include legal standards, and as rules, under which numerous issues belong, and from which solutions to new problems can be derived.
Thus it obligated the work, detailed its rules, and left the person to work as a carpenter, manufacturer, technician, trader, etc. The Gift is legislated in such a way to include donations or grants, as means of initiating ownership. Employment was legislated in such a way to include the power of attorney, being entitled to compensation (by qiyas). Thus we find that the means of ownership, and the contracts, detailed by the Shar'iyah in general outlines and set in such a way to include any contemporary scenario, while being restricted so as not to include any new type of contracts, such as multilevel marketing. Furthermore, it is obligatory that people restrict themselves to the transactions that are defined by the Shar’iyah. The Shar’iyah is applicable to all issues and at all times.
Responsibility of the State
As such, man proceeds quickly in earning property, without being faced with obstacles preventing him from earning, through Halal means. Thus, the satisfaction of all basic needs is possible for every person. Islam does not only encourage and motivate the individual to cam, it also requires the State Treasury (Bayt al-Mal) to be responsible for the support of all the citizens. So it made the support of the mentally or physically impaired as the State's responsibility, and it made the provision of the basic needs of the nation (UMMAH) as one of its duties, because the State is charged with the responsibility of fostering the affairs of the nation.
The Prophet (saw) said:
"The Imam is in charge and he is responsible for his citizens".
In order for the State to comply with what the role placed on it by the Shariah, the Shariah gave the state the authority to collect certain revenues such as the head tax (Jizya) and the land tax (Kharaj), and made the Zakat to also be collected by the State Treasury (Bayt Al-Mal). The State is obliged to collect for that which is a duty upon the Ummah, such as the repair of roads, building hospitals, feeding hungry people, and the like.
Management of Public Property
It also is responsible for the management of public property, which is controlled by the State. The Shar'iyah prevents the individuals from administering public property on their own, because the overall responsibility is for the Imam, and none of the citizens is entitled to assume this responsibility unless if he was designated by the Imam. The public properties of water, oil, iron, copper and the like, are properties which must be utilized in order to achieve economic progress for the nation (UMMAH), because these properties belong to the UMMAH, and the State merely administers them. When the State fulfills its duty of administering the public property, discharges its duty of caretaking the affairs of the people, and when every capable individual is working, then abundant wealth is available for the satisfaction of the individual basic needs completely, and the luxurious needs.
The Objective of Earning the Property
However, the economic progress through encouraging and motivating every capable individual to cam, assigning the administration of public property to the State, and utilization of the public property; are only as means to satisfy the needs, and are not for the sake of owning the property of itself, nor for boasting, nor to spend it in a sinful (ma'assi) manner, nor for arrogance and oppression. Therefore the messenger of Allah (saw) said:
"Whosoever sought the life (matters) legitimately (Halal) and decently he will meet Allah The Supreme with his face as a full moon; and whosoever sought it boastingly and excessively he will meet Allah while He is angry at him".
The Prophet also said:
"You don't have of your property except that which you ate and consumed, that which you wore and exhausted, and that which you donated and remained".
The Supreme said:
"Don't commit ISRAAF (spending or going beyond the limits imposed by Islam),surely He does not like those who condone ISRAAF." [7:31]
Islam made the aim of owning property as a means toward satisfying the needs and it did not make it for the purpose bragging or boasting. In addition it also made directing the economy as a whole according to Allah's orders, as a necessary matter. It ordered the Muslim to seek the Hereafter through what he earns, and not to forget his share of this life.
The Supreme said:
"But seek the abode of the Hereafter in that which Allah has given you, and do not neglect your portion of this world, and be kind even as Allah has been kind to you, and seek not corruption in the earth" . [28 :77]
Therefore Islam made the philosophy of economy to be: directing all economic actions by Allah as orders based on recognizing the relationship with Allah. So, the idea upon which the management of the Muslims' affairs in society is built, is directing the economic activities according to the divine rules (Ahkam Shar’iya), as a complete way of life (Deen). Similarly, the fostering of the affairs of the citizens of the State put restrictions on their economic activities, according to the divine rules. Therefore it permits what Islam has permitted, and it bans whatever Islam has banned.
The Supreme said:
"And whatsoever the messenger gives you take it, and whatsoever he forbids you abstain from it" [59:7]
And He said:
"O mankind! There has come unto you an exhortation from your Lord, a cure for that which is in the breasts." [10:57]
And He said:
"And let those who conspire to evade orders beware lest grief or painful punishment befall them" [24:63]
And He said:
"And rule them with what which Allah revealed" [5:48]
Islam secured the observance of these rules by motivating the Muslim to fulfill his duties through the fear of Allah (Taqwah), and through legislation which is applied upon the people by the State.
The Supreme said:
"O you who believe, observe your duty to Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Riba, if you are (in truth) believers" [2:278]
And He said:
"O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed term record it in writing" till He says:
"save in the case when it is actual merchandise which you transfer among yourselves from hand to hand in that case it is no sin for you if you write it not" [2:282]
Thus Islam explained the way in which these rules are implemented and the way which guarantee Muslims' adherence to these rules.
The basis of the economic policy in Islam is built on the basis of satisfying the needs of every individual, as a human being who lives in a particular society, and on the earning of the wealth to achieve and augment that which satisfies the needs. Economy in Islam is established on one idea, which is the direction of all actions by the divine rules and is implemented by every individual, throughout the consciousness (Taqwah) of Allah, and by the State through educating the people and through executing the legislation.
The Political Idea and Method in Capitalism.

The idea upon which politics in the capitalist bloc is based is the spread of capitalism which detaches religion from life's affairs. Although in conflict amongst themselves, all capitalist countries seek to spread the capitalist intellectual leadership and to make its viewpoint dominate the entire world.

Colonialism, the enforcement of political, military, cultural and economic control over the weak nations in order to exploit them, is the method employed by the western bloc to spread capitalism. In spite of the change of governments and laws in the western countries this method remains unaltered. It is incorrect to say that colonialism is the highest stage of capitalism, as Lenin has stated. For colonialism is an essential part of capitalism and the method by which this ideology is spread throughout the whole world.

Consequently, one can say that the foreign policy of the western bloc is fixed in both its idea and method, and is free from any influence of the conflict occurring between the western countries. Britain, the U.S.A., France, Italy and the remaining western countries all seek to colonise other nations so as to spread capitalism.

To understand the method employed by the western bloc, one has to recognise that this method develops with time. The change in the means of colonialism is one such example of this development, and so too is the making of colonialism an objective rather than a method.

A New Colonialism

In the modern imperialist policy, the western countries have abandoned resorting to military occupation and have replaced it by other newer means. In addition to the exertion of political pressure and harassment, the U.S. for instance, has started to use her assistance in so called development projects; uses American experts who are present in many countries, and also uses loans, as the new means of colonialism. Britain too has developed some new means of colonising, such as the recruitment of agents, British intelligence, loans, suspicious trade deals and reliance on its agents amongst the leaders of other countries. Beside all these means, Britain still adheres to the use of force and the construction of military bases in its colonies or in close proximity to them.

As an illustration of how colonialism has become an objective rather than a method, one can refer to the fierce conflict between the capitalist colonialist countries to exploit Africa. The Congo crisis which lasted for several years illustrates very clearly the wild avarice and greed of the colonialist countries to exploit this continent, as does the Rhodesian crisis which set free the hands of the British to exploit it. However, in spite of all this, colonialism is still the method used by the west to spread capitalism and western civilisation.

Actually, means such as schools, universities and missionary activities cannot be effectively used unless the colonisation of other countries by the west is achieved first.

British Plans In Muslim Lands

As for the political plans and styles, they vary according to the colonialist interests of the country. Of the two, the latter is more variable than the former. In examining international politics one can define the political plan as a general policy drawn to achieve certain objectives related to the spread of the ideology or its method, whereas the means is a specific field used to implement the plan and maintain its achievements. For example, the political plan drawn by Britain to rule the muslim world after she had divided it and made these divisions deeply embedded, was to join the muslim countries in various confederations, and to link these confederations with a mere spiritual bond called the Islamic League. Libya, Algeria, Tunis and Morocco would form the North Africa confederation, which would preserve the internal independence and international identity of each country. The Nile Valley Union would consist of Egypt and Sudan. Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine (after the removal of the name Israel) would form the Fertile Crescent confederation. The Arabian Peninsula state would include Saudi Arabia, North and South Yemen and the Gulf Sheikhdoms. Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia would remain as single units. A conference similar to the African Unity Conference with a permanent secretariat would link these confederations and units by a spiritual bond, the Islamic League. The conference would meet annually and take upon its shoulders the responsibility for solving any problems in these countries.

Britain employed various means to accomplish this plan. She managed to convert King Faisal, who was an American agent to her camp by tempting him with leadership of the aforementioned conference. Responding to this temptation King Faisal paid visits to various muslim countries in order to achieve this objective. Britain also managed to expel America from Morocco and Algeria. She worked to bring the North African states closer to each other and eased the way for them to form the confederation. Now Britain is working to quickly bring into existence the confederation of the Fertile Crescent. To establish the state of the Arabian Peninsula, she worked to unite the Gulf Sheikhdoms. She subsequently left Aden and gave her independence, she expelled America from North Yemen by forcing out Egypt and the Egyptian army, and recruited covert agents to work in Yemen. Other means employed by Britain to achieve her plan for the muslim world was the dependence on agents from among the people of the muslim countries, the establishment of regimes which are ostensibly democratic and in reality dictatorial, deluding the people to take regional independence as an objective and to use this policy of forming confederations as the means to keep these regions separate.

American Plan For Germany

Another example is the plan drawn by the U.S. to perpetuate the division of Germany and to prevent her from becoming once again a threatening force to her neighbours and others. In order to keep West and East Germany as two independent countries with the consent of the German people themselves, the U.S. wanted to form a federal or a confederal state of the two. By this method, she would have satisfied the Germans desire for unity and at the same time ensured Germany remained divided. To stop the return of Austria and other territories to Germany, that were annexed and given to countries like Russia and Poland, the U.S. adamantly opposed any investigation of the borders of East Germany and sought to keep this issue confined solely between the two sides of Germany. As for Berlin, the U.S. wanted to make it a third country and then join it with the other sides in a federal state. To accomplish this plan the U.S. employed various means. Firstly, she wanted to remove from the mind of West Germany, the idea of severing relations with any country that might recognise East Germany. Then she wanted to reduce the gap between both sides by signing trade agreements. She showed her support for West Germany in its right to West Berlin. She tried to bring both sides of Germany to the table to discuss travelling between them. She wanted West Germany to sign the agreement of nuclear disarmament. Finally, she limited the extent to which West Germany could reach her policy of establishing its military industry and rebuilding the German army.

Soviet Plan in The Far East

A third example is the plan drawn by Russia for the Far East. Russia wanted to keep China away from the Indian Ocean and to stop her expansion in South East Asia. She also wanted to isolate China by distancing North Korea and North Vietnam from her and allowing the U.S. to keep her presence deeply penetrated in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Russia employed several means to achieve her plan. Firstly, she established within China a powerful group calling for peaceful co-existence with the U.S. This forced Mao Tsetung to resist this strong group. This resistance - known as the cultural revolution - paralysed the external activities of China for more than two years. Russia also embraced the question of North Vietnam and started to supply her with weapons and to back her international affairs. Finally, she tried to bring close together North Korea and North Vietnam. Thus, it followed different means to achieve its plan.

Changing The Political Plans And Means

It is clear form the above examples that the political plans and means are laid down for direct actions. However, it is not unlikely that a state may replace her present styles by new ones if she finds that the old styles fail to achieve the desired objectives. Equally, the state may change its plan if it finds that its plan is no longer fruitful and causes difficulties which work against the interests of the country.

However, when the state changes its plan it replaces it by another, and when it abandons one means it adopts another. The state does not stop planning and developing its means unless it becomes weak and declines from its status in the international arena. Italy after the Second World War being an example of such a case.

For instance, Britain initially planned to divide the Islamic world into various states and confederations, she then changed this plan choosing to split the Islamic world into an Arab world and a Muslim world. She then again changed her plan to establish instead the organisation of the Islamic Conference.

The initial American plan drawn up for Germany was to stir up German militarism and make West Germany a republic. She then changed this plan to weaken West Germany and to form a union between West and East Germany and limit her rearmament.

The old Russian plan for the Far East was to cleanse it from the presence of the west and at the same time encourage China to expand in South East Asia and to become active in the Indian Ocean. She then changed this plan and began to work against China to engulf her and to limit her vital sphere of influence.

Similarly, like the political plans, the means also undergoes changes. Britain in her plan to colonise the Muslim world used to depend on political pacts and military bases. She abandoned these means and started to use small loans, economic agreements, arms deals and assisted her agents to attain power in the Muslim countries as a new means of colonialism. The U.S. in her colonialist policy used to rely on alliances, military bases, and economic projects, then would weaken her presence in the alliances and diminished her dependence on arms deals. Then she began to give more emphasis to loans and economic agreements. Russia, in her plans, used to depend on the communist parties of the world. She then started to depend on her embassies, state machinery, arms deals and loans.

From this explanation of the idea on which policies are based, the method by which they are carried out and the political plans and means, the Muslims must be absolutely in no doubt that both blocs - East and West - neither alter their political idea nor their method. They only change their plans and means and replace them by new ones to help spread their ideologies. The destruction of these plans and means would condemn to failure the objectives for which these plans were drawn. Thus, the political struggle must be directed against these plans and means, to expose and resist them, and simultaneously against the political idea and method. Accordingly, it is incumbent on the Muslims to familiarise themselves with the plans drawn by each country and the means used to achieve them.

CHILD SLAVES VICTIMS OF CAPITALISM

The reports about the use of child labour in Pakistani industries highlights yet another problem facing the "Third world" is actually a construction of the west ands that the barbarity of forcing children to work is simply meeting the demands and needs of western industries and the kufr system of capitalism.

For example many carpets sold in this country are imported from Pakistan. It is estimated that 500,000 children between the ages of four and fourteen are working in the carpet industry alone. The cramped working conditions often result in severe health defects whereby children's growth is stunted, spines are curved and many of them develop arthritis. Wages within child labour are pitiful, for example children are paid 10p to make famous brand footballs which sell in this county for £50 each.

The cheap and efficient labour these children provide contributes e to the so called "improvement" of Pakistan's economy which is enjoying the fruits of an increasing amount of foreign trade and investment. This has not only pleaded the apostate government but has also won the approval of the kufr IMF (the expert organisation in the exploitation of developing countries) which has given Pakistan `a pat in the back' for being one of the most ‘successful’ developing nations.

The issue of our children being used as tools in economic reform is something that when speaking officially, Pakistan's leaders condemn and deplore, "speaking candidly they consider the practice a distasteful but unavoidable part of an emerging economy". This "emerging" economy is a result of the Pakistani governments aspirations to a western capitalist system which has proved to be inadequate in providing citizens with basics such as food, clothing and shelter.

The failure of this system is evident in Pakistan as it continues to face mass poverty, an illiterate population, limited health care, poor housing and an economic structure that is diseased with corruption and bribery.

Also the feudal system in Pakistan ensure that the ownership of land is controlled by an elite of rich landlords who exploit the poor. Instead of wealth circulation in society, the rich simply get richer and the poor get poorer.

The reality of Pakistan's governing system is that it has created a political, social and economic nightmare. Successive governments have tried to impose capitalism on what is a medieval or feudal society. The majority of people in Pakistan ie the poor, have been unable to adjust to the demands of the modern society and thus we see mayhem in all aspects of life. The failure of Pakistan clearly lies in the root of the country's economics stem from the political system. By looking at this we can see the problem in its entirety. No amount of diplomacy and political strategy can create stability in a civilisation resting on other than the foundations of Islam. Enough of weak man - made systems! The only solution to this problem is returning to the political system that Pakistan was originally created for, namely the Khilafah ruling system.

This system would eradicate the exploitation of children and emancipate the poor from the slavery which is imposed upon them by the rich. Muslim children would no longer have to take on the responsibility of the state to provide every citizen with food, clothing and shelter. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "The son of Adam has no better right than to have some bread and water, a piece of cloth to cover his nakedness and shelter".

Allah (SWT) has also forbidden the hoarding of wealth:-

"And those who hoard up gold and silver and spent not in the way of Allah announce to them a painful chastisement." (EMQ 9:34)

And Allah (SWT) has commanded that circulation of wealth is a duty:-

"Whatsoever Allah may restore unto his apostle, the orphans and the needy... so that it may not be confined to the rich amongst you" (EMQ 59:7)

Only the Islamic political system can curb the problems of political corruption and bribery that we see in Pakistan. Ruling will be restricted to the Islamic text and the Islamic text only. Allah (SWT) says: "Those who do not rule by what Allah has revealed are the disbelievers" (EMQ 5:4 )

Wherever man has taken it upon himself to make the laws he has only produced decay, destruction and despair. Islam is not the regressive system that it is portrayed as but rather its the only system that is progressive. It is a system that ruled for over 1300 years and above all, it is a duty upon us as Muslims to make Allah's rule sovereign. Oh Ummah of Mohammed (SAW) fulfil your duty and free the ummah from the shackles it is chained by. Remove the kufr regimes in Muslim lands and replace them with Allah's deen.
The Social System in Islam.

The following article concentrates on the Social System (Nizam al ijtimaa) which organizes all the relationships and interactions between men and women in public life i.e. society, and private life i.e. the home. Though it must be realized all the systems are interrelated and all attempts to implement one without the other not only lead to disastrous outcomes in this life, and also the next life as they are un-Islamic and anger Allah. For example, the punishments prescribed by Allah (SWT) in the punishment system build the importance of certain values in society. So, the implementation of the following verse in relation to the Hadd punishment has a profound effect on the functioning of the social system; Allah (SWT) prescribed:

"And those who accuse honourable women but do not bring four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes and never again accept their testimony. They are indeed evil-doers, except those who afterwards repent and make amends." (TMQ 24: 4-5).

This verse concerns the Hadd of al-qadhf or the false accusation of unchastely. This builds the value of the 'Ird or honour of a woman in society. However in so called 'liberated' societies there is no concept of protecting the honour of women. It is given no value, save its 'commercial' value. The dignity of women is bought and sold in the screens of the Western media, leading to the erosion of her role as a mother, daughter, wife or sister. By means of another example, it is wholly apparent the world over that without the Islamic economic system basic needs are not secured, thereby making the husbands role as provider more difficult. This is the current situation in the world where the husband and wife both need to work to cover the costs of their basic necessities. This occurs to the extent that it may lead to compromise of their respective roles ordained in married life.

So although aspects of the Social System are still retained in Muslim countries despite the demise of the Khilfah, its measures are deemed to have failed by the populace as it is not harmoniously instituted as part of a whole, but left to flounder in the presence of a Non-Islamic framework. So Islam's call for the 'Ird (honor of women) is drowned out by the shrill cry for the exploitation of women beamed into the houses of Muslims through the Imperialist satellite media monster. Such a viscous onslaught can be witnessed in Gulf countries. This may lead to either sexual frustration or excess so called 'liberation'. In some countries both coexist, as in Turkey or Pakistan.

Society today has a corrupt social system, stemming from the disorganization of the Man/Woman relationship. The current ills and the corruption existing in society are a result of the corrupt basis upon which the social system, and indeed all systems are based. "Social Ills" in most sociology text books. The problems however are always dealt with in isolation, and never traced back to the basis. The understanding that if the basis is corrupt then everything, which stems from it will naturally be corrupt, doesn't exist in this society. Rape, child abuse, pornography, adultery, incest, rising divorce rates, husband /wife battering , are all symptoms of this fundamental problem.

For Muslims this is a fundamental point which leads to the questioning of the basis the society is built upon. The Muslim, using his/her intellect recognizes the corruption of a Way of Life built on the basis of Secularism, and recognizes the truth of Islam, and that only a society built on the Islamic Aqeeda, implementing comprehensively the Islamic Shariah, will achieve any success and progress in this life and the next.
The objective of a Muslim is worship of Allah (SWT) by following all Allah's (SWT) laws, whereas the objective of a non-Muslim is to achieve as much self-gratification as possible, by following their own whims and desires. The difference in objective understandably leads to a difference in action, and in relation to the social system, a difference in the organisation of the relationship between man and women.
In regards to the Social System, Allah has organized the relationship between Man and Women, for the benefit of al-Insan, the human race as a whole, to ensure its procreation and progress. Without such a system would lead to monasticism, and the misery of man and woman alike.

Humans have three instincts Worship, Survival and Pro-creational. If the instincts are not controlled and directed by use of the intellect through a system, they will lead to the problems we see existing in the present society. The pro-creational instinct manifests itself in different relationships, depending on the role of the Man/Women i.e. Mother/Father, Wife/Husband, Daughter/Son. Each role is defined by Shariah.
It is interesting to contrast the position given to Muslims under Islam in each of their roles, to the position currently held by all humans living under the present Kufr systems.

The relationship of Child and Parent, Sibling and Sibling, Spouse and Spouse, are all based on
a) The corrupt basis of Secularism
b) Corrupt concepts such as Freedom and Individualism

All relationships are organized due to the need and desire and limited intellect of the Individuals in the relationship.
Society passes messages to Individuals on how to behave through mediums such as TV soaps, Films, Music, Magazines etc. Creating a certain atmosphere in society and sending certain messages to either sex on the 'correct' way to behave to each other, i.e. Mr. Macho or Mr. Sensitive. A women's place is in the home or on the career ladder. These messages lead to a state of constant confusion and turmoil existing in society, as the messages are always changing and often conflict.

The government will also intervene when a certain situation arises. This is marked by concerted government campaigns on a certain issue. With the Aids scare, which was subsequently shown to be a hoax, the government line began to be a push towards long monogamous relationships, and this was reflected in the film industry which scaled down the sexual exploits of its heroes.
The government also interfered in the Child/Parent relationship in the issue of who could 'smack' a child. A law was passed allowing parents this privilege! In the issue of divorced couples the notorious Child Support Agency was set up to chase non-paying absent fathers, after a government directed media blitz on the topic. All such countermeasures indicate a basic imbalance and deficiencies in man-made systems. Which is a reflection of man's limited nature.
The Status and Role of Women & Men
Women are considered as an honour and must be respected with dignity. The man is obliged to protect the woman's honour from all slander, exploitation and attack.
The main role of the woman is that of a wife and mother. She has the responsibility of looking after the children and providing comfort for her husband. However, this does not negate the role of the husband to care for the children or for the wife to have a societal role and a career. Indeed, Islam has encouraged the woman to pursue a societal role i.e. as a doctor, teacher or judge, and permits her to hold a career in all fields, e.g. in business, as long as it does not conflict with her primary role and duties. Though the woman looks after the family and can finance herself, the actual obligation (fard) of providing food, shelter and clothing to the woman and the family falls on the father and husband.
Women & Men in Political Life
Women, like men are charged with the responsibility to participate in the political life to account those responsible for running the affairs of the state. Likewise, in the present absence of the Islamic State, the Muslim woman is obliged (fard) to work to establish the Deen and to give da'wa (invite non-Muslims to Islam and bring the Muslims to understand and struggle to establish the Deen). Hence one finds two women were present at the Pledge of War (Bayat al-Aqaba At-Thaany).

However, a woman is not allowed to become the ruler i.e. Khaleefah, or to occupy positions of ruling e.g. Wali of a province. The evidence for this is the hadith of narrated by Bukhari on the authority of Abi Bakra. He said: "When the news reached the Prophet (saw) about the Persians electing the daughter of the King (Kisra) as their ruler, He (saw) said: "Any people who are ruled by a woman will never prosper."
Women & Men Are Not the Same
Obviously, some would say that this confirms the sexist nature of Islam. But this is not only erroneous and completely false but an indication of the ignorance and the western attack that has prevailed over the Muslim Ummah. The whole concept of equality is false since by nature both men and women are different. In Islam one is not considered inferior to the other, unlike that which exists in religions such as Christianity. Nor are women seen as economic commodities like in the West. In Islam, both the man and the woman have obligations and roles that are similar and also other obligations and roles that are different e.g. the man is obliged to fight Jihad and to finance the family, but this is not obliged on the woman. So if one were to consider the concept of equality in Islam, 'equality' is in terms of reward and punishment i.e. if both neglect a duty (fard) or undertake a haram action they will be punished by Allah (swt) and/or by the Islamic State.

"Everyone who has committed an atoms weight of good and evil shall see it." (Al-Zilzila:7/8)
The Laws of Gathering (Private and Public Space)
Unlike the licentious liaisons that occur daily in the West, Islam ensures modesty between men & women before they are brought together in the legal union of marriage. So, within the Islamic State, or in the present absence of the State, men and women (unless they are Mahrem i.e. unable to marry each other, reference: An-Nur:31) are forbidden to gather in both the public and the private life, unless Shari'ah (the Islamic Law) has stipulated and permitted otherwise e.g. studies, work, buying and selling and Hajj in the public arena. Therefore, though gathering is permitted in educational establishments, this is specific to being taught and asking help in a subject thus, socializing and/or gathering for entertainment in schools, colleges, universities etc.. is completely forbidden, likewise at work or in the marketplace. Islam both defines the public and private space and governs, like in all affairs of the Muslim, the laws of mixing. Both men and women are obliged to lower their gaze (ref: An-Nur 30-31) and in both the public and private space, a man and a woman are not allowed (it is haram) to be alone in a room with someone who is not Mehrim to them. Muhammad (saw) said: "A woman should not meet and mix with a man alone unless she has a mehram with her." This also applies to the man.

Such values would alter the face of society. For example, within the Islamic State, the public transport system would be segregated between the men and the women, as would be the workplace and education establishments.
The Dress Code of the Woman
Both men and women under the Shari'ah are obliged to cover certain parts of their body, Al-Awrah. Again this contrasts with the Western concept of open display and attraction, leading to frustration.
In the private life in the company of women, a woman can show her awrah i.e. all her body except that between the chest and knee. This is similar for the woman's Mehram.

In the public life, the woman is obliged (fard) to cover her awrah completely (her body, neck and hair) except for the face and the hands, in response to the command of Allah (SWT),

"O Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks around them. That will be better so that they may recognized and not annoyed." (TMQ 33:59)

The dress, therefore, in the public life consists of a combined head and neck-scarf (Khimar) and an outer garment (jilbab) to go on top of the clothes she would normally wear in the house. The Jilbab has to be loose, down to the feet, not see through and not a dazzling display (tabarruj).

Regarding the beauty of a woman, things that are dazzling and draws the attention of the men, including any perfume that is able to be smelt in the public life are forbidden. The Messenger of Allah (swt) said: "Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by men and they smell her, then she is considered as someone who is committing adultery.”
Marriage
Human beings have been endowed with the instincts of love and procreation. Unlike the perverted corruption of the West that puts no restrictions on the manifestations of these instincts, Islam has given mankind a system to control and express them i.e. marriage. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And among His signs is this; that He created mates for you from yourselves, that you may find rest and peace of mind in them, and he ordained between you love and mercy: verily in that are Signs for those who reflect" (TMQ 30:21)

There is no celibacy in Islam, and contrary to the slanderous image portrayed by the West and traditional cultures, the woman cannot be forced into a marriage.
Though the Qur'an says that the man has a degree over the woman, this refers to protection and not for the man to rule her or to have a master-servant relationship, since obeying the husband is only a part of obeying the laws of Allah (swt). Indeed the principle is to 'have good relationship between them'. Muhammad (saw) said: "The best amongst you is the one who is best to his wife..."

Therefore the role of the husband is also to please, understand, care and respect the wife. So if the husband commands the wife to go against Allah (swt) and one of her obligations (fard), the wife herself is obliged to disobey the husband.

Unlike the corrupted practices in some cultures, the dowry (mahr) is from the man to the woman and if a wife needs help in the house it is the duty of the husband to help her and if necessary, employ someone to help her.

Islamic and Western Perspectives on Love
The present corrupt society basis this relationship purely on physical and/or emotional need. Love has become the most popular word in all languages, all relationships are built on it, but no one has a clear understanding of what it means. The results of basing such an important relationship on this indefinable emotion are clear in the rising statistics on broken relationships, and failed marriages. The definition of the relationship between husband and wife, and the roles each should occupy, is again left open to interpretation to human minds, leading to clear misery. Islam recognises the importance of this relationship, and unlike the West gives clear guidelines to the husband and wife in regards to their relationship with each other, removing the confusion and allowing both to work in harmony with each other, providing a framework for love to flourish between them.

Allah also says in the Qur'an

"Wives have the same rights on husbands as husbands have on them, in accordance with well-known principles." (TMQ 2:228).

The Qur'an, especially Surah al-Nisa and Surah Nur, and the hadiths of the Prophet (saw) contain details on this relationship, which forms the bedrock of society, and is the starting point for the next generation.
Parenthood
The role of the parent is constantly undermined in today's society. With the children being told that they are Individuals and have the right to express their own personalities, their is very little room left for the parents to discipline their own children, without being seen as being over-bearing and 'ancient'. In the name of freedom, children have become free to govern their own behaviour. Recent newspaper reports show how there has been a rise in children murdering their parents, often for economic gain.

In Islam the attitude of a child to his/her parents is governed by Shariah, e.g.s of Islam's attitude towards Parents can be seen in the following Hadiths:

Abu Bakrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said; "Allah forgives every sin which He desires (to forgive out of the sins of man) except the disobedience to parents, for Allah makes haste for retribution to one who commits this sin in his life before death." (Shu'ab Al-Imran)
Al -Mughirah reported that Allah's Messenger (saw)said; "Verily Allah forbade you to disobey the mothers." (Agreed Upon).
Abd Allah bin 'Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said; "Pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the father and wrath of the lord lies in the anger of the father." (Jami Tirmizi)
Conclusion
There are many more laws that encompass the Islamic Social System which have not been covered and an immense amount of detail to that which has been referred to. The Ummah needs to begin to digest such Islamic culture to protect itself from the erroneous and corrupted practices that exist in the West and in our cultures and traditions. Just as importantly we need to build ourselves out of the diseased mould that has been offered by the West and challenge such corruption by offering Islam as the only alternative, so that we build a generation that has the aptitude to revive and sustain the Khilafah. The realms of the struggle are many since the attack by the Kuffar is diverse i.e. through the Media, the Education System, the Social System and the Ruling System. Not only is the present generation affected by it, but also the next, our future. What kind of future do they have in such a perverted, immoral and crime ridden society?

Though the realms of struggle are many, the method to undertake them is but one, referring to the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Our Ummah needs to struggle to achieve the victory of Allah (swt) and see the Islamic System, Al-Khilafah be re-established so it can implement not merely the social system, but all the other systems that Allah (swt) obliged the Muslim Ummah to enact, protect and propagate.

"Verily, Allah will not change the circumstances of a people until they change what is within themselves.”

Allah (swt) bless the Ummah of Islam, make her foothold strong and give her success in this life with the establishment of the Deen and in the Afterlife, with the gardens of Paradise.

Fiqh of Free-Mixing.
Undoubtedly, the Muslim Ummah is facing many hardship wherever they may be, no less so in Britain. The struggle against disbelief (Kufr) manifests itself in all aspects of our lives, whether in education against the injection of corrupt concepts, whether economically through confronting fraud, deceit, usury and monopolisation, whether socially against the exploitation of man's procreation instinct with homosexuality, pornography or adultery or whether struggling against manmade law generally, it is vital that knowledge is sought about the Islamic verdict on all issues. For Allah (SWT) will account you for it on the day of judgement [see EMQ 99:78].

One issue that has caused much misunderstanding among Muslims is the issue of free mixing. In western Societies, free mixing occurs in all walks of life. As Muslims living in this country, we need to understand the Islamic verdict with respect to this issue. Inshaallah, this article will set out to discuss this matter fully and give us the Islamic Verdict from the Qur'an and Sunnah.

The Divine Rule on any matter requires one to understand the evidence which relates to the reality or situation for which the rule is required hence, firstly, we need to distinguish between the reality of freemixing, the evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah and the rule.

Linguistically, Al Fiqh in the Arabic language is derived from Al Fahem meaning understanding.

However, for the Fuqaha, Al-Fiqh is understanding the Divine rules relating to actions obtained from the detailed evidences (i.e., verse, hadith etc).

There are 3 types of Fiqh:

1) Fiqh Al-Waaqi' - understanding the situation or the reality.
2) Fiqh Al-Daleel - understanding the Divine evidence.
3) Fiqh Al-Hukm Al-Shar'ie - or Al Istinbaatt understanding the Divine rule.

Understanding the reality of freemixing (i.e. Fiqh Al-Waaqi').

There are three potential situations which are addressed by the Shari'ah,

a) Al Ikhtilaat - This is freemixing in a situation where men and women who are non mahram are in one place together where they can close the door and they can recognise or see each other.

Note: the maharem are listed in Surah Al Nisa and Surah Al Nur, and relate to blood relatives (e.g. sister, brother, father, mother etc.) and relations through Nikah (e.g. wife, husband, fatherinlaw)

b) Al Ijtimaa' - This is freemixing in a situation

Where men and women who are non mahrum are in one place together where they can close the door and they can recognise or see each other but men on one side and women on the other.

c) Al Khalwah - one man and one women alone together who are non mahrum and no one can see them.

Note: the majority of scholars today only call a) to c) freemixing if the men and women are sitting but the classical scholars rejected the issue of sitting since it is irrelevant (some modern Scholars therefore allow Khalwa in lifts, but this should be rejected since there is no Shri'ah permit to allow it).

In Surah Al Nur [EMQ 24:27] Allah (SWT) specifies that permission is required to enter houses (Boyout) different from your own. The permission (Al Idhin) is what delineates or defines a place as public or private, the management of a place being irrelevant. However, this is only fiqh al-waaqi' and does not affect a) to c). i.e. it does not mean that just because a place is either public or private, mixing is permitted or prohibited, the publicness of a place is merely the understanding of reality.

Understanding the Divine Evidence (i.e. Fiqh Al-Daleel)

From the Qur'an:

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "O women stay at the back of the mosque, Allah has sent you the Qur'an,". He (saw) then recited from Surah Al Ahzab [EMQ 33:35], "For Muslim men and Muslim women, for believing men and believing women, for devoted men and devoted women..." The Sahaabiyaat (Muslim women) understood the command and after this Muslims practiced complete segregation between men and women in all spheres of their lives. The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "Allah has revealed an ayah which makes you two different entities". The people realised that something major had happened. The circumstances of revelation of this ayah (i.e. its Asbab Al-Nuzoul) are Mutawaatir (have multiple identical narration's).

And He (swt) says, [EMQ 33:36]:" it is not allowed for a believer man or women to have any choice when Allah and His Messenger decide a matter."

From the Ahadith:

In Bukhari, Volume 1, Chapter 2, in the Book of Al Hajj, Hadith No. 1618, at Section 64 about "Tawaff":

It is narrated upon the authority of Amr Ibn Ali that Ibn Hisham prevented women from mixing in tawaff from the area of the men. A man asked him "how did he do that, was it before or after the ayah of khimaar and jilbaab?"

It is narrated that women never freemixed with men. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that, Aisha (ra) used to do tawaff where no one could see her i.e. in complete seclusion (hijaab). She would go out at night covered and the men and women would make tawaff elsewhere i.e. separate from each other.

In Abu Daoud Kitab Al Salat, V.1, in the Chapter on Segregation, it is narrated that Omar bin Al Khattab (ra) said: "Make a special door for women in the mosques."

In Abu Daoud, p.284, Hadith No. 4931, it is narrated upon the authority of Aisha (ra) that she said,: "I used to play with my friends and whenever the Prophet (saw) entered they would leave and whenever he (saw) went out they would come back in."

In Abu Daoud Hadith No.4933, it is narrated that Aisha (ra) said: "The Prophet married me at seven and we had relationship at nine and when I moved to medina some women prepared me for the wedding and they nor I ever mixed with men in a house of women. The women received me and men received the Prophet and then we went to the house."

In Abu Daoud V.4, p.370, Hadith No .5273, it is narrated upon the authority of Nafih that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "Do not walk between two men or between two women in the street."

In Abu Daoud, V.4, Hadith No. 5274, it is narrated upon the authority of Abu Usay Ansari that he heard the Messenger Muhammad (saw) say when he saw people mixing together in the street, "O men and women separate yourselves, it is not allowed for you to be in the same place."

Note: It is said that after this women used to walk so close to the side that their Khimar would stick to the walls.

In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that Omar Bin Al Khittab was concerned in relation to the Prophet's (saw) house and an ayah was revealed that segregation from the Prophets wives is obligatory [EMQ 33: 53]. Note that there could not have been freemixing among the Muslims within society otherwise why would Omar (ra) be concerned?

In Muslim and Abu Daoud, it is narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: "Whenever a man and a women are alone shaytan is with them."

(Linguistically Khalwa means alone e.g. Moosa went to have Khalwa with his Lord i.e. to be alone)

In Abu Daoud, Trimizi and in Muslim, it is narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "Be careful from the place of Al Mujoun" i.e. the forbidden place. Ibn Abbass (ra) said, 'This is the place where people disobey Allah', e.g. by mixing in cinemas, night clubs etc.

Understanding The Divine Rule (i.e. Fiqh Al-Hukm)

The general rule is that free-mixing, segregated mixing and Khalwa are prohibited (Haram) until the text permits.

Even Shubhat Al Haram or the doubt of Haram is a sin because it is considered an introduction to Zina. It is narrated that Safiyyah used to live in the house of Usama and once she came to the Messenger Mohammed's (saw) house and was late. He walked out with her after maghrib and two Sahabi saw him (saw) with her. He (saw) said,"I ask you by Allah to come here... do you believe me?", they said,"yes" he (saw) said,"She is my wife..". From this the Fuqaha adopted the rule that we must avoid the doubt of haram. NB. It is the Sunnah of the Messenger Muhammad (saw) that men and women are always one behind the other in public.

Note: Ibn Hazim said that women should smell bad when they go out. The better opinion is to smell normal because it would be harming them to smell bad.

(Some people say that all mixing is allowed as a general rule and that the evidence restrict this as opposed to the general rule being prohibited! However, this opinion is weak and is not supposed by the evidence)

Ikhtilaat is the Ijtimaa of men and women in a situation of freemixing without segregation. Usually in Ikhtilaat people do not sit however both, including Khalwa are not allowed i.e. both are haram, not even segregated mixing is allowed. However, if the people are not present e.g. whilst in conversation on the telephone, it would not be called freemixing.

Islam forbids women to show any of their awrah (i.e. beauty which should be covered) to any foreign men.

Islam obliges both to lower their gaze and obliges women to have mahaarem to travel with. In salat the women's line should be behind the men's. Islam does not allow a women's testimony in the penal code. In other words, Allah (saw) made men and women two separate entities. Men never freemixing with women in the time of the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and this is very general in all spheres of life and the evidences are beyond dispute or different of opinions since they are based on ayat and hadith muttawatir.

As far as Khalwa is concerned the only permits to be found relate to life and death situations e.g. during fire. If you are alone in e.g. an office and a women enters to give you something, this is okay so long as the door is open and people passing by can see you, because Khalwa is in an enclosed setting where no one can see you. If the door is open and no one can see you the door makes no difference.

We list below some of the permits for Ikhtilaat and Ijtimaa, (Note that permit does not mean permission, hence one must observe the permit properly e.g. with Adabhi i.e. the correct Islamic etiquette, otherwise the permit will be exceeded leading to sin.)

1) Hajj through the Prophets consent.

2) Trade/hiring this includes markets/shops, buying, selling, hiring, borrowing and lending (therefore going to libraries is allowed but not to sit around, just to borrow and leave).

Note: this is a permit and if a group of women are together the permit does not extend to passing between them. Tirmizi narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) traded with women, and Abu Bakr saw the Messenger Muhammad (saw) trade with a woman.

3) Work if the work is haram, it is haram to mix but if the nature of the work means that one needs to mix then there is a permit. Work involves looking for work e.g. signing on, cultivation and manufacturing etc. Evidence for this is that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) permitted Zubayb Ibn Awwam's wife to work. She carried water both to men and women.

The Messenger even offered his camel to assist her.

4) Travel -however one should avoid sitting or standing between women (for men or vice versa). In the Islamic state there will be complete segregation. At the time of Messenger Muhammad (saw) there were no buses, trains, etc, but travelling comes under general rules of permit. The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said for example,"Visit the mosque..." and this requires one to go out and mix. Hence, one generally needs to have somewhere to go in order to leave the house. And loitering in the streets was forbidden by the Messenger Muhammad (saw).

5) Medicine - However to see ones awrah there must be an emergency and no alternative. Medicine will involve sickness requiring treatment not for example pregnancy. In jihad the women used to treat the men (note there is distinction between the roles i.e. Tamaayuz between men and women in Islam e.g. men fight and women treat the sick during jihad.)

6) Food in Surah Nur Allah (SWT) says, [EMQ 24:61]".. eat separately or eat together.." Therefore we can eat in restaurants, at weddings, etc. But leave once you have eaten and beware of socialisation with the opposite sex and therefore exceeding the permit.

7) State arrest - this is a job of the state. The evidence for this is from Othman and Omar (ra) said, "O women, cover yourselves we are entering" and he entered a house to arrest someone with his army and there was Ijma' on this (i.e. no disagreement among the Sahabah.)

8) Engagement/marriage - A man came to the Messenger Muhammad (saw) to ask about marrying a girl and the Prophet (saw) told him to go and see her i.e. see her in her fathers presence and therefore mixing is allowed.

Marriage - if you want to marry this will involve entering a contract through offer and acceptance in the presence of witnesses, etc and therefore may involve mixing.

9) Studying/teaching Islam there is much evidence to permit these e.g. from Umm Salamah and Aisha (ra) who used to do da'wa to men and women. Umm Darda was a judge who gave talks publicly. The Messenger Muhammad (saw) used to address men and women in the mosque in medina (men in front and women behind) and in public and private places. However, a women needs her mahrum to be present to study or teach Islam in a private place.

Note: studying at University/schools, to mix, whether segregated or not, whether you sit at the front or at the back is the same, i.e. prohibited unless you are learning Islam (which can include the arabic language) i.e. the teacher is giving the Islamic angle on the subject being taught. The Messenger Muhammad (saw) taught science but from the Islamic angle. He talked about the sun and the moon as 'Ayatollah' i.e. signs of the creator which have a specific, set path, and which do not eclipse for the death or birth of anyone.

Otherwise in order to attend a university or school, one must give the Islamic angle i.e. do da'wa, to justify his/her presence or else they cannot be there. In other words if you are not learning or teaching Islam you must give da'wa which must be verbal.

The above is not an exhausting list. Other permits to allow mixing in specified situations do exist e.g. to visit the sick etc. But remember that Allah (SWT) decrees that whoever legislates e.g. makes lawful what is prohibited, declares Kufr Buwah (explicit disbelief) and remember that reality will never become evidence e.g. to say "mortgage is allowed because of the law of the land" or 'mixing is allowed because we need to be educated,' is invalid.

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, "There will come a day when people who want to stick to their Deen will feel they have fire in their hands." Although it is narrated that the Abyssinian children came and played and Aisha (ra) watched them and hence mixing for children is allowed there is no evidence to allow it for adults without a permit.

There is a consensus of the Sahabah on the issue of freemixing (whether concerning a),b),or c) above) being prohibited (i.e Haram) as a General Rule. The Sahabah, Tabien and TabiTabien have no difference of opinion concerning freemixing and the classical scholars, Imams Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, and Imam Malik agree on this issue as do their students. In another words it is a matter known by necessity in Islam.

Muslims in a Kufr society will face hardship in implementing Islam and may be tempted to compromise and to take the easy option however they should hold the fire in their hands and make Islam practical in their lives. We are forbidden from changing the ahkam to suit our situation and no concept of accepting the so called 'lesser sin' exists.

Marriages - "Until Death Do us Part..." .
"The video is mine, the television is yours, the car is definitely mine, the CDs are yours…"
When problems arise between a husband and a wife in Western society, it quickly results in pettiness as to who owns what. Even here one can smell the stench of capitalism….
Marriage in society today has very little meaning and has become just another commercial activity - how nice the church was, how beautiful the flowers were, and the dress! Unbelievable! The main essence of the marriage is lost and phrases like ‘to love and to obey’, ‘in sickness and in health’, ‘till death do us part’ have become but empty pledges.
‘Faithfulness’ and ‘loyalty’ has disappeared as marriage is no longer a loving relationship between husband and wife alone. From hiring strippers, attending clubs which have nude ‘table dancing’, having secret affairs, to open adultery, this degraded society accepts such filth under banners of ‘pleasure’, ‘light entertainment’ and it is even called ‘healthy for the marriage’! An example of this is the rise of the number of ‘Swinger’s Clubs’, where husbands and wives attend as a couple and interact with other couples, in order to ‘wife-swap’ and engage in open adultery.
Furthermore, responsibility and commitment towards the marriage relationship has declined as more and more couples fail to understand the purpose of leading a ‘tedious’ married life. The roles and duties of a husband and wife are currently ambiguous and confusing, and they are causing immense disillusion.
In their crusade for equality, couples today try to split all aspects within the marriage equally, i.e. domestic chores, employment, child rearing and financial issues, to the last decimal point. Not realising the injustice and increased burden they are placing on themselves, wives today continue to endeavour to juggle responsibilities such as bringing home her share of the home income, being a ‘good’ wife, a ‘successful’ mother, a prosperous homemaker and an efficient host. These multiple burdens placed on women are far too heavy for many of them, resulting in psychological problems and long term mental and health illnesses.
Why is it that such social problems exist in this so-called liberated, civilised ‘Western Society’, the one in which people from all over the world strive to live in? Why is it that wherever we look, man and woman cannot live peacefully in harmony with each other, whether it be in the workplace or in the home?
The answer to this is simple. When the way to lead our lives is left for us to decide, and thus human reason defines the nature of man and woman and what roles they are supposed to play in life, we will without doubt encounter severe hardship in society, which we witness today. In the same way that a plant relies on external sources not in its control (such as water, temperature, climate and light) in order to thrive, we need guidance and a system from our Creator in order to live our lives successfully.
Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
"And among his signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are signs for those who reflect." [EMQ 30:21]
He (SWT) has ordained us to live in harmony together, and thus He (SWT) has given us the mechanism to do this, by defining our roles for us, as husband and as wife.
In Islam the wife has the right to have her basic material needs met. Whatever she needs in order to fulfil her role as a wife, the husband must provide it for her. The maintenance of her and her children is to be provided for by her husband, and this includes adequate shelter.
"Men are protectors and maintainers of women because Allah (SWT) has given the one more strength than the other, and because they support them from their means." [EMQ 4:34]
In the West the relationship between husband and wife is governed by the concept of freedom and thus there are no restrictions or boundaries in the way they choose to interact with each other or with others. Socialising for them without any inhibitions is a norm, for example, many husbands are amused and entertained whilst watching their wives talk, flirt and flaunt with other men. They feel proud and flattered that other men find her attractive and sexy, and that she is so popular.
Contrary to the Western concepts, the wife in Islam is not considered as a sex object or an extension of one’s trophy cabinet, to be looked at, admired and touched. Rather she is looked upon with high regard and is considered an honour, which needs to be protected and dignified. The believing men and women are restricted from gazing at one the opposite sex, thus closing the gateway that may lead to further unlawful actions. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, ‘The zina (fornication and adultery) of the legs is walking towards an unlawful act, the zina of the hands is touching and patting, and the zina of the eyes is casting passionate glances at those who are forbidden to you.’
Just as every establishment needs a ‘head’, the boss who has the final say so that decisions are made and so that the establishment runs smoothly, every household also needs a leader. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said, ‘Each of you is a guardian and is responsible for his ward. The ruler is a guardian (over his people), a man is a guardian of the members of his household, and a woman is guardian and responsible for her husband’s house and his off-spring, and so each of you is a guardian and is responsible for his ward.’ (Bukhari, Muslim)
Thus in Islam, this final say is given to the husband and he becomes the ‘Amir’ (leader) of his household. The wife therefore obeys her husband in all areas permitted by Islam. The good husband however, will always take consultation from his partner in life, for just like a good manager, he will want his establishment (his home) to prosper. Also, as he has the responsibility for the final decisions, so he takes the accountability that comes with this. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), has said, ‘The best among you is the one who is the best to his wife.’ (Tirmidhi)
It is an unfortunate and shameful fact that today, many rights that have been afforded to Muslim women by Allah (SWT), the Creator, have been denied to her by men. This is largely due to the fact that many Muslim men have embraced Western culture, extracted what they feel is to their advantage, and have used this to oppress women. Consequently many people seeing this wrongly attribute this oppression to Islam. We need to therefore educate ourselves about Islam, and realise that it is man-made law which Muslims as well as non-Muslims continue to submit to, (rather than to submitting to the laws of our Creator), that results in the oppression and turmoil we behold today.
Islam has defined the roles, rights and duties of the husband and wife and does not leave any room for conflict, discrimination, exploitation and confrontation between them, as is the case in other ways of life. Instead the rights and duties of a husband and wife compliment each other perfectly, because the one who defined them is the One who is Perfect, Allah (SWT), the Creator of humanity and who is the Most-Knowing. Abiding by these rules is obligatory upon both the husband and wife and is considered an act of worship.
"And it befits not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in the matter when Allah and His apostle have decided a matter. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying." [EMQ 33:36]
10 Steps to Memorising the Qur'an.

Memorising the Qur’an is a great virtuous deed. It will intercede for the one who memorises it and will also act as prevention for one to enter Hell-Fire. According to ahadith, it is also narrated that Allah will never put a person in Hell-Fire who has any part of the Qur’an in his heart.

The ‘Golden Age’, as described by the classical scholars is between the ages 5 to 23 years. Definitely the golden age is the best time to memorise the Qur’an as it is the peak of a person’s memory. This age factor is a great bonus and aid for those wishing to memorise the Qur’an and should be utilised by the person immediately.

Below are 10 simple steps a person needs to practice in order to memorise the Qur’an fast and effectively:

1. Al-Ikhlas - Sincerity

The first step to ease the memorisation of the Qur’an is sincerity. The person must memorise the Qur’an for the sake of reward and to please Allah. Not to show off, aim to impress others or in order to get a Job (e.g. as Imaam of the Mosque).

2. Correct the pronunciation and recitation

Another factor that will help a person memorise the Qur’an is to correct the pronunciation and recitation of the Qur’an. This can be achieved by listening to a Qari’ whose style of recitation you like and makes you feel connected to the Qur’an.

3. Specify how many verses you want to memorise on a daily basis

For example, commit yourself to memorise 3, 5, 10, 20…verses per day.

If you give yourself a target to memorise 3 verses per day, read the three verses you have memorised along with the new three verses you are trying to memorise e.g. If you memorise 3 verses on one day, the next day you should memorise another 3 verses and repeat the verses you memorised the day before.

Another tactic to memorise the Qur’an is to keep repeating the verses at any opportunity with tajweed (tune). The tajweed will cause the person to enjoy the tune of recitation thus allowing the person to memorise that verse.

4. Do not exceed the limit of your day

If you have committed yourself to memorising 5 or 10 (for example) verses per day then do not exceed it.

Commit yourself to a regular number of verses you wish to memorise everyday and do not change this pattern.

5. Memorise from only one copy of the Qur’an

This is because in every Qur’an, the layout of the verses is different. If you memorise from one copy you will have a mental picture of the verse in your mind, whereas if you attempt to memorise from many different copies of the Qur’an, it could lead to confusion and difficulty in memorising the Qur’an.

6. Understanding is a mechanism of memorising

Understanding the verses will definitely increase memorisation and also khushoo’ (ritual fear and focus) during salah.

7. Do not go to another chapter until you finish the chapter you are on

Memorising the Qur’an in chapters is the best way to memorise the Qur’an as it will be easier to remember where you stopped last.

8. Do not listen to yourself all the time

It is advisable to recite in front of someone who is Hafiz ul Qur’an (who has memorised the Qur’an) as this will benefit the hafiz and he will correct him on any mistakes he makes.

9. Continuity - Always recite to yourself, wherever you are

It has been reported the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said that the Qur’an will run away from the tongue of a person faster than an untied camel. Make sure you are constantly reciting the Qur’an wherever you are e.g. on the bus, whilst travelling, relaxing at home etc.

10. Identify the patterns of the verses

The Qur’an is Mutashaabihaat, which means that it has a pattern. Verses often look and sound like each other, which is a great way to memorise the Qur’an.

Difficulties in memorising the Qur’an

For those who have passed the golden age, have disability or any hardship in memorising the Qur’an, it is advisable to have plenty of honey and black seed, which are natural remedies that aid memorisation as-well as cure sicknesses.