The first ten days of Zul-hajj

This article has been published in Daily Trust, Friday 28, 2011 

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By Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar

Today according to majority of Muslims across the world is the beginning of the first ten important days of Zul-hajj the last month of an Islamic calendar, also the stepping stone for the preparations for hajj rites, as it is forbidding from today for an intending pilgrim to for example barb his hear or cut his finger-nails, until after the hajj.

Because of its important Allah (SWA) has taken oath with nights of these days in surat al Fajr “Wal Fajr. Walayalil Ashr” “And by the ten nights” Q89:2. It has been confirmed in Sahih Al-Bukhari that Ibn Abba said these ten nights refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

He, Ibn Abbas was reported as saying that the Prophet said, “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days.” meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. They (the companions) said, "Not even fighting Jihad in the way of Allah”  and the prophet replied that “Not even Jihad in the way of Allah; except for a man who goes out (for Jihad) with his self and his wealth, and he does not return with any of that.” (Al-Bukhaaree, Abu Daawood and others. The exact wording is that of Abu Daawood)

In another Hadith from Ibn Umar stated that the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings of Allah and Peace be upon him) give directives that Muslims should increase in good deeds particularly in these last ten days.

The Prophet said: "There aren't any days greater, nor any days in which deeds done in them are more beloved to Allah; the Most High, than these ten days (of Zul-Hijjah). So, increase in them the saying of Tahleel (La Ilaaha illa Allah), and Takbeer (Allah Akbar) and Tahmeed (al-Hamdu li-llah)" [Musnad Imaam Ahmad]

In his publication, titled “Superior Days for Righteous Deeds: The Superiority and Virtue of the first ten days of the Month of Zul-hijjah and the deeds legislated in these days”, Shaykh Abdullah Ibn Abdur-Rahman al-Jibreen tried to come up with ten proposals as “The Types of Deeds in These Ten Days”.

First: The performance of Haj and Umrah, and these are the best of deeds that may be done. And what indicates their superiority are a number of Ahaadith, one of which is the saying of the Prophet (PBUH).

Performance of Umrah is an expiration of the sins committed between it and the previous Umrah, and the reward of the Hajj which is accepted by Allah, the Most High, is nothing but Paradise. (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Second: Fasting during these days - as many of them as may be easy (for one to fast); especially the Day of Arafah. There is no doubt that the act of fasting is one of the best deeds, and it is from what Allah, the Most High, has chosen for himself, as in the Hadith Qudsee: Fasting is for Me, and it is I who give reward for it. Verily, someone gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake..." (Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Maalik, at-Tirmidhee, Nasaa'ee and Ibn Maajah)

From Abu Qatadah that the Prophet said: Fasting the Day of Arafah will be credited with Allah by forgiving one's sins of the previous year and the following year. (Muslim)

Third: At-Takbeer (Allah Akbar) and adh-Dhikr (the remembrance of Allah through different words of praise and glorification) in these (ten) days, Allah said "And mention the name of Allah on the appointed days"(12:28). This has been explained (by some) to mean the ten days (of Zul-Hijjah).

One of these Azkar is “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Laa Ilaaha illa 'llah Wa 'llahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Wa li'llahi al-hamd.”

Fourth: At-Tawbah (repentance) and abstaining from disobedience and all types of sins, since forgiven and mercy are the results of deeds. Disobedience is the cause of being far away (from Allah, the Most High) and repulsion, while obedience is the cause of being near (to Allah, Most High) and His love.

Fifth: Doing plenty of voluntary (nafl) righteous deeds of worship like Prayer, Charity, Jihaad, reading the Qur'an, Commanding what is Good and Forbidding what is Evil, and other such deeds. These are amongst the deeds that are multiplied in these days.

Sixth: It is legislated in these days to make at-Takbeer al-Mutlaq at all times of night and day until the time of the Eid Prayer. Also, at-Takbeer al-Muqayyad is legislated, and it is done after the (five) obligatory prayers that are performed in congregation. This begins from Dawn (Fajr) on the Day of Arafah (the 9th of Zul-Hijjah) for those not performing Haj, and from Noon (Zhur) on the Day of Sacrifice (10th of Zul-Hijjah) for those performing Haj (pilgrims); and it continues until Asr prayer on the last day of the days of Tash-reeq (13th of Zul-Hijjah).

Seventh: The slaughtering of a sacrificial animal (Adhiyah) is also legislated for the Day of Sacrifice (10th) and the Days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th and 13th). This is the Sunnah of our father Ibraaheem - when Allah, the Most High, redeemed Ibraaheem's son by the great sacrifice (of an animal in his place).

Eighth: Offering animal as Udhyia It has been narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet said: If you see the Hilal (new moon) of Zul-Hijjah, and any one of you wants to make a sacrifice, then he should not cut (anything) from his hair and his nails. (Muslim and others).

Ninth: It is incumbent for the Muslim (who is not performing Hajj) to make every effort to perform the Eid Prayer wherever it is performed, and to be present for the Khutbah and benefit.

For those who are not performing Hajj, they should at their respective country perform “Fasting” at this day of Arafat, which is the ninth day of Zul-Hijjah.  

Tenth: After what has been mentioned, it is fitting that every Muslim, male and female, take advantage of these days by obeying Allah, the Most High, remembering Him, thanking Him, fulfilling all the obligatory duties, and staying far away from the prohibited things. He must take full advantage of this season, and the open display of Allah's gifts, to attain the pleasure of his Lord.

In some Hadith, which one of them was reported by Sayyadatina Aisha Radiyallahu anha reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said  "There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafah. And on that day Allah draws near to the earth and by way of exhibiting His Pride remarks to the angels, 'What is the desire of these (servants of mine)?" (Muslim) 

Night of 'Eedul Adh'hã 

It is reported that all the nights of both 'Eed are described in the Hadeeth as amongst the great and sacred nights in the Muslim calendar. To remain awake on the nights of 'Eed and perform 'Ibaadah is a source of great virtue and reward.

Aboo Umarah radiyallahu anhu related that 'A'ishah radiyallahu anhaa reports that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "Whosoever stays awake and performs 'Ibadah (worship) on the nights of the two 'Eed, with hope for abundant reward (from Allah), his heart will not die on the day (i.e. Qiyãmah) when all hearts will be dead."

Mu'az Ibne Jabal radiyallahu anhu relates that Rasoolullah sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "Jannat is wajib (incumbent) for those who stay awake with the intention of making 'Ibadah on the following nights: 8th, 9th and 10th of Zul Hijjah, the night of 'Eedul Fitr and the night of the 15th of Sha'bãn." (Targheeb)

Do we treat our neighbours according to Islamic injunction?

Written by Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar

This article was published in Daily Trust, Friday, 21 October 2011 05:00

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“Am I treating my neighbour according to the dictates of Islam?” This is one among many questions a Muslim should be asking himself monthly, quarterly, if not on a daily basis. This is in consideration of what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught his Sahaba (companion) on how to live with one another, especially with neighbours.

Some Islamic scholars categorize neighbours into three. The first one is a neighbour whom you share three things with him; he is your brother, a Muslim and a neighbour. The second one is a Muslim and a neighbour while the other one is just your neighbour, who is neither a Muslim nor a family relation.

While dealing with these three categories of people, a Muslim must treat them according  to the Islamic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who directed the Sahaba to always be nice to their neighbours.

As narrated by Abu Huraishrah: The Prophet said, “By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!” the Sahaba asked “Who is that, O Allah’s Apostle?” The Prophet said, “That person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil.”

It is important here to note that in all the hadiths mentioned, the Prophet stated neighbour in brooder perspective, this by interpretation could mean any person,  be it a Muslim or otherwise.

We should notice this warning by Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). He repeated himself thrice, stating that a person has a deep lack of faith if his neighbour fears evil from the person. In other words, one must not be evil or bad to his neighbour, and his neighbour should have no fear of any harm coming to him. Basically, having a healthy relationship and treating neighbours properly is an aspect of faith in Islam.

In another Hadith, the Prophet repeated that “O Muslim ladies! A neighbour should not look down upon the present of her [his] neighbours even it were the hooves of a sheep.”

Going by this Hadith, a Muslim should always extend gestures and gifts even if that gift is not something of great value. This will lead to better relationship and friendship, it will not hurt the feelings of the neighbour who gives the gifts, and it will also lead to humility and modesty.

If we can follow these teachings, the world would be a much better, peaceful and friendly place! The Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was most certainly merciful to mankind as these teachings prove.

Is Lere another Madinah of our time?

This was published in Daily Trust Newspaper of Friday 14 October 2011

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I never told anyone, friends or relatives except my wife and a friend that I was scheduled to travel to Jos, Plateau State - that was last August. My reason was simply; it becomes a little complicated these days to tell beloved once “you, as a stranger to Plateau State” that you are passing through, not to talk telling them that your mission was to spend nights in Jos, just because of the unfortunate unending crises in the state.  

I had feelings that I was going to danger zone. With this mix of feelings, one was hope that I could get an exclusive story from the victims of the crises and second was the fear of uncertainties; I realized that I needed endless and uninterrupted prayers from all angles lefts, rights, up, down and centre. I then started sending prayer request text messages to many friends and relatives, that “I need your prayers; I am on my way to Jos.”

As if I was testing how important or otherwise I was before my friends and families, that text messages instantly generated series of verbal and text messages responses. Some of those I could remember were advising me to watch my back saying “please be extremely, very careful” one of them even shouted “Why?”But after I explained to him why I was going he said if he was me he will never go, then he prayed reluctantly.

My uncle, Yakubu Baba, replied reads “OK, Allah ya kiyaye [May God protect you]. Be very cautious and alert. Avoid trouble areas … and stay at a well secured Hotel no matter how expensive it is. Remember your life is more important than the Money. When will you come back?” he asked, before I replied to him we heard breaking news that “we will not spend night in Jos, we will finish and proceed to Bauchi” so when I replied him, the sense of relief was visible in his last five words text “OK! Hakan ma ya fi. [that will be better]”

With all these uncertainties, I never know the trip would be worth it and my phobia would be compensating with a simple visit to Lere town in Tafawa Balewa Local Government, Bauchi State, where some of the displaced persons in the neighboring States resettled and how they were received by the Emir of Lere.

When we entered the first entrance of the Emir of Lere’s palace, I saw no sign of wealth, which convinced me it was an Emir’s palace. But despite the non visibility of wealth the palace has moral capacity and capability of accommodating not only its own people but even displaced persons who were searching for a new place to settle and probably call home.

The palace at first glance was a little far away from other palaces of its kind; this in term of visibility and traditional security guards that will attract the eyes. It looks just like an ordinary old Hausa family house.

Small chairs were casually and independently arranged, I think they were up to twenty. “How was small Chairs at the Emir’s palace, was it for children, are we not in a classroom?” But I decided to ignore my journalistic curiosity in my mind because of a little knowledge I had on how Fadawa respond to many situations with stick not with Carrot,   and this question may fall not to their liking. So it could be one that will invite the stick, as such, I decided to let it go and not take a risk.

With all these I notice the signs of peace visibly all over the faces of people living there, both the settlers and the real indigenous of the area though I could not identified first from the latter.

Struggling with unanswered question we passed through the compound “tsakargida”, which linked up the first entrance into the main palace and another question flashed in my mind “where was the Emir? So we have to wait for him to come, but for how long?” not knowing he was sitting few miters away from me.

However, from one corner of the palace an elderly man was busy directing but his action was more like advising people on where to stay. Gently and politely he was saying while pointing at some places in the palace “Please, allow women to come in, please move closer so that they could have place to sit-down.” He retired back and sat down on a concrete structure-like; which is called in Hausa Dakali constructed with brown tiles and a small carpet was placed on to covered some part of the concrete.

Still to me it was preparations for the Emir’s arrival that must be in royal closes and covered his head with turban and there must be Zagi or Dogari (escort) by his side. Without waiting for the Emir, as I was thinking someone a respective man stood up and welcomed the Federal Government delegations led by the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Sani Sidi, who were there to assess the conditions of displaced persons in the town.

Oh! The Emir was not around but he had a good representative, but I think even the reprehensive needed to cover his head have turban, still I did not asked.

The speaker proceeded with introducing the same person without turban, the same person who was showing people where to sit-down as Alhaji Aliyu Bawa and the Emir of Lere town on the age of the Concrete made sittings. I was a little bit shocked, not knowing that another surprise was on its way from the Emir’s actions on how he received displaced persons in his area.

What surprised everyone at that time was how the Emir received the displaced people who trooped in to his town from neighbouring states following the crises. 

He technically, did not wait for Bauchi State or Tabawa Balewa Local Government’s interventions in creating camp, or build Houses for those people. He went ahead and browed what people of Madinah did when they warmly received Prophet Muhammad 1432years ago, when the prophet migrated from Mecca to them.

The Emir of Lere summoned the elders in the town and they share those people and accommodated them in their homes and he also invited some of them to live with him in his House as explained by the permanent secretary Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Muhammad Garba and confirmed by the settlers’ leader Ibrahim Mubi saying “assigned those people among his people to hosted them in their Houses and he hosted some of them inside his own house.” This solved the problem of accommodations for the displaced persons.

On how those displaced persons will own a living to live a normal live and forget the past the Emir immediately give each one a plot of land for farming.

The Emir does not give out the land neither as leases nor does he asked or expects any compensation from government, as he knows where the reward will come not really even from those people he helped but from almighty Allah.

This quickly reminded with what I also sow on the traditional roofing at the first entrance before the Emir’s main palace, there were nest all over the roofing, which to me translate that even Birds were accommodated at Emir’s palace. 

The Emir of Lere’s action is a reminder to all Muslims and even non Muslim who read about how Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was received when he Migrated “Hijrah” from Mecca to Median. Madinah people at that time accepted him and his Sahabah (companions) and give the Sahab plot of lands for farming and accommodated them in their respective various Homes like what happened to those people who find themselves in Lere town.

Beyond my wildest dream, when the Emir speaks just asked for upgrading some schools and hospital in the area.

His intention was not to ask government, personally, I expected that he will make a huge request, which NEMA could only make promise; he rather said “We are now one family, you can hardly differentiate between us and our guest. I think this year they will even stand on their toes because they are into farming and what we harvested this year could be exported to the Southern part of this country.”

“The little problem we have is we need government to upgrade our schools and hospitals, because we do not want a situation whereby our patients have to travel all the way to Jos for medical attentions, considering the security challenges in the state now.” He requested.

To my knowledge I can say NEMA DG, Muhammad Sani Sidi was short of words as when it was his turn to make his address he just stated his reasons for the visit and called for those people to live in peace that “it was God who chooses that you will live together”.

However, as a lay-man in terms of government agency’s spending, I can jump to the conclusion that by mire of looking into the NEMA’s entourage during the visit its budge for that two-days trip to both Plateau and Bauchi States if could be given to Lere Town I think it will make a great impact in their hospital and even schools. Just lay-man speaking.    

The challenge now is before the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the crises which forces those people out of their places of birth. Though it failed to do in the last 10 years, despite receiving and probably reading the Executive Summaries of the crises, as such, all the reports needs an Executive Actions as it was not made be kept in an Executive Archives’ shelves for an Executive References.

Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar

Ramadan!!!

As Muslim this is the month we move a little closer to God, we stop eating and drinking and having marital relation with our wives in day times. This poem is an inspirational as Ramadan is going I wrote it in 2009. I think still it can make sense. I talk to him poetically as a friend who become my flesh and blood. expecting your comments and corrections. 

RAMADAN

You taught me

The good things of life

You're the real friend

 Wanted not to lose

You're the only one

Who pushes me closer

To my Almighty God

You're the friend indeed

And the friend I need

We're too close

But you're on your way

Why can't you wait?

And not leave me alone

You're part and

Certainly I want not to lose you

You're on your way

And I'm on my way

Why can't you stay?

With me all in my life

I appreciate your staying

With me all day

I must thank almighty

Who blessed me

With you as a real friend

Please don’t go

Far away

From me

I need you always

Rightly on my side.

Copyright ©2001 Badsha Mukhtar

VIP P3599640 - 999 [1]

2^nd Dec., 2001

20^th Ramdan,1422

8:08pm

Badsha's Pen Talk: A Pleasant Surprise

Badsha's Pen Talk: A Pleasant Surprise: "A PLEASANT SURPRISE By Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar Laughter is a feeling For those who are enjoying The fruits of life And pleasantly surpr..."

A Pleasant Surprise

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

By

Abdulkadir Badsha Mukhtar

Laughter is a feeling

For those who are enjoying

The fruits of life

And pleasantly surprised

From those who cares

My blood start circulating

At a different rate

I loudly cry of loneliness

As I was deeply hurt in my heart

Confused as I was 

Searching like a curious Cat

Targeting the smartest Rat

The sky suddenly lit

And the changing warm

Covered my fragile face

As I believed there are

Many alternatives for darkness

But only golden one for loneliness

I thanked Almighty God

For helping me

to see the light

Copyright ©2004 Badsha Mukhtar