Decoding Israel-Palestine conflict

This is a five-decade old conflict and is still ongoing. Israel and Palestine are at loggerheads over various issues like mutual recognition, borders, security, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements. Innumerable attempts have been made to broker a two-state solution with the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel which has failed. Prospects of resuming negotiations is very dim with the last round of peace talks having failed two years ago. Palestinians have been demanding an independent state and a majority of the Jews feel it is just.

In the late 19 and early 20 century, both the Arabs and the Jews wanted to attain sovereignty for their people in the Middle East. The conflict between these two forces in southern Levant and the emergence of Palestinian nationalism escalated into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 1947.

After the World War II, six million Jewish people were killed. The remaining people wanted their own country. A large part of Palestine was given to them and the Jews believed that it was their traditional home. Arabs who were already living in the Palestine area were not able to accept the new country.

War broke out in 1948 and post that Gaza was controlled by Egypt and the West Bank by Jordan. Palestine fled from the area which was now the home to Jews and came to be known as Israel.

Another war broke out and following that in 1967 Israel occupied these Palestinian areas and their troops stayed there for years.

Israel finally left Gaza in 2005 and a group called Hamas won elections and took control there. Hamas refuses to recognise Israel as a country and wants Palestinians to be able to return to their old home. It has vowed to use its violence to achieve its arms.

Now, Palestinians are moving into their first planned city in West Bank after nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation. West Bank, according to Palestinians is part of their independent state along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza strip. The Palestinian government rules about a third of the territory and the rest is under Israeli control.

Source : http://www.thehindu.com/in-school/news-bytes/decoding-israelpalestine-conflict/article8752075.ece

Islam in Kyrgyzstan

The vast majority of people in Kyrgyzstan are Muslims, as 86.3% of the country's population are followers of Islam.[1] Muslims in Kyrgyzstan are generally of the Sunni branch, which entered the region during the eighth century,[2] though there are some Ahmadi Muslims.[3] Most of Kyrgyz Muslims practice their religion in a specific way influenced by shamanic tribal customs. There has been a revival of Islamic practices since independence in Kyrgyzstan. For the most part religious leaders deal only with issues of religion and do not reach out to communities, but rather offer services to those who come to the mosque. There are regional differences, with the southern part of the country being more religious.,[4] and the northern part being more secular. Kyrgyzstan remained a secular state after the fall of communism, which had only superficial influence on religious practice when Kyrgyzstan was a Soviet republic, despite the policy of state atheism. Most of the Russian population of Kyrgyzstan is atheist or Russian Orthodox. The Uzbeks, who make up 12.9 percent of the population, are generally Sunni Muslims. The share of the Muslim population is increasing in Kyrgyzstan while the non-Muslim populations are decreasing. For example, Russians, Ukrainians, and Germans made-up 31.9 percent of Kyrgyzstzan’s population in 1979, and in 1999 were only 13.9 percent of the population.

The introduction of Islam

Islam was introduced to the Kyrgyz tribes between the eighth and twelfth centuries. More recent exposure to Islam occurred in the seventeenth century, when the Jungars drove the Kyrgyz of the Tian Shan region into the Fergana Valley, whose population was totally Islamic. However, as the danger from the Jungars subsided, a few elements of the Kyrgyz population returned to some of their tribal customs. When the Quqon Khanate advanced into northern Kyrgyzistan in the eighteenth century, various northern Kyrgyz tribes[2] remained aloof from the official Islamic practices of that regime. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, the entire Kyrgyz population, including the tribes in the north, had converted to Sunni Islam. Each of the Muslim ethnic groups has a deep and long tradition of customary law. The ethnic Kyrgyz have also preserved pre-Islamic traditions and customs.

Tribal influence

Alongside Islam, some Kyrgyz practice Tengriism, the recognition of spiritual kinship with a particular type of animal and reverence for the Spirits of nature, ancestors, the earth and sky. Under this belief system, which predates their contact with Islam, Kyrgyz tribes traditionally adopted reindeer, camels, snakes, owls, and bears as objects of worship. The sky, earth, sun, moon, and stars also play an important religious role. The strong dependence of the nomads on the forces of nature reinforced such connections and fostered belief in shamanism. Traces of such beliefs remain in the religious practice of many of today's Kyrgyz residing in the north.

Knowledge of and interest in Islam is said to be much stronger in the south, especially around Osh, than further north. Religious practice in the north is more mixed with animism and shamanist practices, giving worship there a resemblance to Siberian religious practice.

Islam and the state

While religion has not played a particularly significant role in the politics of Kyrgyzstan, more traditional elements of Islamic values have been urged despite the nation's constitution stipulating to secularism. Although the constitution forbids the intrusion of any ideology or religion in the conduct of state business, a growing number of public figures have expressed support for the promotion of Islamic traditions.[5] As in other parts of Central Asia, non-Central Asians have been concerned about the potential of a fundamentalist Islamic revolution that would emulate Iran and Afghanistan by bringing Islam directly into the shaping of state policy, to the detriment of the non-Islamic population.

Because of sensitivity about the economic consequences of a continued outflow of Russians (brain drain), then president Askar Akayev took particular pains to reassure the non-Kyrgyz that no Islamic revolution would occur. Akayev paid public visits to Bishkek's main Russian Orthodox church and directed one million rubles from the state treasury toward that faith's church-building fund. He also appropriated funds and other support for a German cultural center. Nevertheless, there has been support from local government to build bigger mosques and religious schools.[5] Additionally, recent bills have been proposed to outlaw abortion, and numerous attempts have been made to decriminalize polygamy and to allow officials to travel to Mecca on a hajj under a tax-free agreement.[5]

Current status

During a July 2007 interview, Bermet Akayeva, the daughter of former president Askar Akayev, stated that Islam is increasingly taking root in Kyrgyzstan.[6] She emphasized that many mosques have been built and that the Kyrgyz are increasingly devoting themselves to the religion, which she noted was "not a bad thing in itself. It keeps our society more moral, cleaner".[6] With the growth of Islamic banking, Kyrgyzstan introduced Islamic finance, as the country made available numerous Islamic financial products and services.[7]

The state recognizes two Muslim feast days as official holidays: Eid ul-Fitr (Öröz Ayt), which ends Ramadan, and Eid ul-Adha (Kurban Ayt), which commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son. The country also recognizes Orthodox Christmas as well as the traditional Persian festival of Nowruz.

Asiya (R.A.) - The Wife of the Pharaoh

Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) described her as one of the four most pious women in the world and will be one of the first to enter Paradise.


Asiya (R.A.) was the wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh who ruled Egypt in ancient times. She was a beautiful and gentle Queen who had a very good heart, thus he loved her dearly. Although, this Pharaoh was a tyrant King who killed the innocent and imprisoned women and children because he claimed to be God and ordered all the people to worship and glorify him. If they believed in anything else, he would have them crucified.

The cradle on the Nile

One day the maids of Asiya (R.A.) found a cradle floating in the Nile river.  They brought it to her, and the baby inside it was the most beautiful one she had ever seen which made her immediately fall inlove with it. Little did she know, that this little baby boy would be the Prophet Musa (A.S.) who would guide the people to the Oneness of Allah (S.W.T.).  Yet, due to the humility of  Asiya (R.A) she was chosen by Allah to look after little Musa (A.S). Meanwhile, the Pharaoh was informed that one day a Prophet would come and overpower him and lead his people to a new creed. Immediately he became very angry and ordered all new born boys to be killed because he truly believed he was the only God. At the same time, he also loved Asiya (R.A.) so much that he would fulfill any wish of hers, so she pleaded for him not to kill the little baby boy that she had found in the river. She said “: A comfort to the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceived not (What they were doing) (Surah 28: 7- 9)

Years Later…

As years passed by, Prophet Musa (A.S.) who lived in Egypt then, would call the people to Allah’s Oneness and to establish love one earth. To this new religion, he only had a few followers, as many feared the Pharaoh and his torture. The news reached Asiya (R.A.) and she came to know about Musa’s (A.S.) new religion. She liked this new religion and her heart started to believe in it. For years she kept her beliefs a secret as she worshipped Allah under the guidance of Musa (A.S). It’s really unimaginable, the amount of fear she must have lived under for all this time, being afraid of severe punishment. She felt sorry for those who were being tortured for believing in Islam and her steadfast devotion to her husband was beginning to fade, day by day. Soon, the only thing which remained between them was a wall of hatred. Her secret was finally disclosed, and the Pharaoh attempted numerous means of leading her astray and persuaded her not to believe, but her belief just grew stronger and stronger. Nothing in the world could tear her apart from her new creed which she firmly believed in, not all the clothes, jewls or luxury that he offered her.

She turned away..

She turned away from his world as she was not afraid anymore and gave away her status as Queen, thus now suffering with everyone else. Ibn Anas narrates that she even ran away to seek guidance from Allah, but he found her and arrested her, and tortured her for 3 days burning her body and yet, she still said “: I reject you! And do not want anything to do with you! By now, he knew, she would not come back to him, and this enraged him so much that, he ordered his men to nail her to the ground and put a heavy boulder on her chest under the scorching sun.

Her last words...

During the last painful seconds of her life, she said to her Lord, “: My Lord, Build for me a home with thee in paradise, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from the unjust people.”Asiya (R.A.) has set a perfect example for us to follow, because she was a Queen and could have had anything that her heart desired. Despite this, she gave up her Throne, freedom, all the luxuries in the world just to gain Allah’s mercy so that she could have a place in Jannah. So much was her love for her religion, that when it came to her last moments, being beaten and tortured so bad, meant nothing to her, because she was wise and knew that it  was no  use being attached to this world and its luxury,  when the hereafter and its beauty  is eternal. . .

Source : http://remarkable-women-islam.blogspot.my/2012/04/asiya-ra-wife-of-pharaoh.html

Numbers of rak’ahs in Taraaweeh prayer

have asked this earlier but did not get a satisfactory answer. My question is about Taraweeh Prayer in Ramadan. You have answered to me in a question before that Taraweeh should not be more that 11 rakat. It has been authentically reported that Muhammad SAAW prayed Taraweeh 3 times in Ramadan and it consisted 11 Rakah. Also the book by Shaykh Naasir-ud-Din Al-Albani (May Allah have mercy on him)، Qiyam and Taraweeh states that Taraweeh should be 11 Rakah. The sunnah is 11 Rakat. Now the question which is confusing and often becomes a discussion among brothers is whether the number of Rakat in Taraweeh should be 11 Rakat or 20 Rakat. Some people during Ramadan go to masjids where the Imam does 11 Rakats and other go to Masjids where the Imam does 20 Rakats. In most of the Hanafi Masjids around the US the Imam does 20 Rakat. The point to note is whether 20 Rakat or 11 Rakat the Imam completes the entire Qurran during Ramadan. The people are very sentitive about this issue and this issue becomes a topic in gathering in the United States. The people who pray 20 Rakat blame the other groug praying 11 as being wrong and the group praying 11 Rakat blames the group praying 20 as wrong. This is a big fitnah in the US. This leads to disunity. People always quote that in Prophets Mosque the Imam prays 20 Rakats and also in Masjid-ul-Haraam in Mecca the Imam prays 20 Rakat. Also those who during Ramadan go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah say that the Imam prays 20 Rakat. This is a confusion. 

Please answer and explain to me the following issues: 

1. The sunnah is to pray 11 Rakat then why is Prophets mosque in Medina and also in Masdid-ul-Haram the imam leads the people to pray 20 Rakat? Why? Why is this different from the sunnah? 

2. Why are the number of Rakat of Taraweeh in Prophets mosque and Masjid-ul-Haraam 20 Rakat? Please explain to us so.

Praise be to Allaah.  

We do not think that the Muslims should be so sensitive with regard to issues that are the matter of scholarly differences or make them the cause of division and fitnah among the Muslims. 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, when speaking about the matter of one who prays ten rak’ahs with the imam, then sits down and waits for Witr and does not complete the Taraaweeh prayers with the imam: 

It grieves us deeply that we find in the Muslim ummah a group which differs concerning matters in which differences of opinion are acceptable, and they take these differences as a means to cause division. Differences within the ummah existed at the time of the Sahaabah, yet they remained united. The youth in particular and to all those who are committed to Islam must remain united, because they have enemies who are laying in wait. 

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/225 

Two groups have gone to extremes with regard to this matter. The first group denounced everyone who prays more than eleven rak’ahs and said that doing so was bid’ah. The second group denounced those who do only eleven rak’ahs and said that they are going against scholarly consensus (ijmaa’). 

Let us listen to what Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Here we say that we should not go to extremes or be negligent. Some people go to extremes in adhering to the number mentioned in the Sunnah, and say that it is not permissible to do more than the number mentioned in the Sunnah, and they aggressively denounce those who do more than that, saying that they are sinners. 

This is undoubtedly wrong. How can they be sinners, when the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), upon being asked about night prayers, said that they are to be done two by two, and he did not specify any particular number? Of course  the one who asked him about the night prayer did not know the number, because if he did not know how to do it, it is even more likely that he did not know the number. And he was not one of those who served the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) so that we might say that he knew what happened inside his house. Since the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told him how to do it but did not say how many times, it may be understood that the matter is broad in scope, and that a person may pray one hundred rak’ahs then pray Witr with one rak’ah. 

With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Pray as you have seen me praying”, this does not apply in absolute terms even for these people. Hence they do not say that a person should pray Witr with five rak’ahs sometimes and with seven rak’ahs sometimes and with nine rak’ahs sometimes. If we understand it in absolute terms, then we would have to pray Witr with five rak’ahs sometimes and with seven rak’ahs sometimes and with nine rak’ahs sometimes. But what is meant by the hadeeth is pray as you have seen me praying with regard to how to pray not how many rak’ahs, unless there is a text to state what the number is.  

Whatever the case, a person should not be strict with people with regard to a matter that is broad in scope. We have even seen some brothers who are strict on this matter accusing the imams who pray more than eleven rak’ahs of following bid’ah, and they leave the mosque, thus missing out on the reward of which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever stands with the imam until he finishes (the prayer), the reward of qiyaam al-layl will be recorded for him.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 806; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 646). Some of them even sit down after completing ten rak’ahs, thus breaking up the rows of worshippers by sitting there, and sometimes they start talking and disturb the people who are praying. 

We have no doubt that their intentions are good and they are doing their best to come to the right conclusion, but that does not mean that they are correct. 

The other group does the opposite. They sternly denounce those who pray only eleven rak’ahs and say that they have gone against scholarly consensus. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!”

[al-Nisa’ 4:115] 

All the generations who came before you only knew the number as twenty-three rak’ahs, and they denounce anyone who says anything different. 

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/73-75 

With regard to the evidence quoted by those who say that it is not permissible to do more than eight rak’ahs in Taraaweeh, they quote the hadeeth of Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, who asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), “How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pray during Ramadaan?” She said: “He did not pray more than eleven rak’ahs in Ramadaan or at other times. He would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray four, and do not ask how beautiful and long they were, then he would pray three. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, will you sleep before you pray Witr?’ He said, ‘O ‘Aa’ishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not.’” 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1909; Muslim, 738 

They said: This hadeeth indicates that the Messenger of Allaah was consistent in his prayers at night in Ramadaan and at other times. 

The scholars refuted this use of the hadeeth as evidence by saying that this is what the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did, but the fact that he did something does not imply that it is obligatory. 

The evidence that there is no set number for prayers at night – which include Taraaweeh – is the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar according to which a man asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about prayer at night. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Prayers at night are to be offered two by two (two rak’ahs at a time). If any of you fears that the time of dawn is approaching then let him pray one rak’ah as Witr.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 846; Muslim, 749) 

If we look at what the scholars of the prominent schools of thought said, you will clearly see that this matter is broad in scope and that there is nothing wrong with doing more than eleven rak’ahs. 

Al-Sarkhasi, who is one of the imams of the Hanafi school, said: 

It is twenty rak’ahs, apart from Witr, in our view. 

Al-Mabsoot, 2/145 

Ibn Qudaamah said: 

The favoured view according to Abu ‘Abd-Allaah (i.e., Imam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on him), is that it is twenty rak’ahs. This was the view of al-Thawri, Abu Hanfeefah and al-Shaafa’i. Maalik said it is thirty-six.

Al-Mughni, 1/457 

Al-Nawawi said: 

Taraaweeh prayer is Sunnah according to scholarly consensus. Our view is that it is twenty rak’ahs with ten tasleems, and it is permissible to pray it individually or in congregation. 

Al-Majmoo’, 4/31 

These are the views of the four imams concerning the number of rak’ahs of Taraaweeh prayer. All of them said something more than eleven rak’ahs. Perhaps the reasons why they said something more than eleven rak’ahs include the following: 

1-     They thought that the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah did not mean that this was the specific number.

2-     A greater number was narrated from many of the salaf. 

See al-Mughni, 2/604; al-Majmoo’, 4/32 

3-     The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray eleven rak’ahs and make them very lengthy, so much so that it used to take him most of the night. Indeed, one night in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in praying Taraaweeh, he did not end his prayer until just before dawn, and the Sahaabah feared that they would miss suhoor. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) loved to pray behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and they did not feel that it was too long. The scholars thought that if the imam made the prayer so long, this would be too difficult for the members of the congregation and that might put them off. So they thought that the imam should make the recitation shorter and increase the number of rak’ahs. 

The point is that the one who prays eleven rak’ahs in the manner narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is doing well and is following the Sunnah. Whoever makes the recitation shorter and increases the number of rak’ahs is also doing well. A person who does either of these two things is not to be denounced. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

 If a person prays Taraaweeh according to the madhhabs of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa’i and Ahmad, with twenty rak’ahs, or according to the madhhab of Maalik, with thirty-six rak’ahs, or with thirteen or eleven rak’ahs, he has done well, as Imam Ahmad said, because there is nothing to specify the number. So the greater or lesser number of rak’ahs depends on how long or short the qiyaam (standing in the prayer) is. 

Al-Ikhtiyaaraat, p. 64 

Al-Suyooti said: 

What is narrated in the saheeh and hasan ahaadeeth is the command to observe night prayers during Ramadaan, which is encouraged without specifying a particular number. It is not proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak’ahs of Taraaweeh, rather that he prayed at night, with an unspecified number of rak’ahs. Then he delayed it on the fourth night lest it become obligatory for them and they might not be able to do it. Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said: There is no saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed twenty rak’ahs of Taraaweeh. The narration which suggests that he “used to pray twenty rak’ahs” is extremely weak (da’eef). 

Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 27/142-145 

So you should not be surprised that people pray Taraaweeh as twenty rak’ahs. There have been generation after generation of those imams (who used to pray twenty rak’ahs), and all of them are good.  

And Allaah knows best.

Source : https://islamqa.info/en/9036

Islam in Tajikistan

Sunni Islam is, by far, the most widely practiced religion in Tajikistan. Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school is the recognized religious tradition of Tajikistan since 2009.[1] According to a 2009 U.S. State Department release, the population of Tajikistan is 98% Muslim.

Demographics and early history

Islam, the predominant religion of all of Central Asia, was brought to the region by the Arabs in the seventh century. Since that time, Islam has become an integral part of Tajik culture. For instance, the Samanid state became a staunch patron of Islamic architecture and spread the Islamo-Persian culture deep into the heart of Central Asia. Also, Ismail Samani, who is considered the father of the Tajik nation, promoted Muslim missionary efforts around the region. The population within Central Asia began firmly accepting Islam in significant numbers, notably in Taraz, now in modern-day Kazakhstan. During the Soviet era, efforts to secularize society were largely unsuccessful and the post-Soviet era has seen a marked increase in religious practice. The number of Muslims who fast during the holy month of Ramadan is high; up to 99% of Muslims in the countryside and 70% in the cities fasted during the latest month of Ramadan (2004). Most Shia Muslims, particularly the Ismaili reside in the remote Gorno-Badakhshan region as well as certain districts of the southern Khatlon region and in Dushanbe. Among other religions, the Russian Orthodox faith is practiced only by the Russians living therein although the Russian community shrank significantly in the early 1990s. Some other small Christian groups now enjoy relative freedom of worship. There also is a very tiny Jewish community.

Soviet era

The traditional veil in Tajikistan worn before modern times was the faranji but it was banned by the Soviet Communists.[3][4]

During the course of seven decades of political control, Soviet policy makers were unable to eradicate the Islamic tradition. The harshest of the Soviet anti-Islamic campaigns occurred from the late 1920s to the late 1930s as part of a unionwide drive against religion in general. In this period, many Muslim functionaries were killed, and religious instruction and observance were curtailed sharply. After the German attack of the Soviet Union in 1941, official policy toward Islam moderated. One of the changes that ensued was the establishment in 1943 of an officially sanctioned Islamic hierarchy for Central Asia, the Muslim Board of Central Asia. Together with three similar organizations for other regions of the Soviet Union having large Muslim populations, this administration was controlled by the Kremlin, which required loyalty from religious officials. Although its administrative personnel and structure were inadequate to serve the needs of the Muslim population of the region, the administration made possible the legal existence of some Islamic institutions, as well as the activities of religious functionaries, a small number of mosques, and religious instruction at two seminaries in Uzbekistan.

In the early 1960s, Nikita Khrushchev's regime escalated anti-Islamic propaganda. Then, on several occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, the Kremlin leadership called for renewed efforts to combat religion, including Islam. Typically, such campaigns included conversion of mosques to secular use; attempts to reidentify traditional Islamic-linked customs with nationalism rather than religion; and propaganda linking Islam to backwardness, superstition, and bigotry. Official hostility toward Islam grew in 1979 with Soviet military involvement in nearby Afghanistan and the increasing assertiveness of Islamic revivalists in several countries. From that time through the early post-Soviet era, some officials in Moscow and in Tajikistan warned of an extremist Islamic menace, often on the basis of limited or distorted evidence. Despite all these efforts, Islam remained an important part of the identity of the Tajiks and other Muslim peoples of Tajikistan through the end of the Soviet era and the first years of independence.

Since independence

Identification with Islam as an integral part of life is shared by urban and rural, old and young, and educated and uneducated Tajiks. The role that the faith plays in the lives of individuals varies considerably, however. For some Tajiks, Islam is more important as an intrinsic part of their cultural heritage than as a religion in the usual sense, and a few Tajiks are not religious.

In any case, Tajiks have disproved the standard Soviet assertion that the urbanized industrial labor force and the educated population had little to do with a "remnant of a bygone era" such as Islam. A noteworthy development in the late Soviet and early independence eras was increased interest, especially among young people, in the substance of Islamic doctrine. In the post-Soviet era, Islam became an important element in the nationalist arguments of certain Tajik intellectuals.

Islam continued in Tajikistan in widely varied forms because of the strength of an indigenous folk Islam quite apart from the Soviet-sanctioned Islamic administration. Long before the Soviet era, rural Central Asians, including inhabitants of what became Tajikistan, had access to their own holy places. There were also small, local religious schools and individuals within their communities who were venerated for religious knowledge and piety. These elements sustained religion in the countryside, independent of outside events. Under Soviet regimes, Tajiks used the substantial remainder of this rural, popular Islam to continue at least some aspects of the teaching and practice of their faith after the activities of urban-based Islamic institutions were curtailed. Folk Islam also played an important role in the survival of Islam among the urban population. One form of this popular Islam is Sufism—often described as Islamic mysticism and practiced by individuals in a variety of ways. The most important form of Sufism in Tajikistan is the Naqshbandiyya, a Sufi order with followers as far away as India and Malaysia. Besides Sufism, other forms of popular Islam are associated with local cults and holy places or with individuals whose knowledge or personal qualities have made them influential.

By late 1989, the Mikhail Gorbachev regime's increased tolerance of religion began to affect the practices of Islam and Russian Orthodoxy. Religious instruction increased. New mosques opened. Religious observance became more open, and participation increased. New Islamic spokesmen emerged in Tajikistan and elsewhere in Central Asia. The authority of the official, Tashkent-based Muslim Board of Central Asia crumbled in Tajikistan. Tajikistan acquired its own seminary in Dushanbe, ending its reliance on the administration's two seminaries in Uzbekistan.

By 1990 the Muslim Board's chief official in Dushanbe, the senior qadi, Hajji Akbar Turajonzoda (in office 1988-92), had become an independent public figure with a broad following. In the factional political battle that followed independence, Turajonzoda criticized the communist hard-liners and supported political reform and official recognition of the importance of Islam in Tajikistani society. At the same time, he repeatedly denied hard-liners' accusations that he sought the establishment of an Islamic government in Tajikistan. After the hard-liners' victory in the civil war at the end of 1992, Turajonzoda fled Dushanbe and was charged with treason. Ironically, however, after 1997 powershare between current administration and the former opposition groups, Turajonzoda has been appointed as a Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan, and unequivocally supports Emomalii Rahmon's regime.

Muslims in Tajikistan also organized politically in the early 1990s. In 1990, as citizens in many parts of the Soviet Union were forming their own civic organizations, Muslims from various parts of the union organized the Islamic Rebirth Party. By the early 1990s, the growth of mass political involvement among Central Asian Muslims led all political parties—including the Communist Party of Tajikistan—to take into account the Muslim heritage of the vast majority of Tajikistan's inhabitants.

Islam also played a key political role for the regime in power in the early 1990s. The communist old guard evoked domestic and international fears that fundamentalist Muslims would destabilize the Tajikistani government when that message was expedient in fortifying the hard-liners' position against opposition forces in the civil war. However, the Nabiyev regime also was willing to represent itself as an ally of Iran's Islamic republic while depicting the Tajik opposition as unfaithful Muslims.

Recent developments

In October 2005 The Tajik Education Ministry banned female students from wearing Islamic headscarves in secular schools. Wearing the hijab, or head scarf traditionally worn by Muslim women, and other religious symbols "is unacceptable in secular schools and violates the constitution and a new law on education," Education Minister Abdudjabor Rahmonov said. He expressed concern that pupils spent too much time in mosques at the expense of their education. "Many spend evenings in mosques and do not do their homework," Rahmonov said, adding that during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan many did not attend classes after Friday prayers.

More recently, according to an unconfirmed report, the Tajik government has closed hundreds of unregistered Mosques drawing locals to believe that the crackdown is actually against the religion of Islam.[5] According to reports, some Mosques have been destroyed while others have been converted into beauty parlors.[5] Some have speculated that the crackdown is a result of governmental concerns of Mosques being "unsafe," or that the Imams may not act "responsible."[5]

Tajikistan marked 2009 as the year to commemorate the Sunni Muslim jurist Abu Hanifa, as the nation hosted an international symposium that drew scientific and religious leaders.[6] The construction of one of the largest mosques in the world, funded by Qatar, was announced in October 2009. The mosque is planned to be built in Dushanbe and construction is said to be completed by 2014.[7] In 2010, Tajikistan hosted a session of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference with delegations from 56 members states gathering at Dushanbe.[8]

Mosques are not permitted to allow women in, only state controlled religious education is approved for children and long beards are banned in Tajikistan.[9][10]

In Tajikistan, Mosques are banned from allowing Friday Prayers for younger than 18 year old children.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

The government has shut down Mosques and forbids foreign religious education.[29] From the beginning of 2011 1,500 Mosques were shut down by the Tajik government, in addition to banning the hijab for children, banning the use of loudspeakers for the call of prayer, forbidding mosques from allowing women to enter, and monitoring Imams and students learning an Islamic education abroad, having sermons in the Mosque approved by the government and limiting the Mosque sermons to 15 minutes.[30] Muslims experienced the most negative effects from the "Religion Law" enacted by the government of Tajikistan, curtailing sermons by Imams during weddings, making the "Cathedral mosques" the only legal place for sermons to be given by Imams with sermons not being allowed in five-fold mosques, the five-fold mosques are small mosques and serve a limited number of people while the medium and big mosques are categorized as Cathedral mosques, girls who wore the hijab have been expelled from schools and hijabs and beards are not permitted on passport photos.[31] Mosques have been demolished and shut down by the Tajikistan government on the excuses that they were not registered and therefore not considered as mosques by the government.[32] Tajikistan has targeted religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Christians, and Muslims who try to evade control by the government, synagogue, churches, and Mosques have been shut down and destroyed, only a certain amount of mosques are allowed to operate and the state must approve all "religious activity", in which younger than 18 year old children are not allowed to join in.[33] Buildings for religious worhsip for Jehovah's Witnesses, Protestant Churches, the Jewish Synagogue, and Muslim mosques have been targeted, destroyed, and shut down and prayers are forbidden to take place in public halls, with severe restrictions placed on religion.[34] Tajikistan forced religious communities to re-register with the government and shut Mosques and Churches down which refused re-registration in 2009.[35] Churches, a synagogue, and mosques have been destroyed by the Tajikistan government.[36] Government approval is required for Tajiks seeking to engage in religious studies in foreign countries and religious activities of Muslims in particular are subjected to controls by the Tajikistan government.[37] State control has been implemented on Islamic madrasahs, Imams, and Mosques by Tajikistan.[38] A list of sermon "topics" for Imams has been created by the Tajikistan government.[39] Towns are only allowed to have a certain number of mosques and only religious buildings sanctioned by the government are allowed to host religious activities, schools have banned hijab, religious studies in private have been forbidden mosque religious services are not allowed to admit children and non registered mosques have been closed.[40][41][42] Religious matters are banned for under 18 year old children, public buildings do not allow beards, schools ban hijabs, unregistered mosques are shut down, and sermons are subjected to government authority.[43] Only if "provided the child expresses a desire to learn" can a family teach religion to their own children, while the Tajik government banned all non-family private education.[44] Islam and Muslims have been subjected to controls by the Tajikistan government, the states decides what sermons the Imams give, the government discharges the salaries of Imams and there is only a single madrasah in Tajikistan.[45]

Jehovah's Witnesses have been declared illegal in Tajikistan.[46] Abundant Life Christian Centre, Ehyo Protestant Church, and Jehovah's witnesses have accused Tajikistan of lying about them not being declared illegal at a Warsaw OSCE conference for human rights.[47]

Among increasingly religious Tajiks, Islamic-Arabic names have become more popular over Tajik names.[48]

The Tajik government has used the word "prostitute" to label hijab wearing women and enforced shaving of beards, in addition to considering the outlawing of Arabic-Islamic names for children and making people use Tajik names even though Imam Ali (Emomali) is an Arabic name and is the first name of the Tajikistan President.[49][50][51][52][53][54][55] Tajikistan President Rakhmon (Rahmon) has said that the Persian epic Shahnameh should be used as a source for names, with his proposed law hinting that Muslim names would be forbidden after his anti hijab and anti beard laws.[56]

The black colored Islamic veil was attacked and criticized in public by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.[4]

The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan has been banned by the Tajik government.[57][58][59]

Tajikistan's restrictions on Islam has resulted in a drastic decrease of big beards and hijabs.[60] Tajikistan bans Salafism under the name "Wahhabi", which is applied to forms of Islam not permitted by the government.[61]

160 Islamic clothing stores were shut down and 13,000 men were forcibly shaved by the Tajik police and Arabic names were banned by the parliament of Tajikistan as part of a secularist campaign by President Emomali Rajmon.[62][63][64][65]

Arabic names were outlawed by the legislature of Tajikistan.[66]

In Uzbekistan and Tajikistan women wore veils which covered their entire face and body like the Paranja and faranji. The traditional veil in Central Asia worn before modern times was the faranji but it was banned by the Soviet Communists[3] but the Tajikistan President Emomali has misleadingly tried to claim that veils were not part of Tajik culture.[4]

After an Islamic Renaissance Party member was allowed to visit Iran by the Iranian government a diplomatic protest was made by Tajikistan.[67]

Shah e hamdan

In Tajikistan tomb of great Islamic preacher Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani is famous in Islamic world, 700 years ago khatlan kulob is a center of shah hamdan Islamic mission, He preached Islam in parts of India and parts of Pakistan,China,central Asia,Africa,and also middle east countries

HADHRAT ‘UKASHA (RADI ALLAHU ‘ANHU)

Hadhrat Sayyiduna ‘Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) belonged to the tribe of Baddu in Arab community and was in the Khidmat of Rasul-e-Karim(salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). He is one of the greatest and distinguished ashiques (Lovers) of Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

During the last Sermon prior to performing Hajj, Hadhrat Sayyiduna Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) called all the Sahabas (radi Allahu anhuma) and people for an open announcement in Masjid-e-Nabawi Shareef asking that they can come in front of Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

if Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ever cheated anyone,
if Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ever done wrong to anyone,
if Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ever beaten anyone,
if Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ever had dues with anyone,

On the contrary, nobody came in front. During the announcement, Hadhrat Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was on the camel surrounded and guarded by Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen, sayyiduna, Hadhrath ‘Umar al-Farooq (radi Allahu ‘anhu) and Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen, Sayyiduna, Hadhrath Ali bin Abu Talib (Karam Allahu Wajhah) along with many other Sahabas (radi Allahu ‘anhum). After the announcement, Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) waited for a while for Sahaba and people to respond and suddenly Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) came in front and told Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) that he was once beaten by him and he wanted a justice for that.

Having heard it, all the Sahabas (radi Allahu ‘anhum) became stunned and their anger rose. One of the Sahabas (radi Allahu ‘anhu) went to the extreme and took the sword to kill Hadhrath Sayyiduna Uhasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) at this situation but Rahmath-lil-Al’ameen, Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came down from the camel and asked all the Sahabas (radi Allahu ‘anhum) not to interfere between him and Hadhrat Sayyindua Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu). Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) went on explaining that when he was without a Jubba in the masjid standing for the Jamaat in the first saf, Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) instructed him to stand straight and make proper saaf for the jaamat, during the occasion, he was beaten. After hearing it, Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was about to remove his Jubba Mubarak, Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) said that he was beaten by a rope which was at the home of Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), who in turn ordered Islam’s First Muezzin, Sayyiduna, Hazrat Bilal Habshi (radi Allahu ‘anhu) to bring the rope (Kolda) from his house.

When Sayyiduna, Hadhrat Bilal Habshi (radi Allahu ‘anhu) went to the holy house of Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), he explained the complete incident to the daughter of Rahmath-lil-Al’ameen (Peace and Blessings be Upon him), the Queen of Heaven, Hadhrat Sayyida Fatima Tu Zhara (radi Allahu ‘anha) and to her holy sons, Hadhrath Imam Hassan ibn Ali (radi Allahu ‘anhum) and Hazrath Imam Hussain ibn Ali (radi Allahu ‘anhum). All of them started crying and said to Hadhrat Bilal Habshi (radi Allahu ‘anhu) that they would accept the beatings from Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) since Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was suffering from illness during his last days and then they gave the rope.

After taking the rope, Hadhrat Bilal Habshi (radi Allahu ‘anhu) rushed back to Masjid-e-Nabawi Shareef where everybody was awaiting him and gave it at the sacred hand of Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who in turn gave it to Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) and asked him to beat but the later told that he was without Jubba when he got beating, then removed his Jubba Mubarak. Oh! SubhanALLAH, that was the situation Hadhat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) had been longing for, then he threw the rope and kissed the Mehr-e-Nubuwwat with Adab with excitement that stretched in his every drop of blood and cried like anything and ran away from that place and came to India.

After the incident, tightly hugged Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (Radi Allahu ‘anhu) and said the holy news that the later would enter Jannath. Hearing the news, all Sahaba-e-Kiram went ecstatic and whole Masjid-e-Nabawi shareef was plunged into an elated status.

Hadhrat Sayyiduna Ukasha (radi Allahu ‘anhu) said about the Meher-e-Nubuwwat that he had seen it many times when he used to do Khidmat for Rasul-e-Karim (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and was waiting for a holy time to kiss that for years. And, Meher-e-Nubuwwat was in the form (shape) of half White Egg and around which, there were small sacred hairs. There were names of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and Hadhrat Sayyiduna Muhammad (salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).


Source : https://towardsenlightment.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/hadhrat-ukasha-radi-allahu-anhu/

A simple guide to healthy eating during Ramadhan

The holy month of Ramadhan has finally arrived. From the religious side, the holy month is a chance to reflect on your sins from the past and start doing better things. On the other hand, it is also a chance to make decisions for a healthier life.

Many people use Ramadhan as an excuse to go on a diet, and that's okay.

There are some things you need to know, though, to keep you fit and healthy during Ramadhan, as your eating habits will affect your entire day throughout the fasting month.

Three things: Complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber

Sahur (predawn meal) should be the focus of your attention Ramadhan to keep you strong during the fasting period.

Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, from red rice and wheat bread to vegetables and fruit, are some of the examples of sahur's main dishes. They are ideal because they will keep your stomach full for a longer time.

Make sure that you also prepare foods with high protein and fiber like meat and fish because they will also keep you full for longer.

Consuming foods that contain complex carbohydrate is good for you, keeping your stomach full for longer.

Don't warm up leftovers

It's common sense to eat leftover foods for sahur after buying too much the night before. Warming your food is not a good idea because the reheating process will reduce the amount of nutrients contained in the food.

A better idea is to wake up earlier for sahur, especially if you're on cooking duty.

Eating dates for iftar is very good for you

The theory of starting your iftar by eating sweet things is an old myth; some people believe it and some people don't.

This theory is accurate, as long as you eat healthy sweet foods to top up your energy with sugar after a long day of fasting. The best option for this is dates. Rich in fiber, potassium and magnesium, dates are an entirely reliable starter for iftar.

Avoid greasy snacks like gorengan

Around the world, dates are the first choice to start iftar. This also applies in Indonesia, but with tight competition from gorengan (deep fried snacks).

With all due respect to all our favorite gorengan places, these snacks do not make a healthy iftar. Avoid salty and spicy foods for iftar and replace them with fresh foods like fruits and vegetables instead.

Do not eat more than you should

You're probably familiar with this habit. After a long wait, especially during the first week of Ramadhan, eating all the food you desire in the world sounds like an attainable dream. Iftar time comes and you do exactly what you dreamed of.

Sorry to crush the dream but, bad news, eating too much food is not good for you. Eating during Ramadhan is about quality, not quantity, and that applies both to iftar and sahur.

Stay hydrated

Water is important on a daily basis and it's even more important during Ramadhan. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during iftar and sahur.

Drinking eight glasses of water throughout the night is the perfect amount to keep you hydrated during fasting time. (kes)

Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2016/06/07/a-simple-guide-to-healthy-eating-during-ramadhan.html