FROM THE HOLY HARAMS

Use media for betterment of mankind; fulfill duties entrusted to you

MAKKAH/MADINAH - The Imams and Khateebs of the Two Holy Harams in Makkah and Madinah in their Friday Khutbahs on 17 January urged Muslims to be God-fearing, just, trustworthy and honest in all their affairs.

Sheikh Dr. Saleh Ibn Abdullah Ibn Humaid, Imam and Khateeb of the Holy Haram in Makkah, said quoting the Holy Qur'an. "Allah has created Heaven and Earth with truth and sent Apostles (peace be on him) and sent down to them Scriptures to lead people to the right path."

He noted that our day-to-day affairs cannot be in order unless based on truth and justice, the absence of which leads to falsehood, injustice, untruth and dishonesty.

"Success of nations and restoration of people's dignity can (only) be achieved if they do righteous deeds and speak truth. A virtuous society can be built by enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil," Sheikh Humaid said.

"Allah has enabled man to many discoveries and inventions, including a range of communication media, such as telephones, satellite transmission, Internet and other devices, that disseminate information at high speed. These devices are best means of communication as they save time, shorten distances and enable contacts in all directions with all types of people. They can be (very well) used for the betterment of mankind by spreading useful knowledge and providing wholesome and permissible entertainment," he observed.

"However, some people misuse them and turn them into tools of evil: to spread sedition, falsehood and hatred among people. The misuse has (however) crept into every medium, be it satellite channels, websites, telephone or newspaper, etc., which otherwise should have been used for communicating good and correct information. The media (trends) reflect the nature of its audience - good or bad, truthful of false, polite or impolite, denoting belief or unbelief," Sheikh Humaid said.

He advised people that it is wiser to acquire information based on facts and inculcate virtues from credible sources and ignore the falsehood being spread by the ignorant and deviant people.

He urged the believers to act in a truthful, righteous and just manner and (with firm) belief (in Allah) and they should never be afraid of the abuses hurled by detractors and revilers.

"A wise believer never bothers about the criticism, great men always take it in their strides.

"If someone shows a defect in such a person, he makes efforts to amend it and thanks the one who has pointed it out. But if it is a false criticism, he just ignores it. People should make distinction between constructive and futile criticism. Muslims should avoid slander and ill will at all times, for all Muslims are brothers," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah Sheikh Ali Ibn Abdur Rahman Al-Hudhaifi in his Friday Khutbah on the same day spoke about trustworthiness that should be the (common) attribute of all believers, even though it may be a big task that very few can fulfill. At the outset of his Khutbah he quoted Allah's words:

"We did indeed offer the trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof; but man undertook it; he was indeed unjust and foolish (with the result) that Allah has to punish the hypocrites, man and women, and the unbelievers, men and women, Allah turns in mercy to the believers, men and women; for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, most Merciful." (Qur'an, 33:72)

"Trust, the heaviest of obligations, the bearing of which was declined by the Heavens and the Earth out of fear of Allah's punishment, if they fail to carry out the duties entrusted to them, but man - out of his foolhardiness and unjust nature - consented to bear the burden. The trust, which Allah is referring to, is the Shari'ah that includes the rights due to Allah and the people at large. If a person discharges it well, he would be rewarded but if he fails in his duties he would be punished. Salah (obligatory prayers) is a trust, so also is ablution, giving weights and measures, and many other things. Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) said that an untrustworthy person is a disbeliever, and the one who cannot keep a promise cannot be true to his faith.

"A person who deliberately breaches a trust by not observing other people's rights on him, he would be punished by Allah," Sheikh Al- Hudhaifi said.

"Besides belief in Allah and establishment of Salah; duties entrusted to believers are zakah, fasting, pilgrimage, fostering ties of kinship, enjoining virtues and forbidding vices, wealth-- which should not be spent in sinful ways, the senses - which should not be used in unlawful manner, and children, wives and husbands - who should be treated in best of manners, and other human beings - whose rights should also be respected.

"Neglecting the trust given to man leads to corruption and discord in people's relationship with each other and turns life into chaos," he concluded. - SPA

Security forces ready for any emergency in Hajj, Prince Ahmad

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia said on 20 January it was prepared to deal with any security risk posed by the largest global gathering of Muslims in February, when up to two million will converge on the holy city of Makkah and its neighbouring Valleys of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

"By the will of Allah, the Hajj season will be peaceful and free of incidents as it is a time of piety. But the security forces are ready for every emergency and every occasion," Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed Ibn Abdul Aziz said.

1.3m visas issued

The Ministry of Hajj has issued 1.3 million Hajj visas in co-ordination with Saudi embassies and consulates abroad, the acting director - general of the ministry's branch in the Makkah Region, Engr. Abdul Fattah Abdul Shakoor Fada, told the Jeddah-based Okaz Arabic newspaper.

He said that 93 percent of the pilgrims for whom these visas had been issued are expected to come by air, four percent by sea and three percent by land.

As for the number of pilgrims who have already arrived in Saudi Arabia, he said that a total of 123,000 pilgrims had arrived by air and 76,000 by sea and land as on 12 January.

He pointed out that all pilgrims coming from abroad should come through tourist companies or authorized Hajj companies, provided that the number of pilgrims coming with the Hajj companies should not be less than 50.

He also pointed out that representatives of Hajj companies should come to Saudi Arabia well in advance in order to rent housing for their pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah and to sign an agreement with Tawafa establishments in Saudi Arabia.

Asked about the possibility of increasing the capacity of the Jamarat bridge area, he pointed out that the current capacity of the Jamarat area was about 220,000 per hour and said that there were plans to increase this capacity after this Hajj season.

Asked about the delay of some pilgrims in returning home after performing their Hajj rites, he said that this was due to problems related to flight schedules.

Makkah municipality mobilizes clean up drive

The municipality of Makkah has mobilized all its potentialities for this year's Hajj season. Within these efforts, the municipality has assigned more than 14,000 cleaning workers, supervisors, technicians and drivers for the cleaning process of the sacred shrines.

Last year, a contract worth more than SR400 million was signed with a national company for the cleaning of Makkah, other sacred shrines and more than 60 villages in the Makkah region, reported the Jeddah-based Okaz Arabic newspaper.

The mayor of Makkah, Dr. Khaled Ibn Hamza Nahas, told the paper that his department has supplied 504 garbage containers with special specifications.

He noted that the contract also covered the management of waste in a scientific way.

Madinah gears up to welcome pilgrims

Some 130,000 visitors have so far reached Madinah, reported the Jeddah-based Okaz Arabic newspaper.

The paper noted that Prince Miqren Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Madinah Region, was briefed on the preparations of all government bodies concerned in the region for this year's Hajj season as large number of pilgrims visit Madinah. The authorities concerned have prepared special programmes to intensify work during this season. - SG

Jewish-Christian fundamentalism

Dr. Nora Ahmed

AMERICAN specialist in US history, Gore Vidal pointed out to the newly developing relationship between the Jews and Christian fundamentalists emphasizing that their aim was to use US economic and political weight to advance Israel's interests in the Middle East. Their aim is to subdue the Islamic world through decisive, pre-emptive use of American military superiority.

Despite the malice and hate message that this fundamentalist minority is trying to bring about a clash between the Islamic world and the Christian, the Muslim countries have expressed no outright hate towards non-Muslim communities. Those fundamentalists claim that the Muslim scriptures contain too many violent passages and is against other religions. Reality, however, is a different matter. The essence of Islam's message has always been and remains coexistence.

The Qur'an does not criticize all Jews or Christians, it only critizes some of them because of their wrong doings. The Qur'an has also praised many of them because of their faith and good deeds, Allah says: "Not all of them are alike; of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (for the right); they rehearse the Signs of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. (Al-Imran 3: 113-115). Also "Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth." (Al-A'raf 7:159)

It is worthy to note that those Fundamentalists who claim that Islam is intolerant towards other religions do not understand their own texts, which also condemned the acts of those Jews who transgressed against God. Many prophets condemned Jews. Prophet Ezekiel called Israel, "the house of rebels and a rebellious nation." (Ezek. Chapter 2) He also called for the curse of God to "send fire upon Judah's cities" and to make Jerusalem "a heap of ruins."

Prophet Jesus is reported to have said in Mathew 23:13-39 concerning the Jews: "You serpents, you generation of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?" Further he says, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate." After this illustration how can those Christian fundamentalists support the designs of a cursed nation like Israel?

The obvious answer is that those fundamentalists do not express any form of a religious belief but rather threaten the wrath of God against those who express disagreement with any policy of the Israeli government. They no longer stand for Christian beliefs as they dismiss the fact that the Jews tried to kill Prophet Jesus. They are blind by hate of the Muslims.

True to their identity, Muslims are overwhelmingly a peaceful people. Where is the so-called "Christian" kindheartedness to the daily killings of Palestinians by the Israeli defence force? The concept of human rights melts away when it is convenient. Why don't those fundamentalists practise what is preached by their own constitution, the Universal Declaration passage Article 25: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, house and medical care and the necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

Makkah - 2003 capital of Islamic culture

JEDDAH - Makkah has been selected as the capital of Islamic Culture 2003.

Prince Abdul Majeed Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Governor of Makkah Region, on 25 January chaired a meeting at his office here regarding the selection.

The meeting reviewed all the arrangements necessary to make this important event a success, and highlight the development realized by the city in various aspects.

Prince Abdul Majeed said this selection reflects the high religious and cultural status of the city and the place it occupies in the hearts of Muslims.

Meanwhile, Prince Abdul Majeed, who is also the chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, toured the holy sites on 26 January to see the preparations of the governmental sectors and the other parties concerned with the Hajj activities.

The Prince also inspected the facilities set up to provide comprehensive health care to the pilgrims, as well as the shuttle service project for transporting the pilgrims of the Southeast Asian countries, which was implemented at a total cost of SR 100 million. - SG