Prophet's purported cup returned to Chechnya

The video below depicts the ceremony that was held in Chechnya almost a year ago to unveil the cup that supposedly belonged to the Prophet Muhammed (saw) and was passed down to Ali ibn Abu Talib. The Chechen leader quite visibly broke down in tears as he unveiled the cup to his people. This video was sent to me earlier this week by a facebook friend. The cup had apparently been flown into the Chechen capital Grozny from London where it was kept by unnamed descendants of the Prophet Muhammed (saw)'s cousin, Ali ibn Abu Talib.

According to newspaper reports, the Chechen government confirmed that anyone from the public will be allowed to drink water from the cup on the birthday of the Prophet Muhammed (saw).
I personally have a few issues with this whole story. Firstly, I tried obtaining information about the cup itself. There is no legitimate proof that acknowledges the authenticity of the cup.Whilst doing a Google search on the utensils the Prophet Muhammed (saw) utilized, I came across these two ahaadith.
Asim ibn Al-Ahwal, who belonged to the Tabieen generation that followed the Prophet’s companions, says: “I saw the Prophet’s cup at Anas ibn Malik’s house. It had a crack and Anas pulled it together with a chain of silver. It was a good, wide cup made of fine, thin wood. Anas said to us: ‘I gave the Prophet to drink out of this cup so many times.’ Ibn Seereen says: ‘The cup had a ring of iron and Anas wanted to replace it with one made of gold or silver, but Abu Talhah, (Anas’ stepfather), told him not to change anything the Prophet had or did. Therefore, Anas left it as it was.’” (Related by Ahmad and Al-Bukhari.)
Ibn Abbas reports: “The governor of Alexandria sent a cup made of glass to the Prophet and he used it to drink.” (Related by Ibn Saad and Abu al-Shaykh.) This was part of the gift the ruler of Egypt sent to the Prophet (saw) in reply to his message calling on him to believe in Islam. The Egyptian ruler recognized the Prophet (saw) but decided to remain Christian.He however still wished to maintain a good relationship with the Prophet Muhammed (saw). Therefore, he sent him a gift to demonstrate his good will.

The cup shown in the video looks very similar to a jade like ornamental stone cup..Whilst I am pleased that there were thousands of people who took to the streets to show their love for the Prophet Muhammed (saw), I firmly believe that this whole fiasco was simply a political ploy on the part of the government. There has been reports of the Chechen leader trying to revive an Islamic way of life in the region. However, putting up a show of this magnitude without any proof or evidence to support his theory that the cup had indeed belonged to the Prophet (saw) is just outright ludicrous and bizarre in my opinion. I firmly believe that he is not reviving Islam in the region but rather leading people astray. It is a complete act of bidah or an innovation to allow the public to drink out of the cup. There is no religious significance or reward that is attained by drinking water out of this cup. Another important point to make mention here is that the Prophet (saw) never ever celebrated his birthday.In fact celebrating the Prophet's birthday is also a huge bid3a and an innovation in itself. There is no evidence in the Quraan or the hadith that points to the fact that the Prophet Muhammed (saw) celebrated his birthday. This grave innovation was initiated after the death of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) by King al-Muzaffar Abû Sa’îd Kawkabûri, the King of Irbil, at the end of the sixth century or the beginning of the seventh century AH, as was mentioned by the historians such as Ibn Khalikân and others. Abû Shâmah said: the first person to do that in Mosul was Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Muhammad al-Malâ, one of the well-known righteous people. Then the ruler of Irbil and others followed his example.

Al-Hâfidh Ibn Kathîr said in al-Bidâyah wa’l-Nihâyah (13/137), in his biography of Abû Sa’îd Kawkabûri:“He used to observe the Mawlid in Rabî’ al-Awwal and hold a huge celebration on that occasion … some of those who were present at the feast of al-Muzaffar on some occasions of the Mawlid said that he used to offer in the feast five thousand grilled heads of sheep, ten thousand chickens and one hundred thousand large dishes, and thirty trays of sweets … he would let the Sûfîs sing from Dhuhr until Fajr, and he himself would dance with them.”

Ibn Khalikân said in Wafiyât al-A’yân (3/274):“When it is the first of Safar they decorate those domes with various kinds of fancy adornments, and in every dome there sits a group of singers and a group of puppeteers and players of musical instruments, and they do not leave any one of those domes without setting up a group (of performers) there.The people give up work during this period, and they do no work except going around and watching the entertainment. When there are two days to go until the Mawlid, they bring out a large number of camels, cows and sheep, more than can be described, and they accompany them with all the drums, songs and musical instruments that they have, until they bring them to the square… On the night of the Mawlid there are performances of nashîds after Maghrib in the citadel.”

Our world leaders today should all be taking gold medals in acting. Breaking down in tears, getting all emotional and swaying the sentiments and emotions of the masses is what they use in order to stay in power. Whilst there has been several reports of the good work that Ramzan Kadyrov has undertaken and fulfilled in terms of building Masaajids and trying to revive the spirit of Islam in the region, using artifacts that have no authenticity to stir up the emotions of the public is just downright nonsensical and foolish in my opinion. If he really wishes to seek the admiration of his people he needs to follow the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed (saw). He needs to emulate the lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammed (saw). This is what will gain him ultimate love and respect from his people.What are your thoughts on this one?

Source:

http://www.arabnews.com/node/298802

http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/prophet-s-purported-relic-brought-to-chechnya-2011-09-22-1.420094

http://www.rferl.org/content/kadyrov-curator-prophet-muhammad-relics/24671614.html

A TIME TO REFLECT

http://www.emelisahealingarts.com/time-to-reflect.html (Picture)

Whilst staring through the window admiring the birds that I feed each morning, I realized just how time flies. The days of my life has past me by. I recall the first day I started school. Whilst most kids accompany their parents on their first day, I went alone. My parents have molded me to be an independent woman. They have guided me to take responsibility for my own life.I rem

ember, the neighbourhood I grew up in. I resided on a street called Sitara Avenue. I grew up in a Middle class area and lived amongst people who were happy and kind. Every day after school, the kids from the area would gather to play cricket, tennis or soccer. Every Friday night there would be a street gathering as well. It use to be loads of fun. Whilst growing up, mom would make sure that my brother and I would retire to bed around 8pm. Whenever, I went to bed I would always have this thought in my mind."How I wish I grew up faster so that I can complete school and stay up till late."Well, its been 13 years since I have completed school and 10 years since I completed university. I have certainly changed and evolved over these last few years. Things that were important to me at a schooling level or university level are no longer important to me any more. When you in high school, you aspire to be Miss popular and hang out with the "cool club". When you in university you wish to date the handsome guy driving the black BMW. Of course, the fact that he is becoming a doctor makes the deal a more attractive one. You find yourself immersed in trying to acquire materialistic wealth and possessions. However, now that I have achieved a certain level of success within my own life, I have come to realize that being with someone in life is not about their monetary possessions or what they own. It is about their honesty, character, friendship, trust and companionship. I often get asked why have I not tied the knot as yet and the simple answer I always give is "Genuine and sincere people do not exist in this world any more". Many a times I have been introduced to different individuals and naturally during the first few meetings or acquaintances everything seems perfect, that is until you discover the persons true colours and personality. Most women aspire to marry a rich man who can provide her with gold, jewellery, diamonds and trips abroad. What they fail to realize is that gold and diamonds can not buy you internal happiness. I have friends married to influential people. Whilst their lives look rosy in the public eye, their personal lives are in shambles. They have no internal happiness. Whilst they have money, wealth and status, they have no love, happiness or companionship. A good Saudi friend of mine resides in Jeddah. She was brought up in a very influential home. She resides in a big house, travels abroad twice a year and also studied at a top international university. A few months ago she got married to an ordinary Saudi gentleman who works as a clerk at the bank. Whilst her parents supported her, her grandmother did not attend her wedding as she hoped that her grand daughter married someone of equal class and stature. With God's grace she is happily married as her husband possesses all the qualities an ideal husband should have. A man who fulfills his duty towards his creator will most likely fulfill his duties towards another human being. Excessive wealth and power corrupts the mind. Money should never be the object in a marriage situation simply because sustenance comes from God Almighty. Who looks after the animals in the jungle, the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the stray cats and dogs on the street? Ever so often we come across families who are left penniless after losing their businesses and homes due to financial constraints or bad business decisions causing their personal lives to collapse as well. Many family members of mine believe that I should be marrying a doctor, lawyer, surgeon, pilot....basically some high flying individual. I personally believe that education does not define an individuals personality or character. I have mixed and associated with many high flying individuals who possess the most rotten character and attitude.I honestly believe that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication in life and hence I aspire to be with a simple, down to earth individual who has no pride, attitude or ego. Many kings and queens have come into this world and passed away leaving behind their jewels and their millions. There comes a stage in your life when you realize how fake this world really is and that death is the great and ultimate equalizer in life. We come into this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed. The only thing we take with us is our good deeds and piety and that of course comes from displaying exemplary character towards everyone around us. As Charles Spurgeon once said," A good character is the best tombstone.Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget- me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble"

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY- NOTHING BUT A LITERARY DISASTER

http://www.businessinsider.com/report-angelina-jolie-in-talks-to-direct-50-shades-of-greyheres-todays-buzz-2012-6- picture

With much hype created around the 2011 erotic novel Fifty shades of Grey written by E.L. James, I decided to read the book online. It took me two days to read part one of the trilogy. To be honest, I do not think that the book is anything to rave or shout about. It is definitely not a literary master piece in my opinion. Once again, the novel has proven that sex sells with over 31 million copies sold world wide according to wikipedia, setting the record as the fastest selling paperback of all time. The story revolves around 22 year old Anastasia Steele who lives with her wealthy room mate Katherine Kavanagh. Katherine is a beautiful good looking woman who writes for the college student's newspaper. Due to illness, she asks Anastasia to interview the powerful and successful 27 year old entrepreneur Christian Grey. Ana is instantly attracted to Mr. Grey and desires to have a relationship with him. Mr. Grey on the other hand is not 'a heart and flowers kind of guy.' Ana finds him dominating and intimidating and yet at the same time at the back of her mind she is in complete awe of him and aspires to be with him. Ana completes the interview and returns home to Kate. Over the next few days she has several encounters with Mr. grey and eventually agrees on going out on a date with him. Christian takes Ana by helicopter to his apartment and reveals a few secrets about himself to her. He first insists that she signs a contract and a legal document preventing her from discussing his personal life with anyone else. Ana blindly signs the agreement. He also mentions other paperwork, but first takes her to a room full of BDSM toys and gear. There Grey informs her that the second contract will be one of dominance and submission and that there will be no romantic relationship between the two of them, only a sexual one. The contract even forbids Ana from touching Grey or making eye contact with him. After spending the night with Mr. Grey and losing her virginity to him, Ana meets Christian's mother the following morning who is delighted to see her as she is always under the impression that her son is a homosexual.Grey later reveals to Ana at a restaurant that he had lost his virginity at the age of fifteen by one of his mother's friends. In essence he was sexually abused and molested by the woman. He was submissive to her sexual needs and desires.The abuse continued over a few years. Over the next few days Ana receives several packages from Grey. These include a brand new state of the art laptop to enable the two of them to communicate and a more detailed version of the dominant/submissive contract. She and Grey email each other, with Ana teasing him and refusing to honour parts of the contract like refusing to eat certain foods that were written on his list. Christian asks Anastasia to stop wasting her time emailing him but rather spend time researching the subject of BDSM type relationships. Ana later meets up with Grey to discuss the contract, only to grow overwhelmed by the potential BDSM arrangement and the potential of having a sexual relationship with Grey that is not romantic in nature. Torn between a variety of feelings and emotions Ana runs away from Grey and does not see him again until her college graduation, where he is a guest speaker at the event. At this point, Ana finally agrees to sign the dominant/submissive contract.
Ana and Grey once again meet up together to further discuss the contract, and they go over Ana's hard and soft limits. Ana is spanked for the first time by Grey; the experience leaves her both enticed and slightly confused. This confusion is further exacerbated by Grey's lavish gifts, and the fact that he insists that Ana meets his family. The two continue with the arrangement without Ana having yet signed the contract. Ana manages to successfully secure a job at Seattle Independent Publishing, however she further
bristles under the restrictions of the non-disclosure agreement and the complex relationship with Grey.The tension between Ana and Grey eventually reaches a boiling point after Ana asks Grey to punish her in order to show her how extreme a BDSM relationship with him could be. Grey fulfills Ana's request, beating her with a belt, only for Ana to realize that the two of them are incompatible. Devastated and heart broken, Ana leaves Grey and returns to the condo she shares with Katherine.

Whilst there has been a huge media coverage regarding the book, I firmly believe that the book sends out a dangerous message that powerful and wealthy men are sexy and that women in general love to be hurt in secret. With domestic violence and abusive relationships soaring amongst teenagers and young couples I firmly believe that promoting this type of a book is morally and ethically wrong and absurd. Whilst the west is constantly against Islam with regards to women's rights, the question is what kind of women's rights is this book actually promoting?What kind of a woman would agree to be a man's sex slave? Every woman that I know wishes to be in a loving and secure relationship with her partner. What I am really surprised about is the fact that the book is free to download of the internet without any restrictions or censorship. This basically means that children are at risk of reading sexually provocative material online.The book has also been available in all bookstores worldwide without any age restrictions.Naturally, film stars and actors have come out in full support of the book simply because sex sells within the music and film industry as well. There is a huge drive and move towards robbing our kids and youth of their innocence, taking them away from morality and values. There is a huge sexual revolution all around us in a sense that 'sex' is being utilized to sell anything and everything. Sexy and erotic pictures are splashed across billboards, magazines, newspapers, movies, television and now more and more books are riddled with provocative and sexually erotic content without any censorship.In the past, parents implemented parental guidance on the type of movies or television programs their kids would watch but nowadays parents need to be aware of the type of books their kids are reading. What message is the book sending out to these kids? Is the book promoting good values and moral etiquette or is it simply corrupting the child's mind with filthy pornographic and erotic content? For those of you out there who have read the book, what are your thoughts and opinions regarding the content of the book?.....

Husband absconded, Wife distressed

http://www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk/ - picture

A few nights ago I received quite a distressing phone call from a family who resides in Makkah tul Mukarrama. They are originally from the sub continent but have been in the Kingdom for the past fifty years now. Half the family members have already acquired Saudi nationality. Brother M enquired about my well being and then asked me to speak to his wife who was clearly very shocked and upset. Her sister is not a Saudi national as yet and she is married to a man from Bangladesh. She is a mother of four children and is expecting her fifth child. Without any prior notification her husband of 20 years has absconded and returned to Bangladesh. After missing for almost two days he finally called his wife from Bangladesh to inform her that he will be staying there from now onward with his Bangladeshi wife. He basically has been leading a dual life with a wife in Saudi as well as a misses in Bangladesh. She asked me for advise as she does not know how her sister will be able to support her kids. She is not an educated woman and never worked in her entire life.I guess that she was probably brought up in a home where females were not allowed to seek an education. If the woman resided in South Africa, she could probably get a part time job as a cashier or do a catering business from home. She could probably work in a supermarket or be a clerk at a school. Here in the Kingdom though, it is difficult for women to get a job and most families do not approve of the female members of the home going out to work. The male is considered the breadwinner of the family.If the woman was a Saudi national she could probably gain assistance from a government welfare department. The fact that she does not have Saudi nationality despite being born in the country makes things twice as difficult for her.I always wondered who came up with this model that the male is the breadwinner and the woman of the house should cook, clean and feed her family. Surely every human being has dreams and aspirations in life. Everyone of us have desires and dreams that we wish to fulfill. Islam has always been a forward thinking religion of vision. Islam has never been against women's education. It is society, customs and traditions that have created this idea that women should be subservient to their husbands, stay at home and look after their families. The first verses that were revealed to the Prophet (saw) was "Read in the name of your Lord who created--- Created man from a clot of blood. Recite and your Lord is most generous who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not." Clearly God Almighty asks us to read. Through reading we educate ourselves. No where in the Quraan is it mentioned that women should not seek an education. An educated woman is an asset to society for she transfers her knowledge to her kids. I am really fortunate to belong to a household where my parents never ever differentiated between my brother and I. We were always treated equally and afforded the same opportunities in life.Dad has always been a visionary thinker. Whilst he did not complete his formal education himself, he always emphasized on the importance of seeking knowledge especially for a female because no one knows what lies ahead. There are some women out there who become widowed at a young age, there are others who are divorced and need to look after their kids. There are some women whose husbands are unable to work due to illness and in this case there are some women out there whose husbands run away leaving them with the responsibility of bringing up the children. If a woman has an education she is always able to provide for her family. She has something to fall back on.My "father" always says when you have money, you smell like honey and when you don't have money, you smell so funny. Whenever a family is in any financial crisis, society will only help in a limited manner. They may provide financial assistance on a few occasions and then they will become fed up and stop. This is the bitter truth.This is the sad reality. I honestly do not know how this poor lady is going to solve her problem but I do hope and pray that God Almighty makes it easy for her. For those of you out there who have a negative way of thinking with regards to educating a female child, I humbly request you to please reconsider your stance and view point regarding this matter.As the Prophet (saw) said,"If a daughter is born to a person and he brings her up,gives her a good education and trains her in the arts of life, I shall myself stand between him and hell-fire." (Hadith reported by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud).