Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Al-Khushu’
and read the Qur’an’s translation
continuously.
10- Interact with the recited aayahs;
A
a. if you hear an ayah about Allah,
ll praise be to Allah, and peace be 4- When you stand facing the Qiblah
glorify Him by saying “Subhaana Allah”;
upon his messenger, all his family remember the following:
b. If you hear an ayah about Hellfire,
and companions. a. It might be the last Salaat in
say “a’uuthu billaahi mina-n-naar”.
Allah says at the beginning of Surah your life. There is no guarantee to
c. If you hear a command
Al-Mu’minun “Successful indeed are live longer to catch the next Salaat.
to make istighfaar, do it.
the believers, who have Khushu’ in b. You are standing between the hands
d. If you hear an ayah that
their prayers”. Since khushu’ is the of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. How
requests tasbiih, make tasbiih.
first characteristic of the believers as can you be busy with something else?
11- When you prostrate, remember
is clearly stated in the previous verse, c. The angel of death is chasing you.
that this position brings you closer
the main way to purify the heart, a 5- Do not forget to make isti’azah.
to Allah. Seize the opportunity to
contributing factor for the acceptance It wards off Satan’s whispers.
make sincere supplication. Invest
of the prayer, and the way to gain 6- Keep your eyes focused on
these moments in making sincere
greater reward from the Almighty the place of sujuud. This helps
supplications.
Allah, then achieving Khushu in prayer you gain more concentration.
12- After finishing the Salaat, don’t
should become our priority. 7- When reciting the Fatiha, try to
forget to thank Allah by blessing you
recall the response of Allah to you
to be able to achieve Khushu’, do all
Ways to achieve Khushu’: after every ayah you
Dhikr after salaat, and supplicate to
1- To have clear and authentic
Allah to help you do that in every
knowledge about Allah the
salaat.
Almighty, think about His
Finally, al-Khushu’ constitutes
names and attributes, always
the spirit of Salah. So, a
remember Him, surrender to
Muslim has to do his
Him, do what He likes and
best to perform
avoid what He dislikes. We
Salaat with
have to know the One who
al-Khushu’.
we are praying to and realize
Al-Khushu’ can
His greatness.
be gained mainly by following the
2- To minimize attachment to worldly say. (When you say:”al-hamdu lillahi
above steps, but key to open these
matters; gear one’s intentions towards rab-bil ‘alamin) Allah responds: “My
doors is undoubtedly: Seeking Allah’s
the Afterlife; avoid major and minor servant praised me.” etc. This feeling of
help to gain al-Khushu’ sincerely and
sins, guard against the temptations speaking to Allah puts you in the right
following that with actions. My hope
of life, and do whatever softens the mood of khushuu’. And interact with
for you, after reading this article,
hearts such as reciting the Qur’an, the rest of the recited aayahs as well.
is that you begin your intention to
continuous supplication, and following 8- Beautifying the recitation of the
achieve Khushu’ in all your prayers
Allah’s orders. Qur’an has a positive impact on the heart.
starting from this moment.
3- To leave whatever we are doing, 9- Recite the Qur’an slowly and reflect
perform Wudu’, go to the mosque and upon its meaning deeply if you know
Assalamu alaikum.
keep remembering Allah while waiting it, and if you don’t know the meaning,
By: Alwatheq@aqsa.com
for Iqamah once the Azan is heard. then it’s preferable to learn Arabic
AL-AQSA Magazine 6
T hinking (tafakkur) is highly culture for practicing it. Ijtihad or positive, conceptual and perceptual
valued in Islam. It is over-exerting oneself in search of thinking skills, to name a few.
considered as “Ibadah wajibah”
or an obligatory form of worship, It is because of this status of
which is rewarded, provided it is thinking in Islam that led
practiced with sincerity and good the Muslim scholars to be
intention, and for a good purpose. pioneers in many fields
of knowledge. Muslim
Islam encourages collective scholars innovated
thinking, where many Islamic and developed many
principles can be only practiced disciplines such as:
collectively such as mutual Chemistry, Algebra,
consultation (shura), mutual Mathematics,
advice (Nasiha), enjoining good Optics, Astronomy,
and discouraging evil. Medicine, Linguistics,
Philosophy of
Islam draws the attention of History, and Sociology.
Makind not to be trapped by
barriers to thinking such as: lack Al-Biruni, Al-Farghani,
of knowledge, blind following, Al-Battani, Al-
arrogance, stubbornness, whims Khawarizmi, Al-Razi,
and lusts, emotions and feelings, Ibn al-Haytham, Al-
reliance on conjectures, and Mastaufi, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn
satanic temptations. al-Nafis, and Jabir Ibn Hayyan
are some of the great Muslim
Islam not only encourages scholars who contributed to
thinking and creativity, it also knowledge is a good example. the advancement of Human
creates the environment and knowledge.
Another good example Unfortunately, and due to many
is the command contributing factors, Muslims have
to practice the act become less innovative and critical
of exploring and in the last two centuries.
discovering universal
and social divine laws Nowadays, thinking is being
that govern this world taught as skills and tools that
in an attempt to live can be learnt. It is of an extreme
a better and more importance that our young
progressive life and generation pays careful attention
to cultivate the earth to this fact. They should make
as one of the most a serious effort to learn thinking
important obligations of skills. This becomes an obligation
every Muslim. in order to overcome many of
the contemporary challenges and
To enhance thinking to restore the progressive role of
one needs to be the Muslim Ummah as a leading
equipped with thinking Ummah.
skills. The Qur’an is full
of a great number of
1
These insights are taken from the
thinking skills such as: author’s book entitled: Creative
scientific, analogical, Thinking: An Islamic Perspective.
metaphorical, rational, IIUM Research Centre. KL 2005
logical, contemplative,
hypothetical, visual,
AL-AQSA Magazine 8
T here is hardly any media of the sea around its corners. The Gate), Bab Al Zaherah (Al
coverage of the situation stones of its ancient buildings Samereh), Bab Al Asbat, Bab Al
in Palestine (or the Middle narrate the stories of 5000 years Magharbeh, Bab Al Rahmeh and
East as it is usually referred long human civilization; that Bab Al Nabi Dawud. Western
to) that does not mention Al involved millions of lives, and of Jerusalem, which was annexed
Quds “Jerusalem”, or display struggles, love, hate and faith. by “The Zionist entity” after its
its golden holy shrine in the It houses some of the major occupation in 1948, is built in the
background. Being one of the style of modern
oldest cities on Earth, a holy cities. Eastern
city for the three Abrahamic Jerusalem is
religions, Islam, Christianity surrounded by
and Judaism, and the assumed mountainous
capital of Palestine, its issue is forests on which
at the heart of this conflict. “Israel” has
Indeed, the current Intifada built various
of Al Aqsa, which witnessed settlements. The
some of the worst stories of main quarters of
bloodshed in the history of this Al Quds, besides
generations-old dispute, started the old city, are:
after the former Zionist Prime Shufat, Sheikh
Minister, then the leader of the Jarrah, Wadi El
opposition, entered Al Aqsa shrines of Islam, Christianity Joaz, El Tor, Selwan,, Sur Baher
Mosque in 28-September-2000 and Judaism. In short, it is a and Al Qastal. More quarters and
protected by 2000 occupational concentration of the holiness of districts have been recently built
forces, in flagrant defiance of Palestine and the world. on the neighboring mountains of
the local Muslim population and Places and Sites: Al Masharefi, Al Qatamoun and
Muslims around the world. Jerusalem is composed of two Al Mukabber. Since its fall under
The City: Al Quds is its main parts, Eastern Jerusalem occupation in 1967, East Al-
Arabic name that is derived from that encompasses most of the Quds has witnessed increasing
a root that means holiness. It is religious historical sites and is Jewish expansion coupled
a marvelous city located 55km composed of the Old City and with practices to alienate and
from the Mediterranean Sea the built up around it. The ultimately displace the local
and 22km from the Dead Sea at Old City is totally surrounded Muslim population.
an altitude of 720-800m above by walls that were built for
sea level; it is one of the few protection, it has eight gates:
T he perfect model
Islamic brotherhood can
of
The Message
Our mission on earth is to wor- especially if we want to face the som of slaves; to be steadfast
ship Allah s.w.t. but actually challenge of the 21st century. So in prayer, and practice regular
Al-Qur’an gave us the right many Muslims think that to be charity; to fulfil the contracts
derivation of worship (Ibadah) a righteous person you need to which ye have made; and to
as we read in it the meaning have a long beard, wear a col- be firm and patient, in pain (or
of Al-Ihsan. It’s narrated in the orful scarf, take care of worship suffering) and adversity, and
authentic Hadith that Al-Ihasan such as prayers, fasting, Itiqaf , throughout all periods of panic.
can be used to mean: perfec- Umrah. Even we cheat in busi- Such are the people of truth,
the Allah-fearing”.
The purpose behind the change
of the place Muslims face in
prayer and indeed all aspects of
worship and rituals have never
been the direction people face,
and indeed any outward form.
These are not what give wor-
ship its value and meaning, nor
what makes people good and
righteous. Righteousness is the
result of a total feeling and at-
titude and a mode of behaviour
which shapes the individual’s
conscience and the mind-set of
the community. It’s a discipline
tion, doing a work, a research, ness or we do not behave nicely whose effects are immediately
or teaching perfectly. Al-Ihsan with people. To correct this and constantly apparent in
can be apparent through your wrong understanding Al-Qur’an one’s life and the life of the
behaviour as the prisoners have mentions in Surah Al-Baqara society at large. Without these
seen the Akhlaq of the prophet verse 177: “ what constitutes aspects facing east and west,
Yosof (s.a.w). Then they were righteousness: “It is not righ- or turning face to the right and
witnesses that he was (Mohsen) teousness that ye turn your left has no significance (In the
hehaving nicely with others. faces Towards east or West; but shade of Al-Qur’an- Sayyed
The scholars of Rafsin reported it is righteousness- to believe in Qutb). This is the first mes-
that he was very helpful to his Allah and the Last Day, and the sage we can observe from Al-
companions even in the prison. Angels, and the Book, and the Qur’an teachings. Hopefully we
Al-Qur’an recorded that clearly: Messengers; to spend of your will have opportunities to read
“We see thou art one that doth substance, out of love for Him, about many concepts from the
good (to all).” for your kin, for orphans, for Qur’an perspective like: win-
I think we need to read the the needy, for the wayfarer, for ning and losing, Al-Taqwa, and
Qur’an with a new approach those who ask, and for the ran- others.
AL-AQSA Magazine 11
Comments Corner
What does AL-AQSA mean to you?
S adly to say, not every
Muslim knows about Al-
Aqsa Mosque.
I n fact, when I remember Al-
Aqsa Mosque, I feel the sad-
ness and the pain deeply in my
I believe that the Masjid Al-
Aqsa is the holy land of
Muslim Ummah. I love Masjid
For me, Al- heart. This is
Al-Aqsa because
Aqsa is a because Al-
holy mosque Aqsa Mosque it is the first
w h i c h is not a beau- Qiblah for the
belongs to tiful structure Muslim Ummah
every Muslim only but, it and the place
in this world. has also a from where the
So, it is our great mean- Prophet Moham-
responsibility ing to me. It
med s.a.w has ascended to
to defend it from the Zionists. means the
Those killers are killing soul, heart and land. Every heaven (Mi’raj). When I hear
Muslims, demolishing the day Al-Aqsa Mosque cries but or mention Al-Aqsa Mosque I
homes, uprooting the trees, nobody hears its crying. It’s feel too disappointed because
and destroying our sacred a shame on us to keep silent the blessing and holy place
places in Palestine while we while it’s under occupation. If which was built by Prophet
are still quiet. As Muslims we we are real Muslims we should Adam and has a great history
must defend Al-Aqsa mosque know that Al-Aqsa Mosque is
in Islam is today under the oc-
with whatever way we have. really the heart of every Mus-
We could contribute by giving lim. Defending Al-Aqsa Mosque cupation of Zionists who don’t
our ideas, material support, does not have one way only; allow our Muslim brothers and
or at least doing supplication it can be done through many sisters to pray freely in Al-Aqsa.
to Allah for our brothers over ways. Yes ... We don’t have In my opinion, we may defend
there in Palestine who are still advanc ed weapons to defend Al-Aqsa by being united, knowl-
steadfast and ready to die to it but we have the Do’wa which
edgeable, hard-working, and by
free Al-Aqsa. is much greater than any other
exposing the occupational ag-
weapon.
gressive behaviors to the world.
Mohd Shafiq - Malaysia Yousef Al-Juneidi -Palestine Zabihullah Zaland –Afghanistan.
1 year, HS-BENL
st 1 year, HS-Communication
st
1st year, HS-Political science.