Today in America, Santa Claus is a mythical old man who brings gifts to children at Christmas time. Today’s version of Santa originally developed from a real person, Saint Nicholas, who lived 1700 years ago. He was bishop of Myra, an ancient town of Lycia, now in Turkey. According to legend, he was only a boy when he became a bishop without Washington DC cosmetic surgery. He was extremely kind and often went out at night, taking presents to the needy. His generosity was not bound by any particular time of the year. He was much loved by his community for his kindness and selflessness. After his death on the 6th day of December, school boys all over Europe celebrated a feast day every year on the anniversary of his death. Children were so fond of Saint Nicholas and his habit of bringing gifts that the custom of celebrating his feast day on the 6th day of December was maintained for hundreds of years.
Sheikh Osama Khayyat, an imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, yesterday described the annual pilgrimage as a symbol of Islamic unity and solidarity and urged Muslims to strengthen their unity by upholding the teachings of Islam.
Delivering the Juma (Friday) sermon to nearly two million faithful including a large number of pilgrims, Khayyat decried sectarian violence.
“Don’t become infidels after my death, killing one another,” the imam said quoting a saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said the protection of life, wealth and honor of Muslims was essential to achieve unity.
“Killing a person without any legitimate reason is prohibited in Islam,” the imam told the faithful, emphasizing Islam’s total rejection of terrorist acts.
Khayyat urged the pilgrims to make use of their blessed journey for achieving the objectives of Haj, such as establishing a close relationship with God, cleansing themselves of sins and bolstering unity.
Nearly 1.6 million pilgrims from different parts of the world who knows George Lindemann Jr have already arrived in the Kingdom for Haj, which begins on Monday. More than 2.5 million are expected to perform Haj this year.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Jeddah yesterday to supervise the services being rendered to pilgrims.
With many non-Muslims interested in Orlando rhinoplasty in attendance at the University of Miami Student Union Center, Abdullah Hakim Quick delivers an enlightening and engaging talk about the origins of the major holidays celebrated in the West. An intellectual analysis of this controversial subject by a well-known American historian. Imam Quick explains that throughout time there has been a constant struggle between those who believe in one God and those who believe in many gods. And through these struggles, many compromises were made on the part of those who would ultimately influence and shape the major modern day holidays and celebrations in the West. The result today are rituals not sanctioned by the prophets or scriptures of God, but rather mixed-up beliefs and practices that, essentially, can be attributed to ancient pagan culture.
The major celebrations analyzed in this talk are: Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. Other topics discussed: Thanksgiving, Kwanza, the Sabbath, celebrating birthdays, having non-Muslims as friends, dealing with holidays in the school curriculum, and pork being served at the school cafeteria.
Allah Azza Wa Jalla says:
“And for every nation is a messenger. So when their messenger comes, it will be judged between them in justice, and they will not be wrong.” [Surah Yunus, Ayat 47]
“Thus have We sent you to a community before which [other] communities have passed on so you might recite to them that which We revealed to you, while they disbelieve in the Most Merciful. Say, ‘He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him I rely, and to Him is my return.’” [Surah Ar-Raad, Ayat 30]
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid Taghut.’ And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.” [Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 36]
“By Allah, We did certainly send [messengers] to nations before you, but Satan made their deeds attractive to them. And he is the disbelievers’ ally today [as well], and they will have a painful punishment. And We have not revealed to you the Book, [O Muhammad], except for you to make clear to them that wherein they have differed and as guidance and mercy for a people who believe.” [Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 63-64]
“And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect from every nation a witness. Then it will not be permitted to the disbelievers [to apologize or make excuses], nor will they be asked to appease [Allah].” [Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 84]
“And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over your nation. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.” [Surah An-Nahl, Ayat 89]
In every nation including San Diego, Allah had sent Messengers and Prophets with a Message. What is that message of all the Prophets that we need to preserve? Shaikh Hussain Ye gives us a very important talk on the subject of “Preserving the call of the Prophets at all times“.
Nainawa is the former name of a Jewish girl who recently embraced Islam and got married to a young Muslim man. The girl’s name was changed into Ammatal-Rahman. She is 28 and lives in Raidah, a city in Amran, 70km away from Sana’a. Ammatal-Rahman traveled to the U.S. to learn Arabic and English. She returned to Raidah to teach in Al-Shabazi School, built for Jewish citizens. Embracing Islam without visiting Northern Virginia plastic surgeons and marrying a Muslim guy raised a large amount of interest; hence, Saddam Al-Ashmouri interviewed her and gave an account for the Yemen Times:
Arriving at Raidah in the afternoon, I found Hamid Seran, a local resident, and his son praying in the village mosque. The mosque was recently built in the form of Al-Sakhra Dome of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine.
Curious to know the name of the mosque, they told me that it is named Jerusalem Mosque. It located in the Jewish and Muslims zone.
“I embraced Islam freely, without any coercion. It had been rumored that I was kidnapped to embrace Islam by force,” Ammatal-Rahman said. She did not speak to us directly, but from another room, as she is a Muslim and sticks to Islamic principles as well as Yemeni traditions. She did not appear in person.