Burhanuddin, Sheikh (SUMATRA)
(10 Safar 111 H/June 20 th 1704 AD)
--------------------------------------
A great Aalim from Ulakan, Pariaman. His father, Pampak, is from the Koto ethnic group and his mother, Cakuik, is from the Guci ethnic group. Burhanuddin is a member of the Guci ethnic group since the kinship structure of the Minangkabau people is based upon the matrilineal lineage. His given name is Pono.

At the age of seven, Pono journeyed to Siantuk with his parents, which is an area near Lebuk Alung. They were given a plot of land from one of the local elders whose title is Datuk sati. Pono later ventured to Tapakis to study under prominent ulema, Yahyuddin, who is also known as Tuanku Madinah (deceased in 1403 Hijriah). Based on the advice of those ulema in Aceh whose name was Sheikh Abdur Rauf Singkel. He studied Islam from 1043H-1073H. Abdur Rauf changed Pono's name before Pono left Aceh into Burhanuddin meaning “religious proof”. This change took place under a religious ceremony attended by his fellow students, which was directly lead by Abdur Rauf.

Burhanuddin headed for Ulakan and built a surau (a religious communal building suitable for any devotion except Friday prayer) at the promontory of Medan . He succeeded in propagating Islam amongst the community of the central area of Sumatra. His strongest influence was amongst the hinterland community.

Burhanuddin adhered to the Shattariah Sufi school of thought. This is why his surau is Ulakan is renowned as the centre of the Shattariah Tarekat (path for mystics to follow). The Ulakan surau, which is located on the western shore of Sumatra (north of the town of Padang) still receives a special meaning amongst the West Sumatran people to this day.

A Quranic recital centre was established in Pamansiangan Luhak Agam. Ulemas (tuanku-tuanku) who came to this region furthered their knowledge of Islamic teachings in Ulakan. The most famous ones amongst them are Tuanku Koto who comes from Nagari Ampat Angkat Luhak Agam. His former residence has now become a development centre for the Islamic religion in and around Luhak Agam. His students are known to be faithful in propagating the Islamic religion. One of his outstanding students is Tuanku Imam Bonjol.

The influence of the Ulakan is quite substantial towards the development of the Islamic religion in Minangkabau. According to the ulemas traditional history, this small town was where Islamic propagation began during the 17 th century. The tradition of suraus as a centre for educating and cultivating religious knowledge began at this town and it is also here where the ancestry and the starting point of well-known suraus began. The western shore of Aceh was still under Dutch dominance – after Aceh's decline of power – where its people were still in a period of traditions when Burhanuddin built a surau there. Trading competition and hegemonic acts were implemented within the circles of newcomers and indigenous people. Political uncertainty also characterized this period. It was during this time that the western shore of Sumatra was enmeshed within a very strong and religious atmosphere. It was in this town that Burhanuddin developed Islam for 39 years every year up to this day.

US Dollar (USD) United States 6.55 ZA Rands
Pound sterling (GBP) United Kingdom 13.67 ZA Rands
Euro (EUR) European Union 9.50
India Rupees (INR) India 0.17
Gold: $803.45
Silver: R3.83g
Saudi Riyaal: R1.75
Mahr Fatimi R5866.98
Minimum Mahr R117.33
Zakaah Nisaab R2346.79
Krugerrand R5488.38

A former employee of the Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls is to appear in the Sebokeng magistrate's court today on indecent assault and other charges.

The United States and Britain are today expected to demand that Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, honour pledges to hold elections in the next two months. If he does not do this and step down as the army chief he will face a cut in Western support.

South Africa has expressed concern about Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's state of emergency proclamation on Saturday.

A 78-year-old KwaZulu Natal man has been arrested for shooting dead a Durban couple yesterday. The two were tenants residing in Ntintini Road Waterfall.

Five employees of a taxi transport company were shot dead at a warehouse in Woodstock, Cape Town this morning.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, says the bid to buy the Sunday Times Newspaper is purely a private transaction.

Health Loaf
Ingredients
3 cups nutty wheat
½ tsp salt
1 tsp bi carb of soda
1 cup bran
3 ½ tsp brown sugar
500g buttermilk
¼ cup raisins

Method
Mix all ingredients together
Pour into a greased 23cm loaf pan
Bake at 180 for 45 mins

MALES
Mu'ayyad - Supported
Nafees - refined/pure; choice/exquisite
Anas - A group of people - Sahabi

FEMALES
Ikram - Honour/hospitality/generosity
Ghaaliya - Fragrant
Mufidah/ Mufeeda - profitable/beneficial/useful

Life's an ocean,
With too much commotion,
Not enough emotion,
To satisfy me.

Hello it's me, it's me
Calling out I can see you
Hello it's me, crying out, crying out
Are you there?

Hello it's me, it's me
I want to touch you
It's me throwing stones from the stars
On your mixed up world

Been circling around for 20 years
And in that time I've seen all the fires and all the liars
I've been calling home for 20 years
You can do anything you want to

All you've got to do is try
I thought my best days had left me
My best years had left me behind
Then I felt them come back (to me)

And all the wild eyes
All the wild eyes know what I mean
If trees cut stars and eyes to heaven
I'll bend them back and bend them again

If my skin looks tired and old from living
I'll turn right back and live it again
You better pray when the music stops
And you're left alone in your mind
'Cause I'll be hearing music till the day I die

Then I heard it turn off
I swear I heard the screams
And all the wild eyes
All the wild eyes know what I mean
They're scared they've lost their dream
They press down on me
You know I thought I was there

One of the youngsters pointed to a picture and asked if it really was the photo of a wanted person.

"Yes," said the policeman, "the detectives want him very badly."

So Little Tommy asked, while tugging on the man's belt, "Um, mister, why didn't you keep them when you took their pictures?