16.06.08 - Mayyit of: Ahmed Essa - VENUE: North America - TIME: - QABRASTAAN: North America - CAUSE OF DEATH: Natural

16.06.08 - Mayyit of: Zubaida Casoojee - VENUE: 7 Sugar Bird Ave Bakerton Springs - TIME: 11:30 - QABRASTAAN: Rynsoord - CAUSE OF DEATH: Natural

Imam ash-Shafi'i said, "Knowledge is not what is memorised. Knowledge is what benefits."

Ka'b was among those who hastened to embrace Islam in Madinah. He was among the forty who gathered for salatul-Jumuah for the first time, before even the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, made Hijrah. He was also among the seventy-three men who travelled from Madinah to Makkah to pledge allegiance to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.

Ka'b was not only famous for his eloquence in poetry, but also he and his household were known for their knowledge, and their narration of hadeeth. He narrated eighty ahadeeth from the Prophet himself, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, as did his children and his wife Khayrah. He was considered among the most knowledgeable of his people. His son Abdurrahman was one of the Muftis in Madinah after the sahabah.

Ka'b participated in all the battles with the Prophet except two. The first was the battle of Badr. He was not alone in staying behind for many did not anticipate any fighting, because the original purpose of the expedition was to get back the goods that the pagan Makkans had confiscated from the Muslims. But his failure to join in the second battle, the battle of Tabuk, was another story. He says: ?some men from Banu Salamah reproached me for not bringing an excuse to the Prophet so that he would ask forgiveness for Me. 'Is there anyone who is experiencing the same thing as I?' I asked. 'Yes, two men who said the same as you did, and so they too are told to wait.' They mentioned two pious men who witnessed Badr, so I found consolation in that." The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, forbade any Muslim to talk to Ka'b and the two others. "As for the two men," said Ka'b, "they stayed in their houses, crying and supplicating, and as for me, being a young tough man, I would go for salah with the Muslims and roam the market streets, and nobody would talk to me. Allah had sent revelation concerning the three companions who missed the battle: "Allah had forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajireen, and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress, after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated, but He accepted their repentance.

This story reveals the deep faith of Ka'b who was truthful to his deen, and though he did stumble once, he did not sway from the straight path. He preferred to stay among the Muslims in spite of the harsh punishment, over the comforting life the Christian Ghassanids were offering him. (Alia Amer)

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The death toll from flooding in China has reached 169. The situation is feared to worsen as several of the country’s banks might burst.

Calm has returned to the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon after clashes between pro- and anti-government supporters. Violence erupted in the villages of Taalbaya and Saadnayel but ended on Tuesday morning after the army sent reinforcements.

Afghan and Nato forces are redeploying troops around the southern city of Kandahar in preparation for a possible large-scale battle with the Taliban. The soldiers have sealed off the Arghandab district just 30km north of Kandahar where the Taliban claims around 500 of its fighters are now in control of 10 villages.

Trevor Manuel’s future is uncertain. The minister’s future is under the spotlight from foreign investors and fund managers. Investors are concerned as to who will replace Manuel after next year’s general elections. Other issues concerning investment include the weakness of the rand.

Residents of Khutsong are threatening to make the area non-governable through the use of violence. The Merafong Demarcation Forum last week lost a Constitutional court bid to reincorporate Khutsong as part of Gauteng from the North West province.

A TASTE OF IMAAN
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Which way makes you taste real faith? Dhikr; Dhikr makes you taste the taste of Iman. Say Allah… and you may taste the taste of faith. Whoever feels darkness and depression in his heart may say Allah, Allah, Allah…, and then nothing can stop his heart. When you say Allah, Allah, Allah…, there is no darkness in your heart. But if it should continue, keep your tongue silent and make your heart say Allah; Allah; Allah* and you should hear the same Dhikr, which you are now saying, in your heart.

Now listen! Any time you may want to listen and keep your tongue silent, look at your heart and you may, you must, hear that Dhikr going on, never stopping. When you are listening, then darkness and depression are going away.

"Allah, Allah, Allah, truth (or reality)." This Dhikr was transmitted by the Holy Prophet (s) to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq when the two of them hid in the cave of Thaur near Makkah during their flight from Makkah to Madinah.

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