VOICE OF GLOBAL UMMAH

Voice of the Global Ummah

Mehrun Yusuf Behavioral Health

Volume 14, Feb 10, 2008

St. Louis, Missouri

Editor: Hajji. Mohamed Ziauddin

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICIENT AND MERCIFUL

“Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people…” HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON.

“There are more Muslims in North America than Jews now”. DAN RATHERS, CBS NEWS.

“Five to six million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians and Mormons and they are numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country’s second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane.” JOHAN BLANK. US NEWS

AMERICAN UMMAH’S WHO’S WHO- Br. Yassir Fazaga

Yassir Fazaga is an inspiring, multi-lingual speaker sought-after from USA through Canada to the Middle and Far East. He was born in Eritrea in Northeast Africa and moved to the United States at the age of 15. He has a Bachelors Degree in Islamic Studies from Imam Saud University, Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in Virginia in addition to his Masters Degree in Psychotherapy from the California State University of Long Beach. At present, Shaikh Yassir is undertaking his Masters in Theology at Loyola Marymount University.

He serves as the Imam (Religious Leader) of the Orange County Islamic Foundation (OCIF) in Mission Viejo, California. He is involved as a therapist at FACES, where he helps families with different challenges in life which include: domestic violence issues, communication problems, marital matters, generational gap, difficult teens, some mental and personality disorders, divorce, grief, and single parenting among others.

Yassir Fazaga has taught the Arabic language and Islamic Sciences for the past eight years and has taught Islamic courses on Scriptural Exegesis and Islamic financial contracts for American Open University.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga has done numerous interviews about Islam on television news stations and radio stations around the globe. He speaks on Islam and related topics for conferences, churches, high schools, colleges and universities. He also participates on behalf of foundation in many outreach and interfaith events.

Shaikh Yassir Fazaga has this charismatic ability to instantly connect with audiences, through his lucid wit and profound wisdom, his timely humor and the warmth that his presence exudes.

UMMAH ALERT:

ASTROLOGY AND THE BELIEF IN STARS:

The other day the writer saw an online ad, stating: FREE ISLAMIC PALMISTRY. It went on to say…….Jenna, (Professional Astrologer, Psychic-Born, Tarot Card Reader, Numerologist) world-famous Palmist specialized in ISLAMIC PALMISTRY and ASTROLOGICAL ANALYSIS, offers Islamic Palmistry Report.

Jeeeee, one wonders about the above. Of course, as an individual, Jenna has the right to freely practice an unlicensed field in which she strongly believes. But as Muslims, we need to focus on ourselves in terms of what Allah and our loving Prophet Mohammed (SAW) had guided us in this matter.

Zaid ibn Khald al-Juhani reported: “The Messenger of Allah (SHT) led us in the morning prayer at al-Hudaybiyah after rain had fallen during the night. When he had finished, he turned around to face the people and said: “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LORD SAYS?”. They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said :”( Allah says): This morning one of my slaves became a believer in Me and one became a disbeliever. As for the one who said, “We have been given rain by the grace and mercy of Allah,” he is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the stars. But as for the one who said,” We have been given rain by such-and-such star,’ he is a disbeliever in Me and a BELIEVER IN THE STARS”.

Similarly, one who reads the horoscopes in newspapers and magazines and believes what they say about the influence of the stars and planets is a mushrik, while one who reads them for entertainment is a sinner, for it is not permitted that one entertain themselves by reading things that contain shirk, for through this, the Shaytaan will try to lead him or her to shirk.

Sheik Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid in his book: “Muharramaat Prohibitions taken too Lightly” stated: “Forture-tellers and their likes are kaafirs who disbelieve in Allah. They claim knowledge of the Unseen while no-one has knowledge of the Unseen except Allah. Many of these fortune-tellers take advantage of simple-minded people and take their money….. They use many methods, such as drawing lines in the sand, throwing sea-shells, reading palms, crystal balls, mirrors and so on. .They go to them to find out about the future, whether they will be successful in marriage or business, or to help them find something they have lost and so on. The ruling concerning the person who visits a fortune-teller is as follows: if he believes what he says, he is a kaafir who has left Islam, due to the hadeeth in which the Prophet (SAW) said: WHOEVER GOES TO A FORTUNE-TELLER OR A SOOTHSAYER AND BELIEVES IN WHAT HE SAYS HAS DISBELIEVED IN WHAT WAS REVEALED TO MUHAMMAD”. (Reported by Imam Ahmed, 2/249; see also Saheeh al-Jaami” 5939).

If a person does not believe that they have knowledge of the Unseen, but he visits them out of curiosity or anything else, he is NOT a kaafir, but his prayers will not be accepted for forty days, as the Prophet Mohamed (SAW) said: WHOEVER GOES TO A FORTUNE-TELLER AND ASKS HIM ABOUT SOMETHING, HIS PRAYERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR FORTY NIGHTS” (Saheed Muslim, 4/1751), even though it is still obligatory to pray and to repent for this sin”.

AN APPEAL AND A GOOD CAUSE TO HELP:

February 7, 2008

Brothers and Sisters

Assalaamalaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu

California Science Academy High School, the only high school in Orange County, California is in dire need for funds to continue to keep its doors open for the Muslim youth.

This is an open crying call for all conscientious Muslims to open their hearts and rush to assist this institution to stay open so that Muslim youth can have an option for a superior education that will enable them to compete in a healthy manner with the rest of their peers in this beautiful America.

California Science Academy is a nonprofit institution. All funds given by the donors are tax deductible and can be written off. For Muslims this is a Sadaqa Jarieh Insha’ALLAH. We encourage all members of our Islamic Society to donate so Muslim children can get the education that will qualify them to attend the best Universities and attain the best knowledge that will make them Eloquent, Argumentative, Politically tuned in, and above all excellent citizens.

Please, please help us so that we can help our Muslim children triumph and stay away from the evil of drugs that the public schools are painfully trying to combat. Our high school is drug and alcohol free and we pride ourselves in protecting our children from the temptation and agony of being exposed to the ills of such an open society.

Muslims, wealthy and poor, come together and help our best assets ----our children---give them the push that they need.

For more information about the school please call 714-962-0903

Thank you

Sisters Arwa and Afifa, parents, and PTO members

As usual, feel free to e-mail your comments: info@mehrunyusuficds.com.