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Praise and thank Allah the Majestic, dear brothers and sisters in Islam, for having extended our life to see the successive days and months, for before us now is the occasion of the Haj (Pilgrimage). So many pilgrims have already begun filling the sky with talbiyyah (declaration of answering the call to Haj) and takbeer (declaring Allah’s greatness). They come from the corners of the earth, both east and west, some having saved every penny they could for years struggling to save enough to fulfil this awesome obligation. Those of you who have all the means and opportunity, why are you delaying and what are you waiting for?! Have you not read or heard the words of Allah the Most High: And Haj to the House (Al-Ka’aba) is a duty mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses and whoever disbelieves, then Allah is not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn, and all that exists). [Ale-Imraan 97] Also His statement: And perform properly the Haj and the ‘Umrah for Allah. [Al-Baqarah 196] And finally: And proclaim to mankind the Haj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come form every deep and distant mountain highway. [Al-Haj 27]. Dear Muslims, Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: Islam is founded upon five pillars: The declaration that there is no true deity worthy of worship besides Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the performance of prayer (salaah), giving zakaat (due alms), fasting in the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage (Haj) to the inviolable House of Allah for whoever has the means. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Is a duty for every Muslim who is able to hurry to the fulfil the Haj before falling into sin. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, stated: Hasten to the Haj because none of you knows what will happen to him. [Ahmed]. It is narrated from Abdur-Rahman Ibn Saabit: Whoever dies without having performed the Haj and there was no debilitating illness as an obstacle nor unjust ruler or some overwhelming necessity preventing him, would die in the state of either a Jew or a Christian. [This statement is considered a da’eef (weak) hadith but it is supported by a similar statement by ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, radhiallah ‘anhu, and therefore known to have a sound origin according to Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani in Talkhees Al-Kabeer] It is narrated by Sa’eed ibn Mansour that Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, radhiallah ‘anhu, said: I have considered sending a man to the various cities to see whoever has the means but has not made the Haj to then impose the jizyah (a tax imposed upon non-Muslim subjects in an Islamic state). They are not Muslims. They are not Muslims. It is therefore a duty for you to fulfil this great obligation when it is easy at this time for you to do so. Don’t let the Shaitaan cause you to sit and be overtaken by procrastination and be distracted by some desire. Think of the generations and how they used to trek to the Haj for months to reach the Ancient House! The benefits of Haj are tremendous and its reward is glorious. It combines both physical and material forms of worship. The former due to the undergoing any hardship, exertion, fatigue, strain, harsh conditions and travel. The latter is due to the expenditure the pilgrim makes for and during the Haj. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: From ‘Umrah to ‘Umrah is an expiation for what occurs between the two (i.e. sins), and there is no reward for the accepted Haj other than Al-Jannah. Also he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, stated: Whoever makes Haj and neither quarrels or commits indecency will return home like the day his mother gave birth to him. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, strongly urged increasing one’s obedience and adherence between the Haj and the ‘Umrah for he said: Make the Haj and the Umrah follow each other closely, for they remove poverty and sins as a blacksmith’s bellows remove impurities from iron, gold and silver; and Haj which is accepted gets no less a reward than Paradise. [Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2524 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas’ud ; Umar ibn al-Khattaab. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad and Ibn Maajah transmitted it from Umar up to “from iron.”] He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also said in a hadith that enlivens the feelings and hurries you on: From ‘Umrah to ‘Umrah is expiation for all that occurs between them (of sins) and the accepted Haj has no reward other than Al-Jannah. [Muslim] Along with this great reward is the fact that the days of Haj are few. So don’t hesitate and undervalue this chance while the means to travel are much easier compared to past days and you live a life of relative plenty. Favors call for gratitude and life is for the purpose of worshipping Allah. Don’t delay further or procrastinate and receive the good tidings as one of the delegations of Ar-Rahmaan (the Most Merciful), Allah, who has called them and they have answered Him and He has given to them. Receive the glad tidings of a great day in which there will be many false steps and slips of the tongue forgiven for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: There is not a day when more slaves are freed from the Hellfire than on the Day of Arafah. [Muslim] Be happy and find comfort and prepare for the meeting with Allah the Glorified and Majestic, and benefit from your time by doing that which will benefit you in the next life and it will then be cause for joy at the time when no amount of wealth nor progeny will avail you. The Day when the records will be made to fly and hearts will be trembling and transformed and you will see people as though they are drunken however they will not be ... rather it will be the intense punishment from Allah. Dear brothers and sisters, work for this world to the extent needed to live in it, but work also for the Hereafter in order to live in it. Don’t put things off when death is indeed before you and sickness stops you or you become engulfed in work. Instead, escape from all that and seek Allah’s aid and depend upon Him and be among those who are answering the call to Haj and remembering Allah’s greatness this year. If Allah has already opened your breast and you have decided to perform the Haj for His sake and the reward of the Hereafter, I remind you of the following matters: 1. Ask Allah For Guidance And Advice (Al-Istikhaarah and Al-Istishaara): The one who seeks guidance will not fail, nor will the one who seeks advice regret it. Seek the guidance of Allah regarding the appropriate time, transportation and companions for your journey. The Istikhaarah prayer is to perform two units (rak’atain) of prayer and afterwards supplicate to Allah saying the supplication of Al-Istikhaarah which is as follows: O Allah, I consult You as You are All-Knowing and I appeal to You to give me power as You are Omnipotent, I ask You for Your great favour, for You have power and I do not, and You know all of the hidden matters . O Allah ! If you know that this matter (then he should mention it) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and for my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: ‘for my present and future life,’) then make it (easy) for me. And if you know that this matter is not good for me in my religion, my livelihood and my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: ‘for my present and future life,’) then keep it away from me and take me away from it and choose what is good for me wherever it is and please me with it.” [Al-Bukhari]2. Purify Your Intention To Perform The Haj For Allah Alone: It is incumbent upon the person undertaking the Haj to intend their Haj and ‘Umrah for the sake of pleasing Allah alone and attaining the reward of the Hereafter. This, so that all one’s actions and speech and expenditure is a means to get closer to Allah. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: Verily deeds are judged and motivated by intention and verily every person shall get what they intended. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]3. Learn The Rites of Haj And ‘Umrah And Related Issues: Learn the conditions of Haj and its obligations, its pillars and Sunnah or supererogatory aspects to the point that you can worship Allah with insight clarity and knowledge and you will also avoid errors which may spoil your Haj. Books on Haj are plentiful and easy to obtain. Your local mosque may have preparatory classes as well.4. Leave Plenty of Provisions For Your Family And Advise Them To Have Fear Of Allah (Taqwaa): It is obligatory for whoever intends to make Haj that they leave adequate provisions for those whose maintenance they are responsible for of money, food, and drink. One should be confident that their family is safe and sound and not left in a situation of trial or danger. It is highly recommended (and many scholars say obligatory) to have one’s will prepared before travelling.5. Sincere Repentance to Allah for All Sins And Disobedience: Allah, Who is free of all imperfections, states: And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. [An-Noor 31] True repentance (At-Taubah) is when one renounces all his or her sins and disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and discontinues doing them and feel truly remorseful for those past ill deeds and is determined not to return to them. If someone else’s rights have been violated they must be given back their rightful possessions or made amends with no matter what the violation may have been.6. Use Only Lawful (halaal) Funds: Funds that were lawfully earned so that nothing sinful may touch your Haj. It may be that you Haj is accepted but tainted with some sin from some other way. It is stated in a hadith of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, where he said: As soon as a pilgrim sets out for Haj with a provision which is lawful, and puts his foot in the stirrup (rides his mount) and calls out: ‘O, Allah! Here I am in response to Your call,’ an announcer answers him from the heavens above, saying: ‘Your call has been heard; you are a happy one; your provisions are lawful, your mount is lawful and your pilgrimage is free of sin and acceptable.’ But, if his provisions are unlawfully gained, and he puts his foot in the stirrup and calls out: ‘O Allah! Here I am in response to Your call,’ an announcer from the heavens above answers him back, saying: ‘Your call is not accepted; nor are you welcome; your food is unlawful; your provisions are unlawful; and your pilgrimage is not free of sin and is unacceptable.”’ Al-Mundhri says: “This is reported by At-Tabarani in Al-Awsat, and also by Al-Asbahani in a mursal hadith from Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab.” It is said in a poem: When you make Haj with wealth whose origin is unlawful You have not made a Haj but a Haj of no consequence Allah accepts not except all that is virtuous. Not all who make the Haj to the House of Allah are successful 7. Choose Righteous Companions: They will be good for you during travel for they will remind you of what you may have forgotten and inform you of what you may not know and look out for you and show you brotherly love. They will consider all of that as an act of worship gaining them nearness to Allah the Mighty and Majestic.8. Adhere To The Etiquette Of Travel: Make those supplications that are well known, such as the supplication of travel and the takbeer when ascending to a high point and the tasbeeh (Subhaanallah – glorification of Allah as free of all perfection) when descending in a valley, along with supplications when stopping at places along the road etc.9. Mentally Prepare For The Haj: Just as important as preparing physically you should prepare to make psychological adjustments to deal with the hardships, toils and inconvenience of traveling and Haj and consider all of it as good to be added to your scale of deeds. There are those who just complain and mumble about the heat, the food, the long trip... Haj is not a vacation or recreational activity! Know that the highest type of patience, and the type that is most greatly rewarded, is patience in the obedience of Allah. Even with all the transportation and road facilities, some hardship and toil will remain. Don’t nullify your deeds dear pilgrim by mentioning all you have done or irritations and petty annoyances and driving away other Muslims by your hand or your tongue. You must apply kindness and compassion. 10. Lower The Gaze From What Allah Has Made Haraam To Look At: Be conscious and fear Allah regarding those things which are unlawful. You will be in holy places of tremendous religious significance, so hold your tongue and control your limbs so that your Haj is not a sinful or false one that will be a burden upon your back on the Day of Resurrection. May Allah accept our obedience and adherence and excuse us of our shortcomings and make for us and our Muslim parents those through whom forgiveness is granted from among the pilgrims answering the call this year and in the years to come.

The foremost and fundamental institution of human society is the family unit. A family is established by the coming together of a man and a woman, and their contact brings into existence a new generation. It then produces ties of kinship and community, which gradually develop into a large society. The family is the institution through which a generation prepares the succeeding generation for the service of human civilisation and for the discharge of its social obligations with devotion, sincerity and enthusiasm. This institution does not merely recruit cadets for the maintenance and development of human culture but its guardians. They earnestly desire that those who have to replace them in the future should be better than themselves. In this respect the family can be truly called the fountain-head of progress, development, prosperity and strength of human civilization on Earth.Hence, besides the social problems, Islam devotes much attention to those relating to the family and strives to establish this important social unit on the healthiest and strongest foundations. According to Islam, the correct form of relationship between a man and woman is marriage, that is, the one in which full social responsibilities are undertaken by them and which results in the emergence of a family. Irresponsible behaviour are not condoned by Islam as innocent past times or ordinary transgressions. Rather, they are acts that strike at the very roots of human society.Hence, Islam aims at purifying and purging the society of all activities that encourage such irresponsible action or provide opportunities for them. Regulations of Hijaab (an outfit women must adhere to in Islam), ban on free mixing of men and women, restrictions on music and films and discouragement of the spread and propagation of obscenities and aberrations, are all intended to guard against this. Their sole object is to protect and strengthen the institution of the family. Islam does not merely regard the desirable form of social contact as just permissible but holds and affirms it as a good and virtuous act. Indeed, it is seen as an act of worship. It does not simply look upon celibacy of an adult person with disfavor, but calls upon every young man and woman to take, in his turn, the social responsibilities of married life just as his or her parents did in their time. Islam also strongly disapproves those rites, ceremonies or restrictions that make marriage a difficult and tedious affair. The intention of Islam is that marriage may become easy and fornication (and adultery) the most difficult thing in society, and not vice versa as it is in most of the societies today.Hence, besides debarring a few specified relatives from entering into matrimony with one another, it has legalised marital relations with all other near and distant kith and kin. It has removed all distinctions of caste and community and permitted matrimony of any Muslim with any other Muslim, although being equivalent in status is a matter that is recognised when considering marriage. It has enjoined that the amount of Mahr (dower) should be fixed at a low and easy figure, the burden of which can be easily borne by the husband and has dispensed with the necessity of clerics and offices of compulsory registration. In an Islamic society, marriage is such a plain and simple ceremony as can be performed anywhere before two witnesses, and a Wali (woman’s guardian or one whom he authorises), though it is essential that the proceedings should know that the couple is now going to live a matrimonial life. Within the family itself, Islam has assigned to the man a position of authority so that he may maintain order and discipline as the chief of the household. Islam expects the wife to obey and look after the comforts and well-being of her husband and expects the children to behave accordingly with their parents. Islam does not favor a loose and disjointed family system, which is devoid of any authority, control and discipline and in which someone is not pointedly responsible for the proper conduct and behaviour of its members. Discipline can only be maintained through a central authority and in the view of Islam the position of father in the family is such that it makes him the fittest person to take over this responsibility. But this does not mean that the man has been made a tyrant and an oppressor in the household and the woman has been handed over to him as a helpless chattel. According to Islam, the real spirit of marital life is love, understanding and mutual respect. If the woman has been asked to obey the husband, the latter has been called upon to exercise his privileges towards the welfare of the family and treat his wife with love, affection and sweetness. Islam makes the marital bond strong but not unbreakable. It aims at keeping the bond intact only so long as it is founded on sweetness of love or for as long as at least the possibility of lasting companionship exists. When this possibility of lasting companionship exists. When this possibility dies out, it gives the man the right of divorce and the woman the right of separation. Under certain conditions, when married life has become a source of misery and nuisance, it also gives the Islamic courts of justice the authority to annul the marriage. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/The pillars of Islamic marriage contractMarriage in Islam is based on a contract between a man and woman intending to be unified in marriage. Thus, as in any contract in Islam, there are elements which are considered essential to its existence, called “pillars”, as well as the possibility of stipulations of different kinds, legal effects of the contract, etc. Each of these must be understood correctly in order to ensure that the marriage has been performed according to the legal conditions and that the rightful effects of the marriage are guaranteed to each of the contracting parties. The pillars of a marriage contract according to the majority of scholars 1. Offer and acceptance are among the pillars. For most scholars, the offer must be from the woman’s side and the acceptance from the man. 2. The two parties to the contract: the prospective husband and the guardian of the woman. Some also count the following among the pillars, although the majority of these scholars count them among the prerequisites: * The presence of witnesses. * Dowry.The wording of the contract There are a variety of opinions as to exactly which phrases are valid in the transaction of the marriage contract. However, the best format is that actually used by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his companions . Also, it is recommended that the contract be executed verbally. However, due to need or necessity, it may be done through writing or signing.Among the different possible phraseology, the very clear terms such as: “I marry you” is accepted by all scholars. Anything which indicates a temporary nature of the contract is forbidden. There is some difference of opinion concerning the validity of other phrases such as: “I present to you”, “I give to you”, “I sell to you”, etc. Does it have to be in Arabic? According to the majority of scholars, it is not necessary for the marriage contract to be executed in Arabic, even for those who have the ability to speak Arabic. The scholars of the Hanbali school, who required the use of forms of the words Nikaah or Zawaaj (marriage), required that the contract be transacted in Arabic for this reason.The different types of conditions or prerequisitesAt this point, we need to learn the definition of some general terms in Islamic Fiqh (Jurisprudence), related to this issue, which come up in many subject areas, including the one at hand. Saheeh (Sound): A contract which fulfils all of the pillars and the prerequisites, and has full effect in the law. Baatil (Void): A contract that has failed to fulfil specific pillars or vital prerequisites. A contract which is Baatil is the opposite of one which is Saheeh and has no legal effect at all. If a marriage contract is found to be void, even if it is only discovered after consummation, the legal condition will be as if it never happened at all. The lineage of the father (of a child produced in such a ‘marriage’) will not be established and there is no waiting period (‘Iddah) upon the woman. An example of this would be if a man married a woman who was married to someone else at the time.Faasid (Defective): This is a contract which fails to fulfil some of the prerequisites, but not the pillars. With respect to marriage, there are four different kinds of conditions which must be met: 1. Conditions Required for Initiating the ContractThese are the conditions that must be present with respect to the pillars or fundamentals of the marriage contract.2. Conditions Required for the Soundness of the ContractThese are conditions which must be fulfilled in order for the marriage to have its proper legal effect. If these conditions are not met, the contract is ‘Defective’ (Faasid), according to Hanafi Fiqh, and ‘Void’ (Baatil) according to the others. 3. Conditions Required for the Execution of the Contract These are conditions which must be met for the marriage to have actual practical effect. If these conditions are not met, then the marriage is ‘Suspended’ (Mawqoof) according to Hanafi and Maaliki Fiqh; for example, a minor girl until she reaches puberty.4. Conditions Required for Making the Marriage Binding If these conditions are not met, then the marriage is non-binding, meaning that either of the two parties or others may have the right to annul the marriage. If they accept the marriage with such shortcomings, it becomes binding.Prerequisites required for initiating the contract In this category, there are conditions concerning the two who are getting married, as well as the form in which the contract takes place. Concerning the two getting married: The two people must meet the qualification of legal competence, i.e., they must be adult and sane. If they are not, the marriage will be invalid. Secondly, the woman cannot be from those categories of women that are forbidden for a man to marry. For example, suppose a man married a woman and later discovered that they had been breastfed by the same woman. In this case, it is as if the marriage never took place because these two were not allowed to marry each other and the marriage becomes null and void. Concerning the contract:There is near unanimous agreement on the following conditions relating to the transaction of the marriage contract: 1. The offer and acceptance must be done in one sitting. In general, this means that the response must be immediate. Exactly what is considered a ‘sitting’ depends on custom and other related factors.2. The acceptance must correspond to what is being offered. If the guardian says: “I marry you to Khadeejah”, a response of: “I accept Faatimah as my wife” would not constitute a valid contract. An exception to this is if the Wali (guardian) mentions a specific dowry amount and the groom responds with a higher amount. It is regarded that there is no reason for dispute here since it is assumed that a higher dowry will be acceptable. 3. The Wali cannot rescind the offer. Unlike transactions of selling, neither party can say: “I have changed my mind” once they have uttered the offer/acceptance. It is immediately binding. In a sale, they both continue to have the option to change their mind until the ‘sitting’ is over and they part. 4. The marriage must be effective immediately. If the Wali says ‘I will marry her to you after one month’, there is no marriage and the two remain unmarried. Note that the custom of saying: ‘I accept’ three times, which is common in some Muslim cultures, has no legal significance. Once the first ‘I accept’ has been uttered, everything after that is meaningless - whether positive or negative. Adding stipulations to the marriage contractThis is where one party states a stipulation binding on the other party for specific reasons or goals. The offer/acceptance is tied to this stipulation by mention. There is a difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the validity of conditions of this nature.Conditions of contracts are two types: 1) Those imposed directly by the Shari’ah (Islamic Legislation) and2) Those drawn up by one or more of the parties. When any contract is entered into, the first type of conditions are covered automatically, even if they are not stated in the contract.Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

There is clearly a strong relationship between the soundness or corruption of a person’s heart and his food and earnings. A person’s heart becomes corrupt when he earns what is prohibited and dares to eat of it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), said in this regard: “Indeed, what is lawful is evident, and what is unlawful is evident, and between the two are matters which are doubtful and unknown to many people.” Then he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, followed this with: “Beware! In the body there is [a piece of] flesh which, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Behold, this [piece of flesh] is the heart.” [Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim]The heart is like a king and the limbs are its subjects. They are good when the king is good and corrupt when the king is corrupt.Al-Munawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, spoke about the heart after illustrating what was lawful and unlawful to indicate that consuming what is lawful lightens and reforms the heart, while doubtful things harden it.A warning against eating the unlawfulThe Islamic Shari‘ah (religious law) forbids its followers from consuming what is unlawful, whether it is other people’s money or rights, or foods that Allah, the Almighty has declared prohibited. Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {And do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]} [Qur’an 2:188]Commenting on this verse, ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: “This is regarding a person who is indebted with something, but there is no evidence to prove that he is. When the creditor claims his right, this person refrains from repaying it, and sues the claimer although he knows that it is not his right and that he is sinful - and thus he consumes what is unlawful.”Qatadah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “O son of Adam, know that the judgment of a judge does not permit you what is unlawful. A judge passes a verdict according to his observation and the testimonies of witnesses, and he is a human and thus liable to make mistakes. Know that anyone who has been favoured with an invalid verdict will never have his case finished. Allah, the Almighty, will judge between him and the other party on the Day of Resurrection, giving the latter a verdict far better than the former had in this worldly life.”Unjustly devouring the orphans’ propertyThere are various forms of consuming what is unlawful, the worst evil of which is devouring orphans’ property unjustly. This is strictly prohibited in the Qur’an; Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {And test the orphans [in their abilities] until they reach marriageable age. Then if you perceive in them sound judgment, release their property to them. And do not consume it excessively and quickly, [anticipating] that they will grow up. And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable. Then when you release their property to them, bring witnesses upon them. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant.} [Qur’an 4:6]In his commentary on this verse, Shaykh As-Sa‘di, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “The verse prohibits consuming the property of orphans while they are young, when they can neither take it from one nor prevent him from consuming it. One can devour it while they are still young, before they are grown and can take it or prevent him from consuming it. Many guardians who do not fear Allah and have no mercy upon or love for the children in their custody do this. They find the opportunity, which they seize, and thereby hasten to commit what Allah, the Almighty has prohibited. Therefore, Allah, the Almighty forbids this act specifically.”Moreoever, this verse is followed by severe warning to those who devour the property of orphans unjustly. Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze} [Qur’an 4:10]The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the most concerned with the well-being of his Ummah (nation) and with warding off evil from it. Therefore, he warned Muslims against consuming the unlawful, including the property of orphans. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Avoid the seven destructive sins.” One of which is: “Devouring the property of orphans.” [Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim]Consuming Riba [interest/usury]Another form of prohibition which many people consider trivial and dare to indulge in is the consumption of Riba. Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Riba} [Qur’an 2:275]In forbidding the consumption of Riba and warning against its consequences, Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of Riba, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your capital - [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.} [Qur’an 2:278-279]Who could bear a war against Allah the Almighty?Additionally, Allah, the Almighty explains in the Qur’an that Riba is ultimately going to be destroyed. Allah, the Almighty Says (what means): {Allah destroys Riba and gives increase for charity} [Qur’an 2:276]Moreover, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, counted the consumption of Riba as one of the seven deadly sins.There are many other forms of consuming what is unlawful, including: theft, bribery, gambling, usurpation, fraud and deception, taking booty before it is distributed, and excessive overcharging or undercharging when selling or buying. We are not going to discuss in detail each of these, however our intention is to warn generally against consuming what is unlawful.Supplications and the consumption of the unlawfulA person’s means of living, whether lawful or unlawful, has a direct impact on whether his supplications are answered. If a person investigates his sources of income for the sake of eating what is lawful, his supplication will be closer to being accepted and more likely to be answered. If the person dares to eat what is unlawful, he thereby causes his supplication not to be answered by Allah, the Almighty.In this regard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Indeed, Allah is Good and He therefore accepts only what is good. Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the messengers by Saying (what means):• “O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing.” [Qur’an 23:51]• “O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.” [Qur’an 2:172]He then made mention of: “a person who travels widely, his hair dishevelled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky [and thus makes supplication saying]: “O Lord! O Lord!” But his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are [of] unlawful [means] and his nourishment is unlawful. How could his supplication, then, be accepted?” [Imam Muslim]Imam Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Eating from what is lawful is a cause for supplication and other acts of worship to be accepted, and eating from what is unlawful prevents the acceptance of supplication and other acts of worship.”Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Eating, drinking, or wearing what is unlawful prevents supplication and other acts of worship from being accepted.”Consuming what is unlawful does indeed prevent supplication and other acts of worship from being accepted. Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said: “Allah, the Almighty does not accept the prayers of a person whose belly contains something unlawful.”Ibn Rajab said: “If [one’s] nourishment is unlawful, how can [his] deeds be acceptable?”Wahb Ibn Al-Ward, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Even if you worship Allah endlessly, nothing will help you until you scrutinise whether what is in your belly is lawful or not.”In sum, a Muslim should be sure that this worldly life is not his end, and that he will be reckoned in the Hereafter for any unlawful thing he earns. In the Hereafter, accounts will not consist of money; rather they will consist of good and evil deeds.Therefore, everyone should fear Allah, and seek lawful sources for your living expenses and savings, and make sure that your consumption is not unlawful as mentioned in the Qur’an; {And do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly...} [Qur’an 2:188] May Allah, the Almighty guide all of us to do so, and keep all Muslims and us away from everything evil and unlawful.Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/Seeking lawful earningsO People, fear Allah as regards to yourselves and to your families. Fear him concerning your deeds and to your wealth. Fear him with regards to what you eat and to what you save.Allah says the meaning of which translates as: “O Mankind eat from whatever is on earth that is lawful and good, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan indeed he is to you a clear enemy” (Al-Baqarah: 168).Earning provisions and seeking sustenance, is something that is commanded to be done by Islamic law – Shari’ah. It is something that is dictated by nature.Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, has made the day for seeking livelihood and commanded people to walk among the slopes of the earth and eat of His provisions. He says which translates as: “He has known that there will be among you those who are ill, and others travelling through the land seeking the bounties of Allah and other fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it, meaning the Qur’an” (Al-Muzzammil: 20). The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said in the book of Imam al-Bukhari: “Never has anyone eaten a better food than what he has procured through his manual work”.Dawood, ‘alaihi sallam, the messenger of Allah, ate only from the earnings from his manual work. Some of the Salaf said: “Some of the sins are not expiated but through seeking lawful provisions”.From the narrations reported about Isa, ‘alaihi sallam, that he saw a man and said: “What do you do?” He said: “I am worshipping.” He said: “Who is providing for you?” He said: “My brother.” He said: “Where is your brother?” He said: “In the field.” He said: “Your brother is more of a worshipper to Allah than you”.In Islam, worship is not only by standing on you feet – meaning standing the for prayer, while someone else goes to seek your provisions. Rather you go seek the lawful earning and also worship.Being independent of people by earning lawful provisions is a great honour and strength, so much so that the Khalifa Umar Ibnul Khatab, radhiallahu ‘anhu, said: “I would not prefer to die in a position better than a position where I am buying for my family or trading.”From the words of wisdom from Luqman, he said to his son: “O Son avoid poverty by lawful earnings. For no-one becomes poor but will adopt three characteristics1. Softness in his religion.2. Weakness in his mind.3. His manhood and sense of honour will be lost.”Lawful earnings and sound wealth safeguard the religion, protect one’s honour, beautify one’s face, and result in a strong position.It is obvious from all this that seeking lawful provisions is desirable. For Allah is Tayyib, which implies goodness and kindness. He does not accept but what is good and lawful. Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the messengers, when He says which translates as: “O Messengers eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed I am knowing of what you do” (Al-Mu’minun: 51). Allah also says which translates as: “O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah if it is indeed him that you worship” (Al-Baqarah: 172).The greatest fruits of faith is the goodness of the heart, honesty, purity of the hand, and the soundness of the tongue. Good words are for good men and good men are objects of good words.The most eminent objective of the messenger Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, is to make good lawful and to make evil prohibited, and on the Day of Resurrection the good consequences will be for good people.Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, says which translates as: “The ones whom the angels take in death being good and pure, the angels will say: “ Peace be upon you, enter paradise for what you use to do” (An-Nahl: 32).In the book of Imam Tirmidhi, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever eats from good, and acts according to Sunnah and people felt safe from his evil, will enter paradise”.Also in the book of Imam Ahmad, Abdullah Ibnu Amri, radhiallahu ‘anhuma, said that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If you have four things, then do not be concerned about what you miss out in this life: Preserving the trust, saying the truth, good manners, and chastity and purity in what you eat.”Seeking lawful provisions and searching for it, is an obligation and a must. No slave’s feet will be moved on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about his wealth. How he earned it? How he spent it? It is incumbent upon every Muslim male and female to look and search for lawful provisions and chaste and pure work, to eat of the lawful and spend on the lawful.A good example is Abubakr, radhiallahu ‘anhu, who had a slave who brought him some food, which he ate. After which the slave asked him if he knew from where he had got the food. Abubakr asked: from where did you get it? He replied: “I acted as a soothsayer for a man in the pre-Islamic period, and not being good at it I deceived him. Today he met me and rewarded me for that soothsaying. From this you have eaten. Therefore, Abubakr, radhiallahu anhu, put his hand in his mouth and vomited all that he ate. In another narration he said: “If it would not have come out except with my soul, meaning except with my death, I would have still forced it out. O Allah I ask you to excuse me for what my veins have carried from this and what has mixed in my stomach.” (Bukhari).Umar, radhiallahu ‘anhu, drank some milk, which he liked. He asked the one who gave him the milk: “Where did you get this?” He said: “ I passed by the camels of Zakaah while they was drinking water so I took from its milk.” Umar put his hand in his mouth and vomited it up.”A righteous woman advising her husband: “O husband fear Allah, and the provisions you bring us, for we can persevere through hunger but we cannot stand and persevere through the punishment of hell fire.”These are the righteous ones. They bring out whatever is unlawful or questionable out of their stomachs, though it was something they had taken unknowingly from food or drink.However, generations came after them, earning unlawful provisions, filling their stomachs and the stomachs of their families with it. O Muslims, do you know of the man whom the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, mentioned in a Hadith found in Sahih Al-Bukhari: “He travels for long periods, his hair tousled, his feet dusty, raising his hands in supplications to the heavens saying, My Lord, My Lord, but he eats from unlawful earnings, he dresses from unlawful earnings, and he lives by unlawful earnings. His supplications will never be answered.”This man has symptoms of humility, and poverty and his situation invokes pity, compassion, and the desire to help him in his need. He has lost his way, his journey is long, and he feels like a stranger, he has lost everything. He has lost connection with his Lord and has deprived himself of the support of his Lord. So his du’as (supplications) are not accepted. He ate from the unlawful, dressed from the unlawful and his lived on unlawful earnings, so his ‘hands’ (meaning his du’a [supplication]), were rejected.Some of the Salaf said: “If you stand up in worship like a pole, meaning for a long time without giving up. It will not benefit you, until you watch for what goes in your stomach.”What is amazing, O brothers, is the acts of some people who avoid lawful provisions in fear of getting sick, but they do not have enough fear of Allah to avoid unlawful earning.Eating from unlawful means blinds the insight, weakens the religion, hardens the heart, darkens the mind, prevents the body from worship, entraps one in this life and prevents one’s du’a (supplication) from being accepted. Allah does not accept, except from the righteous. Unlawful earnings and provisions have bad effects on the individual and the community. It removes blessings and causes the spread of diseases, disasters, financial crisis, unemployment, oppression, and disputes.O Muslims, Woe to the ones who eat from unlawful provisions, raise their children and family by means of unlawful earnings. Their example is like the example of one who is drinking out of the seawater. The more they drink the thirstier they become. They drink as the drinking of a thirsty camel. They are not content with little provisions, nor do a lot of provisions satisfy them. They enjoy unlawful provisions and they use twisted means – usury, gambling, stealing forcefully taking, and they give insufficient measures and weights. They conceal deficiency in items. They use magic, fortune-telling, they usurp the property of orphans and minors, they lie when they swear, they deceive, they plan, they forge, they betray, – all twisted – dark ways.In the Hadith found in the books of Imam Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa’i, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “A time will come on people, when a man will not worry where his earning come from, lawful or unlawful,” and in another narration he added: “Such is one whose du’as (supplications) and are not accepted”.O workers and officers, businessmen, consultants, brokers, Muslim men and Muslim women, it is a duty upon you to seek what is lawful and stay away for the doubtful. Preserve the rights of people. Finish your jobs completely. Fulfil your pledges and your contracts. Refrain from cheating, and lying and delaying and fear Allah.Lawful provisions are satisfying, bring ease, enlighten the heart, energise the limbs and the body, rectify and reform the situation of the person, make the body healthy, and Allah accepts the du’as (supplications) of such a person. Muslim brothers, the best way to refrain from unlawful and illegal things is to stay away from doubtful things, and to persevere through devout, pious ways and means, when hesitant.In the Hadith found in the books of Al Imam Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Baiyhaqi and others, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The servant will not be among the pious until he gives up things that are objectionable for things that are not objectionable and harmful”.In Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “So he who guards against doubtful things, keeps his religion and his honour blameless, but he who falls into doubtful things, falls into that which is unlawful.” Narrated by An-Nu’aman Ibnu Bashir.

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani honoured yesterday evening luminaries of Qatari theatre during the Doha Theatre Festival at the Katara Drama Theatre. Also honoured were some artistes from civil groups participating in the festival as well as Gulf and Arab theatre stars. Those honoured included Mohamed Abu Jasoum, Ghazi Hussein, Hamad Abdelridha, Dr Hassan Rashid, Saad Bakhit, Rashid al-Shaib, Ali al-Khalaf, Youssef Sultan, Saadi al-Shammari, Khalil al-Rumaithi, Hassan Rajab, Sulaf Jalil, Mohamed al-Hamli, Ibrahim al-Zadjali, Khaled al-Muzaffar, Abdulaziz Safar, Youssef al-Jarrah and Khaled Abdul Karim al-Hammadi. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

Qatar Foundation (QF) Vice-Chairperson and Chief Executive HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani participated in the first session of the Qatari Inspirational Women initiative yesterday, in the presence of HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi.During the session hosted by Ramla Bint Abi Sufyan Secondary School for Girls, with the participation of 42 students, including those from neighbouring schools, HE Sheikha Hind shed light on the challenges she could turn into opportunities that enabled her to become a successful and influential figure in society by presiding over the QF, the leading educational institution Qatar Foundation. She also shared her inspiring educational and professional experience with the female students.HE Sheikha Hind reviewed the most important principles and values that she believed in order to overcome obstacles as well as the most prominent lessons learned to enrich her professional path. She noted that self-confidence is the most important characteristic that any person who desires to succeed must have, along with the importance of maintaining modesty, avoiding indifference, and knowing that a person, no matter how much knowledge he/she acquires, will still need to learn more.In the dialogue session, which was attended by a number of parents, university students, teachers, government school employees and officials of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), HE Sheikha Hind answered questions from the students and the audience about the reason for choosing the field of education as a job and profession.She recalled that she got support from His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in encouraging her to engage in the educational field owing to inclinations and passion that they perceived in her for societal and educational issues and for the great impact of education on building civilisations and people.HE Sheikha Hind stressed that every student is considered gifted and that good education is what supports each student in the journey of building his/her personality, discovering his/her talent and enhancing it through the opportunities, programmes and activities that the MoEHE provides to its students.HE Buthaina bint Ali al-Jabr al-Nuaimi reiterated during the dialogue session, the important role played by the family in the journey of children’s learning and success, noting that attention and moral support can make a difference in the success and excellence of the children.Ramla Bint Abi Sufyan Secondary School principal Maryam Khalaf al-Kaabi said the selection of HE Sheikha Hind as an inspiring figure is aimed at benefiting from her experience and success story and to be a source of inspiration for students based on belief in the importance of education in building personality and its impact on the progress of societies.She added that the “Qatari Inspirational Women” initiative reflects the MoEHE’s keenness on contributing to achieving Qatar National Vision 2030 through such constructive initiatives.

A musical treat is in store as Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, the famous Filipino singer and actress, is set to enthral audiences in Doha next month.Commonly known as “Asia’s songbird”, she will perform at the Al Gharafa Sports Club indoor hall on June 30, according to event organisers Royal Sports and Events.Ogie Alcasid, singer-songwriter and Regine’s husband, will also be present at the concert along with Allan Quilantang (Allan K), comedian and one of the co-hosts of the noontime variety show, Eat Bulaga!Doors will open at 2pm, while the concert will begin at 7pm.Tickets for “The Song Bird, Live in Doha” concert are now available in all categories: VVIP (with meet and greet) – QR1,500, VIP – QR1,000, Platinum – QR500, Gold – QR300, and general admission – QR150.Those interested should call +974 7444 9637 or check the social media pages of Royal Sports and Events for updates, including online booking details.Regine is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and belting technique.She rose to prominence after winning the television talent show Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984 and the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in 1989.Having sold more than 7mn records domestically and 1.5mn in Asia, Regine is the best-selling Filipino music artiste of all time, according to information available online.She has also won multiple awards and has consistently been credited with inspiring a generation of Filipino singers.

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani has honoured the winners of the 4th University Poet competition, held on May 11-20.The competition was organised by the Ministry of Culture, represented by the Qatar Poetry Centre (Diwan Al Arab) in collaboration with Qatar University along with civil and military universities and colleges.The ceremony was held at Qatar University in the presence of university officials, academics, and students.In the category of eloquent poetry, Mohamed Aflaj from Mauritania won the first place, then Hamad Salem al-Rashdi from Qatar (at second place), and Adel Mohamed Abdel Hameed from Pakistan in third place, all from Qatar University.In the Nabati poetry category, Saeed Ali al-Afeer from the Ahmed bin Mohammed Military College won first place, followed by Hamad Jaber al-Jarhab in second place and Mohamed Saleh al-Nabit in third. The latter two are from Qatar University. All the winners in this category are Qatari.In a speech during the ceremony, poet and Diwan Al Arab director Shabib bin Arar al-Nuaimi stressed the centre’s keenness on making poetry an expression of morals and values, such as courage and chastity.He noted that since its inception, the competition has adopted an ethical code to disseminate these values and ethics through the cultural and social spheres.The honoured poets thanked the support for their creative talents from the Qatar Poetry Centre, adding that the competition serves as a catalyst for them to continue on their creative and artistic paths. – QNA

People in Qatar can look forward to a colourful weekend as the Darb Lusail Flower Festival will take place from May 25-27. The announcement was made on Lusail City’s social media platforms on Sunday. “Darb Lusail Flower Festival brings you the charm of nature with colourful parades and floats, a local market, and exciting activities for kids and adults,” the announcement said. The public can visit the festival from 7-11pm on the given dates. The Darb Lusail Flower Festival joins an ever-growing list of entertainment activities taking place at Lusail Boulevard, with previous events turning out to be huge crowd-pullers, including the Eid al-Fitr celebrations, Qatar International Food Festival and others.

A second-half goal by forward Lautaro Martinez earned Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over rivals AC Milan in their Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday, sealing a 3-0 aggregate win to book their ticket to the showpiece in Istanbul.Milan recovered some of the spark they lacked in the first leg but Inter's Martinez put the tie to bed when he struck powerfully from close range in the 74th minute at the San Siro.Inter went into the game holding a 2-0 advantage after Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan had struck early in a flying start to the first leg and never looked in serious danger of missing out on the final, where they will face Real Madrid or Manchester City on June 10.Inter, who overcame Portuguese pair Porto and Benfica to reach the semis, will play in the final for the sixth time and first since lifting their third European Cup in 2009-10 under Jose Mourinho.Inter coach Simone Inzaghi fielded an unchanged team from the first leg, with Martinez and Dzeko up front, having rested players in Serie A over the weekend.Main forward Rafael Leao returned for Milan after an adductor problem sidelined him in the first leg, with Junior Messias and Malick Thiaw starting in place of Alexis Saelemaekers and Simon Kjaer.A much more daring Milan side could have scored early but Inter keeper Andre Onana saved a low Brahim Diaz shot that was heading towards the bottom-right corner.Leao had a great chance to halve the deficit late in the first half but struck inches wide, before Milan keeper Mike Maignan superbly denied Dzeko who leaped high to meet a free kick.While Stefano Pioli's Milan kept probing for an opening to spark a comeback, Inter hinted in the first half that they would not be taking their foot of the gas.Martinez eventually proved Milan's executioner, playing a one-two with substitute Romelu Lukaku before scoring his sixth goal in Inter's last six games.It is the first time Inter have progressed from an all-Milan knockout tie in the competition, with Milan coming out on top both in the 2002-03 semi-finals and the 2004-05 quarters.

Years of sanctions on Iran have taken their toll, but on the strategically located island of Qeshm, people can still find goods from major global brands otherwise out of reach.Off Iran’s southern coast, some 150km from the United Arab Emirates’ commercial hub of Dubai, Qeshm’s merchants have been closely watching regional shifts since Tehran’s landmark rapprochement with Saudi Arabia in March.“The main thing in life is to have good relations with your neighbours,” said 50-year-old retailer Mohamed Bazmandegan, who imports electric appliances from Dubai. He has been following the diplomatic developments since his government resumed ties with Riyadh after a seven-year freeze, a shift affecting the entire Gulf region.Along with Saudi Arabia, Tehran is also seeking to mend relations with other neighbours including the UAE and Bahrain, which also severed ties in 2016. “If relations with our neighbours improve, they will also improve with other parts of the world,” said another trader in Qeshm, Hassan Ebrahimi, 52.Located in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf’s key maritime corridor, the island of 150,000 residents has long served trade with the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia and Africa’s eastern coast - but this has also made Qeshm sensitive to the vagaries of geopolitics. For 40 years, Hassan Rostam has plied the waters between Qeshm and the UAE in his lenj, a traditional wooden ship synonymous with the ports of the Gulf. The weathered-faced captain loads vegetables in Iran’s ports and returns from Dubai with “dried fruits and other products”, he said.Despite restrictions following the diplomatic break in 2016, the tradition of business, traffic and trade in the Gulf has not stopped. The retailer Bazmandegan said that even if “the market has become more unstable... relations of mutual trust, the fruits of years of co-operation”, allowed Iranian and Emirati traders to continue their exchanges.He imports fans, coffee makers and washing machines from Western manufacturers like Philips, Tefal and Toshiba. The goods arrive “thanks to our Emirati intermediaries”, Bazmandegan said, adding that “90 percent of the products come from Dubai”. But the international sanctions and diplomatic ruptures have meant Qeshm’s traders have struggled in recent years, pushing some of them into bankruptcy. “One competitor died after a heart attack due to daily price changes,” Bazmandegan said.Nooradin Tata, who owns a guesthouse in central Qeshm, said the personal lives of islanders have also suffered amid the diplomatic troubles.Hundreds of thousands of Iranians live in the UAE and Tata said people from Qeshm with family abroad are “stressed” by the onerous administrative and logistical hurdles to “bringing or going to visit family members” living in Gulf countries.With improving relations, Iran is expected to relaunch flights to Gulf countries. Iranian authorities have already said three weekly flights will operate on the Riyadh-Tehran route.Tehran also hopes to benefit from renewed development of free trade zones, initiated some three decades ago to attract foreign investors and tourists to Iran’s south. Along with the small, luxurious island of Kish and the Indian Ocean port of Chabahar, Qeshm is one of the main areas boasting tax exemptions and other special import and export regulations.The island hopes these advantages will attract Iranian tourists to its shopping centres, offering foreign products from chocolates to designer clothes. “The stores no longer offer as many varieties and are less frequented” since 2016, Tata said, but like many islanders, he hopes improving ties across the region would help put Qeshm on the map.

Air strikes and gunfire rocked Sudan’s capital yesterday as fighting showed no sign of abating, despite the threat of renewed US sanctions and mounting deaths, including dozens of children.Hundreds have died in nearly three weeks of fighting between forces of Sudan’s de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the regular army, and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).Battles persisted a day after US President Joe Biden threatened sanctions against those responsible for “threatening the peace, security, and stability of Sudan” and “undermining Sudan’s democratic transition”.The north African country had already suffered under decades of sanctions during the rule of Omar al-Bashir, ousted in 2019 following mass protests on the streets.“The violence taking place in Sudan is a tragedy — and it is a betrayal of the Sudanese people’s clear demand for civilian government and a transition to democracy. It must end,” Biden said.Witnesses reported continued air strikes and explosions in various parts of Khartoum yesterday, including near the airport.The RSF has yet to respond following the announcement Wednesday of a seven-day truce brokered by neighbouring South Sudan and accepted by the army.But early yesterday, the paramilitary group said it was extending by only three days a previous truce brokered under US-Saudi mediation.The conflict has killed about 700 people so far, most of them in Khartoum and the western Darfur region, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. The UN children’s agency, Unicef, warned yesterday that “the situation in Sudan has become fatal for a frighteningly large number of children”.Spokesman James Elder said the agency had received reports from a trusted partner — not yet independently verified by the UN — that 190 children were killed and 1,700 wounded during the first 11 days of the conflict.He said the figures had been gathered from health facilities in Khartoum and Darfur since fighting broke out on April 15, meaning they only cover children who actually made it to facilities in those areas. “The reality is likely to be much worse,” Elder warned.Aid workers have struggled to get much-needed supplies to the areas hit by violence.According to the International Medical Corps, at least 18 aid workers have been killed amid the fierce urban fighting.The UN Human Rights Council said it would hold a special session next Thursday “to address the human rights impact of the ongoing conflict”.Multiple truces have been agreed throughout the fighting, but none has been respected.US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Thursday that Washington expected the conflict to continue for a long time. The fighting was “likely to be protracted as both sides believe that they can win militarily, and have few incentives to come to the negotiating table”, she told a Senate hearing.“Both sides are seeking external sources of support, which, if successful, is likely to intensify the conflict and create a greater potential for spillover challenges in the region.”

President Joe Biden has accused Republicans of holding the US economy “hostage” by refusing to pass a debt limit increase unless he first agrees to “draconian” budget cuts.Biden said he would tell congressional leaders when they meet on Tuesday that they must do “what every other Congress has done – that is pass the debt limit, avoid default”.Republicans in Congress are insisting on Biden first accepting major budget cuts before they vote to extend the US debt ceiling, allowing the government to borrow more money.The Biden administration says funds will run out as early as June 1 if the extension – an annual accounting manoeuvre that usually passes with little debate - doesn’t happen, triggering national debt default.“They’re trying to hold the debt hostage to (get) us to agree to some draconian cuts,” Biden said at a White House meeting on the economy.Biden emphasised that he is ready to discuss budget reductions but not if the negotiation was linked to the debt ceiling.“We can debate where to cut, how much to spend ... but not under the threat of default,” he said. “That’s why we have a budget process to debate in open.”“The two are totally unrelated. When you pay the debt or not it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with what your budget” is, he said.“We’re ready for that debate,” Biden added. But “the last thing this country needs, after all we’ve been through, is a manufactured crisis, and that’s what this is: a manufactured crisis from beginning to end”.Republicans and Democrats should be “debating our vision of the future” in front of the American people, he said. The May 9 meeting at the White House, with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and top Democrats kicks off a frantic few weeks of negotiation before the US runs out of money to pay its bills as soon as June 1.

India and Pakistan each blamed the other for their frosty relations yesterday and reiterated entrenched diplomatic positions on issues such as Kashmir and terrorism, suggesting no thaw in ties is likely anytime soon.The foreign ministers of the nuclear-armed rivals spoke bitterly at separate press conferences after a meeting of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) regional bloc in the Indian coastal state of Goa.Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told reporters that India’s decision to scrap the special status of the disputed region of Kashmir in 2019 had undermined the environment for holding talks between the neighbours.“The onus is on India to create a conducive environment for talks,” he said.India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar responded by saying that Kashmir’s special status was “history” and suggesting that Pakistan backed terrorists in Kashmir.In comments in an interview to India Today TV channel broadcast later, Bhutto-Zardari said Islamabad is willing to engage and address any concerns New Delhi might have but New Delhi will also have to address Islamabad’s concerns.Both countries claim Kashmir in full but rule only part of it, and they have fought two of their three wars over control of the Himalayan region.India has for years accused Pakistan of helping Islamist militants who have battled Indian security forces in its part of Kashmir since the late 1980s.Pakistan denies the accusation and says it only provides diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiris seeking self-determination.The special status given to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked in 2019 when New Delhi split it into two federally controlled territories. Pakistan calls the moves illegal and wants them rolled back.India’s 2019 decision led the two countries to downgrade their diplomatic ties in tit-for-tat moves.Both countries withdrew their top diplomats and several consular staff were expelled or withdrawn.The most recent visit to India by a high-ranking Pakistan diplomat was in 2016 by Sartaj Aziz, then the senior foreign affairs adviser to the prime minister.Bhutto-Zardari’s visit to India is the first by a Pakistani foreign minister in 12 years and has garnered a lot of media attention in both countries.The Pakistani foreign minister said that, despite his rare visit to India, there is no change in the status of diplomatic relations.Responding to Bhutto-Zardari, India’s Jaishankar said the article of the Indian constitution that had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir “is history” and the “sooner people realise it, the better”.India currently holds the rotating presidency of the SCO.Jaishankar did not hold a one-on-one meeting with Bhutto-Zardari, but on Thursday met his Chinese and Russian counterparts.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways aims to triple the number of passengers its carriers to 30mn and nearly double its fleet to 150 planes by the end of the decade, the airline’s chief told Reuters in an interview in New Delhi.Etihad’s plans come amid a shift in its strategy to focus on medium to long-haul destinations, moving away from operating ultra long-haul flights where competition is intense and profitability challenging, CEO Antonoaldo Neves said.“Etihad has India as a priority,” Neves said, adding that the country is among its top three markets. He declined to name the other two.The idea is to connect places like China, Southeast Asia, India and GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) countries to Europe and the East Coast of the US, Neves said.Air travel in India is surging with domestic passenger numbers reaching pre-Covid levels and international traffic gathering pace as the country’s economy grows.Etihad, which flies to places like Delhi and Mumbai, has identified six other Indian cities it does not serve but wants to launch flights to, he said.Last October, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund ADQ took full control of the airline, appointing Neves who had previously led a turnaround at Portugal’s TAP.“Our mandate is very clear. We don’t fly to places where we don’t make money,” he said. The deeper push into India also comes as Tata Group-owned Air India is mapping out an aggressive expansion with non-stop flights to Europe and the US, and budget carrier IndiGo is growing its international network through its codeshare deal with Turkish Airlines.Neves said the competition did not worry him and there is space for everyone in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market.However, Etihad has about 10,000 seats a week of unutilised flying rights between India and Abu Dhabi, he said, which puts it in a better position compared with rivals that are clamouring for more access amid government pushback to open its skies further.Etihad’s growth will also be organic, Neves said, and while it wants to do more codeshare and interline agreements, it will not look at mergers or equity partnerships. Etihad once held a stake in India’s Jet Airways that is now in bankruptcy.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said the South Korean-US alliance must “leap into a new phase” to jointly overcome complex crises, including slowing economic growth, technology competition with strategic rivals and climate change.Speaking a day before a Washington summit with President Joe Biden, Yoon told an event hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce the bilateral security alliance should “evolve into a supply chain and future-oriented, innovative-technology alliance.”He said the two countries’ economies had been facing new challenges and the economic slowdown was unsettling the investment environment. “Competition for technological hegemony, energy issues and climate crises are casting more uncertainties on business activity day by day,” Yoon said.Yoon said that from a joint venture involving a South Korean and a US firm in 1965, South Korea had risen to become the global leader in memory semiconductor production, accounting for 60% of global market share.“This co-operation should extend beyond semiconductors to future emerging technologies such as AI, Quantum, SMR (Small Modular Reactors) and more,” Yoon said.Core technologies from the United States and South Korea’s advanced manufacturing capabilities would “create enormous synergies that will benefit both countries,” he said.Yoon said he hoped that during his visit the countries would reaffirm their status as true allies and advanced technology partners to create innovative business opportunities. “Our bilateral investments need to be expanded both quantitatively and qualitatively, to build more stable and resilient supply chains.”He said the two nations were the ideal partners for “friend-shoring” - a reference to a US-led process of reducing dependence on China for key goods and materials although he made no mention of China by name. Yoon said his government was working to create a fair and predictable market environment and to offer significant tax credit to facilitate bold investments by US companies.“The Republic of Korea and the United States have been painting a wonderful rough sketch together for the past 70 years,” he said. “The next 70 years together will be a journey of filling the rough sketch with well-matched colours.” US President Joe Biden and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol will pay homage at the Korean War Memorial in Washington ahead of a state visit cementing the countries’ deep alliance. Biden, Yoon and their wives were set to gather at the haunting monument, depicting life-sized steel statues of US soldiers marching during the 1950-53 war against the communist north.On Wednesday, Yoon and his wife Kim Keon-hee will arrive at the White House for only the second full-fledged state visit of the Biden era, following France’s Emmanuel Macron.This will feature lavish ceremonial events and a gala White House dinner.But beyond the pomp and circumstance, Biden and Yoon will discuss their countries’ deepening partnership in an increasingly volatile Asia-Pacific, where North Korea is ramping up nuclear-capable missile production and China is sabre-rattling around Taiwan.White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that Biden and Yoon have had four “engagements” since Yoon took office less than a year ago and “have developed a rapport.”The alliance “has grown far beyond the Korean peninsula and is now a force for good in the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” Sullivan said, noting that Yoon had been the first South Korean leader to attend a Nato summit. Yesterday, Yoon was set to visit Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center just outside Washington, along with US Vice-President Kamala Harris.Washington and Seoul are also highlighting the strong cultural links, something emphasized by Netflix’s announcement of a $2.5bn investment in South Korean content. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos met with Yoon in Washington on Monday.A big task for Biden will be reassuring his guest over the US commitment to “extended deterrence” - the US military umbrella for South Korea. “President Biden will reinforce and enhance our extended deterrence commitments to South Korea with respect to the threat” from North Korea, Sullivan said.Sullivan said to expect “major deliverables on extended deterrence, on cyber co-operation and climate mitigation, foreign assistance, on investment, and on strengthening our people to people ties.” But the two leaders have some “uncomfortable” topics to discuss, said Katharine Moon, Professor Emerita of Political Science at Wellesley College.The South Korean president has seen his domestic approval ratings dive over his handling of a recent US intelligence leak that appeared to reveal Washington was spying on Seoul.In Washington, Yoon is meanwhile likely to come under pressure to do more to help the US support Ukraine, as Washington looks to South Korea - the world’s ninth-largest arms exporter - to help secure ammunition and weapons for Kyiv.South Korea has sent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and has sold tanks and howitzers to Poland, but Seoul has a longstanding policy of not providing weapons to active conflict zones. Seoul is also mired in a diplomatic spat with China after Yoon blamed recent heightened tensions over Taiwan on “attempts to change the status quo by force” in an interview.

A military convoy of soldiers toting rifles and submachine guns rumbles into a poor neighbourhood of the Ecuadoran port town of Esmeraldas, trying to root out drug gangs.The town in the northern part of the country, near the border with Colombia, has been living under a state of emergency for nearly two months in response to what the government calls terrorist acts by powerful drug trafficking gangs.The trucks that make up the convoy carry more than 100 soldiers, wearing bulletproof vests as they travel through narrow streets – neighbourhood residents eyeing them warily.Some soldiers aim at houses with their guns while others using a battering ram knock down a metal door.“Where are the weapons?” one hooded soldier yells at a group of young black people lying on the ground as AFP, travelling exclusively with these troops, observed the raid.A city of 200,000, Esmeraldas, capital of the province of the same name, is considered a stronghold for crime gangs.In this raid, one suspect is being handcuffed. He is believed to belong to a feared gang called the Tiguerones.Gang members live by blending in with regular everyday people, said police colonel Julio Cesar Vásquez.This young detainee with long hair and a tiger tattooed on his ankle is one of more than 900 people arrested around the country since the state of emergency was declared, according to the interior ministry.President Guillermo Lasso declared the emergency in Esmeraldas on March 3, acting because of its proximity to Colombia, the world’s top producer of cocaine.A month later he extended it to other troubled regions of Ecuador and started letting people carry guns for self-defence.“We have a common enemy: delinquency, drug trafficking and organised crime,” the president said at the time.A helicopter flies over a river looking for speedboats loaded with cocaine.In 2021 Ecuador seized a record 210 tonnes of cocaine that had been meant for shipment to Europe.However, the state of emergency has not made this town much safer.On April 11, a group of some 30 assailants killed nine fishermen in an attack that authorities said stemmed from a gang turf war.Police say that in Esmeraldas the homicide rate is up 7% so far this year.Ecuador is located between Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest producers of cocaine, much of which is sent to the United States and Europe from Ecuadoran ports, principally Guayaquil.Consequently, Ecuador has seen a recent rise in violence and murders related to drug trafficking.Its murder rate almost doubled from 14 per 100,000 citizens in 2021 to 25 a year later.Despite all the soldiers deployed in Esmeraldas, people are afraid.Many shops are locked shut and some hotels and big businesses have been put up for sale.“The gangs, all the crime, we cannot work freely. You hear people say they are being extorted,” said Jofre Mancillo, who runs a warehouse. “There are no guarantees to keep working.”

The family of a Singaporean man due to be hanged next week over a kilogram of cannabis pleaded for clemency from the authorities yesterday and urged a retrial.Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, was sentenced to death in 2018 for conspiring to smuggle the drugs and the Court of Appeal has upheld his sentence which is scheduled to be carried out on Wednesday.“We don’t think my brother’s had a fair trial... I have faith the president will read all our petitions,” his sister Leelavathy Suppiah told reporters in Tamil at a news conference.“Since young, he’s been kind and well-liked by everyone, and he’s never done anything bad to anyone... he’s sacrificed everything to help his family,” she added, breaking down in tears.It will be Singapore’s first execution in six months.Tangaraju was convicted in 2017 of “abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic” 1,017.9 grams (35.9 ounces) of cannabis, twice the minimum amount that merits the death sentence under the city-state’s tough drug laws.In many parts of the world — including in neighbouring Thailand — cannabis has been decriminalised and rights groups have been mounting pressure on Singapore to abolish capital punishment.The Asian financial hub has some of the world’s toughest anti-narcotics laws and insists the death penalty remains an effective deterrent against trafficking.Family members, relatives and friends signed appeals at the news conference and activists said they would deliver the petitions to the president’s office. Rights activists and family members say there were loopholes in the case and that Tangaraju never handled the drugs. They also claim he was questioned by police without legal counsel, and that he was denied a Tamil interpreter during the recording of his first police statement.Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau said he “had access to legal counsel throughout the process” and that the judge found it “disingenuous” given Tangaraju’s admission he had made no request for an interpreter for any of the other statements.Singapore resumed execution by hanging in March 2022 after a hiatus of more than two years. Eleven executions were carried out last year — all for drug offences. Among those hanged was Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, whose execution sparked a global outcry, including from the UN and British tycoon Richard Branson, because he was deemed to have a mental disability.Tangaraju’s niece Subhashini Ilango, 26, said her uncle had been brave and has said he “is prepared” for Wednesday but that his death will be unjust.“But he believes that God will help him.”

As Sudan collapsed into fighting last week that has trapped civilians in their city neighbourhoods, cutting off access to water, food and healthcare, community groups, websites and apps have sprung up to mobilise medical help and find basic supplies.The violent power struggle between the heads of the army and a big paramilitary force, who previously governed together, has killed hundreds of civilians and plunged Sudan into a humanitarian catastrophe, bringing war to the capital Khartoum, which is unused to such violence.One existing group, a protest committee that had organised demonstrations against the ruling military council, has transformed into a kind of grassroots health service. Elsewhere, individuals have used technology to match local stocks of food, fresh water and medicine to neighbourhoods in need.“Once war started, that same evening we got together to start figuring out how to volunteer,” said Azza Surketty, part of the Maamoura Resistance Committee which formed during a mass uprising in 2019 and helped organise relief in the Maamoura district of the capital during the Covid pandemic and mass floods. It mobilised a team of surgeons and other medics, reopened a local health centre for urgent cases and set up a hotline for less urgent ones. It has handled at least 25 medical cases since the fighting began, Surketty said. “Doctors help us treat a lot of cases including gunshots. But it gets difficult when we have a lot of bleeding, which needs a hospital,” she said, adding that two patients had died for lack of adequate supplies.From his home in central Saudi Arabia, web developer Freed Adel, 30, has turned his personal website into a platform where people can either request or offer assistance based on their location.“People started sharing what they need on social media networks and there are others who have available supplies that they share too. I had this idea to group all these cases in one place,” he said. His site has mostly helped people in Khartoum, where much of the fiercest fighting has taken place.“Most of the needs are medical due to the lack of hospital services, medical staff and the fact that people cannot reach hospitals,” Adel said.Elsewhere in Khartoum, 25 year-old doctor Makram Waleed has built a 1,200-strong WhatsApp community split into groups for the capital’s different districts for people to share information about supplies of basics.“Whenever I look at a certain area, I find people are actually communicating and we managed to get some people medicine and food,” Waleed said.The biggest requirement for most people was drinking water, he said, but there were also a lot of requests for medicines, particularly for diabetes and blood pressure.“We don’t have money or financial aid. We’re just trying to ease communication between people,” said.With most of Khartoum’s hospitals shut down, and the few still open offering only limited services, medical needs have been intense. Doctorbase, a health app run by Ahmed Mujtaba that previously had a network of 30 doctors, has switched from helping Sudanese deal with the existing problems linked to poverty to aiding with those impacted by violence.Dozens of doctors from around the world have signed up since the fighting erupted on April 15 to volunteer time to advise Sudanese in urgent need of medical help using the app, said Mujtaba, who lives in Canada.“Unfortunately the last two days we’ve seen a couple of cases that were urgent. They’re not meant to be treated using Telehealth, they actually need to go to a hospital,” Mujtaba said.