Page 25 - Issue 26

The Islamic Bulletin Volume XX No. 26 Page 25
Continued from page 5
sententious expressions, and in many places, especially where the
majesty and attributes of God are described, sublime and magnificent;
of which the reader cannot but observe several instances, though he
must not imagine the translation comes up to the original,
notwithstanding my endeavours to do it justice.” — from “A
Preliminary Discourse”by George Sale.
These attitudes again came into conflict with Jefferson’s vision
in 1788, when the states voted to ratify the United States Constitution.
One of the matters at issue was the provision—now Article vi, Section
3—that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to
any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Some Anti-
Federalists singled out and opposed this ban on religious
discrimination by painting a hypothetical scenario in which a Muslim
could become president. On the other side of the argument, despite
their frequent opposition to Jefferson on other matters, the Federalists
praised and drew on Jefferson’s vision of religious tolerance in
supporting uncircumscribed rights both to faith and to elected office
for all citizens. As the historian Denise Spellberg shows in her
examination of this dispute among delegates in North Carolina, in the
course of these constitutional debates “Muslims became symbolically
embroiled in the definition of what it meant to be American citizens.”
It is intriguing to think that Jefferson’s study of the Qur’an may
have inoculated him—to a degree that today we can only surmise—
against such popular prejudices about Islam, and it may have
informed his conviction that Muslims, no less and no more than any
other religious group, were entitled to all the legal rights his new nation
could offer. And although Jefferson was an early and vocal proponent
of going to war against the Barbary states over their attacks on us
shipping, he never framed his arguments for doing so in religious terms,
sticking firmly to a position of political principle. Far from reading the
Qur’an to better understand the mindset of his adversaries, it is likely
that his earlier knowledge of it confirmed his analysis that the roots of
the Barbary conflict were economic, not religious.
Sale’s Koran remained the best available English version of the
Qur’an for another 150 years. Today, along with the original copy of
Jefferson’s Qur’an, the Library of Congress holds nearly one million
printed items relating to Islam—a vast collection of knowledge for
every new generation of lawmakers and citizens, with its roots in the
law student’s leather-bound volumes.
Article obtained from Saudi Aramco World.
Answers nswersA swersAnswerAns ers
Across: 2.Fatimah, 5.Ark , 7.Medina, 9.Maryam, 12.Fatiha,
14.Musa, 16.Seven, 17.Adam, 19.Yunus, 20.Ali, 21.Ibrahim
Down: 1.Dawood , 3.Ten, 4.Benyamin, 6.Read, 8.Yaqub,
10.Zamzam, 11.Yaseen, 13. Injeel, 15. Khadija, 18.Green
THE EXCELLENCE OF READING THE QURAN
The benefit of reciting the Quran are numerous, but the
most important aspect is our relationship with Allah
through His revelation.
Ramadan is the ideal time to get ourselves and the children to
do it. We access the meaning of the Quran not by understand-
ing by our intellect but by being moved by the beautiful aural
recitation, which can penetrate our hearts when no logic or
argument can.
Being able to recite it fluently, beautifully and cor-
rectly can enhance our faith especially during the month of
Ramadan. The beauty of the vocal experience is not about
mere sound we project, but the continuous trial we under-
take to perfect Allah’s revelation in our voices.
The prophet (SAW) said:
“Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for
its reciters on the Day of Resurrection.’’(M)
“Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will
be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold
reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a
letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.’’ (T)
“It will be said to the companion of the Quran: Read
and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your
voice as you used to do when you were in dunya! For verily,
your position in Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!”
(Ab & T)
“The one who is proficient in the recitation of the
Qur’an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes
(angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to
recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will
have a double reward.’’ (B & M)
“The best amongst you is the one who learns the
Qur’an and teaches it.’’ (B).
Do you want To Finish The Quran Every Month?
Spend few minutes after each prayer
Read 4.5 pages X 5 prayers a day X 30 days = 604
pages (Number of pages in the Qur’an )
If you are in a real hurry you can finish it once every
two months by reading just 2 pages
Room 3B
By Fawzia El Tareb
SHYLY HE SITS ON THE FIRST DAY OF 3 RD GRADE
QUIETLY I SIT IN THE BACK LISTENING
CLUMSILY SHE STUMBLES ON HIS NAME
NERVOUSLY HE LOOKS AROUND
POLITELY ON HER THIRD TRY HE CORRECTS HER
COLDLY SHE ASKS, “DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME?”
UNCERTAINLY HE ANSWERS, “YOU CAN CALL ME EDDIE.”
UNCARINGLY SHE RESPONDS, “OH , THAT’S BETTER.”
MECHANICALLY SHE ORDERS,
“G O TO THE BACK FOR READING TUTORING.”
HAPPILY I WAIT AND SMILE
CONFIDENTLY I PRONOUNCE, “EDUARDO”
PROUDLY HE BEGINS.