Family Life in Islam

Shehzad Saleem
http://www.renaissance.com.pk/Juned2y4.html

If we minutely observe our universe, it becomes evident that the Almighty has created everything in pairs. Both members of a pair complement one another and there exists a tremendous amount of affinity between the two. The poise and balance necessary to create harmony and concordance in this relationship are very delicate, and a slight divergence can damage it beyond restoration. One of the members plays an active and dominant role and the other a passive and acquiescent one. In case, a piece of paper does not submit to the initiative taken by the pen, no writing can come into existence. If the pen smoothly slides across the sheet of paper, it can create a masterpiece, and if it harshly scrapes on it, it will only tear it apart.
Man and woman, perhaps, are one of the perfect examples of such ‘paired-creation’. When they interact with one another, it is in their own well being that harmony and concordance result. But then what should be the nature of this interaction? Islam has always insisted that marriage is the only legitimate form of this interaction so that the institution of family becomes the basic unit of a society.
The reason for this is that man is basically a weak and an insecure being. He has spiritual as well as material needs. Just as he needs to develop a strong relationship with the Almighty to fulfill his spiritual needs, he also needs to develop a strong relationship with his fellow human beings to fulfill his material needs. Thus a man and a woman must come together in a permanent bond of wedlock to create a family to fulfill these material needs which may be physical, emotional and psychological. A man and a woman, taken separately, are incomplete in their existence. Both need each other to fill the voids of their personalities. There are some responsibilities which only a man can fulfill and others which only a woman can. Furthermore, since these requirements are everlasting, any temporary relationship between a man and a woman can never be truly fruitful. The Qur’an thus says that marriage is a means of solace and comfort for both of them:
And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He has planted love and kindness between you. (30:21)
Besides providing peace and tranquility to the spouses, the role a family set-up plays in fulfilling the needs of the individual born to a family is apparent to every keen eye.
Further, in order to safeguard the institution of family, Islam has given a number of directives for the protection and preservation of the family. Some of these directives are referred to below.
It says that a man and a woman must come together in a permanent bond of marriage and must not indulge in extra-marital relationships since they dismember the institution of family. It prescribes severe punishments for people who are guilty of adultery and ostracizes them from the society.
It lays down a whole code of social etiquette and communal conduct to safeguard and protect chastity and modesty which themselves are necessary for the well-being of a family set-up.
It regards the husband as head of the family because his temperament and disposition are more suited for this task.
It is of the view that all differences of opinion between the husband and wife should generally be resolved in an atmosphere of mutual trust and confidence. However, if a situation of anarchy and disorder arises which threatens to disrupt the whole family set-up, the wife must adopt an attitude of submission and adjustment.
It invests the husband with certain powers to deal with a wife who adopts a rebellious attitude and stands up against his authority, just as an affectionate mother has the authority to admonish her children to correct them.
It holds the parents responsible for the proper upbringing of their children.
It urges the children to be very kind and compassionate to their parents, especially in old age.
It says that if ever a divorce is to end a family set-up, a certain prescribed procedure should be followed in letter and spirit since this procedure ensures that the dissolution of marriage passes through an interim phase in which the decision has ample time to be reconsidered.
It maintains that if a divorced woman intends to start a new family, her former husband or his relatives must in no way obstruct her.

Prophetic Saying on Music

Manzoor ul Hassan/
Tr. by Tariq Haashmi
http://www.renaissance.com.pk/Aprefl2y5.htm



Music was one of the favourite cultural traditions of the Arabs in the days of the Prophet Muhammad (sws). Music and musical instruments were frequently used in worship rituals. It was also employed in the expression of delight and sorrow. Music accompanied wars and festivals too. A study of the traditions ascribed to the Holy Prophet (sws) reveals that not only did he express his likeness for Music but he also encouraged others to play it on festive occasions. Some reliable narratives in this regard make it clear that the mother of the believers, ‘A’ishah (rta) listened to songs in the very presence of the Holy Prophet (sws). The Holy Prophet (sws) himself is reported to have encouraged people to use music on wedding ceremonies. On his migration from Makkah to Madinah, the women sang welcome songs on the Daff and the Holy Prophet (sws) expressed his approbation of this. At another occasion, a professional female singer and musician approached him and requested him to listen to her song. The Holy Prophet (sws) not only himself listened to her song but also took ‘A’ishah (rta) to listen to her. The mother of the believers leaned on the Holy Prophet’s (sws) shoulders and enjoyed the performance for a considerable time. During journeys, the Messenger of God showed his likeness for the Hida, a kind of desert song. He is also reported to have appointed a Hadi for his camels who was endowed with a very sweet sound. He also emphasized beating the Daff in order to announce Nikah. Various traditions have been recorded in the books of Hadith on these issues. A study of some of these traditions follows.

i. Music on the ‘Id Festivals
عن عائشة قالت: دخل علي رسول الله وعندي جاريتان تغنيان بغناء بعاث فاضطجع على الفراش وحول وجهه ودخل أبو بكر فانتهرني وقال مزمارة الشيطان عند النبي فأقبل عليه رسول الله عليه السلام فقال دعهما فلما غفل غمزتهما فخرجتا
Narrates ‘A’ishah (rta): The Messenger (sws) of God came to my residence while two female singers were singing the songs of Bu‘ath.1 The Holy Prophet (sws) lay down and turned his face to the other side. Meanwhile Abu Bakr (rta) entered and [seeing the singers] rebuked me thus: ‘Satanic musical instruments in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sws)?’ On hearing this God’s Messenger (sws) turned towards him and said: ‘Let them [sing and rejoice]’. When Abu Bakr was engaged in some other business, I signaled to the girls [to go out] and they left. It was on the ‘Id day.2 (Bukhari, No: 907)

We can conclude from this narrative the following points:
• The Mother of the believers, ‘A’ishah (rta), was listening to songs on ‘Id day.
• The songs were being sung in the residence of the Holy Prophet (sws).
• A professional singer was performing.3
• The song was not a hymn to God; rather a relic of a war fought before the advent of Islam.
• The mother of the believers did not stop listening to the song even after the Holy Prophet had arrived.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) did not forbid her from listening to the song.
• He did not stop the female singers either.
• He himself was not attracted to the performance but he must have heard the song as he could hear Abu Bakr’s comments.
• Abu Bakr (rta) condemned the practice at first sight and declared that these were satanic instruments.
• When he tried to stop the singers and censure the listeners, the Holy Prophet (sws) stopped him from doing so.

The report evidently proves that the Holy Prophet (sws) allowed singing music during religious festivals. This is evidenced by the fact that Holy Prophet’s (sws) wife enjoyed singing and music. Although Ab u Bakr (rta) tried to stop the function, the Holy Prophet (sws) did not interfere with it, and let the performers and the audience enjoy themselves. Therefore, in light of this evidence we can conclude that music can justifiably be considered allowable in Islam.
The following narrative also deals with the issue:

عن أم سلمة قالت دخلت علينا جارية لحسان بن ثابت يوم فطر ناشرة شعرها معها دف تغني فزجرتها أم سلمة فقال النبي دعيها يا أم سلمة فإن لكل قوم عيدا وهذا يوم عيدنا
Umm-i-Salamah narrates: A slave girl belonging to Hassan Ibn Thabit (rta) came to us on ‘Id al Fitr. Her hair was unkempt and she carried a tambourine and was singing [some song]. Umm-i-Salamah rebuked her. But the Holy Prophet (sws) said to her: ‘Ummi-i-Salamah, let her [sing and rejoice]. Certainly every nation has an ‘Id and this day is our ‘Id’. (Mu‘jam Al-Kabir, No: 558)

ii. Music on Wedding Ceremonies
عن بن عباس قال أنكحت عائشة ذات قرابة لها من الأنصار فجاء رسول الله فقال أهديتم الفتاة قالوا نعم قال أرسلتم معها من يغني قالت لا فقال رسول الله إن الأنصار قوم فيهم غزل فلو بعثتم معها من يقول أتيناكم أتيناكم فحيانا وحياكم
Narrates Ibn ‘Abbas: ‘A’ishah (rta) arranged the marriage of a close Ansari girl. The Holy Prophet (sws) also came to attend the ceremony. He inquired from the people: ‘Have you sent forth the bride?’ ‘Yes’, they replied. ‘Did you send any singer with her?’ He asked. ‘A’ishah (rta) replied in the negative. The Holy Prophet (sws) then remarked: ‘The Ansar cherish singing. It would be better that you sent along with her a singer who would sing’4
‘We have come to you; we have joined you. Peace be upon us. Peace be upon you.’5 (Ibn Majah, No: 1900)

The narrative delineates the following points:
• The way the Holy Prophet (sws) inquired about singing and playing music on this occasion reveals that it was customary for the Arabs to send a singer with the bride when sent to join the bridegroom.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) was not pleased to hear that the custom was abandoned on that occasion.
• He encouraged people to adhere to the custom.
• He suggested some couplets to be recited on such occasions though he did not sing them.
• He referred to the characteristics of the Ansar and did not express his disapproval of the same.

The narrative proves that the Holy Prophet (sws) approved of singing and playing music on marriage ceremonies. Some other versions of the narrative reveal that the Prophet (sws) noticed that there was no singing or music being played in the house where the marriage ceremony was being conducted. He felt strange and inquired about the reason. Consider the following text of the narrative:

عن عائشة قالت كان في حجري جارية من الأنصار فزوجتها قالت فدخل علي رسول الله يوم عرسها فلم يسمع غناء ولا لعبا فقال يا عائشة هل غنيتم عليها أو لا تغنون عليها ثم قال ان هذا الحي من الأنصار يحبون الغناء
‘A’ishah (rta) reports: An Ansari girl lived under my guardianship and I arranged her marriage. The Holy Prophet (sws) came to my house on the day she was married and did not hear any songs or any other joyful activities. [Observing this] he asked of me: ‘Did you people sing to her or not?’ ‘This is the tribe of the Ansar who like singing,’ he added. (Ibn Hibban, No: 5875)

iii. Use of Music on Joyous Occasions
عن ابن عائشة لما قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم المدينة جعل النساء وصبيان يقلن:
طلع البدر علينا
من ثنيات الوداع
وجب الشكر علينا
ما دعا لله داع
أيها المبعوث فينا
جئت با لأمر المطاع
Ibn ‘A’ishah narrates: When the Holy Prophet (sws) came to Madinah, the women and the children started singing: ‘The Moon has risen upon us from the hillocks of Wida‘. We owe gratitude [to God] as long as those who call God continue doing so. O Prophet (sws) you have brought a religion that is worthy to be followed’.6

2. عن أنس بن مالك أن النبي مر ببعض المدينة فإذا هو بجوار يضربن بدفهن ويتغنين ويقلن:
نحن جوار من بني النجار
يا حبذا محمد من جار
فقال النبي الله يعلم إني لأحبكن
Narrates Anas Ibn Malik: [Having entered the city], the Holy Prophet (sws) passed through a certain part of the town. Suddenly some slave girls appeared singing on the Daff the following ditty: ‘We are the slave girls of Bani Najjar.7 How lucky! This day the Holy Prophet (sws) has come to be our neighbor’. At this the Holy Prophet (sws) remarked: ‘God knows that I love you people’8 (Ibn Majah, No: 1899)

These narratives deal with the Holy Prophet’s arrival in Madinah after his migration from Makkah. Their content can be summarized in the following points:

• The Holy Prophet’s arrival in Madinah was an extremely joyous occasion.
• People expressed their joy by singing joyous songs.
• Slave girls were also from among the singers.
• They had musical instruments to play with their songs.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) and the Companions (rta) heard these songs but they did not express their disapproval.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) expressed his love and kindness for singing women.

These and other similar narratives sufficiently prove that when the Holy Prophet (sws) reached Madinah after his migration from Makkah, he received a warm welcome. The city had a festive appearance. Every one was filled with joy on the Holy Prophet’s arrival. Women, slave girls, singing women and children expressed their joy by singing welcome songs and playing the Daff. The Holy Prophet (sws) appreciated this. Therefore, one cannot deny the fact that the Holy Prophet (sws) sanctioned celebrating joyous occasion by singing melodies using musical instruments.

iv. Use of Music during Travels:
عن سلمة بن الأكوع رضي الله عنه قال خرجنا مع النبي إلى خيبر فسرنا ليلا فقال رجل من القوم لعامر يا عامر ألا تسمعنا من هنيهاتك وكان عامر رجلا شاعرا حداء فنزل يحدو بالقوم يقول:
اللهم لولا أنت ما اهتدينا
ولا تصدقنا ولا صلينا
فاغفر فداء لك ما اتقينا
وثبت الأقدام إن لاقينا
وألقين سكينة علينا
إنا إذا صيح بنا أبينا
وبالصياح عولوا علينا
فقال رسول الله من هذا السائق قالوا عامر بن الأكوع قال يرحمه الله

Narrates Salama Ibn Al-Akwa‘: ‘We set off for Khaybar in the company of the Holy Prophet (sws) at night. A man from the group said to ‘Amir: ‘O ‘Amir, would not you let us hear your poetry?’ ‘Amir who was a Hida poet got down and started reciting for the people [the following verses]: ‘O God, were not it for your guidance, we could not have been able to offer the Salah and pay the Zakah. So please forgive our sins that [we have committed] and the ones we may commit in future. We are ready to offer our lives for your cause. Grant us perseverance when faced [with the enemy] and pour down your mercy upon us. [We are the people] who refuse to surrender when the enemy challenges us to fight. And [we leave them] to cry for help against us’.

The Holy Prophet asked: ‘Who is that signer?’ They replied: ‘‘Amir bin Al-Akwa‘’. ‘God bless him’, prayed the Holy Prophet (sws)9. (Bukhari, No: 3960)

We learn from the narrative that:
• The Companions were along with the Holy Prophet (sws) on his way to Khaybar.
• Some of the Companions requested ‘Amir (rta) to sing from his Hida (i.e. song sung primarily to drive camels, which correspond to their walk). He complied with the request and began his recitation with such a loud voice that the Holy Prophet (sws) could hear him.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) inquired about the singer approvingly.
• Since he had recited good verses the Holy Prophet (sws) prayed for him.

Hida is a form of the desert poetry. The verses in this kind of poetry are rhymed corresponding to the pace of the footsteps of the camels. Ancient Arab camel drivers would sing this kind of poetry while travelling through the desert. Though the primary purpose of this singing was to encourage the camels to walk speedily yet the camel drivers themselves enjoyed it a lot. Many Hadith narratives refer to this practice of the time and evidently prove that the Holy Prophet (sws) and his Companions would enjoy this kind of poetry.
According to other narratives on the same subject, the Holy Prophet (sws) had appointed Anjashah, who had a very pleasing voice, to serve as a Hadi (i.e. camel driver) during his travels in the desert. During one of the travels, the camels started to pace very quickly affected by the sweetness of his sound. The Holy Prophet (sws) stopped him lovingly from singing Hida. He asked the singer not to force the beasts to walk at a faster pace so that female riders do not fall down. ‘Anas Ibn Malik reports:
كان للنبي حاد يقال له أنجشة وكان حسن الصوت فقال له النبي رويدك يا أنجشة لا تكسر القوارير قال قتادة يعني ضعفة النساء

The Holy Prophet had a Had, Anjashah. He had a very sweet sound. [During one of his journeys] the Holy Prophet (sws) said to him: ‘Slow down, Anjashah, lest you should break the delicate goblets. Qatadah explained that the Prophet (sws) was referring to delicate women. (Bukhari, No: 5857)

According to the scholars Hida’ definitely is a type of singing. Dr. Jawwad Ali writes:
ولحداء هو من اقدم انواع الغناء عند العرب و يغنى به في الاسفار خاصة ولا زال على مكانته و مقامه في البادية حتى اليوم. و يتغنى به في المناسبات المحزمة أيضا لملائمة نغمته مع الحزن. و قد كان للرسول حادى هو البراء بن مالك بن النضر الأنصاري و كان حداء للرجال. و كان له حداء آخر, يقال له انجشة الحادي و كان جميل الصوت أسود, و كان يحدو للنساء النبي, و كان غلاما للرسول.

Hida is of the oldest type of singing in Arabia that was specifically used during travels and is still used in contemporary Bedouin society. Besides, since the Hida songs suit sorrowful situation, this type of singing was used in mourning etc. as well. The Holy Prophet (sws) got a Hida singer appointed for him called Al-Barra’ Ibn Malik Ibn Nadar Al-Ansari who would drive camels for male riders. Another Had of his was Anjashah who had a very melodious tone. He was a black slave of the Holy Prophet (sws) who was employed to serve as a Had for the camels of the wives of the Holy Prophet (sws). 10

He further writes:
والحداء هو في الواقع غناء أهل البادية, … هذا النوع من الغناء مما يتناسب مع لحن البوادي و نغمها الحزينة البسيطة التي تطرب بها طبيعة البداوة نفس الأعراب

Al-Hida’ actually is the singing used among the desert dwellers … this kind of singing corresponds with the tones cherished by the desert dwellers and also with their simple and natural mourning songs that please the nomadic tastes of these Bedouins. 11

Ibn Khaldun writes in his book, Muqaddamah, that the basic purpose of Hida was not only to please the caravan members but also to urge the camels to proceed faster.

This feeling of joy is even found in speechless animals not to mention humans. Therefore we see that the camels respond to the Hida of the riders, and the horses are affected by the whistles and shrill sounds. We already know that animals receive effects of the songs if they are rhythmical, and correspond to the rules governing the art of music.12

v. Musical Instruments
عن الربيع بنت معوذ قالت دخل علي النبي غداة بني علي فجلس على فراشي كمجلسك مني وجويريات يضربن بالدف يندبن من قتل من آبائهن يوم بدر حتى قالت جارية وفينا نبي يعلم ما في غد فقال النبي لا تقولي هكذا وقولي ما كنت تقولين

Narrates Rabi‘, daughter of Mu‘wwadh: On the occasion of my transfer to my husband’s home after marriage, the Holy Prophet (sws) came to visit us and sat down on my bed just as you [the next narrator] are sitting before me now. Some slave girls were beating the Daff and singing in lamentation of their forefathers who had been killed during the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls sang: ‘Among us is the Prophet (sws) who knows even what will happen in coming days’. At this, the Holy Prophet (sws) said: ‘Do not say this, but go on singing.13 (Bukhari, No: 3779)

We learn from the narrative that:
• The Holy Prophet (sws) attended a marriage ceremony where some slave girls were singing.
• Singing was not stopped on his arrival.
• The singers used the Daff with their singing.
• The Holy Prophet (sws) heard them [this is evident from the fact that he stopped them from uttering certain words.]
• He however ordered them to continue with what they were singing before.

This effectively proves that the Holy Prophet (sws) did not impose any restriction on using the Daff, a common musical instrument used in that society. Keeping in view the information we received through the above mentioned narratives we can conclude that Arabs of the times of the Holy Prophet (sws) would use musical instrument to accompany their singing on joyous occasions. This has been done in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sws) to which he did not object. Some other narratives even tell us that the Holy Prophet (sws) even ordered the people to use musical instruments at the occasion of marriage.

قال رسول الله فصل بين الحلال والحرام الدف والصوت في النكاح
The Holy Prophet (sws) said: ‘the only thing that distinguishes the allowable act (i.e. Nikah) from the forbidden one (fornication) is the beat of the tambourine and open declaration of the Nikah.14 (Ibn Majah, No: 1896)

The Daff no doubt is an old musical instrument to be played by hand, which remained in use from ancient times. In this regard, Dr. Jawwad ‘Ali writes:

The Daff is one of the most well known primitive musical instruments. It is used to express joy and high spirit. Women also play it. The Arabs would commonly use it on their most joyous occasions. When the Holy Prophet (sws) reached Madinah he was welcomed with the singing of songs and playing of the Daff. Usually, the Arabs would use it on joyful ceremonies like weddings, and would sing songs along with it.15

The Bible also contains references to the Daff as a musical instrument at various occasions. One of the Urdu Bible dictionaries, Qamus Al-Kitab, defines the instrument thus:

It was a kind of narrow hoop musical instrument which was held in [one] hand and played [by striking it with the other.] It was used to create rhythm while singing and dancing. It would offer much cheerfulness in celebrations and processions.16

vi. Art of Music
عن السائب بن يزيد أن امرأة جاءت إلى رسول الله فقال يا عائشة تعرفين هذه قالت لا يا نبي الله قال هذه قينة بني فلان تحبين أن تغنيك فغنتها
Narrates Sa’ib Ibn Yazid: A woman came to the Holy Prophet (sws). He asked ‘A’ishah (rta): ‘Do you know her?’ ‘No, O Prophet (sws) of God’ she replied. ‘This is the female professional singer of such and such tribe. Do you want her to sing to you?’ So the woman sang for her. 17 (Bayhaqi, No: 8940)

We learn from the narrative:
• A woman connected with the art of music18 came to the Holy Prophet (sws).
• She expressed her desire to sing to ‘A’ishah (rta)
• The Holy Prophet (sws) did not express dislike for this nor did he rebuke her.
• He introduced her to ‘A’ishah (rta).
• With the permission from the Holy Prophet (sws), the singer sang to ‘A’ishah (rta).
The narrative evidences that the Holy Prophet (sws) did not consider singing evil in its nature. Had it been the case he would have hindered the woman from doing so or at least he would not have allow ‘A’ishah (rta) to listen to her song. Some other narratives tell us that such professional singers and dancers, both men and women, were common among the Arabs of that time, and the Holy Prophet (sws) did not deem it undesirable to enjoy their performance.

Consider the following narratives:

عن عائشة قالت كان رسول الله جالسا فسمعنا لغطا وصوت صبيان فقام رسول الله فإذا حبشية تزفن والصبيان حولها فقال يا عائشة تعالي فانظري فجئت فوضعت لحيي على منكب رسول الله فجعلت أنظر إليها ما بين المنكب إلى رأسه فقال لي أما شبعت أما شبعت قالت فجعلت أقول لا لأنظر منزلتي عنده إذ طلع عمر قال فارفض الناس عنها قالت فقال رسول الله إني لأنظر إلى شياطين الإنس والجن قد فروا من عمر
Narrates ‘A’ishah (rta): The Holy Prophet (sws) was present among us when suddenly we heard children creating noise. The Holy Prophet (sws) stood up. [We found out] that a black slave woman was dancing encircled by children. The Holy Prophet (sws) [called me] saying: ‘‘A’ishah (rta), come and watch’. I came [to him] placed my chin over the Prophet’s shoulders and watched through the space between his shoulders and head. The Holy Prophet (sws) asked many times: ‘Have you not got enough of it?’ In order to know how he cares for me I continued replying in the negative. Meanwhile ‘Umar (rta) came and the gathering disbursed [seeing him]. At this the Holy Prophet commented: ‘I see that the devils from among the Jinn and the humans have fled at ‘Umar arrival.’ 19 (Tirmidhi, No: 3691)

حدثنا عبد الله بن بريدة عن أبيه أن النبي قدم من بعض مغازيه فأتته جارية سوداء فقالت يا رسول الله إني كنت نذرت إن ردك الله سالما أن أضرب بين يديك بالدف فقال إن كنت نذرت فاضربي قال فجعلت تضرب فدخل أبو بكر رضي الله عنه وهي تضرب ثم دخل عمر رضي الله عنه فألقت الدف تحتها وقعدت عليه فقال رسول الله إن الشيطان يخاف منك يا عمر
Abdullah Ibn Buridah narrates on the authority of his father: The Holy Prophet (sws) returned from some of his military expeditions. A black slave girl approached him and said: ‘I had vowed to beat the Daff before you if God brought you back unhurt’. The Holy Prophet replied: ‘If you have, then proceed’. She started beating the Daff. Meanwhile Abu Bakr (rta) came and she continued beating it. Later when ‘Umar (rta) came she covered her instrument under herself as soon as she saw him. At this the Holy Prophet (sws) commented: ‘‘Umar, even Satan fears you’. (Bayhaqi, No: 19888)

The overall situation depicted in the above narratives makes it clear that the word ‘Habshiyyah’ and ‘Jariyyah Sawda’u’ connote professional singer slave-girl. For it would not be possible for a common lady to perform before the general public.
The word ‘Qaynah’ in the above mentioned narrative from Sunan Al-Bayhaqi connotes a professional female singer. The context does not permit any other explanation. Besides, it is a known fact that in the Arabic language the word has been used as a term for a professional female singer. The author of Lisan Al-‘Arab writes, ‘and the word ‘Qaynah’ means female slave singer.’20
Black male and female slaves excelled in the art of dancing and music. Many narratives provide sufficient evidence that they exhibited their skill in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sws) at numerous occasions and he did not condemn it.

vii. Dance
عن أنس قال كانت الحبشة يزفنون بين يدي رسول الله ويرقصون ويقولون محمد عبد صالح فقال رسول الله ما يقولون قالوا يقولون محمد عبد صالح
Anas (rta) narrates: Black slaves were dancing in front of the Messenger (sws) of God and sang the following words: ‘Muhammad (sws) is a pious person’. The Holy Prophet (sws) [did not understand their utterances] and asked what they were saying. The people replied: ‘they say that Muhammad (sws) is a pious person’. (Ahmad, No: 12562)

We learn from the narrative that:

• Some black slaves were dancing in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sws).
• They were singing the praise of the Holy Prophet (sws).
• The Holy Prophet (sws) did not stop them from doing so.
• He was interested in their performance. This is revealed by his question about their utterances.

The Hadith literature contains enough evidence to the fact that professional dancers from among the Abyssinian slaves used to perform before the Arabs. The nobles of Arabia would not consider enjoying such performances as undesirable. Therefore they would invite such artists to perform on their festive occasions. Dr Jawwad ‘Ali writes:

و قد عرف الحبش بحبهم للرقص. و كان أهل مكة و غيرهم من أهل الحجاز إذا أرادوا الإحتفال بعرس أو ختان أو أية مناسبة مفرحة أخرى احضروا الحبش للرقص والغناء على طريقتهم الخاصة
The Abyssinians were famous for their love of dancing. The people of Makkah and of other territories of Hijaz would call upon them to perform their special dances and sing songs whenever they would hold joyous ceremonies like marriage, circumcision and other similar festive occasions.21

Many Hadith narratives show that ‘A’ishah (rta) enjoyed the dancing feast of the Abyssinian slaves along with the Holy Prophet (sws).

عن عائشة قالت جاء حبش يزفنون في يوم عيد في المسجد فدعاني النبي فوضعت رأسي على منكبه فجعلت أنظر إلى لعبهم حتى كنت أنا التي أنصرف عن النظر إليهم
Narrates ‘A’ishah (rta): Once on an ‘Id day the Abyssinian slaves came and started dancing in the mosque. The Holy Prophet (sws) called me. I placed my head on the Holy Prophet’s shoulder and started watching their performance. [The Holy Prophet did not stop me] until I myself got tired of watching them and turned away. (Muslim, No: 892)

viii. The Prophet’s Praise for a Melodious Voice
عن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه عن النبي قال له يا أبا موسى لقد أوتيت مزمارا من مزامير آل داود
Narrates Abu Musa: The Holy Prophet (sws) [heard him recite the Holy Qur’an] and commented: ‘O Abu Musa, you have been given one of the musical wind-instruments of the nation of David’.

The narrative tells us:



احضروا الحبش للرقص والغناء على طريقتهم الخاصة
• The Holy Prophet (sws) liked reciting the Qur’an in sweet sound.
• He rendered it analogous to using musical instruments.
• He appreciated the musical instruments used by people of David (sws).

This markedly shows that the Holy Prophet (sws) liked melodious utterances. The words of the narrative shows that the reason the Holy Prophet (sws) praised Abu Musa’s recitation was the sweetness of his voice. Obviously, this sweetness of sound should always be considered a desirable thing; not only this sweetness will be enjoyed while reciting the Holy Qur’an but also other poetry, for example, poetical compositions in praise of God and exalting Him and in expressing other good subjects or poetry. In all these things, a beautiful voice should be equally considered a virtue. The art of music and singing is nothing but rhythmical melodious themes. There is no doubt that the principles of reciting the Qur’an beautifully are different from the ones used in common musical notes. However, this is equally true that the treble and bass and beauty and delicacy of utterance are elements common in the Qur’anic recitation and other types of singing. Seen in this perspective, both arts have a common trait of some sort.
Furthermore, the narrative approves of the musical instruments of David (sws). Thus the Holy Prophet (sws) recognized Biblical accounts regarding David (sws) and his followers about their use of music and musical instruments in singing the praises of God. That is the reason the great exegetes of the Qur’an have recorded this Hadith narrative in connection with the Qur’anic verses dealing with David’s praises of God. While commenting on verse 79 of Surah Anbiya, the celebrated commentator of the Qur’an, Ibn Kathir writes:

And this was because of his reciting the Psalms in a melodious voice. When he would sing it the birds would stop in the air and sang in response to David; so did the mountains. It is for this reason that when the Holy Prophet (sws) passed Abu Musa Ash‘ari (rta), when he was offering his night prayer, he stopped and listened to his recitation for he had a very beautiful voice. The Holy Prophet (sws) said: ‘Indeed he (Abu Musa) has been bestowed one of the musical instruments of the people of David (sws)’. Hearing this, Abu Musa said: ‘Had I known that he [the Holy Prophet] was listening, I would have pleased him more’. Abu ‘Uthman Nahdi says that he did not find any drum, flute or a reed sound more pleasing than the voice of Abu Musa.22

Therefore it may safely be concluded that the Holy Prophet (sws) believed in the fact that David (sws) had a melodious voice.

________________________________________

1. War fought between the two tribes of the Ansar, namely Aws and Khazraj, before the advent of Islam.
2. This Hadith is Sahih (authentic).
3. The word ‘Jariyah’ used in the narrative is usually taken to mean young girls. Although the word connotes young girls in certain contexts but there is little room to accept it as such. In this context, the word connotes a slave woman who is a professional singer and well known for her profession. This is evidently proved by the context in which the word is used here, and by the fact that another version of the same narrative has the word ‘Qaynah’ ( i.e. a professional female singer) has been used instead of Jariyah. The text of the narrative follows:

عن عائشة أن أبا بكر دخل عليها والنبي عندها يوم فطر أو أضحى وعندها قينتان تغنيان بما تقاذفت الأنصار يوم بعاث فقال أبو بكر مزمار الشيطان مرتين فقال النبي دعهما يا أبا بكر إن لكل قوم عيدا وإن عيدنا هذا اليوم
‘A’ishah (rta) narrates that once Abu Bakr (rta) came to her on the day of ‘Id Al-Fitr or ‘Id Al-Adha in the presence of the Prophet (sws). There were two female singers with her, singing the songs which the Ansar had sung on the day of Bu‘ath. Abu Bakr remarked twice: the ‘Why these satanic instruments?’ The Prophet heard him and said to him: ‘Let them sing. Every nation has an ‘Id and this day is our ‘Id’. (Bukhari, No: 3716)
4. In Bukhari, the narrative has been worded thus:

عن عائشة أنها زفت امرأة إلى رجل من الأنصار فقال نبي الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يا عائشة ما كان معكم لهو فإن الأنصار يعجبهم اللهو
‘A’ishah (rta) reported that once she married a woman to an Ansari man. The Prophet (sws) said: ‘O ‘A’ishah, what is it that there is no singing and playing whereas the Ansar take delight in this’. (No: 4867)
5. This Hadith is Hasan.
6. ‘Ali Ibn Burhan al-Din Halbi, Al-Sirah Al-Halbiyyah fi Sirah Al-Amin, 1st ed., vol. 2, (Beruit: Dar Al-Marifah, 1400 AH), pp. 234-5
7. It would not be correct to translate the word ‘Jawari’ as young girls. Some other version of the narrative has the word ‘Qaynat’ (a woman who is a professional singer) instead of ‘Jawari’.

عن أنس بن مالك قال مر النبي على حي من بني النجار فإذا جواري يضربن بالدف ويقلن نحن قينات من بني النجار فحبذا محمد من جار فقال النبي الله يعلم أن قلبي يحبكم
Anas Ibn Malik narrates that when the Prophet (sws) passed by a clan of Bani Najjar, he noticed some slave girls were singing on Daff: ‘We are the singers of Bani Najjar. We are lucky enough to have the Prophet (sws) as our neighbour today’. Then the Prophet (sws) said: ‘God knows that my heart feels affection for you people’. (Al-Mu‘jam Al-Saghir, No: 78)

8. This Hadith is Sahih (i.e. authentic).
9. This Hadith is Sahih (i.e. authentic)
10. Dr Jawwad ‘Ali, Al-Mufassal fi Tarikh Al-‘Arab Qabl Al-Islam, 2nd ed., vol. 5, (Baghdad: Maktabah Al-Nahdah, 1978), p. 116
11. Dr Jawwad ‘Ali, Al-Mufassal fi Tarikh Al-‘Arab Qabl Al-Islam, 2nd ed., vol. 5, (Baghdad: Maktabah Al-Nahdah, 1978), p. 117
12. Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddamah, 1st ed., (Berut: Mu’assasah Al-‘Alami li Al-Matbu‘at), pp. 258
13. This Hadith is Sahih (i.e. authentic).
14. Secret marriage contract is not considered valid in the Islamic Shari‘ah. Thus open declaration of the marriage is one of the basic requirements for the validity of a Nikah. That is why the Prophet (sws) rendered it desirable to beat the Daff on this occasion during his time. Consider the following narrative:

عن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله مر هو وأصحابه ببني زريق فسمعوا غناء ولعبا فقال ما هذا قالوا نكاح فلان يا رسول الله قال كمل دينه هذا النكاح لا السفاح ولا نكاح السر حتى يسمع دف أو يرى دخان قال حسين وحدثني عمرو بن يحيى المازني أن رسول الله كان يكره نكاح السر حتى يضرب بالدف
‘Ali (rta) narrates: ‘Once the Holy Prophet (sws) and his Companions passed the tribe of Bani Zariq. He heard singing sounds and music. ‘What is this?’ he inquired. People replied: ‘Messenger of God, the Nikah of such and such [person is being conducted]’. ‘His religiosity now reaches the zenith’ said the Prophet (sws). ‘This is the prescribed way of Nikah. Neither adultery nor secret marriage is allowed until one hears the sound of the Daff or watches the smoke rising. Husayn said: ‘I was also informed by ‘Amr Ibn Yahya Al-Mazani that the Prophet would disapprove of secret marriage [and would not accept it] until the Daff was played’. (Bayhaqi, No: 14477)

The Prophet (sws) held it necessary for the Arabs of his time to use the Daff to announce the wedding considering the prevailing custom and cultural traditions of the Arabs of that time. In current times, the purpose can be met through any other available means.
15. Dr Jawwad ‘Ali, Al-Mufassal fi Tarikh Al-‘Arab Qabl Al-Islam, 2nd ed., vol. 5, (Baghdad: Maktabah Al-Nahdah, 1978), p. 108
16. F.S.Khayrullah, Qamus Al-Kitab, 5th ed., (Lahore: Masihi Kutub Khanah, 1993), p. 978
17. This Hadith is Sahih (i.e. authentic).
18. Here the word Qaynah has been used which stands for a professional female singer.
19. Some people present this narrative to prove that the art of music is evil in nature. They base their argument on the prophetic saying, ‘I see that Satan from among the Jinn and the humans have fled when ‘Umar arrived’. They claim that the Prophet (sws) related music with Satan and thus expressed his dislike for it. We understand that the sentence is only expressive of sarcasm, which he used to express the harshness of ‘Umar’s disposition. If the words are taken in their literal meaning then one wonders what explanation is to be given for the presence of the Prophet (sws), ‘A‘ishah (rta) and Abu Bakr (rta).
20. This is the well acknowledged meaning of the word. The word has been used in this implication before and after the advent of Islam. Imra’ Al-Qays says:
إن أمس مكروبا فيا رب قينة
منعمة أعملتها بكران
لها مزهر يعلوا الخميس بصوته
أجش إذا ما حركته اليدان
(No worry if I have grown sorrowful. How many delicate singing slave girls did I employ on playing a Kiran. They had such musical instruments in their hands which on being stirred by the hands gave heavy sound that spread through the whole band of troops.)
21. Dr Jawwad ‘Ali, Al-Mufassal fi Tarikh Al-‘Arab Qabl Al-Islam, 2nd ed., vol. 5, (Baghdad: Maktabah Al-Nahdah, 1978), p. 122
22. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, vol. 3, (Lahore: Amjad Academy, 1982), p. 187

INTRODUCTION TO KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

BY ABDUL HALIM ABDUL KARIM
http://pachome2.pacific.net.sg/~ahalim/index.html

1. WHY KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT?
Today's organizations are facing challenges never before conceived because of the shift into the Knowledge era. This is undeniable in a global world that sees all man-made and even natural boundaries collapsing. With this comes the realization of the importance of "knowing what we know," and maximizing the use of knowledge that we may already possess. Furthermore, there is a need to expand what we know to create/discover Knowledge. In the business enterprise this is never more urgent as it has turned into a matter of survival. We seem to have lost all of our comparative advantage except for the Knowledge that we have.
The challenge is that existing "corporate knowledge" may not be centralized or apparent, often residing in many different places such as: desktops, databases, filing cabinets and in peoples' heads. All too often, companies duplicate work, time and effort because they either don’t know what they already have, or can’t locate what they need. In order to combat these issues, organizations need to know what their knowledge assets are and how to manage and make use of these assets to get maximum return.
Competitive pressures, and increased employee mobility, continue to reduce the size of the workforce and the knowledge "contained within". As corporations become more customer-centric, employee focus is switched from the formal knowledge of their functions to the informal knowledge of the who, what, when, how and why of the customer. There is a need to realign business processes with the need for new and dynamic kinds of knowledge, accessible at internet speed.
Thus, the adoption of an effective Knowledge Management System may be the single largest factor to sustainable competitive edge for today…and into the future.
So What is Knowledge?
While many would say things like "I have a Knowledge of ABC" where ABC could be Accounting or Mathematics or Biology etc., we do not normally speak of having Knowledge about Knowledge itself. While businessmen, engineers, accountants and others may have some ideas as to what Knowledge is, in truth, it is unfair to fault them if they do not know what exactly is the nature of Knowledge. We must realise that the study of the nature of Knowledge is the purview of Philosophy. It is only in Philosophy that students really delve deeply into Theories of Knowledge and explore questions such as what is Knowledge and how it is acquired in the subject area called Epistemology. It becomes important for us to hear what the Philosopher has to say even in a seemingly business and information technology-like field such as Knowledge Management for it would seem that Knowledge Management is not only multi-disciplinary but is in a very important sense rooted in Philosophy. Here, we would like to avoid the Philosophical debates of what is Knowledge i.e. whether it is Justified True Belief or whether Knowledge must be acquired through the process of falsification rather than verification and other epistemological contentions. We would simply point out that in Knowledge Management, the concern is not so much the outcomes of philosophical debates but more so about what exactly is being managed in what we term as "Knowledge Management". Rather, in Knowledge Management, Knowledge is to be seen in relation to Data and Information. I would thus make the following observations about Data and Information followed by my working definition of Knowledge I think is most suitable for the field of Knowledge Management:
• Data - Raw facts; numbers; simple attributes
• Information - Data in context thereby enabling construction of Meaning
• Knowledge - Information which is contemplated in the mind, thus internalised and subjectivised to be evaluated by one’s belief system, prior knowledge and experiences thereby affecting one’s decision making and thus actions
There appears to be no clear-cut demarcation between these three sense of what is known. What appears to be data to one may be information to another. The context is not in the data but may very well be arrived at by the one reading the data. And, what is regarded as information to one may be Knowledge to another. Clearly, central to the idea of Knowledge is the Knower and not some repository of data or information in the sense of a Database.
Can We Then Define Knowledge Management?
There are many definitions of Knowledge Management but many of these definitions are lacking in scope as well as in reflecting an understanding of the Philosophical nature of Knowledge. Here we define Knowledge Management as both a process and a field of study:
• Knowledge Management is a field of study which analyses how:
• Knowledge Management is a process whereby:
the usage of data, information, information technology, human expertise/resources, intellectual assets and other organisational resources are planned, organised, directed, controlled and co-ordinated harmoniously to enable efficient creation/discovery, acquisition, usage and flow of Knowledge such that relevant Knowledge is integrated into the business process and thus leveraged towards the achievement of organisational goals.
It is clear that this definition builds upon the traditional understanding of Management from the perspective of what Managers do (first explored by Koontz) i.e. that they plan, organise, direct, control and co-ordinate. However what is involved in Knowledge Management is of course, Knowledge. Also importantly, this definition is centred on the usage of data, information, information technology, human expertise/resources, intellectual assets, in short, all resources that constitutes Knowledge assets and its enablers. Importantly, this definition also covers primary Knowledge processes which are the creation/discovery, acquisition, usage and flow of relevant Knowledge. And finally, this definition also considers the integration of these processes into the running of the business to leverage organisational Knowledge to achieve organisational goals.
2. CLASSIFICATIONS & TAXONOMY
In the quest for better overall knowledge management systems and related performance objectives, corporations are devoting greater attention and detail to the subject of classifying the knowledge that drives them. While the technology associated with the knowledge management systems is important, the knowledge itself is paramount. The ability to conceptualize, classify and use/reuse the knowledge is the true core to any knowledge management system. This is what ontologies are about. While again, this is a subject explored very much earlier in Philosophy, the emphasis in KM is less about the philosophical discussions of the various Theories of Existence. Rather in KM, ontology focuses more on the conceptualisation and classification of what is to be Known and what is already Known for the establishment of database, data-mining as well as for easy information storage and retrieval.
A counterpart concept of "ontology" is taxonomy. The successful classification of Knowledge revolves around the creation of a sound taxonomy. A taxonomic system is like a small universe of ideas that fit together in a logical fashion. Taxonomies are the intellectual skeleton around which a knowledge management system is assembled. A sound taxonomy system is built by distilling human intellect and combining it with a good deal of discipline as well as the realities of the industry within which the organisation is operating.
3. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Many may say that the old saying that “knowledge is power” has now been replaced by the saying that “sharing knowledge is the true power.” However, we need to go further. Empowerment in fact does not come from the mere possession of Knowledge nor from the sharing of Knowledge per se. Power comes from the possession of Knowledge coupled with the authority to act on what is Known. As mentioned, an organization’s Knowledge is one of its most important resources, and may be the organization’s best sustainable source of competitive advantage. It stands to reason that the organization that has developed or selected the technology vehicles to share and transfer Knowledge effectively stand a better chance to remain competitive for the long-term. But the key to Knowledge Management is leveraging Knowledge i.e. the proper usage of Knowledge for decision making and application.
However, Knowledge sharing is without doubt a significant start point not only because Knowledge sharing is about relationships between people but also that any individual can start sharing what they know immediately. In fact many are already doing just that even if in an unstructured manner. Thus in order to build effective Knowledge Management Systems, it is first necessary to identify the underlying factors that encourage or discourage knowledge transfer in organizations. Once knowledge transfer is understood in the organizational context, managers can develop and implement strategies to boost organizational efficiency through better Knowledge Management.
Collective web-based collaboration, facilitating the creation of dynamic learning communities that are focused and process-driven, will provide an organization with eminently more effective and cost efficient knowledge transfer. The results are predictable: a more skilled and competent work force that is aligned with corporate goals and initiatives.
The question remains, how? How do we manage Knowledge? As with P. Drucker, we can say that the term "Knowledge Management" itself is at best, a misleading term and at worse, even linguistically unfortunate. Confounding our understanding is the software providers who are too quick to paste the term KM onto their products even when KM is the least that these products can do. In 1999, I wrote an unpublished paper to clarify the matter. My approach is that we do not manage Knowledge per se. What we do manage is really the flow of Knowledge. To do this, there is a need to conceptualise a system i.e. a Knowledge Management System which shows how Knowledge flows in an organisation. What follows is a copy of the paper:

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT: BUILDING A KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM
By Abdul Halim Abdul Karim
Introduction
Much has been said about Knowledge Management. Simply put, it is how Management manages Knowledge but that is a truism that does not say anything. We however, could do just as bad if we attempt to understand Knowledge Management merely in terms of the so-called traditional functions of the manager such as planning, controlling, leading, etc. Such functions do not in any significant sense apply to the management of Knowledge.
How then do we approach Knowledge Management? All indications are that you approach Knowledge Management from where you stand. The philosopher, educationist, engineer, psychologist etc., begin in their own respective ways. In the Business Management perspective we need to begin with the "organization". Much like the organization chart, which is really a blueprint of how an organization is run, we need to conceptualize some kind of a blueprint or framework which approximates, at least on paper, a system by which Knowledge is properly managed.
Managers may not necessarily need to build a Knowledge System from scratch although that may be preferable in many cases. Instead, much of the processes involved in a Knowledge system may very well be in operation in a current set-up. It is just that these processes were not conceptualized and therefore not optimized as a part of a Knowledge system for Knowledge Management.
It is clear that the management of Knowledge necessitates a basic understanding of the nature of Knowledge, not necessarily in the deep philosophical (epistemological) sense but at least as much as how Knowledge is conceived and related to people and decision making. This is because, an integral part of Knowledge Management is the management of the flow of Knowledge. Significantly, Knowledge primarily flows through people (of course with the help of Information Technology). How do we manage this flow of Knowledge? This is a key question in the Management of Knowledge. It is commonly known that an organization that is able to effectively manage the flow of Knowledge would have a comparative advantage that matters in the new economy.
That Knowledge primarily flows through people, gives the false impression that People Management (Human Resource Management) would mean Knowledge Management or that Knowledge Management should be subsumed under Human Resource Management. This is a basic Knowledge Management fallacy based on the false assumption that only people can store information and that the flow of Knowledge equals to the dissemination of Knowledge. On the contrary, Knowledge Management is not only a "people" problem, it is also a "systems" problem. Or, arguably many would say that it is where "people" meets "system".
Here, it is necessary to distinguish between Data, Information and Knowledge. But we must also remember that such distinctions are not rigid for one can easily become the other in a given circumstance.
• Data - Raw facts; numbers; simple attributes
• Information - Data in context thereby enabling construction of Meaning
• Knowledge - Information which is contemplated in the mind, thus internalised and subjectivised to be evaluated by one’s belief system, prior knowledge and experiences thereby affecting one’s decision making and thus actions
In a Knowledge Management System which essentially tracks "Knowledge Flow", we need to remember that we are talking about a system where people meets information systems; data that are often stored morphs into information when put into a context. And information morphs into Knowledge when internalised and contemplated by a person such that it affects his/her decision making. Thus, when we speak of Knowledge Flow generically, we are also speaking about data and information flow and how one morphs into the other and vice-versa.
Furthermore, we must understand that the flow of Knowledge is much more than just a matter of dissemination. Beyond the traditional concerns of security in the dissemination of Knowledge, Knowledge Management is also involved in developing a wholistic system for the management of Knowledge flow. If Knowledge Management were to be a formal business activity there must be some kind of reference, some kind of framework that the Knowledge Managers can work from. We find here the need for us to conceive of a Knowledge System. A Knowledge System is a framework which guides Knowledge Managers not just about who should know what and when but also what kinds of Knowledge processes needs to be done, how and when.
Relevance
The much-touted Knowledge explosion is arguably an explosion of pseudo-knowledge. This is true otherwise we would not need to sieve through and differentiate between Knowledge and plain falsehood. There is essentially a large pool of claims-to-knowledge. "Knowledge on-time" has always been emphasized when what we need is really "Relevant Knowledge on-time". A good Knowledge Manager must thus be able to identify relevant and useful knowledge from an ocean of claims-to-knowledge. This is essentially what data-mining is about. Importantly, given the speed of the knowledge cycle, we need to anticipate relevance. Indeed, it would be helpful to think of relevance of Knowledge as a continuum:







There is no gainsaying that such anticipating is difficult to do. Furthermore, what is remotely relevant yesterday may be crucial today. Deciding upon the relevance of knowledge also requires a wholistic understanding of the industry within which the organization functions. Organizations related in a (supply) chain for instance, might each have access to knowledge required and relevant to another. If you use DHL's services, it would "know" more about where your customers (and your competitor's) are and when would they receive their purchases than your marketing department. In addition, the relevance of knowledge depends upon the type of industry in which an organization is operating. Determining relevance of knowledge requires a good understanding of related industries; what one firm regards as relevant may be irrelevant knowledge by another. It is for these reasons that any Knowledge System must factor in the related Community of Practice. Indeed, it is often the case that it is the practitioners and not the managers who are able to anticipate the next big thing in their respective domains. They are the feelers to what may become relevant (or alternatively, redundant) knowledge in the near future.
Having in mind what can be accepted as relevant Knowledge and what needs to be discarded as irrelevant, the Knowledge Manager needs to further think of a way to codify what he has identified as relevant. It is in the old Sufi and Taoist wisdom that not all Knowledge can be expressed into words and figures. Not all relevant Knowledge can be codified even though the advancement of IT, developments in the fields of Computer Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence aim to codify everything under the sun. Still, the Knowledge Manager needs to be able to identify and use the latest in hardware and software technology which could be used to effectively codify as much relevant Knowledge as possible. Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange are really attempts at doing just that (and maybe more). The reason why such softwares are popular is because Knowledge Managers cannot directly manage uncodified Knowledge. Codification also involves categorizing and classifying knowledge for easy retrieval and as such, it is "IT intensive".
What about Knowledge directly created/discovered by the organization? The direct (or active) creation of Knowledge by an organization would presumably be carried out by the Research and Development Department. R&D is a specific organizational function. Processes involved in such a function are generically similar to processes involved in a Knowledge System. An example of these is the codification of Knowledge. A good R&D department would have in place, a system which would codify Knowledge as it is created, done for instance through proper documentation of findings and analysis. This is indeed one of the important aims of Knowledge Management; to have such a system organizational wide rather than just restricted to the R&D department. This is where a Knowledge System would help. This does not mean that an R&D is necessarily a microcosm of a Knowledge System. It is just that an organization would do well to look at how good R&D departments handle what they have always been handling, Knowledge.
Identifying relevant Knowledge and Codifying them are two examples of Knowledge Management processes. However, these processes need to be placed within a Knowledge System mentioned earlier. Arguably, the first step towards Knowledge Management is to analyze the workings of an organization and build a Knowledge System appropriate for it. What, however, does a Knowledge System looks like in theory? After much theoretical research and also some attempts at conceptualizing a Knowledge System for a firm in Kuala Lumpur, I have come up with a knowledge flow-chart which I am proposing to be a Model of a Knowledge System:

A PROPOSED MODEL OF A GENERIC KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM

















Firstly, we must understand that Knowledge flow is very unlike the flow of tangibles. Water also flow i.e. from a higher plain to a lower area. Indeed, when a thing is said to flow from point A to point B, that thing cease to be at point A as it is transferred to point B. This does not apply to Knowledge. When person A shares his/her Knowledge with person B we may say that that particular Knowledge has been transferred from A to B but, A still retains the Knowledge he/she has shared. (Hence while Knowledge that is not relevant and not codified is seen above as going back to the Community of Practice, it in fact never left it - Uncodified (Tacit) Knowledge always resides in the minds of the people who make up the Community of Practice and it is also these members who would also know if a particular Knowledge is irrelevant or obsolete) Our understanding of Knowledge flow begins with experience for it is from experience that we learn and gain Knowledge. This can be seen to be worker's experience from all levels of the organisation. Also, through our exchanges with a Community of Practice, we learn from other's experiences. These experiences are in short, claims to knowledge for not all in our interpretation of the collective pool of experience are true and can be regarded as Knowledge. This is because, other than hearsay, we have differing perceptions which affects the accuracy of our understanding of our own experiences. Furthermore, not all the claims to knowledge are relevant for industrial or domain specific organizational decision making.
There is thus a need to identify Knowledge from a pool of claims to knowledge. There are claims to knowledge which are not Knowledge at all and so must not be allowed into the system. There are knowledge which are not relevant for the purposes of the organisation which should also not be allowed into the system until the organisation or the Community of Practice which would inevitably review these knowledge claims, find use for them at a later time. Not all knowledge thus identified as relevant, however, can be codified. Knowledge that resists codification cannot be managed by any Information System in the traditional sense of the word. rather, these are to be managed by other more human-centred Knowledge Management Initiatives that facilitates sharing of Knowledge such as the use of live face-to-face story-telling. Indeed, Story-telling is one way to facillitate Knowledge Flow within the Community of Practice. As such, a Knowledge Management System manages Knowledge Flow in the sense of it flowing through people as well as in the sense of it flowing through Information Technology and Communications Systems. Nevertheless, the knowledge that can be codified needs to be codified.
Codification is crucial for storage of data/information/knowledge into some kind of Data Bank. We can safely assume that knowledge directly created through Research and Development is codified and therefore could be channeled to the Data Bank directly. Such a Data Bank in turn must be sophisticated enough to be accessible to those who require the Knowledge. This is done through a system of on-time dissemination of Knowledge.
Thus, Knowledge is disseminated to those who need it to make decisions. Carrying out such decisions, i.e. applying such Knowledge in turn becomes a part of our experience that we in turn bring to our respective Communities of Practice. Notice the double headed arrow between Communities of Practice and Experience. And so, the chain of Knowledge flow goes on
The above model of a Knowledge System is generic in the sense that it is not focused upon any particular type of industry. As such, even though I mentioned above that "a Knowledge System is a framework which guides Knowledge Managers not just about who should know what and when but also what kinds of Knowledge processes needs to be done, how and when". The "who" and "how" is not detailed here as it is context or industry dependent. Incidentally, the technical "how" of Knowledge Management processes comes more so under the purview of the Knowledge Engineer than the Knowledge Manager. The chart above is thus meant to be a first blueprint of a Knowledge System to be used by Knowledge Managers in formulating a Knowledge System for any organization.
If you have any feedback about the Knowledge System Model please e-mail the author at director@iknowledgeware.biz

Cleanliness and Beautification

The attention to hygiene is another aspect of Civilized Manner (Suluk Al-Hadari) which is an unknown concern in any other religion or philosophy before Islam. Cleanliness became an essential part of the rites and worship to such extent that it is an inseparable part of the Muslim's life.
The five daily Prayers are obligatory upon every Muslim, man and women. This Prayer is actually pledge to meet Allah, the Exalted, from the rising of the dawn until the disappearance of the twilight at evening. It is, in fact a spiritual shower washing away sins five times a day. In this respect Allah says: "And establish regular Prayers at the two ends of the day and when the night approaches, surely the good deeds blot out the evil deeds." (11:114)
This Islamic Prayer has a uniqueness unlike the Prayer in other religions in that physical purification is a necessary condition. If Prayer is the key to Paradise then, likewise purification is the key to Prayer. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Allah does not accept Prayers without purification." [Note: Reported by Muslim and Ibn Majah on the authority of Ibn `Umar, also by Ibn Majah on the authority of Anas and Abi Bakrah and also Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah on the authority of the father of Abi Al Malih, Sahih Al- Jami' Al-Saghir, No.7746]
This purification and cleanliness are of two kinds: purification from impurities and purification from the excretions of the penis, vagina or anus.
Purification from impurities purifies the body, the clothes and the place in which one prays from any impurities such as the stains of the blood, dead animals and pigs, and the vomiting, urine or excrement of human beings and animals.
The other kind of purification does not mean cleanliness from something palpable. But rather purifying the inner of oneself because it is an order from Allah. A Muslim is obliged to make ablution if exposed to minor impurities. This means he must wash the areas of the body which are ordinarily exposed to dust and dirt and he should have a body-washing (Ghusl) after menstruation and sexual intercourse. Moreover, these acts of purification are connected to recurrent natural stimuli which one must blot out through purification. It is also preferable, in Islam, for the Muslim to be eager to clean his body regularly, particularly when he meets his fellow Muslims in the congregational Prayers.
Ghusl is also an act in which it is preferable to be performed before the Friday congregational Prayer as stated in the noble hadith. In other versions, the hadith goes to the extent of ordering one to perform (Ghusl) as part of the overall cleanliness and hygiene of the Muslim Society: "Ghusl on Friday is obligatory (Wajib) on every adult!" [Note: Reported by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah on the authority of Sa'id, Sahih Al-Jami' Al-Saghir, (3690)]
By adult, he means a sane human being who is of the age in which his deeds are held accountable before Allah. Another hadith obliges the Muslim to perform (Ghusl) at least once a week saying: "Every Muslim should bathe once every seven days where he should wash his head and alt of his body." [Note: Agreed upon on the authority of Abu Hurairan, Al-Lu `Lu' Wal Marjan, (No.442)]
The Sunnah has directed attention in taking care of certain parts of the human body such as the mouth. The means of cleaning it was the Swak which is easily found and used in the Arab Peninsula. In this respect, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "The Swak is a purifying agent for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah's Pleasure." [Note: Reported by Ahmad on the authority Abi Bakr; also by Al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Nasa'i, Ibn Khaizamah, Ibn Hibban, Al-hakim and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of `Aishah, and by Ibn Majah on the authority of Abi Umaman, Sahih Al-Jami Al-Saghir, (3695)]
Concerning the hair, Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Whoever has hair should care about it." [Note: Reported by Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Rurairah, (No. 4163), Sahih Al-Jami' Al-Saghir, (No.6497)] `Ata' Ibn Yasser reported that: "A man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him): When he was in the mosque with uncomped hair and an untidy beard. The Prophet pointed to him as if ordering him to fix his hair and beard. He did so and returned. Thereupon the Prophet (Peace be upon him): When he was in the mosque observed, "Isn't this better than one of you coming with his hair uncomped, as if he was a devil ?" [Note: Reported by Malik, Al-Mawatta', vol.2, p.949] Thus the Prophet as the instructor taught the Muslims the importance of having a pleasant appearance which comes second in importance after the excellence of the inner self. Furthermore, he taught Muslims to wash their hands thrice on waking up before putting them in the water, saying, "For no one knows where his bands were during sleep." [Note: Reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majab, Al-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, and Al-Tirmidhi on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Sahih Al-Jam'i Al Saghir, No.332]
For Arabs used to clean their private parts with stones due to scarcity of water and many of them weren't in the habit of wearing pants, so perhaps they might have touched their private parts (where the impurity was) while they were asleep.
He also taught them to wash their hands after eating and particularly after eating meat. He went so far as to warn them against neglecting to wash their hands before sleep saying: "Whoever goes to sleep without washing his hands from the traces of fatty foods, exposes himself to illness and should blame no one but himself." [Note: Reported by Abu Dawud (No.3852), Al-Tirmidhi (No.1861), Ibn Majah (No.3267), and Ibn Hibban as mentioned in Al-Mawarid (No. 1354), all of them reported it on the authority of Abu Hurairah except Ibn Majah who reported it after Fatimah, (May Allah be pleased with both of them), No.3296]
The Sunnah stressed the importance of cleanliness in the house saying: "You must clean your houses and do not follow in the footsteps of Jews". [Note: Reported by Al-Tirmidhi]
Moreover, the Sunnah instructed Muslims to maintain the cleanliness of the roads by lifting any harmful objects found on it. This is considered a Sadaqa and as a means to ridding the streets of impurities and filth.
Some Bedouin Arabs used to urinate on the roads or in the shade. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) strictly warned them against it and considered it one of the reasons to provoke Allah's curse and the people's curse saying:
"Beware of those acts which cause others to curse. They asked, "What are those acts?" The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Relieving oneself in the people's walkways or in their shade". [Note: Reported by Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawud on the authority of Abu Hurairah, the previous reference (no. 110)]
"Beware of the three acts that cause others to curse you: relieving yourselves in a watering place, on foot paths or shaded places." [Note: Reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim and Al-Baihaqi on the authority of Mu'adh, Sahij' Al- Jaini' Al-Saghir (no. 112)]
This instruction in conjunction with the others were the first attempts, known in the history of mankind, to link human beings with the protection of the environment from harm in the name of religion.

A. Why Should Islam Stress the Importance of Cleanliness:
This is due to several considerations in the Sunnah as well as the Qur'an. First, cleanliness is one of the qualities which Allah, the Exalted, loves. He says: "Surely God loves those who repent, and He loves those who are always pure." (2:222) He also praised the people of Qiba' and their love of cleanliness, saying, "A mosque which was founded upon piety from the very first day is more worthy be stood in. In it are men who love to purify themselves, and God loves those who purify themselves." (9:108)
Purification or cleanliness is considered an inseparable part of faith to the extent that some Muslims mistook the saying: "Cleanliness is a sign of faith" as a hadith. The actual authentic hadith in this respect says: "Purification is half of faith" [Note: Reported by Muslim, Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi on the authority of Abi Malik Al-Ash'ari, Sahih Al- Jami' Al-Saghir (No.3957)]
Purification includes both moral purificatiwhere one is free from polytheism, hypocrisy and ill manners, and physical purification means private and public cleanliness.
Second, cleanliness is the pathway to health and strength. Islam aspires the health and strength of Muslims, preparing them to confront and overcome different circumstances and as ammunition for the Muslim group. The strong believer is better and Allah loves him more than the weak believer. The Muslim is entrusted with his body thus, he must not neglect it until it becomes plagued with disease for the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
"Your body has a right on you." [Note: Agreed upon on the authority of `Abdullah Ibn `Amr, Al-Lu `lu' Wal Marjan (No.715)]
Third, cleanliness is a prerequisite to beautification or appearing in the way most loved by Allah and His Prophet. It is reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty."
After the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "If one has an atom's weight of arrogant pride in his he! he will not enter Paradise". On hearing the Prophet's words, a man said: I like to wear elegant clothes and shoes or he said one likes to wear elegant clothes and shoes.' The Prophet commented, "Allah is beautiful and he loves beauty, arrogant pride means the denial of the truth and despising people." [Note: Reported by Muslim on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud in the book of Iman, (No.147)]
Allah, the Exalted says: "O children of Adam, adorn yourselves fully at every time of prayer." And says: "Who had forbidden the ornament of God which He brought forth for His servants and who has forbidden the good things which he has provided?" (7:31-32)
Hence, `the Prophet forbade men going to the mosque in the clothes worn at work. Al-Hasan used to adorn himself wearing musk and his best garments on going to the mosque. When asked about this, he explained:
"I beautify myself for Allah's Sake." Then he recited, "Adorn yourselves fully at every time of Prayer."
Lastly, cleanliness and pleasant appearance are of characteristics which allow relationships to strengthen amongst people. The sane human being will try to avoid people who are unkempt. Hence, the Prophet emphasized the importance of Ghusl or bathing on Friday. Similarly, there is a prohibition on eating garlic, onion, leek and food like it, before going to the mosque in order not to disturb others from the strong odor. If one insists on eating them, then he is not permitted to enter the mosque and is deprived of the congregational Prayer.
In both Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:"Whoever has eaten garlic, should not approach our mosque". [Note: Agreed upon, Al-lu'lu' Wal Marjan (No.331-333]
Jabir Ibn `Abdullah reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Whoever has eaten garlic or onion should keep away from our mosque and stay at home." [Note: Agreed upon, Al-Lu `lu' Wal Marjan (No 331-333)]
And Al-Mughirah Ibn Shu'bah reported; "Whoever has eaten from this malignant tree, should not approach our mosque until its smell completely vanishes." [Note: Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban, Sahih Al- Jami' Al Saghir (No.6092)]
These Hadiths rebukes those who eat these raw legumes and threaten to exclude him from approaching the mosques. By analogy, smokers, nowadays, should be deprived of approaching the mosques for they expose people to passive smoking, consequently, to danger.
These legumes are lawful - halal per se, whereas , smoking is dangerous physically, spiritually, and economically and it is thereupon judged as forbidden. The Ayah in which Allah describes his Prophet in the books of old times apply to smoking as Allah says: "He enjoins on them what is good and forbids them from what is evil".
On the bases of instinct, intellect and scientific proofs, tobacco is definitely not one of the good things in life.

B. Among the Privileges of Islam:
The regard to cleanliness in Islam is seen as one of Islam's great privileges. This fact is emphasized through two points: Firstly, the Arabs, like many people from the same environment and circumstances, were almost Bedouin thus, most of them held little importance to personal hygiene and the cleanliness of their houses. This could be attributed to the scarcity of water in the region as there were no rivers such as the Nile, the Tigris or the Euphrates. What existed were wells which were either deficient or abundant and relied upon rainfall which was sparse in number and quantity. They therefore had to exert perseverance and effort in order to progress from the stages of Bedouinism to the state of civilization thus growing to love cleanliness to the extent that it became an inseparable characteristic of their lives.
On reading the hadith, one becomes acquainted with the bad habits which prevailed amongst them, such as urinating in running and stagnant water as well as in walkways and shaded places.
In this respect, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:"None of you should urinate in still water and then perform Ghusl in it." [Note: Agreed upon on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Al-Lu'lu' Wal Mrajan (No.161)]
"None of you should urinate in stagnant water and then make ablution in it ". [Note: Reported by Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Nasa'i, Sahih Al-Jami' Al Saghir, (No.7594)]
and,
"None of you should urinate in a bathing place." [Note: Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Al Nasa'i, Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban on the authority of `Abdulah Ibn Mighfal, Sahih Al- Jami' Al-Saghir (No.7597)]
The second point is that, the prevailing religions in the Arabian Peninsula and the areas in its vicinity, did not lay great importance to cleanliness nor did they encourage their followers to partake in it. In fact, a number of hadiths reported that the Jews did not care about hygiene of their houses therefore, Allah's Prophet said: "Clean your houses and do not follow in the footsteps of the Jews."
As for the Christian monks, they renounced personal hygiene as part and parcel of the world which they had rid themselves of. This world included marriage, eating the best food and similar pleasures. All the other religions and philosophies are based upon the belief that the human body is an evil entity which should be deprived of all the good things in life including cleanliness and ornaments.

Business Ethics In Islam

Trade and commerce have always been a part of Islam. From pre-Islamic days, the Holy City of Mecca has been the center of commercial activities. It was indeed the annual trading center of Mecca that provided Prophet Mohammad the forum for preaching Islam.
The early Muslims were not only engaged in trade but they went to distant lands in connection with business. Islam in fact reached East and West Africa, East Asia through the business people.
Islam encourages work in general, and trade and commerce in particular, Prophet Mohammad was himself engaged in this profession before he became a prophet. He was a successful businessman. Known for integrity, he bore the honorific title, ?the Trustworthy?, The Quran states:
"God has made business lawful for you"
In addition, the Qur'an includes rules not only for manners and hygiene, marriage and divorce, but it also lays down detailed rules for commerce and politics, interest and debts, contracts and wills, and industry and finance. Islam has permitted and in fact encouraged business. Islam lays out the basic principles of our economic behavior as consumers, producers and owners of wealth.
The Islamic principle in business is based on individual enterprise and correspondingly individual?s reward. It is basically based on benefiting the humanity while maintaining God?s orders.
In business relationships Islam strictly forbids any discrimination between people based on their religion, sex, or gender.
There is no basic conflict between good business practice and profit making in Islam. Islam looks at profit as secondary way to measure efficiency. Business Ethics in Islam
1. Trust: Trust of God's creation and all that is in it. God has created and perfected the whole universe then Man is set over it all with delegated. So as Muslims we realize that we are just trustee for God?s universe and we truly do not owe anything in this life. That kind of belief along with your knowledge that God sees all what you do, will make you work under constant surveillance, and keeps your performance at its best while following God?s defined conduct.
(Quran 45-13): And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on earth: behold, in that are Signs indeed for those who reflect.
(Quran 6:164): It is He who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
2. Justice and Honesty: Justice can be defined as just conduct, fairness exercise of authority in maintenance of right and fair dealing between each other regardless of faith is strictly laid down in Islam. Honesty incorporates the concepts of truthfulness and reliability and covers all aspects of relationships in human life thought, word and action. It is more than just accuracy; it is an attitude with integrity.
(Quran 4:135): O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
(Quran 6:115): Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
(Quran 11:85): O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people in respect of their goods
?O you who have attained to faith! Do not devour one another?s possessions wrongfully ? not even by way of trade based on mutual agreement ? and do not destroy one another: for behold, God is indeed a dispenser of grace unto thee!
Oh ye who believe! Eat not up each other's property by unfair and dishonest means." (4:29)
3. Mutual Respect: The third principle is mutual respect and consideration for others is also inherent in the moral teachings of Islam.
The application of this has come to mean that self interest only has a place in the community in as much as it takes into account the interests of others. So a person or organization can not under self benefit measures takes an action or start a business that will harm the community or environment more than providing good to it. The prophet (PBUH) said: "You will not attain righteousness, unless you give of that which you love?. And said "God loves kindness when you deal with any matter" And also said: "You will not enter Paradise until you have faith and you will not have faith until you love one another". What is forbidden in business in Islam?
1. Islam has not permitted producing, selling and purchasing of goods, which are prohibited in Islamic law. Alcohol, Drugs.. The Prophet of Islam has said: "When God prohibits a thing He prohibits (giving and receiving) the price of it as well."
2. Islam has also prohibited any kind of transaction involving uncertainty, as this could lead to quarrel or litigation. The Prophet of Islam has forbidden transaction involving unspecified quantity, acceptance of money for fish in the river or bird in the air as there is element of uncertainty. Similarly the Prophet of Islam has prohibited sale of fruit till they are ripened. However; if the element of uncertainty is very small, the transactions are permissible.
3. Islam condemns hoarding to make high profit at the cost of public interest (when it is needed or so it will become needed). Islam, however; allows normal trade - buying and selling of goods again and again at a reasonable profit.
4. Islam prohibits fraud in business dealings. The Prophet has said: "Sell the good and bad separately. He who deceives is not of us" The sin of fraud is greater if the seller supports it by swearing falsely. The Prophet has said, "Swearing produces ready sale but blots out blessing".
5. Islam prohibits buying or selling what?s legal if we know that it will be used for illegal use: weapons, abortion drugs, drugs for meth making, and so on.
6. INTEREST: Muslims are not allowed to pay or receive interest. This is a shared value in all religions. The Quran is explicit about it and says, "God- has permitted for you trade and prohibited interest" (2 : 275). The Bible says: ?and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High? Luke 6:35.

Depositors in an Islamic bank would be treated like shareholders, would receive dividends when the bank makes a profit, and would lose capital when it suffers a loss.
The prohibition or fixed interest flows from Islam's concern for social justice Interest is said to reinforce a tendency for wealth to accumulate in a few hands
So how would you by buy a house for example? A new trend has recently started that work as follows: An Islamic financing company buys the house. The house then is leased back to you for a fixed period of time. You pay the finance group the rent value plus an additional amount for the house purchase. The value or the lease home will be reassessed every year, and the rent will be adjusted accordingly. In Closing
To close let me reassure that it is the responsibility of every Muslim to be ethical in their daily business practices and to act responsibly toward the community in which it serves. To review its business practices and remove from its organization any unlawful activities and devote themselves to productive and lawful activities that benefit mankind.
It is everyone?s responsibility to take a long and serious look at their organization and implement policies and procedures that are conducive.
As a general guide to Muslims in business we should adopt the following overriding principals:
? Love God and his commands more than your trade or business
? Be honest and truthful
? Keep one?s word
? Be humble in how you conduct your life
? Do not deal in fraud
? Do not bribe
? Deal justly

Abdoulrahman Kattih
The Islamic Education And Services Institute

Tips for Muslim Businesses

How to Increase Profits and Help The Muslim Economy Grow

“I live in a suburban where there are 3 "Halal" meat stores within a 5 mile area, and another which is about 30 minutes away. I am an "American" Muslimah. In the three stores owned by Pakistani/Indian businessmen, the treatment I receive is terrible. In addition, the stores are filthy and no health code is followed. Blood from the meat is spread from meat counter to checkout counter, hands to money and pens, etc. In the store that is further away, the owner has argued and almost had fist fights with customers, and will not disclose his meat source. I have gone to great lengths to continue to buy Halal meat, but I feel that doing business with these people is not something I can continue to do." (Comment in the Halal and Healthy forum of the Sound Vision website, July 22, 1999)

Muslim consumers are often criticized for not doing enough to support Muslim businesses, whether it's paying the extra dollar (or two or three or four) to buy products, or to drive the extra mile (or two or three or four) to get to the store.

But what is rarely discussed in the North American context is what obligation Muslim businesses, especially Halal grocery stores, have to the Muslim community.

The above-mentioned complaint is not a reflection of all Halal grocery stores. However, the problems outlined in it cannot be ignored.

If Muslim businesses want the support of Muslim consumers, they will have to do more to accommodate them, provide better service and prices.

New York-based Muslim social scientist Ilyas Bayunus conducted a study in which he found that Chicago has a Muslim population of about 300,000. The state of Illinois has a population of 400,000.

This indicates the tremendous buying power of Muslims in this city and this state.

In Chicago alone, there are a minimum of 60 retail Halal meat shops that are owned and operated by Muslims.

Currently, the Halal meat business makes close to $5 million a year. But the potential profit could be as high as $60 to $80 million. The market hasn't developed for a number of reasons, some of them can be attributed to Muslim consumers, others to Muslim businesses.

Below are some tips on how you can improve service and profits of your Halal business. This can be applied to all business, not just the meat business:

1. MAKE PROFIT THE SECONDARY AIM

The first goal of a Muslim business should not be cashing in on a Muslim market. It should be pleasing Allah and establishing Halal as a way of life.

Seeking profit is not a bad aim, but it should be secondary.

By making Allah the goal, and implementing Islamic rules of honesty, truthfulness, and good behavior with customers, Insha Allah, any Muslim business is bound to boom.

2. BE TRUTHFUL AND HONEST

The Prophet has said the the honest and truthful businessman will be in Jannah amongst the Prophets the Truthful and the martyrs. Honesty and truthfulness are essential in this business. And when it comes to Muslim businesses, it means building a relationship of trust with customers, which cannot be done with lies and deceit.

3. BE OPEN TO SCRUTINY AND CRITICISM

While this may be a bitter pill to swallow, being ready to have your product or business scrutinized for cleanliness or the “Halalness” of products indicates a willingness to work with the consumer. This serves to build trust.

For those business people who may feel hesitant or downright angry with a Muslim consumer for even asking about the acceptability of a given product in their store, remember that this is the right of the consumer.

Remember, ultimately, we are all responsible to Allah. If a business is cheating Muslims, Allah will eventually expose those involved.

As well, a Halal business is not just one person's profit-making machine. It is also an institution of the Muslim community. Therefore, it must be ensured that it meets not just state and federal standards, but most importantly, the Quran and Sunnah's standards.

4.BE CLEAN!

This is especially important for Halal grocery stores where the presence of animal blood is expected. Not being careful of this means not only lost customers, but also possible sicknesses from the germs in the blood.


The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Cleanliness invites towards faith (Iman) and faith leads its possessor to paradise." (Tabarani)

This cleanliness, by the way, does not just apply to those areas of a store a customer will see. It includes equipment and storage areas as well.

5. AIM FOR A HIGHER GOAL

Don't just aim for one successful Halal grocery shop in your chosen neighborhood. Think big. Improve the inventory of your store, the types of items in it, and strive to find ways to improve service and profit margins.

As well, look into the possibility of pooling resources within the Muslim community or with other shareholders to expand the business. Doing this will also reduce overhead costs and in the long run, the price of products for your consumers.

6. WORK WITH OTHERS IN YOUR MARKET

Yes. This can be very difficult. Finger pointing, accusations and nasty rivalry often characterize Muslim businesses aiming to market the same products. But this is not the way a Muslim economy should work.

Brotherhood in the Ummah cannot be forgotten. Consider forming an association of Muslim meat retailers or distributors that can sit down together share experience, and learn to cooperate. This cooperation could, in the long run, benefit the Muslim consumer, and in turn the Muslim businesses themselves.

One example of where cooperation can take place in the Halal meat industry is by having all grocers or butchers slaughtering the animals in one place, Instead of doing it the way it's been done since the beginning: every individual or couple of retailers slaughtering their own animals.

By slaughtering in one place, costs are reduced, and in turn, the Muslim consumer pays less for the same product.

7. DO NOT SELL THE HARAM

While there are more “Muslim” businesses sprouting up, not everything they sell is Islamic.

It is not difficult to find Muslim owned businesses selling pork, alcohol, pornographic magazines, and renting these kinds of movies on the one hand, while selling Halal meat on the other.

Of a less offensive nature, perhaps, are those businesses which sell Halal products but rent or sell cultural (especially Indo-Pakistani) movies. While these movies may seem harmless in comparison to those of the pornographic variety, what must be remembered is that when Muslim parents and elders indulge in watching such cultural films, their children can very easily find an excuse to watch their own “cultural” films (i.e. American-Hollywood).

This requires efforts on the part of Muslim business owners to wipe out the Haram and ensure the Halal in their businesses.

A telling anecdote about Haram business practices was provided by Imam Siraj Wahhaj of Brooklyn, New York during a Khutbah.

He recounted the case of a Muslim who owned a shop that sold newspapers and magazines-including pornographic magazines. The Imam tried to convince the Muslim brother to stop selling these publications. At one point he agreed, and removed them from his shelves.

But after a while, Imam Wahhaj noticed they were back on the shelves. When he asked the brother about their reappearance, he said he was losing money.

Shortly after that, the entire store was destroyed in a fire.

Human Rights

Allah SWT has given each man human dignity as well as honor. Therefore, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual distinction can be made among them.

Since God is the absolute and the sole Master of men and the universe, He is the sovereign Lord, the Sustainer and Nourisher. He has given each man human dignity as well as honor. Therefore, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual distinction can be made among them, on account of their accidental differences such as nationality, color or race. Every being is related to all others and all become one community of brotherhood in their honorable servitude to the most compassionate Lord of the Universe.
In such a heavenly atmosphere, the Islamic confession of the oneness of God stands dominant and central, and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness of humanity and the brotherhood of mankind.
Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with the state or at war. The Noble Qur''an clearly states,
"O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not there be hatred of others to make you swerve to wrong and depart from Justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and Fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do." [Al-Maa''idah: 8]
Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. If anyone violates this sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, the Noble Qur''an equates it to the killing of entire mankind,
"If anyone slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for corruption done in the land, should be as if he had slain mankind altogether." [Al-Maa''idah: 32]
It is also not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick or the wounded. Women''s honor and chastity are to be respected under all circumstances. Wherelse, the hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst its enemies.
When we speak of human rights in Islam, we really mean that these rights have been granted by God. They have not been granted by any king or by any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings or the legislative assemblies, can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognized by the dictators. They can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish and they can openly violate them when they like.
However, since human rights in Islam have been conferred by God, no legislative assembly in the world or any government on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in them. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them. Nor are they basic human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.
The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by God because the former is not applicable on anybody while the latter is applicable on every believer. They are a part and parcel of the Islamic faith.
Every Muslim or administrator who claim themselves to be Muslims, will have to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God or make amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying lip service to them, the verdict of the Noble Qur''an for such government is clear and unequivocal:
"Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers." [Al-Maa''idah: 44]
Islam tries to achieve the objective of human rights and many others not only by providing certain legal safeguards but mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower level of animal life to be able to go beyond the mere ties fostered by the kinship of blood, racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and economic privileges. It invites mankind to move on to a plane of existence where, by reason of his inner excellence, man can realize the ideal of brotherhood of man.