Jummah Prayers on Dhur time banned in Tunisia
Tunisia Combines Friday, `Asr Prayers
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=11846491125...
TUNIS — When Malaysian Abduallah went to one of Tunisia's ancient and largest mosques to perform the weekly Friday prayer on time during his journey to the North African country, the mosque's custodian put it to him politely, "Sorry sir, but you can come three hours later."
"It never crossed my mind that the doors of Al-Zaytuna grand mosque at the heart of the Tunisian capital would be shut down at Friday prayers," Abdullah, who only gave his first name, told IslamOnline.net Monday, July 23.
"At first glance, I thought the mega mosque might be under restoration."
Abdullah was later shocked to know that in Muslim but secular Tunisia some mosques are closed during the obligatory weekly prayers.
Abdullah was curious to know why.
"Because Friday has been a working day and Sunday a weekend since its independence (from France) in 1956," replied a passerby when asked by the dumbfounded tourist.
"Then president Habib Bourguiba adopted a set of laws that entrenched some of the occupation's traditions like the Sunday weekend.
An outcry from practicing Tunisians forced Bourguiba to "strike a balance" between Islam and secularism.
"Some scholars tailored fatwas at the behest of Bourguiba, authorizing Tunisians to combine Friday and `Asr (afternoon) prayers," Abdullah came to know.
"Under the fatwa, mosques were also divided into two categories: one performing Friday prayers on time to appease religious civil servants, while the other delaying the weekly prayer 30 minutes before the `Asr time so that others employees perform it after work," he added.
Tunisian scholars had actually taken things further as under Islam both prayers cannot be combined.
"Each one of the five prescribed prayers as well as the Friday prayer has a specific time. God Almighty says: 'Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours.' (An-Nisa’: 103)" said Mohammed Al-Bana, the Managing Editor of IslamOnline.net's Arabic Shari`ah page.
"Combing Friday and `Asr prayers runs counter to the order of Qur'an, unless there is an overwhelming excuse to do, but never a state policy," he added.
In Islam, Muslims are allowed — in some certain circumstances basically travels — to combine Zuhr with `Asr, on the one hand, and Maghrib with `Isha’, on the other, during travels or
The combination can be done whether by offering the second at the time of the first or by delaying the first to the time of the second.
State Sermons
Another thing has left Abdullah mesmerized: the Friday sermon at the mosques that perform the prayer on time.
"I was disappointed to know that authorities distribute one-theme sermon every Friday among such mosques," he said.
Some of the sermons were too dull and angered worshippers.
"I went to the Al-Basha mosque the other Friday to find the imam preaching about the importance of respecting traffic and pedestrian rules to head off tragic road accidents," he said.
"I knew that the same imam had tackled the beauty of flowers and how Islamic it is to maintain them on the streets."
Abdullah continued: "The themes drove some worshippers to heckle the imam, who insisted that such manners are purely Islamic."
More and more, the imam concluded his sermon with a long supplication dedicated to President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, the Interior Minister and policemen.
"The imams are powerless because if they did not abide by the sermon's them, they would be held accountable," said Abdullah.
of the secular state is much more antidemocratic than the islamic one. Turkish secularists are using illegal military intimidation against democratically elected government to protect secular minority and guess what we hear no outcry and condemnation from the so called democratic west. If Turks or Tunisians were by some mad chance interfering with the evangelical and missionary activities shock and awe would rumble over those governments. Typical double standard, and as long as you abuse and deprave muslims of their basic religious and human rights you are a good dogie even if you are a demon incarnate. For me it just shows true face behind false preachings of Christianity which plays hand in hand with Zionism or should I say satanism. Descent Christians which are minority in the west are treated as outcast by their own so called Christian culture unless they join hateful and demonizing propaganda directed against Islam and Muslims. Those "christians" who blindly support Israel are not worshiping One God but Babylonian deities that evil illuminati Zionism adheres to. So any Christian that has ill feelings toward Islam is not follower of Jesus but rather follower of Baal. Is Tunisian islam moderate enough for the west? I doubt it because they would prefer to see it erased completely not only from Tunisia or Turkey but the from the face of the whole earth. This sickening attitude of the west toward Islam and Muslims just reveals true god that Western civilization obeys and that god is no God but Satan himself. You don't agree with this?! Wait and see on which side of the Armageddon battle are you going to place yourself when Muslims will be forced to face the whole western civilization and I mean the whole lot of western nations united under NATO. That day is not long way ahead of us so do some soul searching before it will be to late to repent "For on that day it will not benefit anyone who believes if he did not believe before."
"Let there be Light!"
For close to a century now secularist rulers of Muslim countries tried to impose westernised Islam on the masses but they just never succeeded. Their only achievment was showing up their own slavishness to their masters.
The Muslim Ummah, even the most illiterate ones know that other religions and systems, such as capitalism, communism, socialism, Naserism, etc. do not offer them the same liberation ( I mean the internal of the soul kind) like Islam does.
The moment a Muslim declares his Shahadah and says there is no other power but that of Allah, he feels liberated. he may not know it but deep inside he feels liberated and therefore none of the other ideologies are attractive.
For centuries missionaries have tried to covert Muslims, by offering "better" education, riches, women and what not but the Ummah will not budge.
That is their true strength of Islam and no two bit leaders of the Tunisian or Algerian kind will succeed just as the more powerful ones like that of Soviet Union or China did not succeed in ending Islam in those countries. On the contrary there are more Muslims today then ever before and not only those who are born in Muslim familiues but millions have reverted and are reverting.
Nothing to fear, as Allah protects his revelations and his truth
http://carmenisacat.blogspot.com/
..but this is one of the major flaws in Sunni thinking and Sunni religious governance.
State first and then Islam. The Imams have to do what the state dictates and it is universal in each Sunni controlled state. Shia states on the other hand allow freedom of choice and freedom of action when it comes to practice.
90% of the Muslim world really are not Muslim.
In that case, we do not have 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. More like, what? 10 million Muslims?
http://carmenisacat.blogspot.com/
...just let me know when you've converted and can actually speak on behalf of any muslim regardless of their sect.
I'll be the first to applaud at your coronation.
http://carmenisacat.blogspot.com/
...miss I'm not a muslim but I like to defend them on TV:
We Shia KNOW there are sects. So do the Sunnis.
We may not like it but suffice it to say...we tend to know a little more about the subject than people like you.
is same as Shia thinking and I must disagree with your assumption that Sunnis are some kind of totalist maniacs who leave no choice to anyone living under their rule. Well even in extremely radical wahhabi Saudi kingdom you have a lots of Shia Muslims living there for a long time. Extremism is evident in both Shia and Sunni groups and by the way i other numerous groups as well and Sunnis are well aware of multitude of groups or sects within international Muslim community. All injustice and evil among Muslims is coming out of their egoistical ignorance and intolerance. I have a feeling that most of us are involved in rectifying others just to forget our own faults and impurities and that very sad picture which offers a lot of material for nonmuslim criticism toward Islam and Muslims. Attitude of ignoring our faults and impurities will not serve us well in future as it didn't in the past either. MP I can not avoid impression that you are always trying to use your comments to emphasize your extraordinary Shia righteousness in all areas of life. If you like it so much thats OK with me but that "self-righteous" Shism is a bit annoying now. All Muslim sects have weaknesses and improper factors and that s why Imam Mahdi needs to come and purify our corrupted attitudes and practices. God bless.
"Let there be Light!"
If there is a major flaw in Sunni thinking and Sunni religious governance then the Malaysian man Abdullah wouldn't be shocked at what he encountered in Tunisia! Malaysia is "Sunni" in that our Rasul's Sunnah is adhered to.
The Holy Prophet used to offer these prayers in both ways, sometimes separately and sometimes together. whats the big deal.it depends on whether your traveling or at home and so on. we need unity,not ways to divide us....
salaam
We sure do need unity. I may be a "Sunni" and may debate over petty things but by Allah I will fight alongside my Shiite Imam and my Shiite brothers and sisters.