The Business of Marriage

Some wise guy once said, "Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution?"

Whilst this must have been said in jest, marriage is an institution which celebrates the union of two souls for love, procreation and the legal system of most nations of the world.

This institution is in principle, the formation of a family unit that guards the modesty and chastity of Muslims and gives continuity to the Ummah. It is divinely ordained as Almighty Allah himself states in the Noble Qur'aan:

"And among His signs is this that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Surah ar-Rūm: Verse 21)

Marriage and business have much in common. They both have to rely on Directors / Partners who strive to produce the best results for their stake holders.

This is done by ensuring that the business or marriage is effectively managed through proper planning, leadership, organisation and controls.

Whether it is finances, conflict resolution, alliances and a legion of activities, these have to be undertaken by the enterprise in reaction to the market place or the community.

The one area paramount to these institutions' success is Trust.

Halaal regulation is no different. The marriage between ourselves as a service provider and yourselves as a consumer relies on trust that we have to earn and live up to. Just as no marriage is perfect, so too as human beings we are all prone to error. However, that should never be a cause for friction, anger and divorce. Let us rather channel our energies to be the best of people who enjoin good and forbid evil.

We commend any initiative that strengthens bonds of marriage, kinship and business relationships in the tradition of our Prophet (peace be upon him).

Editor

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ORGANISATION PROFILE

All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama

Our Ummah is a single Ummah spread over the earth with all having to adhere to dietary laws as prescribed in the Noble Quraan and exemplified by our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Over the years, Alhamdulillah, dedicated organisations throughout the world have done sterling work in ministering to the needs of their communities. With rapid globalisation and international trade, changes in lifestyle of the Muslims and advances in food sciences, it has become almost mandatory for organisations to co-operate with their counterparts all over the world to render effective service delivery.

SANHA, apart from being a founder member of the World Halaal Council, has collaborative relationships with scores of organisations throughout the world for the transfer of skills, technology and knowledge for the benefit of the Ummah.

SANHA has a memorandum of Understanding with the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama of Sri Lanka, an organisation with majority Ulama members that was established eighty two years ago. By an act of parliament it accords protection to the Muslims who account for ten percent of the population of Sri Lanka. Apart from the Halaal regulatory services, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama is actively involved in promoting Islamic systems such as Islamic banking etc.

Senior members from Sri Lanka have already been hosted by SANHA in South Africa for intensive training.

Contact Details:

Al Haj A.R.M Faizer
Administrator
All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama
Halaal Division

Email : srilankahalal@gawab.com
jamiyyah@lankabellnet.com

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HADITH (Sayings and Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him)

Al-Qaasim at-Taymii narrated that Zahdam al-Juramii narrated:

"We were with Abu Musaa al-Ash'arii (radhiallaahu anhu). His food was brought. It included chicken. Amongst the people was a reddish man from Banu Taym tribe. He appeared to be a freed-slave. He did not come closer.

Abu Musaa said, "Draw close, for verily I saw Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam eating this".

He replied, "I saw the chicken eating dirt. I therefore vowed not to eat it."

Commentary

Mawlaanaa Zakariiyyaa Kandhalwii comments:

This is the same Hadith previously mentioned. The narration differs slightly due to the difference in the chain of narrators. Both are brief in ash-Shamaail. Al-Bukhaari describes the incident in more detail. He states that in the end Abuu Musa radiyallaahu 'anhu instructed him to eat and compensate for breaking his oath. There is no benefit in taking vows not to eat permissible foods.

Reference

Ash-Shamaail lit-Tirmizii, Chapter on the curry of Rasulullah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam.

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WINNING RECIPES

Tried and tested recipes from chefs, gourmet connoisseurs, contributors and also from kitchens of our certified plants for your culinary pleasure.

Save the information and make up your own collection of winning recipes.

If you want to look good and feel good this summer, try our delicious "Summer compote" recipe, feel fruity and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and obesity.

Summer Compote (serves 6)

• 1kg mixed fruits (e.g. strawberries / raspberries / blackberries & blackcurrants) frozen fruit can be used
• 2 tblsp brown sugar
• 4 tblsp water
• 5 cm stick cinnamon

• Remove stems / stalks and wash fruit
• Place water, sugar in large saucepan, bring to boil and melt sugar.
• Add fruit, turning gently so they don’t break
• add cinnamon stick
• simmer for 5-10 minutes until lightly cooked
• allow to cool, remove cinnamon stick and turn into a serving dish
• Refrigerate until needed.
• Serve with cream or yogurt.

Chef's tip:

An easy way to hull strawberries is to push a straw into the pointed end of the berry, and the leaves and the core will come out the other end. Then use an egg slicer for a more decorative look.

Chef's Quick Fact:

Berries in general are a good source of vitamins and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are components of fruits or vegetables that may help to prevent disease, and perhaps even help to treat some disorders. For instance, cranberries and blueberries contain a substance which will help prevent or treat painful bladder infections. Dark-coloured berries like black raspberries contain powerful antioxidants which may help to slow down the ageing process and keep us healthier.

Do you have a recipe to share with the readers?

Send in your favourite recipe to pro-kzn@sanha.org.za and who knows, you could be our "guest chef" for a future edition of the Halaal e-Bulletin.

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KNOW ISLAM SERIES

One out of every five persons on this planet is a Muslim.  He is your neighbour, customer, supplier, employee, boss or friend.

Nikah - Marriage

Mutual Agreement of Bride and Groom

Marriage (nikah) is a solemn and sacred social contract between bride and groom. This contract is a strong covenant as expressed in the Noble Quraan.

Both parties mutually agree and enter into this contract, the bride and groom have the liberty to define various terms and conditions and make them a part of this contract (within the bounds of the Shari'ah).

Mahr - Dower

The marriage dowry (Mahr) is a divine injunction. The giving of mahr to the bride by the groom is an essential part of the contract.

Mahr is a token commitment of the husband's responsibility and may be paid in cash, property or movable objects to the bride herself. The amount of mahr is not legally specified, however, moderation according to the existing social norm is recommended.

Primary Requirements

• Mutual agreement by the bride and the groom
• Two adult witnesses
• Mahr (marriage-dower) to be paid by the groom to the bride.

Secondary Requirements

• Legal guardian (wakeel) representing the bride
• Written marriage contract signed by the bride and the groom and witnessed by two adults.
• A responsible person officiating the marriage ceremony to solemnise the marriage

The Marriage Banquet (Waleemah)

The groom holds a banquet according to his means usually the next day called a Waleemah which celebrates the consummation of the marriage. Relatives, neighbours, and friends both rich and poor are invited to share in the joy of the blessed event.

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Competition

Bulletin 19 Competition

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Five copies to be won of a concise but informative book on Islamic Family Law.

Written and edited by Advocate Muhammad Vahed, an Executive member of SANHA, Moulana Hunter, Attorney Ahmed Saber Jhazbhay and Advocate Saleem Khan. It gives the reader a valuable insight on the subject.

Answer the following question:
Which presenter of the Pre-Marital Guidance Workshop is also the author of the above book prize?

Which SANHA office would you like to collect your prize from if you are a winner - Johannesburg, Durban or Cape Town?

State your preference when submitting your Answers. Send your answer to helpline@sanha.org.za

"STOP PRESS!!!
Don't miss our next edition with our super year end competition worth over one thousand rand."

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MYSTERIOUS SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE

Let's play the guessing game – I could be a spectacular spice, fabulous fruit, incredible ingredient, vital vegetable, marvelous mineral or vibrant vitamin. Do you know my name?

In this issue we will begin a three part series giving you information on the various types of Vitamins, their sources and benefits. Although we only need them in minute amounts, vitamins are essential for our bodies to work properly.

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