The ‘Great Mosque of Guangzhou’ is also known as Huaisheng Mosque which means ‘Remember the Sage’ (A Memorial Mosque to the Prophet) and is also popularly called the ‘Guangta Mosque’ which translates as ‘The Beacon Tower Mosque’. Huaisheng Mosque is located on Guantgta Road (Light Pagoda Road) which runs eastwards off Renmin Zhonglu.

Prior to 500 CE and hence before the establishment of Islam, Arab seafarers had established trade relations with the “Middle Kingdom” (China). Arab ships bravely set off from Basra at the tip of the Arabian Gulf and also from the town of Qays (Siraf) in the Persian Gulf. They sailed the Indian Ocean passing Sarandip (Sri Lanka) and navigated their way through the Straits of Malacca which were between the Sumatran and Malaysian peninsulas en route to the South China Sea. They established trading posts on the southeastern coastal ports of Quanzhou and Guangzhou. Some Arabs had already settled in China and probably embraced Islam when the first Muslim deputation arrived, as their families and friends back in Arabia, had already embraced Islam during the Prophet’s revelation (610-32).

Guangzhou is called Khanfu by the Arabs who later set up a Muslim quarter which became a centre of commerce. Guangzhou’s superior geographical position made it play an important role as the oldest trading and international port city in China. Witnessing a series of historical events, China has become a significant place in history and one of the fastest growing regions in the world enjoying unprecedented prosperity.

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The Makassans

Well before 1788, Makassan fishermen from the east-Indonesian archipelago, fishing for trepang (sea-slugs), began annual voyages to our northern shores. It is thought that the fishermen of Makassar had been visiting the north coast of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland from as early as the 16th century. Aboriginal cave paintings also depict the traditional Makassan sailing vessel or ‘prau’ and a number of Makassan artifacts have been found in Aboriginal settlements on the west and northern coast of Australia.

In 1803, Matthew Flinders recorded the sighting of 6 praus off the east of Arnhem Land. Some inter-marriages between Aborigines and Makassans took place and Makassan grave sites exist along the coastline.

These early Muslim traders were among the first visitors to establish an economic enterprise, founding Australia’s first ‘modern industry”. Unlike later European settlement, Makassan enterprise encroached little on the Aboriginal way of life. More lasting is their place in Aboriginal history and culture.

They came intermittently as visitors, revealing only a part of Islam. While day-to-day contact would have made Aborigines aware of prayer times and burial practices, Islam as a way of life had little impact on Australia.

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Islam in Japan

View of the Tokyo Jamee Mosque, Japan. Built in 1938, it is the Oldest Masjid in Japan. The Turkish influence is clear in its architecture and design.

Islam’s relation with Japan is quite recent as compared to those with other countries around the world. There are no clear records of any contact between Islam and Japan nor any historical traces of Islam’s coming into Japan through religious propagation of any sort except for some isolated cases of contact between individual Japanese and Muslims of other countries before 1868.

Islam was firstly known to Japanese people in 1877 as a part of Western religious thought. Around the same time the life of prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was translated into Japanese. This helped Islam to find a place in the intellectual image of the Japanese people, but only as a knowledge and a part of the history of cultures.

Another important contact was made in 1890 when Ottoman Turkey dispatched a naval vessel to Japan for the purpose of starting diplomatic relations between the two countries as well introducing Muslims and Japanese people to each other. This naval vessel called “Ertugrul” was capsized and sank with 609 people aboard drowning 540 of them, on its way returning to home.

The first Muslim Japanese ever known are Mitsutaro Takaoka who converted to Islam in 1909 and took the name Omar Yamaoka after making the pilgrimage to Makkah and Bumpachiro Ariga, who about the same time went to India for trading purposes and converted to Islam under the influence of local Muslims there and subsequently took the name Ahmad Ariga.
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The news of the disaster at Badr in which a number of noble men from the tribes of Quraish had fallen and the return of the survivors to Makkah in a complete state of confusion and disorder, was met with a lukewarm reception and despair that completely bewildered the Quraish. It had proved an unimaginable catastrophe for them. All those whose fathers, sons or brothers had been killed at Badr, met Abu Sufyan and others who had merchandise in the caravan which was brought back safely to Makkah. It was agreed to set aside the profits of the caravan in order to support in preparing themselves for a new war against the Muslims. The poets, as usual, began inciting the people with their songs of vengeance. To the pagan Arabs, the shedding of the blood of their tribesmen necessitated an effort to avenge those killed in order to vindicate their loss and honour.

A well-equipped army set out from Makkah to fight the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and his companions (radiallahu ‘anhum) in the middle of Shawwal, 3 A.H. (After Hijrah: the Muslims began their calendar after the famous “Hijrah” from Makkah to Madeenah, hence everything that happened after that time is dated as “After Hijrah”) The Quraish had mustered an army of three thousand soldiers consisting of their own warriors and others from surrounding tribes that agreed to join them. Their women went with them riding their own camels in order to stir their valour and prevent them from retreat. (Ibn Hisham, Vol. II, pp. 60-62) The noble men of Quraish also took their wives with them. The army advanced in small staggard groups and camped near the gates of Madeenah.

The Prophet’s (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) plan was to remain in the city, leaving the invaders alone and to fight only when they decided to swarm it. He did not favor going out of the city to face the enemy in the battlefield. Abdullah b. Ubayy, too, agreed with the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), but some of the Muslims who had somehow missed the opportunity of engaging the enemy at Badr were more enthuasiastic. They said, “O Prophet of Allah, let us go forth and smite our foes, otherwise they would think that we fear to leave the city and face them.”

While they kept on urging the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in this way, he went into his house and put on his coat of armour. The young men who had been keen on meeting the enemy outside the city admonished themselves for their over-eagerness in light of the Prophet’s (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) reluctance. Realizing their hastiness, they begged the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to follow his first counsel for they may have been mistaken in persuading him against his will. “If you wish to remain inside the city”, they said, “We will not oppose you.”
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Father of Chemistry: Jabir Ibn Haiyan

Jabir Ibn Haiyan, the chemist Geber of the Middle Ages, is generally known as the father of chemistry. Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan, sometimes called al-Harrani and al-Sufi, was the son of the druggist (Attar). The precise date of his birth is the subject of some discussion, but it is established that he practiced medicine and alchemy in Kufa around 776 C.E. He is reported to have studied under Imam Ja’far Sadiq and the Ummayed prince Khalid Ibn Yazid. In his early days, he practiced medicine and was under the patronage of the Barmaki Vizir during the Abbssid Caliphate of Haroon al-Rashid. He shared some of the effects of the downfall of the Barmakis and was placed under house arrest in Kufa, where he died in 803 C.E.

Jabir’s major contribution was in the field of chemistry. He introduced experimental investigation into alchemy, which rapidly changed its character into modern chemistry. On the ruins of his well-known laboratory remained after centuries, but his fame rests on over 100 monumental treatises, of which 22 relate to chemistry and alchemy. His contribution of fundamental importance to chemistry includes perfection of scientific techniques such as crystallization, distillation, calcinations, sublimation and evaporation and development of several instruments for the same. The fact of early development of chemistry as a distinct branch of science by the Arabs, instead of the earlier vague ideas, is well-established and the very name chemistry is derived from the Arabic word al-Kimya, which was studied and developed extensively by the Muslim scientists.
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We are grateful to Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala) HE blessed us the opportunity to spend Ramadan devoted to HIS worship.

We have now entered in Shawwal with Eid-ul-Fitr upon us, Alhamdulillah!

We (entire team of BJS Allah Walay)  just want to wish Eid Mubarak to all brothers and sisters in Islam!!

May the Mercy & Blessing’s of the Almighty be with you, your family, and friends during this auspicious Eid Blessings Day and continue to be always, and May ALLAH (SWT) have accepted all our prayers/duas during this blessed month of Ramadan, insha’Allah (God Willing).
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Ramadan is the month of blessings. It is the month of revelation of Quran, the month of reading and reciting the whole Quran, the month of Tahajjud and Qiyam al-layl prayers, Sadaqah, Zakah al-Fitr and Zakah al-Mal. Ramadan is also a month of social activities among Muslims.

No one can go anywhere without preparation, and no one invites a guest without preparing to welcome him / her. Similarly, to welcome Ramadan, the month of fasting, one has to prepare.

The following are some tips to help prepare accordingly:

• Try to make changes in your character and manners that leads to only good deeds/Sawab.
• Start giving Sadaqah daily, no matter how little. Make it like a habit.
• Start reading Quran daily after Salat al-Fajr and before bed.
• Make Tahajjud and Taraweeh prayers compulsory for Ramadan.
• Spend time listening to recitations from the Quran.
• Keep yourself in a state of Wudu (Ablution) most of the time.
• Evaluate yourself daily before going bed.
• Thank Allah for good deeds, and repent to Him for your mistakes and sins.
• Find time to pray extra prayers.
• Spend more time reading Islamic books, especially the Quran, Sirah, Hadith, and Fiqh.
• Find time to help others with your wisdom, knowledge and other talents.
• Associate with Muslim scholars / ulama and other pious people so that you may learn from them.
• Train yourself to do good, render free service to others to seek the pleasure of Allah.
• Try to feed the poor as much as u can.
• Also give your self the privilege to invite family and friends for Iftaar, as there is a great reward for it.
• Try to give happiness to people around you , even if it is to share a smile

What to avoid list during the month of Ramadan

• Avoid any kind of misunderstanding, false oaths, backbiting, rude behavior, any kind of deed that will be counted as a SIN.
• Reduce watching TV,and surfing internet… instead spend more time reading the Quran and other Islamic literature.
• Avoid looking at unlawful pictures, whether magazines, department store catalogs or otherwise.
• Avoid going to theaters; instead go to Masjid, Islamic organizations and make that a daily habit.
• Avoid eating too much. Eat only when you are hungry and try not to fill your stomach completely.
• If you smoke, try to reduce daily usage or totally quit it; otherwise Ramadan will be very difficult for you to observe.
• If you like to listen to music, whether the style of western societies or even those from Muslim countries, reduce, even eliminate the time you spent on them; replace them with reciting and listening to recitation from the Quran.
• Try to lessen your socialization and spend more time at home or masjid remembering Allah(swt).
• To prepare ourselves before the month of Ramadan arrives is far better than waiting till it comes.

Remember: “Time is not money or gold; it is life itself and is limited. You must begin to appreciate every moment of your life and always strive to make the best use of it.” – To prepare ourselves for anything in life is a sign of wisdom and maturity. No one is assured of living one day more; tomorrow may not come. So hurry and benefit from blessings and rewards from Allah.

May Allah(swt) bestow upon us his countless blessings, and guide us to fast in the month of Ramadan praying to him and reciting the holy Qura’aN….ameen