Abstracts no. 17

Jan 13, 2017 Zani i Nalte English 0

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Islamic Sciences

1. Functionalism of Islamic thought

Dr. Muhamed Mustafi 

Islamic thought is something that is considered as an entirety which cannot be divided into smaller parts, because in such a case it would be merely considered a result of any theory that can be either accepted or rejected. The entirety of such a thinking makes it functional in daily life life since the period of Islam’s announcement until today. Functionalism of Islamic thought can be very real if implemented in every idea and action at the same way it has been applied at the time of the Prophet PUBH, i.e. as it has been accepted by the people of that time. The pure Muslims’ mind, the greater will be the functionalism of Islamic thought and vice versa, the pale Muslims’ brain, the weaker will be its functionalism. Islamic thought does not need to be perfect to be renewed because it is perfect by its very nature and emanates from the divine origin, but instead, we need to renew ourselves and be proud of Islam and not of ideas and thoughts that come only from the human mind. Human thoughts are diverse and very often they become outdated by time passing, while Islamic thought is constant and suitable for all ages, because it stems from Islam, which is not valid only for any certain time or people and therefore, everyone has the opportunity to implement it and hereto, it can be applied in any country.

2. What did you do to feel the prayer?

Adnan Merja

If you really want to accomplish the prayer properly, then you should be stripped of any sense other than the pleasure of Allah (SWT) and open your heart to Him. Every word flowing from your lips must be stamped with the seal of consciousness. For example, when we say Alhamdulillah, we need to know better what is meant by this word and to elaborate it in our consciousness and sobbing we must say “All praise, thanks and sublimation, belongs to Allah (SWT). It is my duty and the right of my Creator to do this.” Thus, this word it exalted to Allah, together with the insights that we have carried on it. Also, when we say Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rrahijm, we have to be adorned with the same feelings for Him. When we say Maliki Jeumid-Din, we have to seal this word with the magnificent meanings it contains and in this form to present ourselves to the Trust One. Prayer for us should be considered as a Miraj and for this we should strive according to our capacity to feel those truths which our Prophet (AS) felt too.

 

Studies

3. Publication of the complete edition of “Zani i Naltë” magazine

Compensatory evaluation for the years of its anathematization and its importance today

MA. Ramadan Shkodra – Dr. Sadik Mehmeti

 

The half century absence of “Zani i Naltë” magazine’s heritage – as well as many of its peers – which were published at the same period with it or after it –  and its consequent anathematization, avoidance and denial of its values, and furthermore,  the segregation, contempt and naming as “enemies of the people” of authors who have written on this issue, not only indicate a severe, orchestrated and systematic effort of that time’s ideological thinking to extinguish and to underestimate its values, but it proves once again that good word – the word of truth and hakikat – is like a good tree; its roots are deep into the earth, and its branches are high, very high, and – God willing – it gives its fruits at any time and at any moment.

4. Give the employee his salary before his sweat dries out!

Ilir Akshija, M.D., M.Sc.

The study and comparison of the banking system with Islamic practices, or even the opposition at certain times is common in Islamic economic literature. A topic that has not been routinely addressed is the payment of workers and the evaluation of relevant schemes according any model based on Islamic legislation. Exceptional flows of capitals in the financial world rightly have put the Muslim economist into a difficult position. Being obliged to respect contracts and looking for profit which must be halal, he is highly charged of responsibility in this respect. Therefore the main focus is centered on banking transactions and stock trading neglecting other factor, and – in a way – he has fallen prey of imitation of ready models in terms of employee payment system. In this discussion we raised the question whether the employees’ payments that usually are made once a month could be considered as a debt paid with delay or a subcategory of usury, if we refer to the Hadith for immediate payment of the employee! Salary of the first day of a certain calendar month is taken at the same time as the salary of the last day, not taking into account the timeliness of work completion which for any ordinary employee is the working day. The consequences of payment delay are recognized in all the practical procedures; furthermore, receiving a monthly salary not in the given time, is associated with increased crime, drug consumption, alcohol and creates the possibility of obtaining short-term loans with high interest. This hypothesis requires a response in the future from experts of fiqh, and possibly it needs an interdisciplinary discussion.

Islamic jurisprudence

5. Religious supervision to parents or Ihtisab – the rules and ethics

Dr. Sedat Islami 

‘Commanding the good and forbidding the evil’ is one of the most important religious institutions. It ensures the implementation of the law of God in society and the preservation of the latter by any negative phenomena. Because of this importance it has, it is described in the Qur’an (9:71) as an obligation that derives from religious brotherhood. Because of having such a status, it is regulated as an institution with the relevant rules and ethics in order to prevent any case of its wrong manifestation, which may have ramifications. Commanding the good and forbidding the evil continued as a state and social organ for centuries. Over time, deficient perceptions in this respect, as an institution, philosophy and worldview, have led to its erroneous application. There have been made errors – inter alia – in relation to parents. This paper aims to represent the aspects where it was wrongly applied regarding the parents and what are the religiously adopted forms for its application in relation to them.

History

6. Six centuries of institutional Islam in the Balkans

Prof. Dr. Feti Mehdiu – Prishtinë

 

Many foreign scholars – and domestic ones as well – who handle the historical matters objectively rejected the thesis of Islam spread through violence in the Balkans by the “Asian invaders”.

Objective researchers, independent from political ideologies, have proved through their scientific research that traces of Islam in Albanian territories had existed long before the Ottomans arrival in these lands. This is a reality that cannot be denied or ignored. It is also true that long before the Ottomans arrived to this region of Balkan Peninsula- in Albanian territories – Islam initially was not supported institutionally by the relevant state entities. It was presented only from willing individuals, missionaries or traders, who accidentally passed through these lands.

7. Sanjak of Skopje at the end of XIX century and early XX century

Dr. Hasan Bello, Institute of History, Tirana

Kosovo Vilayet which was part of the of Skopje at the end of XIX century and early XX century, lied in Western European territories of the Ottoman Empire, with an area of 32,000 square km. In the East it bordered with Bulgaria, in the West with Vilayet of Shkodra, Bosnia and Montenegro, in the south with Thessaloniki, and in the north with Serbia. In this context, due to the geopolitical position this vilayet – and consequently the Sanjak of Skopje – occupied, it was turned into the most important but at the same time in one of the most problematic Vilayets of the Empire.

Given the infrastructure (railway station), health care, telegraphy network – the conditions necessary to avoid additional costs of wasted trips – and given the city was not in the border area, Skopje – according to him – had all the prerequisites to become a Vilayet center. In 1888, the Ottoman government rightly decided to transfer the Kosovo Vilayet center to Skopje Sanjak.

8. In search of independence

Nuredin Nazarko 

Albania’s independence, arrived as a result of many historical circumstances combinations, brought to the Albanian people a mutilated state, without any geographical or demographic cohesion, which was necessary to establish the foundations of a future sustainable development in the Albanian lands. Albanians gained a truncated state, but lost significant parts of their territories – a loss which was not only political, but also economic and demographic. Each part of the Albanian territory took a different way of development according the country to which it already belonged. The cohesion of the internal market broke and under and aboveground assets of Albanian territories – which were mangled – would be used by states to which these territories already belonged after 1913. After gaining their independence, Albanians testified -though in a painful way- the “love” of civilized nations towards them, although there were great expectations the great civilized Europe would know how to fix things correctly in their case.

Translation

9. On the religion and freedom

Turki El-Hamed 

The essential divine wisdom, which derives from the narrative of creation, is that the presence of opposites is essential to recognize their core, but no one has no right to monopolize the natural recognition of opposites. Things lose their value without the presence of opposites. The diversity of colors is necessary to make distinction between them. Diversity among people is essential to life in order to bring it forward. Otherwise the life turns into a stinking pond, where the water has lost its characteristic taste and the air is bad and smelly. Without pluralism, diversity and opposites, everything loses taste and sense, the universe is transformed into a shapeless and senseless accumulation.

Personalities

10. The patriot cleric Sheikh Hamid Kraja (1870 -1926)

Muharrem Shqarri

Hamid Kraja belongs to the generation that lived and acted in the last period of the Albanian National Renaissance and the early period of country’s independence. He worked and fought with all his forces and possibilities – physical and mental – putting himself completely in the service of the national cause. He was a connoisseur of jurisprudence, laws and customary codes; a theologian of the highest degree, but he was at the same time a patriot who worked with his soul and mind for unification of all Albanian people regardless of religion and for the acquiring and preserving the independence of the country from invaders, who introduced divisions and splits even within Islam.

Retrospective

11. Peace, national unity and Islam

F. Kraja 

Thus, it is clear that the idea of God’s Oneness in Islam not only shows that God is the Crator of all world nations but also His relationships with different people and nations are of the same degree. Thus, having the same “Humanity” is the result of the only One God’s doctrine. As mentioned above, all people of the world are often mentioned as the same nation. They are also mentioned as the members of the same family. “O people! We have created you from a male and a female and We made you in tribes and families in order to know each other (49:13).” In this large human family there is no advantage being from a certain region or any disadvantage being from another; neither is the color of a nation nor their language a sign of its majesty, as expressed in the Quranic verse: “Certainly, the most honorable amongst you in God’s sight is the one who is more careful to his duties (49:13).” In order to enforce these sacred and important Islamic principles, the honorable Prophet Muhammad loudly declared in front of his follower in his last pilgrimage: “Arabs are not superior to non-Arabs.” Bukhari also narrates in one of his sayings (hadiths): “If a black slave is appointed to rule upon you, listen and obey him!”

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