Ukrainian Muslims: Between the devil and the deep blue sea!

ISLAMIC HISTORY:

1. Crimea which is a peninsula between Russia and Ukraine is home to one of the largest Russain Navy (Black Sea fleet) which Russia leased from Ukraine until 2042. Russia has huge Naval and military presence in this area and Russia will NOT let go of one of their most strategic warm water ports.A warm water port is where the water doesn't freeze in winter and it is of utmost importance to Russian Navy.
2. Crimea is also home to Crimean Tatars which have inhabited this land since the middle ages. They accepted Islam hundreds of years ago and live under the Ottoman Empire.
3. Muslims lost this area to Russians in the Russo-Turkish War (1768–74) and there has been a history of persecution on Islam and Muslims since then.
4. In 1944 after the World War II Joseph Stalin labelled these Muslims as collaborators (with Nazi Germany) and thousands were killed or forced exiled into neighbouring Uzbekistan, Kazakhistan etc.
   1. The forced exile of Muslims from their native land meant Russia moved huge populations of Russians into the area thus altering the demographics of Crimea
   2. Even then overwhelming majority of Ukrainian Muslims still live in this part of Ukraine and they are AGAINST RUSSIAN INVASION because they know what the Russains have done to them over centuries.
   3. The oldest Mosque in the region is Ozbek Han Mosque dating back to 1314. Here is the picture of the 1322 Darul-uloom next to the Mosque

UKRANIAN HISTORY:

1. In 1939 Soviet Union invaded parts of Poland and annexed to Ukraine.
2. During the second world war although most Ukranians supported Russia but there was a heavy underground movement (along with Muslims) who opposed Russia
3. After the second world war, there was devastation, famine and massive ethnic cleansing (Muslims included) by Russians in Ukraine.
4. Some (unofficial) estaimates put the number of people killed upto 10 million
5. Nevertheless Ukraine regained its Industrial might and become a centre of Russain Arms industry within a decade or so after the second world war.
6. Following the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, an ethnically Ukranian Soviet leader by the name of Nikita Khrushchev took over and one of his key reforms was to give control of Crimea from Soviet Union to Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic where it has remained since!

LATEST (01MAR2014):

1. Ukranian economy has been in doldrums for much of the last 20 years.
2. Ukraine was invited to be an associated member of the EU in March 2012 and that it would get financial aid if it fulfills certain conditions
3. Progress on these negotiations were slow but being made.
4. Suddenly on 17th of December 2013 Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych signed a treaty with Russian President Vladimir Putin which guarenteed certain things for Ukraine but primarily Russia will:
   1. Buy  $15 billion of Ukrainian Eurobonds
   2. The cost of Russian natural gas supplied to Ukraine will be lowered to $268 per 1,000 cubic metres (this price was more than $400 at the time)
   3. In return Ukraine relinquished Kerch Peninsula (Eastern Crimea) to Russain Navy
   4. This effectively ended Ukraine's bid to join EU.
5. Sizeable Ukrainians in capital Kiev were looking forward to being part of EU so protests against this deal and Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych started.
6. Protests were joined in by Righ Wing Nationalists and the violence resulted in Pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fleeing and Anti-Moscow Oleksandr Turchynov taking over
7. However Ukraine also has a sizebale Russian minority particularly in the east and south who want to accede with Russia so in Crimea the exact opposite happened and the Pro-Moscow Sergei Aksenov has taken over and he has formally requested military assistance from Russian President Vladimir Putin which has now been supported by Russian Duma (Russian Parliament)

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

1. Russia has huge Naval presence so there is no way they will let EU or NATO anywhere near Crimea
2. Europe needs Ukraine to transport Russian gas, upto 12 EU states depend on their energy supply through Ukraine. This is one of the many reasons!

WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR MUSLIMS ?

1. Ukranian Muslims are primarily against Russia BUT if they want to be part of Ukraine then some unsavourt alliances with the Right Wing would need to be made.
2. Majority of Ukranian Muslims are primarily in Crimea which is already effectively in Russian control

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Make dua!

SOMETHING FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT, Hmmm...

The official and correct version of Shaykhul-Hadeeth (Maulana) Yusuf Motala (HA)'s dream as narrated by Shaykhul-Hadeeth (Maulana) Abdur Raheem Limbada (HA) on his facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/ShkhAbdulRaheem/posts/1544388965785268

After Dhikr majlis last night, Hazrat gave some priceless advice to the congregation.

It's been spread around like wildfire, which shows hazrat's maqbooliyat in the eyes of the public.

I would like to quote a few of hazrat's beautiful words and correct some mistakes in narrating.

Hazrat started with the a dream he had seen 3 months ago that he was reciting Surah al Haaqqah and Surah mursalaat.

(The first mentions the azaab that descended upon zaalimeen like people of Aad, thamud and Firawn, it also opens up the the signs of qiyamah and the day of qiyamah.

The second is about signs of qiyaamah, and the warnings for the deniers, also the torment they will face on that day, and in jahannam)

Hazrat said "Since then, scary dreams have increased and they have been seen at an unprecedented level. Nearly a dozen people have reported dreams of dajjal.

Someone saw that the sun got closer to the earth and so did the moon. And then they both collided.

Someone saw the sun rising from the west. Someone saw Yajooj Majooj have come out.

Someone saw that the second trumpet has been blown and Allah is judging between people.

Someone saw that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam had the names of mu'mineen on his right side and the names of hypocrites on his left side.

Also, someone saw that dajjal has appeared and people went to the airport and all flights were going to Madina shareef. (May Allah take us there).

Hazrat said I phoned mawlana Salman Saheb in Saharanpur to check and they also got reports of this type.

A few days before the hotel fire in Madinah shareef, a young man working in Jeddah phoned Hazrat and said "I went to Madina. Shareef and saw in my dream that Hazrat shaykh Zakaria rahmatullahi alayhi was making an announcement on the microphone. When I heard his voice, I stood up and listened attentively. He said "Tell the people of Madina to do istighfar and repent"

The main point Hazrat was trying make was that these are some warnings from Allah (tanbeeh). Allah is trying to caution us, awaken us from our ghaflat.

May Allah give us tawfeeq to understand the admonition and wake up from our deep sleep.

After musafaha and while exiting, Hazrat paused for a moment and said Surah kahaf is the best for protection from all fitnas, the apparent and the hidden. We should read it everyday, not just on Friday.

If one can't find time to read whole Surah everyday then at least the opening verses upto 'Am Hasibta'

And the closing ayaat from 'Afa Hasiballazeena kafaru' until the end of the Surah, should be recited daily.

Wallahu a'alam