Reasons For Allâh's Anger And Ways For Its Remedy

Allâh (azza wa jalla) says: "Whatever misfortune happens to you, it is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many of them he grants forgiveness…". (42:30)

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam)said: "A period will come when the non-believers will come closer by calling one another for annexing the nations of the believers just like how people call one another for eating food when it has, been prepared. "Someone then asked as to whether the Muslims will be few in number then? Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is reported to have replied, "You will be large in numbers, but will like hay before a flood of water. Your enemies will not fear you because you will be so weak and timid. "One companion then asked the reason for this decline, and Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, "Life (and its luxuries) will become more dearer to you and you will dislike death, (and facing Allâh) Abû Dawûd

It is often asked why it is that the Muslim Ummah find themselves in distress and suffering around the world. It seems as if it is open season on the Ummah, with attacks from all sides raining down upon Muslims in all areas.

Mufti Abdur Raheem Lajpuri, in a talk, explained why. Among other aspects, he said:
There are several reasons for this sad state of affairs in the Ummah. Among the more prominent ones are the following:

1. Lack of true faith in Allâh Ta'âla.
2. Increased disobedience towards Him.
3. Increasing timidity among us.
4. Love of the materialistic world [Hubb-e-Dunya wa Mâl].
5. Open disobedience of the Sunnah of Rasulullâh Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
6. Following our own innovated [bid'ah] practices and customs.
7. Neglecting the rights of Allâh [Huqûq-Allâh], and the rights of creation [Huqûq-ut-Ibad].
8. Our complete ingratitude towards the innumerable blessings showered upon us by our Benefactor, despite being totally unworthy of these blessings.
9. Disregard for the selfless advice given to us by our noble Ulamâ in relation to our religion.

The disobedience of Allâh and the rejection of the Sharî'ah will create a very dangerous situation calling for severe punishment, as has happened to past nations which transgressed. Allâh has described these events in the Qur'ân at various locations. One such verse is:"Each one of them We seized for their crime, against some of them We sent a violent tornado; some were caught in a blast; some We caused the earth to swallow up; and some we drowned, it was not Allâh who injured them; but they injured their own souls... Surah 19 Âyah 40

What should Muslims do in Such a Situation?

Allâh has said:"And never give up hope of Allâh's truly soothing mercy, no-one despairs of Allâh's soothing mercy except those who have no faith." Surah 12 Âyah 87.

In another Âyah Allâh Ta'âla states: "So lose not heart and do not fall into despair, for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith." Surah 3. Âyah 139.o

Turn to AllâhAllâh has emphasized in the Qur'ân as follows:"Oh, ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer for Allâh is with those who observe patience." Surâh 2 Âyah 153.

• Need for Istighfâr and Taubah: We must make a point to offer repentance for our sins and seek Allâh's forgiveness regularly. Hadhrat Abû Mûsa Ash'ari Radhiallahu Anhu narrates Rasulullâh Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam as saying, "Surely Allâh has blessed my followers with two symbols of peace, firstly, myself and, secondly, the act of seeking forgiveness [Istighfâr], Remember! When I will no longer be in this mortal world, I will be leaving behind the act of seeking forgiveness. It will help you all to save yourselves from Allâh's punishment."
• Encourage the Giving of Charity
• Increase the Tilawat of the Qur'ân and Durud upon Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
• Stop the Disobedience of Allâho Implement Proper Dîni Education
• Reconcile Disputes and Differences and Unite as Muslims
• Seek Guidance only from the Ulama. Establish Links with Them
• Create an Atmosphere of Brotherhood
• Make the World Aware of the Beautiful Teachings of Islâm

- Taken from http://www.jamiat.co.za/newsletter/online_newsletter_0309.htm

Palestine – The Promised “Holocaust!

‘Israel’ is always seen to be responding to attacks from Palestinians. They act in self-defence or strike back against Palestinians who have disrupted the peace.

The argument of whether Palestinian abstention from supposed ‘rocket fire’ and other ‘militant acts’ would cause an environment of concord to prevail, is often put forward by many Western commentators and even some ‘enlightened’ Muslims.

One wonders what these people would say when faced with the fact that Israel threatened to turn the Gaza Strip into a "bigger holocaust" using the term "shoah", a Hebrew word meaning holocaust and a word which has been traditionally exclusively used by Jews to refer to the holocaust. Israel has additionally threatened to use any and all types of actions and have not ruled out the possibility of ‘occupation’.

The current invasion of the Gaza and the wild killing spree that amounted to over 120 deaths (by Sunday) including many women, elderly and children was nothing short of a holocaust. The Israeli offensive continues with many more lives being lost, and it is strange that the Western world still continues to assume that the Israeli action is a response and that too a legitimate response.

Ramzy Baroud of Al-Jazeerah writes in the Arab News that the uneven numbers of casualties speak volumes. He says
“While Yechiah’s (supposedly killed by rocket fire) death is tragic, he was the “first person killed by rocket attacks from Gaza since May 2007, and the 14th overall since the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian armed clashes in September 2000,” according to a Human Rights Watch press release on Feb. 29, citing Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem.

B’Tselem reported that “1,259 of the 2,679 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces in the Gaza Strip (since September 2000) were not participating in hostilities when they were killed, and 567 were minors.”According to a news agency report published in Al-Arabiya website, as of Feb. 22, 190 Palestinians were killed since the resumption of the peace process following the Annapolis talks last November. That number increased when the Israeli Army escalated its attacks on the Gaza Strip, killing 34 Palestinians in 48 hours between Feb. 27-28, not counting several other Palestinians killed in the West Bank during the same period.Despite the facts, Israel’s actions are repeatedly accepted by most media as a legitimate ‘response’ to Palestinian violence.”

Among the many killed, Islam Online provides a brief story of one young twelve year old girl. The report states:
"There must have been an Israeli sniper on a rooftop because he fired one shot and hit her in the stomach," Raad Abu Seif told the Telegraph on Monday, March 3.
His 12-year-old daughter Safa died in his arm inside the family home in the Zimo Square area of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The father, his wife and seven children had bunkered down inside their home when Israeli troops trudged through the Jabaliya refugee camp. Safa was going up upstairs to join her uncle and his family when an Israeli bullet penetrated her young body. "She was still about four meters from a window and up on the first floor."

The horrified father rushed to the phone and called an ambulance to save his child, but the car came under Israeli fire and was not able to reach the house. In a desperate attempt, Abu Seif carried the girl out of the house, raising a white flag. An Israeli tank fired warning shots above his head, forcing him to dive for cover.Shortly, the 12-year-old child breathed her last in her father's arms.
"I stroked Safa's hair," said Abu Seif, his voice hoarse. "And then her eyes rolled backwards in her head. "I tried to massage her heart for a minute, two minutes, three minutes, I don't remember. And then I felt there was nothing."

During a winter more severe and intense than most in terms of its coldness, and in a winter where Palestinians have found themselves without food, medicines and other basic necessities, the Israelis attacked the Gaza in full-scale invasion cynically given the designation ‘Operation Warm Winter’.

The humanitarian situation has degenerated to the extent where one wonders where the champions of human rights have hidden themselves. Never mind the rights to issues such as honour and dignity, the right to needs that would ensure basic survival have and are being continuously denied with such impunity that the perpetrators of such crimes are bold enough to justify their inhumanity. Food is scarce, electricity is limited, medicines donated by those with human hearts have been withheld at the port of entry causing the deaths of innocent infants and kids and now Palestinians have been warned that they must boil any drinking water since chemicals necessary from purifying water have been continuously denied to the authorities in Palestine.

At the same time, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Rehabilitating Islamic Sites issued a press statement on Tuesday where they claimed that unknown perpetrators climbed over the fence surrounding the Hassan Bek Mosque in Jaffa and vandalized sections of the mosque.

US Secretary of State, Rice, meanwhile blamed the Palestinians and urged them to stop ‘firing’ their home-made rockets and return to the talking-table. George Bush, on the other hand, insisted that “he is still optimistic there will be a Middle East peace deal before he leaves office”.

Games and sports have no relation to the actual realities of life

Question 13687
Assalamu alaikum Mufti saab, As I am an Indian Muslim I just want to know from u that in sports specially in cricket which team should I support India or Pakistan. Because in Pakistan team all players are Muslims. Please answer my question as I am very confused.Jazakallah.

Text Answer
Islam is a realistic religion based on a fixed purpose and for a specific objective, which abjures games, sports or levity and engages a Muslim towards his real aim in life and provides proper guidance for it. Nowadays, sports and entertainment have engulfed the lives of people that it has become the basic objective of life. Interest in sports and entertainment has so attracted people, to its discussion and analysis and to portray oneself as for or against, that it has overshadowed the basic problems and objectives of daily life. This has resulted in the total destruction of the time and energy of people at large whose talents could have been utilized in a better manner. Words cannot describe this utter loss of time and effort. Games and sports are just that and have no relation to the actual realities of life. There can be more than one opinion about supporting or opposing rival teams in any game or sport. But there can be no two opinions about supporting our real objective of life as ordained in Islam. Supporting or opposing a team, in reality, is nothing but a game, a show and spectacle, just short of licensed debauchery. Involving religion into taking sides makes no sense. Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) Knows Best

- Maulana Abdul Aziz Mazahire

- Taken from http://shariahboard.org/viewfatwa.aspx?Question_ID=13687

Selective Printing

First, you need to know that this does not work with every system out there . This tip only works if both your printer driver and the software application you're using supports this little trick. So, take this for what it's worth.

Here's how it usually works:

1. First, select the area you would like to print.

2. Next, from the file menu , select Print...

3. When the printer dialog box comes up, look for an option for " Selection ", in a " Print Range " frame. Again, not all printers / software support this.

4. Click Print.

Oh, one more thing. If you can't print a selection, you can always copy and paste the stuff you want into a word processor and print it from there. Sure, it's not nearly as much fun, but it's better than printing out eight pages of junk just to get a small section of text.

Handling Your Laptop with Care

There are some things people do to their laptops that can put them in great danger. One major example is letting their laptop charge for longer than it needs to. Most laptop owners are under the impression that if they leave their laptop on the charger for as long as possible, they'll be able to get more "juice" (power) out of it. And that's just simply not true. In reality, you're just damaging it and putting it at risk of over heating or exploding. Listed below are a few other harmful things you should be sure to keep your laptop away from. Here we go!

• Over charging.
• Not handling it with care.
• Incorrectly replacing its batteries.
• Leaving it turned on for too long.
• Leaving it in a high humidity climate.
• Tampering with the battery compartment.
• Switching to non-manufacturer batteries.
• Refusing to turn it off after it's become extremely hot.
• Trying to repair or reuse a battery that has no more power.
• Using a charger that didn’t originally come with the laptop.

Charging it in an area around too many other cords (extension cords, for example).
Despite what you might think, over charging your laptop will not give it more "juice." It will only make it hotter. You should also always use the charger that came with your laptop. When your laptop gets too hot, you should turn it off or at least put it into Safe Mode. You need to keep your laptop in a cool area as much as possible. Now, when replacing the battery, you should refer back to the manual that came with your laptop to get the correct instructions for doing so. You should only use batteries that have been approved by the manufacturer as well.

The above guidelines apply to cell phones as well. You should only use the charger that originally came with your phone and once it's fully charged, take it off the charger. Even more, you should only replace the battery with one that has been manufacturer approved and finally, if your phone gets too hot, just turn it off completely.

- Taken from http://www.worldstart.com

A Letter Regarding The Need for a Shaykh

The following letter from a student and reply given by Hakim al-Umma (may Allah have mercy on him) demonstrates the need for a shaykh.
---- I am presently completing Dawrat al-hadith [hadith program: the final year of Islamic education wherein the six authenticated hadith collections are studied]. For quite a while I had intended to write, but a certain thing prevented me from doing so. I am a voracious reader and lover of your writings, and have been engaged in reading your books since my childhood. By the grace of Allah, I have benefited much. I have learned one particular thing from your writings — that the commands of te Shar’ia are all voluntary (ikhtiyariyya). Since the commands are volitional it follows that the commands to abstain are likewise volitional. Thus the remedy for all spiritual ailments is to refrain (volitionally).
I have always adopted this method for myself. The question now is this: since this principle has been learned from the shaykhs of the Path, does the need still remain to refer to the shaykhs and obtain remedies from them? i do not understand this. I have ruminated for quite a while regarding this matter. I trust that you will advise me so that I may practice accordingly. After realizing this general principle, what is the need for obtaining the diagnosis and prescription of a shaykh? I hope that if I have erred, I will be informed.

The Reply
The commands and prohibitions are all volitional. However, errors can be made in this regard. At times, what has already been acquired (hasil) is considered as not haveing been yet attained (ghayr hasil), and sometimes vice versa. For example, a person intends to attain concentration based on humility (khushu’) in prayer, and in reality he then attains this concentration. But, while having attained this he is simultaneously afflicted by an abundance of stray thoughts. This person then regards teh accident of such thought as contradictory to concentration. He thus considers that he has not atained concentration. Furthermore, in the initial stages of, stray thoughts are non-volitional — coming of their own accord — but later on the worshipper is diverted towards volotional stray thoughts, yet he is deceived into believing that such thoughts are of the non-volitional kind of the intial stages. He thus considers himself to have concentration, while in actual fact he has lost concentration.

At times he considers what is infirm (ghary rasikh) to be firm (rasikh). For example, persevering in the face of a few light mishaps, he considers himself to have attaned the state of rida bi ‘l-qada’ (satisfaction with the divine decree). His contentment in the face of these slight misfortunes leads him to believe that he has attained advanced capability in firmness and steadfastness. But when some great calamity overtakes him and he fails to be contented, he still labors under the deception that he has attained the desired degree and goal of firmness.
The consequence of regarding the attained as unattained is frustration and depression, which in turn induce one to become careless and negligent, and thus, the attained becomes truly eliminated. The harm of the opposite condition (i.e., considering the unattained as attained) is deprivation. Since one labors under the false notion that one has already achieved the goal, one does not make and effort in this direction.

The same danger lurks in considering what is firm — one remains careless, not making any effort or arrangement to attain the desired goal of firmness and steadfastness. Sometimes one commits the error of believing that the state of firmness has not been attained despite its having been atatined. For example, one combated unlawful lust during a time when the effect of one’s dhikr was dominant. As a result, the condition of unlawful lust remained suppressed so much so that one’s sttention was totally diverted from it. Later, when the effect of the dhikr decreases and the natural propensities reassert themselves, even if in slight degree, one is midled to believe that one’s striving against the lowere self has gone wasted, hence the return of the evil propensities. The consequence of this feeling is that one loses hope and is overtaken by stagnation and retrogression.

The above are merely some examples of errors and the resulatant harm. A qualified shaykh, by virtue of his insight and experience, discerns the reality of such states when informed by the seeker, and guides him aright, highlighting for him the errors and pitfalls. The seeker is thus saved from these dangers. Assuming that the spiritual traveler (salik), because of intelligence and correct understanding, discerns the pitfalls himself, then too, he will not attain tranquility and peace of mind because of inexperience. He will remain perplexed. And perplexity impedes the attainment of the goal.

This is the duty of the shaykh’s office. More than this is not his responsibility. Nevertheless, in kindness he performs another function as well. In realizing the goal or the initial stage of the goal or in eliminating an evil attribute, the seeker of truth undergoes great stress and difficulty although repeated subjection to such difficulty finally is transformed into ease. But the shaykh sometimes, as a favor, devises such a scheme that makes the difficulty disappear from the very inception.

This is a brief exposition for understanding. The need for a shaykh is felt and understood once one commences in the Path and systematically informs the shaykh of one’s particular conditions, and at the same time follows his advice and instructions. Furthermore, such total obedience is possible only if one has full trust and confidence in the shaykh — fully resigning to him. At that time one will actually feel and realize that it is not possible to attain the goal without a shaykh.
- The Path to Perfection; pages 27-30

- Taken from http://annoor.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/a-letter-regarding-the-need-for-a-shaykh/

The Need for a Shaykh
------------------------------------
It has always been in the divine scheme of things that perfection cannot be attained without an experienced instructor (ustadh). Thus, when one is endowed with the guidance to enter into the path, one should search for an instructor of the path, so that one may reach the true goal through the medium of this instructor’s graceful guidance and excellent companionship (suhba).
O my heart! If you desire to undertake this journey,
Then hold on to the garment of the guide.
Whoever trod the path of love without a companion
Passed his life without attaining love.
Hakim al-Umma (may Allah have mercy on him) therefore said, “What! Has anyone attained perfection through books alone? It is simple to understand that one cannot become a carpenter without sitting in the company of a carpenter, one cannot become a tailor without being in the company of a tailor, and one cannot become a calligrapher without being in the company of a calligrapher. In short, one cannot atain perfection or become an expert in something without the comapnionship of an expert [in that thing]. The companionship of a pious man will induce piety in you. Simliarly, the companionship of an evil man will induce evil in you. He who searches for association with Allah Most High, has to acquire the association of the noble Friends of Allah (awliya’ kiram). A short while spent in the companionship of the Friends of Allah is more noble and superior to a century of unostentatious obedience. Companionship with the pious for even a moment is superior to a century of ascetism (zuhd) and obedience (ta’a).”
- The Path to Perfection; pgs. 26-27

-http://annoor.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/the-need-for-a-shaykh/

THE POWER OF NON-VIOLENCE

THE STORY
-------------------------------
Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, in his June 9 lecture at the University of Puerto Rico shared the following story:

I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbours, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends. One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced.

When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, "I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together." After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest theatre. I got so engrossed in a double-feature that I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was waiting for me, it was almost 6:00pm. He anxiously asked me, "Why were you late?" I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John Wayne western movie that I said, "The car wasn't ready, so I had to wait," not realizing that he had already called the garage.

When he caught me in the lie, he said: "There's something wrong in the way I brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going to walk home 18 miles and think about it." So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered. I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again.
I often think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday. That is the power of non-violence.

The Effect of the Ahlullah’s Company

Take the case of the People of the Cave (Ashaab-e-Kahf) who were induced with sleep for a period of three hundred years during which Allah Ta’ala kept them alive and immersed in deep sleep. To escape the oppression of a tyrannical king they took refuge in a cave to which a dog happened to follow them. These People of the Cave (Ashaab-e-Kahf) threw stones at it, but it persisted in following them. They addressed it thus, “O, abominable cur, where are you following us, it is not even permissible to rear you.” It is stated in Rooh ul Ma’aani that the dog was endowed with the power of speech by Allah Ta’ala. It replied to them, “Verily, I am a dog, but do not consider me to be the same as other dogs, I will protect you.” Allamah Alusi states that the dog was named Qitmeer and that through the blessings of these Auliya Allah, these saints, it too will enter Jannah.

He goes on to invite our attention to the fact that through the blessings of the pious, the accepted servants of Allah even a dog whose saliva is as foul and impure as urine becomes accepted, it will be purified by Allah Ta’ala and sent to Jannah. It is unfortunate that some immature, some immensely childish individuals, on the basis of their pride look disdainfully down upon and say that nothing is to be gained from the company of the Auliya Allah. All one needs to do is, consider the case of the Ashaab-e-Kahf. It is after all, the Quraan-e-Kareem that is enunciating this message that is conveying this immutable fact which has been presented before you, that a dog will be entering Jannah on the basis of its companionship with the accepted servants of Allah. Allah Ta’ala is telling us that these men were His Auliya. Considering the fact that they were to sleep for a few centuries, the question arises, who will cause them to turn from side to side?

“We ourselves, by virtue and by means of our mercy caused them to turn from right to left.”

Just as a mother’s love demands that she turns her child from side to side so that the child does not develop bedsores. Consider the extreme Mercy of Allah Ta’ala! Those who, for fear of people do not desist from the disobedience of Allah, who reason that if they were to keep beards, if they were to abstain from participating in all customary functions relative to marriage, who will they socialize with, who will bother to ask them the time of day. They conclude that they will be socially ostracized, be forced to live in isolation. I tell you that that which occurred to the Ashaab-e-Kahf will happen to them. Allah Ta’ala will protect them. He does not consign His friends to the care of others wherein they will not be cared for. Aah! If only we can realize how much Allah Ta’ala does care for His friends, how much He lauds them, how much respect and honor He blesses them with both in the world and the hereafter.

-Patience and the Position of the Siddiqeen; pgs.12-13

Taken from http://annoor.wordpress.com/

Guarding Your Tongue

Why is it so important for a person to guard his or her tongue? The tongue is the part of a human that decides whether he or she will dwell in paradise or in the hellfire for eternity. There is a hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim regarding this topic that states the following, “He who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak well or he should remain quiet.”

When we speak without thinking, which is often times the case; we go on speaking nonsense, or say something hurtful to others. This leads to backbiting and slandering. This is just a way to incur sins and lose out on our own good deeds.

We all know that we are responsible for whatever we do, whatever we say, whatever we see, whatever we listen to, wherever we go, and for whatever we write. On the Day of Judgment everyone will be questioned regarding the above mentioned things and much more. On that day, our own limbs will bear witness against us. Allah says in Surah An-Noor, “On that day, their tongues, hands, and legs will testify against them regarding their actions.”

My fellow brothers and sisters, are the few moments of pleasure we attain through backbiting worth going to hell for? In the end, would it matter what so and so did and what so and so said? Would these few moments of “sweet revenge” actually be worth it?

Let us learn to think twice before we even utter a single word. Let us start to use our tongue for something that will be beneficial to us and more importantly be pleasing to Allah. Let us all try to help ourselves to guard our tongues from saying anything remotely evil.

As we all know that our actions are based on our intention. Allah knows what everyone’s intention is. He knows whether you plan to do good or evil. Anyone can appear to be good, but it is that which is in the heart that truly counts. Remember that Allah knows very well that which we conceal in our hearts.

Thus the heart is the place from where all actions stem; whether good or evil. If the heart is good then the actions will be good, and if the heart is corrupt then the actions will be bad. The heart is what Allah examines the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Allah does not look at your bodies nor your wealth, but rather He looks at your heart and deeds.”

Now let us scan our own hearts and ourselves, and change ourselves before they are scanned for us. Let us repent to for our sins. Let us pray that Allah forgives us all. Aameen!

- Taken from http://annoor.wordpress.com/

Abbas: Gaza Attacks 'A Holocaust'

By Al Jazeera

01/03/08 "Al Jazeera" -- - The Palestinian president has accused Israel of "international terrorism", saying its assault on Gaza constitutes "more than a holocaust".

Mahmoud Abbas's comments on Saturday came as more Israeli air raids brought the total death toll over four days to 86 people, at least a third of which have been children, according to medical sources.

Fifty-two people were killed during Saturday's raids alone.

"It's very regrettable that what is happening is more than a holocaust," Abbas told reporters in Ramallah.

"Children who are barely five-months old are being bombed by the Israeli army."

"We tell the world to see with its own eyes and judge for itself what is happening and who is carrying out international terrorism."

Khaled Meshaal, the exiled Hamas leader living in Syria, also denounced the Israeli attacks against Gaza's civilians as "the real holocaust".

Abbas later requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Palestinian leader said.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said that "at best" Abbas could hope to get a Security Council resolution condemning the Israeli action.

"And as we know, Israel has ignored tens of UN Security Council resolutions over the last 40 years, and hundreds of UN assembly resolutions - so this is going to be more talk and probably not much will come out of it in the end," he said.

Children killed

Rana el-Hindi from Save the Children, speaking from inside the Gaza Strip, told Al Jazeera children were suffering greatly from the Israeli bombardment.
"In the last three days at least 19 children have been killed ... it's a real concern for all organisations here," she said.

"Most of the time, when we go into the field and talk to the children about their fears and concerns, they are always afraid of a new [Israeli] invasion to the Gaza Strip - and obviously the current situation is just ... what they fear."

She said the number of children being hospitalised was increasing "day after day".

Eissam Younis, director of the Al Mizan Centre for Human Rights in Gaza, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli army was "intentionally and systematically targeting civilians" and criticised world powers for their muted response.

"Israel puts itself above the law because the international community is always silent," he said.

Missile attacks

The latest attacks mark the fourth day of Israeli bombardment and follow the death of an Israel civilian in a Palestinian rocket attack.

Those killed in Saturday's attacks included at least eight civilians, four of them women, said Dr Muawiya Hassanein, head of Gaza's emergency services

At least 15 of those killed were fighters, including 10 fighters from Hamas and two from the Islamic Jihad.

An operation in the Jabaliya refugee camp on Saturday marked the deadliest day of fighting in the Hamas-ruled territory for more than a year.

Witnesses said the Jabaliya deaths occurred as a result of gun battles between Palestinian fighters and Israeli soldiers.

Tariq Dardouna, a Palestinian resident trapped in his house in east Jabaliya, told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces targeted civilians.

"The Israeli army opens fire at everything in our area, including children and houses. There are injured children bleeding inside their houses," Dardouna said.

"They are opening fire at everything."

Witnesses also reported clashes in the nearby Tufah neighbourhood in northern Gaza City.

The Israeli army confirmed its operations in northern Gaza, with the Israel Army Radio reporting that five Israeli soldiers were wounded in the fighting.

Threat of invasion

There has been increasing domestic pressure in Israel to mount a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Ehud Barak, Israel's defence minister, said on Thursday that "a major ground operation was real and tangible" and that Israel was "not afraid of it".

Senior Palestinian officials have told Al Jazeera that the peace negotiations begun in Annapolis last year, could be at risk if the Israeli military assault on Gaza continues.

Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister who heads the Israeli negotiation team, reacted by saying that the Israeli military action would be unaffected by any suspension of the peace talks.

"Even if the Palestinians suspend talks, it won't influence in any way the decisions or operations Israel carries out to defend its citizens," she said.

Gaza rockets

In Israel, six people were wounded, one of them seriously, by long-range rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the Israeli army said.

Fighters in Gaza fired over 40 rockets and mortars at southern Israel.

Eight of the missiles were long-range rockets that travelled as far as the seaside Israeli town of Ashkelon, some 11km north of the Gaza Strip.

Israel's political and military leadership has been considering a major ground offensive in the Hamas-ruled territory to prevent fighters from deploying more long-range rockets like those that hit Ashkelon.

Palestinian fighters have launched frequent volleys of rockets and mortars at Israeli communities near the Gaza border, though the missile attacks rarely cause injuries.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies