Zakat al-Fitr

It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Remember! Zakat al-Fitr is Wajib (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) on every Muslim, man or woman, free or in servitude, adult or child.” (Tirmidhi)

The Golden Moments

Dear sisters and brothers, Assalamu Alaikum.

A simple presentation on Laylatul Qadr is uploaded here. Click this link to download the presentation, Insha’Allah

Remember me in your du’aas. Jazakallah Khayr.

In the Shade of the Night of Qadr

By Sayyid Qutb in his Tafsir ‘In the Shade of the Qur’an’ 

“…This night is better than thousands of months in the lives of human beings. How many thousands of months and years have passed by without leaving in our lives the changes that this single blessed, joyous night leaves us? The might of this night is such that its reality transcends the limits of human comprehension: {“And what will make you understand what the Night of Qadr is?”}

Battle of Badr

We need to know the past to look at our present and plan for the future. The Battle of Badr has been the most decisive battle between Haq and Baatil, Truth and Falsehood.

In the uploaded article, Sr. Shawana A. Aziz presents a compilation on the Battle of Badr making it a worthy reading to draw lessons from the historical battle. Click this link to read the article in pdf format

Lessons from Ramadan

By Prof. Tariq Ramadan

It is always good to ponder the true meaning of our religious practices. The month of Ramadan has started and almost 1.5 billion Muslims around the globe are fasting, taking part in an individual and spiritual journey as well as a communal religious celebration. Ramadan is a time to come back to our selves ; to come back to our families, our communities, and our societies. It is time for meditating on and for assessing our lives. Beyond being a religious obligation—and often a family tradition—fasting is a school with different levels of knowledge, understanding and commitment.

Qiyam-ul-Layl – Taraweeh Prayer

Riyad-as-Saliheen, Book Eight – The Book of Virtues
Chapter 213 : The Excellence of Optional (Tarawih) Prayer during Ramadan [1187-1188 of 1896]                                                                  
By Al-Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi

[1187] عن أَبي هريرة أنَّ رسول الله قَالَ : « مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إيماناً وَاحْتِسَاباً غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ » . متفقٌ عَلَيْهِِ . التراويح سنة ، وهي عشرون ركعةً أو أقل أو أكثر ، وعشر ركعات إذا خشع فيها ورتل القراءة ، أحسن من العشرين بلا خشوع ولا تدبر

1187. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “He who observes optional prayer (Tarawih prayers) throughout Ramadan, out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned.”

A Beautiful Du’aa

Dear sisters and brothers, Assalamu Alaikum.

I like this du’aa very much and would like to share with you all.

• LISTEN to this BEAUTIFUL Taraweeh DU’AA by Sheik Muhammad Jebril
• Download the Script of Sheik Muhammad Jebril’s Taraweeh Du’aa

Ramadhaan E-books

Dear sisters and brothers, Assalamu Alaikum.

Some e-books related to Ramadhaan and Fasting:

• Fasting: Spiritual & Health Benefits
• Seventy Matters on Fasting
• Your Day in Ramadhan
• Essentials of Ramadhaan
• Why Do Muslims Fast?
• The Book of Fasting – Kitab al Sawm – An Extract from Sahih Muslim
• The Nature of Fasting

The Message of Ramadhaan

By Khalid Baig

We observe Ramadan every year. Do we also listen to it?

Ramadan is the most important month of our calendar. It is a tremendous gift from Allah in so many ways. In our current state of being down and out, it can uplift us, empower us, and turn around our situation individually and collectively. It is the spring season for thegardenofIslamwhen dry grass can come back to life and flowers bloom. But these benefits are not promised for lifeless and thoughtless rituals alone. They will be ours if our actions are informed by the message of Ramadan.

Ramadhaan and Dawah

By Sheikh Muhammad al Hamad

In Arabic, da`wah (inviting people to Islam) is one of the most emphatic and important duties of Muslims. It is one of the greatest forms of worship, by which Muslims can draw nearer to Allah.

The month of Ramadan is an ideal opportunity for engaging in this noble activity, especially with our fellow Muslims. People’s hearts in Ramadan are humbler because they are more aware of Allah’s remembrance, more responsive to exhortation and more inclined to repentance.

Don’t Miss Ramadhaan’s First Night

By Wael Shihab

With the approach of Ramadan every year, I always recall the following Prophetic hadith:

“My people (Ummah) are granted five gifts that no prophet before me had been given. First, when it is the first night of Ramadan, Allah looks at His servants. He will never punish those at whom He looks. Second, the smell of their mouths when night approaches is more pleasant [to Allah] than the scent of musk. Third, angels seek Allah’s forgiveness for them everyday and night. Fourth, Allah commands Paradise saying, ‘Be prepared and adorned for My servants; they are about to be relieved from the pains of the worldly life and move to My Home and Honor.’ Fifth, when it is the last night (of Ramadan) Allah forgives the sins of all people.” Thereupon, a man asked, “Is it the night of Qadr (Power)?” He (the Prophet) said, “No, don’t you see that once workers finish their tasks, they take their wages?” (Ahmad and Al-Bazzar)

Ramadhaan: A School for Training the Soul

Ramadhaan is the month of piety and fasting. It helps one control oneself and make a commitment to piety. The verses about fasting in the Chapter Al-Baqarah commences like this: {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous} [Quran 2:183]. This is why fasting in Ramadhaan disciplines and trains Muslims.

The wisdom behind Fasting

One of the Names of Allaah is Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise), Allaah is All-Wise in what He decrees, what He commands, what He prohibits, what He predestines and what He legislates. Allaah may make people aware of the wisdom behind certain matters or He may conceal it, or may make only some people realize the wisdom and not all people.

A Ramadhaan Challenge for the Family

A super–clean house.  Extra cooking. Extra prayers. Packed social calendar. Does this describe a familiar Ramadhaan? It seems we get into these comfortable patterns of “Ramadhaan living”.

As parents, what does this teach our kids about the significance of Ramadhaan? That Ramadhaan is a time of celebration and social gathering? In part it is, but we all know this isn’t the real purpose. Even standing there night after night in Taraaweeh isn’t of itself the purpose.

Ramadhaan: A Call for Return and Reform

Of this month, Allaah Says (what means):

“The month of Ramadhaan [is that] in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allaah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allaah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” [Quran 2: 185]