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Be Humble by Mufti Menk - Day 8 Ramadan

Be Humble by Mufti Menk - Day 8 Ramadan

Wednesday, June 07, 2017

The Shaping of the Modern Muslim World - History

The Shaping of the Modern Muslim World - History

Part 1 Part 2

Sunday, June 04, 2017

Several European countries have banned full-face veils since France's controversial law in 2011

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Angela Merkel has called for a burqa ban in Germany while making her pitch for a fourth term as Chancellor.<br />
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“The full-face veil is not acceptable in our country,” she told members of the CDU party. “It should be banned, wherever it is legally possible.”<br />
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Thomas de Maizière, the German interior minister and one of Ms Merkel’s closest allies, previously proposed a partial burqa ban in August and called the veils “contrary to integration”.<br />
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He said the law would apply in “places where it is necessary for our society's coexistence” including government offices, schools and universities, courtrooms and demonstrations.<br />
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Here is the status of the garment in other European countries:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Netherlands</li>
<li>France </li>
<li>Belgium </li>
<li>Bulgaria </li>
<li>Italy</li>
<li>Switzerland</li>
<li>more ..</li>
</ul>
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<b>Read More to find out details country by country:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/burqa-ban-niqab-veil-law-netherlands-france-uk-britain-germany-spain-belgium-bulgaria-switzerland-a7446246.html" target="_blank">Here</a><br />
and<br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/austria-burqa-ban-parliament-fines-150-full-face-veils-muslim-islam-niqabs-public-transport-a7742981.html" target="_blank">Here</a><br />
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Several European countries have banned full-face veils since France's controversial law in 2011

Angela Merkel has called for a burqa ban in Germany while making her pitch for a fourth term as Chancellor. “The full-face veil is not...

Saturday, June 03, 2017

The Basis of Superiority by Maulana Ebrahim Bham

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حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ انْظُرْ فَإِنَّكَ لَيْسَ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْ أَحْمَرَ وَلَا أَسْوَدَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَفْضُلَهُ بِتَقْوَى<br />
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Hadrat Abu Hurairah R.A says that Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam  told him, “You are not superior due to being red or black in complexion, except that you attain superiority on the basis of Taqwa. <br />
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 ‘Black’ refers to the non-Arabs whilst ‘Red’ refers to the Arabs. The meaning of the Hadith is that superiority is not based on one’s colour, physical features, or family lineage, that so and so is a Sayyid and so and so is a Pataan. The most superior amongst people is the one that possesses more fear of Allah Ta'ala.<br />
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The Basis of Superiority by Maulana Ebrahim Bham

حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ أَبِي هِلَالٍ عَنْ بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ انْظُ...

Friday, June 02, 2017

Access the Quran in many languages easily across mobile and PC platforms.

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<b>Press Release</b>:<br />
<b>Access the Quran in many languages easily across mobile and PC platforms.</b><br />
<a href="http://quranreciter.org/" target="_blank">QuranReciter.org</a><br />
<br />
With more and more people from across the globe wanting to know about Islam it was imperative that a resource would be available that would provide them opportunity to read the Quran in their native language.<br />
QR provides an extensive set of Quran translation in many languages (audio and text).<br />
<br />
The easy to use  <a href="http://quranreciter.org/">QuranReciter.org</a> website reader allows you to read the Quran without having to download the entire kitab. The audio stream provides instant access to Quran recitations and translations. You can read and listen on your mobile, tablet and PC.<br />
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The <a href="http://quranreciter.org/">QuranReciter.org</a> website is great resource for Muslims to send the Quran to friends with just a link (no need to download).<br />
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Although many Quran resources are available across the web, many still use flash technology that is now not supported to deliver content. With QR we are using the latest HTML5 technology to deliver audio and text. What this means is that users will have access to web content across both mobile and PC platforms and will work with the latest web browsers.<br />
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<b>Summary</b><br />
A simple easy to use portal for you to listen and read the Quran in many different languages. The audio player allows instant streaming of audio, while the Quran kitab can be read easily without having to download the entire file.<br />
<br />
<b>Visit <a href="http://www.quranreciter.org/" target="_blank">www.QuranReciter.org</a> today and take a test drive.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Contact: info@QuranReciter.org</b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>

Access the Quran in many languages easily across mobile and PC platforms.

Press Release : Access the Quran in many languages easily across mobile and PC platforms. QuranReciter.org With more and more people fr...

Thursday, June 01, 2017

Remember that you are only a visitor

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‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) took hold of his shoulder and said, “Be in the world as if you are a stranger, or a traveler.”<br />
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Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “If you survive to the evening, do not expect to be alive till the morning. If you survive to the morning, do not look forward to the evening. In a healthy condition, prepare yourself for illness and while you are alive prepare yourself for death.”<br />
[Bukhari – Kitab Ar-Riqaq (Book on Heart Softness), hadith 6416.]<br />
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Remember that you are only a visitor - Listen ><br />
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The Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “What have I to do with the world? In connection with the world, I am just like a rider who sits under the shade of a tree, then goes off and leaves it.” [Tirmidhi – hadith 2377; Ibn Majah – hadith 4109; Musnad Ahmad – hadith 1/391]<br />
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Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad’ said to a man, “How old are you?” The man replied, “Sixty years.” Al- Fudayl said, “You have been traveling to your Lord for sixty years. You about to arrive at your destination.” The man said, “To Allah we shall return.” Al-Fudayl said, “Do you know its interpretation? When a person knows that he is a slave and that he will return to Allah, he knows that he is to be asked about his deeds. If he knows that he will be asked, he should prepare answers to the questions.” The man said, “What shall I do?” Al-Fudayl said, “It is an easy matter.” The man said, “What is it?” Al-Fudayl said, “You should stick to the straight path the rest of your life and Allah will forgive the past sins. If you committed sins for the rest of your life, you will be held accountable for the deeds you have committed throughout your life.”<br />
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In the light of the above, a poet said, “If a man walks for sixty years to a destination, it will be very near.”<br />
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Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “There are two blessings which people lose: (They are) health and free time (for doing good).” [Bukhari – Kitab Ar-Riqaq (Book on Heart Softness), hadith 6412]<br />
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Ibn ‘Abbas reported that he heard the Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) preaching to a man and saying, “Seize five opportunities before five events; your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your richness before your poverty, your free time before your being occupied and your life before your death.” [Mustadrak Hakim – hadith 4/306, authenticated by Adh-Dhahabi]<br />
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Ghunaym bin Qays said, “We used to preach to each other at the beginning of Islam, saying, ‘O son of Adam, perform good deeds in your leisure time before you are busy, in your youth before your old age, in your health before your illness, in your life before your death and in this world before the Hereafter.’ ”<br />
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Abu Musa ‘Abdullah bin Qays Al-Ash‘ari reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) said, “Allah, the Exalted stretches out His hand at night so that one who committed evil during the day time may repent and stretches out His hand in the Daytime so that one who committed evil during the night may repent. (This continues) until the sun rises in the west.” [Muslim – Kitab At-Tawbah (Book on Repentance), hadith 31/2759]<br />
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Remember that you are only a visitor

‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu a’laihi wa sallam) took hold of his sho...

Thursday, June 01, 2017

Prepare for the destination

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Allah Almighty says, “Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden, has triumphed. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of delusion,” (3:185)
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<b>Reminders ></b><br />
and the Almighty says, “No self knows what it will earn tomorrow and no self knows in what land it will die.” (W31:33; H31:34)<br />
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The Almighty says, “When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they bring it forward,” (16:61)<br />
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and the Almighty says, “O you who believe! Do not let your wealth or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever does that is lost. Give from what We have provided for you before death comes to one of you and he says, ‘O Lord, if only you would give me a little more time so that I can give sadaqa and be one of the righteous.’ Allah will not give anyone more time, once their time has come. Allah is aware of everything you do.” (63:9-11)<br />
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The Almighty says, “Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, ‘My Lord, send me back again. so that perhaps I may act rightly regarding the things I failed to do!’ No indeed! It is just words he utters. Before them there is an interspace until the day they are raised up. Then when the Trumpet is blown, that Day there will be no family ties between them, they will not be able to question one another. Those whose scales are heavy, they are the successful. Those whose scales are light, they are the losers of their selves, remaining in Hell timelessly, forever. The Fire will sear their faces making them grimace horribly in it, their lips drawn back from their teeth. ‘Were My Signs not recited to you and did you not deny them?'” to His words, “‘How many years did you tarry on the earth?’ They will say, ‘We tarried for a day or part of a day. Ask those able to count!’ He will say, ‘You only tarried for a little while if you did but know! Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us?'” (W23:100-116; H23:99-115)<br />
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The Almighty says, “Has the time not arrived for the hearts of those who believe to yield to the remembrance of Allah and to the Truth He has sent down, and not to be like those who were given the Book before for whom the time seemed over long so that their hearts became hard. Many of them are degenerate.” (W57:15; H57:16)<br />
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574. Ibn ‘Umar said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, took me by the shoulder and said, ‘Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller on the road.”<br />
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Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “In the evening, do not anticipate the morning, and in the morning do not anticipate the evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death.” [al-Bukhari]<br />
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575. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not right for a Muslim man who has anything to bequeath to spend two nights with having a written will in his possession.” [Agreed upon. This is the variant in al-Bukhari]<br />
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In a variant of Muslim, “To spend three nights.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “Not a night has passed since I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say that without my having had my will with me.”<br />
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576. Anas said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew some lines and said, ‘This is man and this is end of his lifespan. That is how he is when this nearest line comes upon him.” [al-Bukhari]<br />
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577. Ibn Mas’ud said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew lines making a square and then drew a line in the middle which extended beyond it. He drew some small lines up to this middle line from the side within the square and said, ‘This is man, and this is end of his lifespan which encircles him – or by which he is encircled – and this which goes beyond it is his hope and these small lines are things that happen. If this one misses him, that one gets him, and if that one misses him, this one gets him.'” [al-Bukhari]<br />
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578. Abu Hurayra reported the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Race to good actions as fast as you can. What are you waiting for except delayed poverty, oppressive wealth, debilitating illness, dottering senility, a swift death or the Dajjal? Or are you waiting for an unseen evil, or the Last Hour? The Last Hour will be most bitter and terrible.” [at-Tirmidhi]<br />
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579. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Remember frequently the thing that cuts off pleasures,” i.e. death.” [at-Tirmidhi]<br />
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580. Ubayy ibn Ka’b said, “When a third of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up and said, ‘O people! Remember Allah! The first blast has come and it will be followed by the second blast. Death has come with all that it involves. Death has come with all that it involves.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I do a lot of prayer on you. How much prayer should I allot for you?’ He said, ‘However much you like.’ I said, ‘A quarter?’ He said, ‘However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.’ I said, ‘A half?’ He said, ‘However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.’ I said, ‘Two-thirds?’ He said, ‘However much you like, but if you do more, it will be better for you.’ I said, ‘I will allot all my prayer for you.’ He said, ‘Then you will be spared from worry and forgiven your wrong action.'” [at-Tirmidhi]<br />
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<b>Source: </b><br />
<u>Text: </u><br />
Gardens of the Righteous By: <b>Al Imam Al Nawawi</b><br />
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<u>Audio:</u><br />
<a href="http://mhmic.org/fajrreminders/prepare-for-the-destination/" target="_blank">http://mhmic.org/fajrreminders/prepare-for-the-destination/</a><br />
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Prepare for the destination

Allah Almighty says, “Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced fro...

Thursday, June 01, 2017

Ramadan – Maximizing Benefits

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We are about to enter once again into the blessed month of Ramadan. I remind myself not to be among those who enter Ramadan but to be among those who Ramadan enters. For the one who enters Ramadan will leave it 30 days later and return to a life unchanged by the Grace, Majesty and Forgiveness of Allahجل جلاله. While the one who Ramadan enters will keep it for the rest of the year and with it, the Grace, Majesty and Forgiveness of Allahجل جلاله.<br />
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<b>Ramadan – Maximizing Benefits  - Listen ></b><br />
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His Grace which presented us with this opportunity to turn towards Him and seek His pleasure in all that we say and do in preparation for our meeting with Him. A meeting about which there is no doubt. His Grace which stacked the odds in our favor by giving us multiple rewards for the same actions. His Grace which chained the Shayateen and opened the doors of Tawba (repentance) for those who seek to change themselves and their lives. His Grace which multiplied the reward of all Fara’aidh seventy times that of the same deed at other times and of the Nafl, equal to the Fardh in other times. Ramadan is the biggest sign of His Grace, which He sends us, every year of our lives.<br />
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His Majesty, feeling the awe of which is the root of all goodness, the foundation of all good actions, the purpose of our lives – to recognize our Creator, Owner, Provider and whose Law we follow (Al Khaliq wal Malik, wal Raziq, wal Haakim). It is this feeling of the Majesty of Allahجل جلاله in the heart which is called Taqwa – the fear of displeasing the One we love the most. Allahu Rabbul A’alameen – Allahجل جلاله, the Rabb of the worlds (all those He created, sustains and protects). It is when the slave feels this connection, that he makes the changes he needs to make in his/her life to become obedient to Allahجل جلاله. It is when he/she feels this awe of Allahجل جلاله’s Majesty that the slave becomes a Muttaqi and thereby eligible for the promises of Allahجل جلاله’s help in every aspect of his life. Remember that all the promises of Allahجل جلاله are for the Muttaqoon and Muhsinoon. Ramadan comes to help us to become Muttaqeen. Allahجل جلاله said about this:<br />
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ<br />
تَتَّقُون<br />
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Baqara 2:183. O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon<br />
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His Forgiveness is the biggest gift that Ramadan brings. A month in which Allahجل جلاله frees slaves from the Fire. A month when shuts the door of Jahannam and opens the doors of Jannah. A month in which Allahجل جلاله prescribed fasting and said, ‘The fast is for me and I will reward it.’ He didn’t specify what the reward would be. He merely said that He would reward it. One can only imagine (in reality beyond imagination), what that reward would be; a reward in keeping with the Majesty and Grace of Rabbul A’alameen.<br />
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Taqwa is to be obedient to Allahجل جلاله. To be concerned with His pleasure and to fear His displeasure. To always ask the question, ‘Will Allahجل جلاله be pleased with this?’, before every action or speech. To do what Allahجل جلاله permitted and to shun what He prohibited. And to seek clarification in all matters of doubt. Taqwa is to leave the doubtful. Taqwa is to remember and recall that one day soon we will meet Allahجل جلاله and that every action of this life will be judged on the scale of the pleasure of Allahجل جلاله alone. Taqwa is to give precedence to and to His will and pleasure over the will, pleasure and approval of everyone else, including and most of all, one’s own self. It is one’s own self which is the greatest enemy of Taqwa and which needs to be disciplined by reinforcing the message, ‘It doesn’t matter what you like to do. What matters is what Allahجل جلاله wants you to do.’<br />
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It is precisely to reinforce this message that Ramadan comes every year. A training period to remind us to do only what Allahجل جلاله ordered, only because He ordered it. So, in Ramadan, that which is normally Halaal, also becomes Haraam for a period of time every day; for no reason, other than that Allahجل جلاله ordered it. This is the principle behind every Ibaadah (act of worship). Why do we pray (Salah) in a certain way and not in a different way which may be more convenient or ‘logical’? Why do we give a certain amount of charity as Zakat and not more or less? Why is Zakat obligatory on certain forms of wealth and not on others, even if the others may be more valuable? Why do we dress in a certain way in Hajj? Why do we call standing in Arafah, Hajj, instead of Tawaf of the Ka’aba?<br />
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I can mention more but these examples will suffice to show that we do all these things for one reason only, i.e. because Allahجل جلاله ordered us to do so. This is to reinforce the concept of Taqwa which is the brand of the Muslim. In Ramadan, as I mentioned, even the Halaal becomes Haraam because Allahجل جلاله ordered it. Only to emphasize the importance of leaving the Haraam at all times for the same reason, i.e. because Allahجل جلاله ordered it. It is our Nafs (self, desire) which comes in the way of this, aided and abetted by Shaytaan and his cohorts and gets us to disobey Allahجل جلاله to please ourselves and our foolish friends. Ramadan comes to bring us all back on track so that we leave these habits of ignorance. Ramadan comes to teach us to say, ‘I am fasting’, if we are faced with something that goes against the spirit of obedience to Allahجل جلاله. Ramadan comes to teach us to say, ‘I am fasting’, in spirit, in the rest of the year for the same reason to every form of disobedience to Allahجل جلاله. That is the purpose of every training course, to bring about behavioral change. Psychologists tell us that habit change takes 21 days. Ramadan gives us 30. Let us pray that Allahجل جلاله enables us to change our habits and become obedient to Him. I remind myself that one Ramadan will be our last. Let us make use of this one as if it is our last for it may well be. I ask Allahجل جلاله for His help.<br />
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When the slave becomes conscious of Allahجل جلاله and of His presence in his life, he asks about Him. He wants to know his Rabb better and to get closer to Him. Allahجل جلاله says:<br />
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي<br />
وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ<br />
<br />
Baqara 2: 186. And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the dua (plea) of the supplicant when he calls on Me (directly). So, let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be rightly guided.<br />
<br />
How can we thank our Rabb enough for being so responsive to us? Remember that the Qur’an is the living speech of Al Hayyul Qayoom – The Ever Living and the Established (who establishes everything but needs nothing for His own establishment). The Ayaat are speaking to us in real time. They were revealed to Rasoolullahصلى الله عليه وسلم in the 7th century but speak to us in real time across the centuries and will continue to do so until the earth exists. To every Muslim, the Qur’an is his or her personal revelation. To be read and understood as Rasoolullahصلى الله عليه وسلم read and taught it and to be practiced as he practiced it. He is the touchstone, the criterion for right and wrong in terms of understanding and practice of the Qur’an and its commandments. That is the importance of the Sunnah and the reason Allahجل جلاله sent His Messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم, so that His Word may be recited, explained and demonstrated as a standard and benchmark for all time. The Qur’an and Sunnah are intertwined, supporting one another and reflecting one another. The Kitab (Book) of Allahجل جلاله and the Sunnah (Way) of His Messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم<br />
is the foundation of Islam.<br />
<br />
That is why in the middle of the Ayaat relating to Ramadan and fasting, Allahجل جلاله<br />
revealed this Ayah about dua. When the slave becomes conscious of his Rabb and becomes concerned about pleasing Him, he asks about Him. And Allahجل جلاله says, ‘When my slave asks about me, I am indeed near him. I respond to his dua (supplication). So, let him obey me and have faith in me so that he may be rightly guided.’ The promises of Allahجل جلاله are conditional upon our actions. For dua to be answered, one must be obedient and have faith in Allahجل جلاله.<br />
<br />
Therefore, I remind myself and you to make a lot of dua in Ramadan. It is the month for dua. Allahجل جلاله  promised to accept our dua. Let us become obedient to Him and have faith in His power and generosity and ask Him for all our needs. Ask Him also for the needs of the Ummah of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم for that was his greatest Sunnah, making dua for his Ummah. Ask Allahجل جلاله for His help, protection, support, correction (Islaah) and guidance for the Ummah of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم. Ask Allahجل جلاله for relief from sin, disobedience and oppression. Ask Allahجل جلاله directly because He told us to do so and His Messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم taught us to do so. Ask Him and He will give, because He said, ‘I respond to his dua (dua of the supplicant).’<br />
<br />
Truly the Mercy of Allahجل جلاله is boundless because as the month progresses and the slaves fast and fill the Masaajid and stand in the night in Taraweeh, Allahجل جلاله  opens the doors of His bounty even wider. We come to the last third of the month, the last ten days. In the nights of these days, Allahجل جلاله concealed the gift of Laylatul Qadr (Shab-e-Qadr, Night of Decree). About this night and the reward of worship during it, Allahجل جلاله said:<br />
<br />
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْر وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْر لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ<br />
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ<br />
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ<br />
<br />
Qadr 97: 1. Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). 2. And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? 3. The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). 4. Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibreel] by Allah's Permission with all Decrees, 5. Peace! (safety, blessings, all goodness) until the appearance of dawn.<br />
<br />
One night, the worship during which is more rewarding than worshipping Allahجل جلاله continuously for 1000 months (83 years and 4 months). How much more? As much as is in keeping with the Grace and Majesty of my Rabb. Rasoolullahصلى الله عليه وسلم told us to search for this night in the last ten nights of Ramadan and more specifically in the odd nights. It is for this reason that he used to make Itikaaf (seclusion) in the masjid during the last ten nights of Ramadan. This is something he did without fail and the purpose of it was to find and benefit from Laylatul Qadr. Following this Sunnah of Itikaaf, is something that has become more widespread of late but it is for each of us to ask this question to himself, ‘What is the value of 83 years and 4 months of accepted worship of Allahجل جلاله on a day when one single good deed and its reward can spell the difference between Jannah and Jahannam?’ And since we don’t know if this will be our last Ramadan and since we claim to have Imaan on Allahجل جلاله and on the Day of Judgment, let us decide what to do in the last ten nights of Ramadan.<br />
<br />
The biggest reward of Itikaaf is that the Mu’takif (one making Itikaaf) is sure to get Laylatul Qadr (Insha’Allah) because the entire period of Itikaaf and all Halaal actions in it, including sleeping are considered to be worship. So, if one is in Itikaaf in the masjid and asleep during Laylatul Qadr he would still get the reward of the night as a mercy from Allahجل جلاله. This alone should be enough to bring anyone into the masjid for Itikaaf in Ramadan. I am trying to make the decision point as clear as possible since we are all susceptible to Shaytaan who will try to convince us that the world will come to a halt if we make Itikaaf. I ask Allahجل جلاله to help us to prove our Imaan with our actions, because that is the only form of proof that will work on the Day of Judgment.<br />
<br />
Our mother, Sayyida Ayesha Siddiqa (RA) asked Rasoolullahصلى الله عليه وسلم what dua she should make if she found Laylatul Qadr. Heصلى الله عليه وسلم taught her this dua.<br />
اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعفو عنى<br />
Allahumma innaka `afuwwun, tuhibbul-`afwa, fa`fu `anni<br />
O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me.<br />
<br />
Remember that this dua was given by Rasoolullahصلى الله عليه وسلم to one of the most beloved of all people to him, Ayesha (RA) when she asked him what dua to make in this time (Sunan Tirmidhi and others). So that makes the dua extra special. Some other things that make this du'aa special: ‘afoo means to wipe away without a trace, meaning that the sins will not be mentioned on the Day of Judgement, as if we never committed them (unlike Maghfirah which means to forgive the sin but it will still be documented and presented on the Day of Judgement). Al-’Afuw is also is one of the majestic names of Allahجل جلاله.<br />
<br />
I ask Allahجل جلاله to give us all Ramadan Al Kareem in good health and Iman and in safety and security and enable us to take full advantage of its blessings. I ask Allahجل جلاله  to save us from temptation, laziness, lies, greed and all evil. I ask to inspire us to change our lives to become obedient to Him and on the Sunnah of His Beloved Messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم. I ask Allahجل جلاله to inspire you to make dua that He wants you to make and which are best for you in this Dunya wal Aakhira (this life and the hereafter). I ask Allahجل جلاله to grant safety and security to those who don’t have it so that they can practice Ramadan in peace and harmony. I ask Allahجل جلاله to be pleased with you and never be displeased.<br />
<br />
Ramadan – Maximizing Benefits<br />
by Mirza Yawar Baig<br />
<a href="http://mhmic.org/jumakhutbas/ramadan-maximizing-benefits/" target="_blank">http://mhmic.org/jumakhutbas/ramadan-maximizing-benefits/</a><br />
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Ramadan – Maximizing Benefits

We are about to enter once again into the blessed month of Ramadan. I remind myself not to be among those who enter Ramadan but to be ...

Thursday, June 01, 2017