June, 2015 - BYISLAM

Fifteen phrases About the Qur’an In the holy Qur’an

The Qur’an says:

“O thou wrapped up in thy raiment! Keep vigil the night long, save a little — half of it, or a little less, or a little more, and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured tones. Soon shall we send down to thee a weighty Message. Truly, the vigil of the night is when impression is more keen and speech more certain.” (73:1-6)

“And most certainly you are made to receive the Qur’an from the presence of One Who is the Wise and the Knowing.” (27:6)

“But when Our Clear Signs are communicated unto them, those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, say: `Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or change it.’ Say: `It is not for me, of my own accord, to change it. I follow naught but what is revealed unto me. If I were to disobey my Lord, I should myself fear the Penalty of a Mighty Day.'” (10:15)

“Verily, He Who ordained the Qur’an for thee, will bring thee back to the Place of Return. Say: `My Lord Knows best who it is that brings true guidance and who is in manifest error.'” (28:85)

“When thou dost recite the Qur’an, We place between thee and those who do not believe in the Hereafter, a hidden barrier. And We put coverings on their hearts (and minds) and a heaviness in their ears lest they understand it. And when thou commemorate thy Lord – Him Alone – in the Qur’an, they turn their backs in aversion.” (27:45-6)

“And those who disbelieve say: `Do not listen to this Qur’an and make noise therein, that you may gain the upper hand.'” (41:26)

“We narrate unto thee the most beautiful of stories by Our revealing to thee this Qur’an. Before this, thou too were certainly among those who did not know.” (12:3)

“We have explained in detail in this Qur’an, for the benefit of humankind, every kind of similitude. But humankind is, in most things, contentious. (18:54)

“Certainly, this Qur’an doth explain to the Children of Israel most of that concerning which they differ.” (27:76)

“And those who disbelieve say: We believe not in this Qur’an nor in that which was before it; but oh, if thou couldst see, when the wrong-doers are brought up before their Lord,

how they cast the blame one to another; how those who were weak say unto those who were proud: But for you, we should have been believers.” (34:31)

“Those who were proud shall say unto those who were deemed weak: `did we turn you away from guidance after it reached you? Nay! You (yourselves) were guilty.'” (34:32)

“Those reckoned weak shall say to the aggressors: `Nay! It was a plot by night and by day when you told us to disbelieve in Allah and to set up equals to Him.’ They will declare repentance when they see the punishment. We shall put yokes on the necks of the unbelievers. It would only be a requital for their (ill) deeds.” (34:33)

“Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur’an? Or are there locks on their hearts (and minds)?” (47:24)

“Verily, this Qur’an doth guide to that which is most upright (or stable), and gives glad tidings to the believers who perform deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward.” (17:9)

“And when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that you may receive mercy.” (7:204)

“That this is indeed a noble Qur’an, in a Book well-guarded, which none shall touch but those who are clean, a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds.” (56:77-80)

Seven occasions of the Holy Month of Ramadan

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, home, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

7 Ramadan, year 10 of the appointment of Prophet Muhammad as Prophet: Death of Abu Taleb, the Prophet’s uncle.

10 Ramadan, year 10 of the appointment of Prophet Muhammad as Prophet: Death of Sayyeda Khadija (peace be upon her), the first woman in Islam and the beloved wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his Household).

15 Ramadan, year 2 of the Hegira: The Birth of Imam Hassan, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson (peace be upon him and his Household).

17 Ramadan, year 2 of the Hegira: The Battle of Badr: The first battle between the Muslims and the polytheists. The Muslims achieved a decisive victory.

19 Ramadan, year 40 of the Hegira: Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was struck on his head while he was praying in the mosque of Kufa, by the accursed man Abdul Rahman Ibn Muljam.

21 Ramadan, year 40 of the Hegira: Martyrdom of Imam Ali (peace be upon him).

23rd Night of Ramadan: The greatest night of Destiny.

The Sermon of Prophet Muhammad on the Month of Ramadan

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

Imam al-Rida, quotes his forefathers, peace be upon them, who in turn quote Prophet Muhammad saying:

“O people! A month has approached you laden with blessing, mercy and forgiveness; it is a month which Almighty Allah regards as the best of all months. Its days, in the sight of Almighty Allah, are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, and its hours are the best of hours. It is a month in which you are invited to be the guests of Almighty Allah and you are regarded during it as worthy of enjoying Almighty Allah’s generosity. Your breathing in it is regarded as praising Almighty Allah and your sleep as adoration, and your voluntary acts of worship are accepted, and your pleas are answered.

Therefore, ask Almighty Allah your Lord, in sincere intentions and pure hearts to enable you to fast during it and to recite His Book, for only a wretch is the one who is deprived of Almighty Allah’s forgiveness during this great month. And let your hunger and thirst during it remind you of the hunger and thirst of the day of resurrection.

Give alms to the poor and indigent ones among you; surround your elderly with respect, and be kind to your youngsters. Visit your kin and safeguard your tongues and do not look at what Allah has decreed as prohibitive for you to look at, and do not listen to anything your ears are forbidden from hearing. Be kind to the orphans of others, so that your own orphans will equally receive kindness. Repent your sins to Almighty Allah and raise your hands to Him in supplication during the times of your prayers, for they are the best times during which Almighty Allah looks with mercy to His servants and answers their pleas when they plead Him.

O people! Your souls are pawned by your deeds; therefore, release them by seeking Almighty Allah’s forgiveness. Your backs are over-burdened by the weight of your sins; therefore, lighten their burden by prolonging your prostration. Be informed that the Exalted and Almighty Allah has sworn by His Dignity not to torture those who say their prayers and prostrate to Him, and not to terrify them by the sight of the fire when people are resurrected for judgment.

O people! Whoever among you breaks the fast of a believer during this month will receive a reward equal to one who sets a slave free, and he will receive forgiveness for all his past sins.”

The people then said, “O Messenger of Allah! Not all of us can do that!” He said, “Shun the fire of hell even by a date! Shun the fire of hell even by a drink of water!”

“O People! Whoever among you improves his conduct during this month will have a safe passage on the right path when many feet will slip away, and whoever among you decreases the burdens on his servant, will be rewarded by Almighty Allah decreasing his reckoning.

Whoever among you abstains from harming others will be spared the wrath of Almighty Allah when he meets Him. Whoever among you affords generosity to an orphan will be rewarded by Almighty Allah being generous to him on the Day of Judgment.

Whoever among you improves his ties with his kin will be rewarded by Almighty Allah including him in His mercy, and whoever among you severs his ties with his kin, Almighty Allah will withhold His mercy from him when he meets Him.

Whoever among you offers voluntary prayers, Allah will decree a clearance for him from the torture of the Fire. Whoever among you performs an obligation will receive the reward of one who has performed seventy obligations in other months.

Whoever among you increases the sending of blessings unto me, Almighty Allah will make the balance of his good deeds heavy when balances will be light.

Whoever among you recites one verse of the Holy Qur’an will receive the blessing of one who recited the entire Qur’an in another month.

O people! The gates of heaven in this month are kept open; so, pray Almighty, your Lord not to close them against you, and the gates of the fire kept closed; so, pray Almighty Allah your Lord not to open them for you; and the devils are kept chained; therefore, pray Almighty Allah your Lord not to unleash them against you.”

Source : al-Maaref

Ramadan: The Month of Mercy

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

Allah says in the Holy Quran: {The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).} (The Heifer, verse 185)

What emphasizes the necessity of preparation for this holy month is that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his Household) used to give his family the good tidings of the advent of this month, and he used to counsel his companions to get ready for its nights and days.

The month of Ramadan is a chance to return to Allah and to transcend spiritually and morally. Thus, it is important that we should heed a number of aspects related to this holy month and to benefit from every minute which passes by.

1-Fasting is for God
A person should be aware that fasting is an honor and that God grants the reward for it, as the Sacred Narration states: “All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except fasting; it is for Me and I will give reward for it.”

2-The Month of Blessing and Mercy:
In his sermon on the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his Household) said: “It is a month which Almighty Allah regards as the best of all months. Its days, in the sight of Almighty Allah, are the best of days, its nights are the best of nights, and its hours are the best of hours.”

Muslims wait for this month all year long in order to spend it in worship and supplication to God, and there are many special aspects of Ramadan:
-The gates of hell are closed in this month, and the gates of Heaven are opened
-Angels ask God to grant His forgiveness to those who are fasting until they break their fast at the end of the day
-The Night of Destiny is a part of this month, and it is better that one thousand months

3-Reinforcement of Devotion:
Sayyida Fatima (peace be upon her) said: “Allah made fasting obligatory in order to reinforce sincere devotion [to Him].”
The more a person is sincere to God in his intentions and actions, the more will he receive the aid of the Al-Mighty.
God says in the Holy Quran: {And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being True (in faith); to establish Prayer; and to practice charity; and that is the Religion Right and Straight.} (Surah Al-Bayyina, verse 5)

4-The Month of Patience
In the month of Ramadan, Muslims are obliged to abstain from a number of things during the day such as eating, drinking, and sexual intercourse. The month of Ramadan teaches people to be patient and it enforces their will to avoid sins. If a person is able to abstain from certain matters which are lawful in other than the days of Ramadan, then he/she is able to abstain from sins.

5-The Month when the Devil is in Shackles
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his Household) said: “Shall I inform you of something which if you perform then Satan will be far from you like [the distance] between the East and the West?”
They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.”
He answered: “Fasting darkens his face, charity breaks his back, love in Allah and assistance in performing righteous deeds uproot him, and asking for forgiveness cuts off his artery.”

6-The Reward is Heaven
A Sacred Narration states: “One who fasts has two joys: When he breaks his fast and eats and drinks, and when he meets Me and I admit him to Heaven.”

Google embraces Islam by releasing a tool for Ramadan

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan, Uncategorized /by amin edrisi

Today Google is specifically embracing Islam by releasing a tool for Ramadan. The unimaginatively named ‘My Ramadan Companion’, which will help Muslims to observe this very holy month.

“To help you get the most out of Ramadan, we’ve launched My Ramadan Companion (g.co/Ramadan), which gives you customized and locally relevant information, tips, and other content highlighting the richness of what the web can offer during Ramadan around you. You can find out the sunset time in your location, plan your day accordingly, check out the traffic in your area, navigate to the closest charity Iftar, find and share recipes, enjoy Ramadan content on YouTube ranging from drama series and comedy sketches, health tips to stay fit during the 30 days of fasting”, says Zain Kamal Masri, associate product marketing manager, Middle East and North Africa, Google.

Masri further explains, depending on your location Google now will show you a range of relevant cards with popular YouTube videos, latest Ramadan news and information, and recommendations for apps that alert you to wake up for Suhur, enable you to design greeting cards for Ramadan to share with the family, find Halal restaurants around you, and countdown to Iftar time”.

Google already makes a big deal about Christmas with its Santa Tracker apps and websites, so it is nice to see the search-giant focusing on Muslims too. Even if you are not Muslim, this tool may be a great way to learn more about the religion and its traditions.

Mosque in Tatarstan to launch “free Ramadan taxi” for elderly, disabled

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

Yardim mosque in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, which is a Muslim-majority region of the Russian Federation, will kick off the charity campaign called “Ramadan Taxi” on Thursday, the first day of the holy month of Ramadan.

Participants in the free taxi service will transport the elderly and disabled people after Iftar as well as after Isha and Taraweeh prayers from mosques to their homes in a first-of-its-kind initiative in the capital Kazan.

Yardim mosque also organizes mass iftar meals throughout the holy month of Ramadan.

New Jersey Muslims Urged To Share Ramadan

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

Seeing Ramadan as opportunity to spread peace and love among New Jersey faiths, an online initiative has urged Middlesex County Muslims to share food with their neighbors and friends during the holy fasting month.

“As the Month of Fasting or Ramadan approaches, we would like to encourage Muslims near and far to take part in the Ramadan Sharing Initiative,” South Brunswick resident and Board of Education member Azra Baig was quoted by Tapinto.net on Tuesday, June 16.

“(It is) an initiative to help spread peace, love and kindness by sharing food with our friends, neighbors, co-workers and the greater community.”

Called “Ramadan Sharing Initiative”, the Facebook page of the event calls South Brunswick Muslims to share Ramadan experience with the town’s non-Muslim residents.

According to the page, Muslims can share a plate of food, a bowl of dates, a food basket or some cookies.

“Ramadan is a month of honoring and celebrating the teachings of the Muslim’s Holy Book, the Quran. And what better way to celebrate the teachings than to act with peace, love and kindness,” said North Brunswick resident, and fellow Muslim, Saima Iqbal said.

“Muslim’s Prophet, Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was a mercy to mankind. Being merciful, loving and caring toward each other and to those in our community is his legacy.”

Led by the two Muslim women, Iqbal and Baig, the initiative has launched a hashtag, #RamadanSharing, to help in rising awareness about the positive move.

“By extending warm wishes and sharing a plate we are promoting the legacy of the Prophet and celebrating the Quran,” Iqbal said.

“I hope we’re able to perpetuate the sense of love, mercy, and sharing with this initiative, this Ramadan and in the years to come.”

Ramadan is the holiest month in Islamic calendar.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to be closer to Allah through prayers, self-restraint and good deeds.

It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur’an.

The United States is home to a minority of between six to eight million Muslims.

A US survey has also revealed that the majority of Americans know very little about Muslims and their faith.

U.S. Mosque welcomes over 50 School District staff

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

About 50 teachers and administrators at one Pennsylvania school district attended a recent training session on Islam and Arabic culture, While there they learned about the practice of Islam, watched an afternoon Muslim prayer service.

The workshop in the town of Lebanon was led by a former district Arabic translator, Mohamed Omar, who “took time off from his new job as a case worker for the Department of Human Services in Philadelphia to share his knowledge of Islam with the staff,” the Lebanon Daily News reported.

Among the attendees: Superintendent Marianne Bartley and a handful of other administrators.

“I think this is the first time ever in the United States that a school district goes to a mosque,” mosque founder Hamid Housni told the Daily News. “Usually a representative of a mosque goes somewhere. We don’t have words to explain to you how we appreciate that. This is very, very special.”

The training session included a comparison-contrast of U.S.-Arab education, as well as a visit to a local mosque to learn more about the Islamic religion – and to join in the congregation’s prayer service, the news outlet said.

“We have so many students from different Hispanic countries, but slowly but surely the Arabic population is growing,” Omar said. “With Hispanics you have the language differences and certainly cultural differences, but there are similarities in their religious practices. Of course, the Arab language and the religion are very much different, but we are learning that there are also many similarities.”

Teachers and administrators removed their shoes at the mosque and mingled with the congregation, discussing God, Islam and Christianity, the news outlet reported.

“We believe we will be judged by God,” Omar said, at the mosque. “The more good deeds we do, God will forgive us in the end. … You must work. Faith without work will not be accepted.”

Teachers were given opportunity to ask questions and afterwards, called the event informative.

“It’s important that we educate ourselves about cultures that are different from our own and that we try to eliminate some misunderstandings,” said Lara Book, one of the teachers who attended. “And any way that I can communicate with my students … that makes it more meaningful or easier, it is a vital tool.”

Book also said: “Basically, although our cultures are different, the fundamentals of them are similar and we all want the same things, happiness for our families, health, and success. Although we might go about finding those things in our lives differently, from a cultural standpoint, we all want the same thing.”

Californian Muslims brace for Ramadan celebrations

June 20, 2015/in Cultural and Social, Events and Occasions, Ramadan /by amin edrisi

Like Millions of Muslims across the world, Muslims in the US are preparing to observe the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on Thursday, with a religious flavor.

At southern California’s multi-cultural mosque, the Islamic Society of Orange County, preparations are going on to host thousands of Muslims on the first Saturday of Ramadan.

A huge canopy is being installed in the courtyard of the mosque where a large celebration is to be held.

The heavy schedule of the mosque will focus on mid-day prayers along with evening celebrations after the fast is broken.

“When you go without food and drink for entire day, even for one day, you realize what you have given up, and you realize what you actually have that you had taken for granted,” Sheikh Mustafa Umar, of a southern California mosque, told Voice of America on Monday.

Sheikh Umar is one of southern California Muslims who are bracing for fasting, reflections and communal gatherings that mark the holy month.

“Every day here at the mosque, we actually break our fast together at sunset, so that is around 8:00 pm,” Duaa Alwan, the president of the Islamic Society of Orange County, said.

“There are free meals, free dinners here. A lot of the larger community are invited to that, a lot of our friends from different faiths, our neighbors.”