Reach out to someone this month!

Asalaam Alaaykum, Reach out to a youth, a single person, a widow/er, a convert, a single mom or dad with kids, a non-Muslim interested in Islam. Even if your own situation is less than ideal, reach out to someone and make it better together. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/for-some-converts-ramadan-is-the-loneliest-time-of-year/2013/07/08/1819df1e-e813-11e2-818e-aa29e855f3ab_story.html

Aasalaamu alaikum and Ramadan Mubarak!!!

Ramadan is a marriage of our physical and spiritual beings. The spiritual benefits are what keep me focused during the foregoing of the things that normally keep me physically going during the day. For most of this year, I've been losing weight. 53 pounds so far. I initially had concerns for fasting because if caloric intake is low, metabolism slows way down. It's important to know that health is an important factor in fasting, but also to know that fasting can be healthy. In the 90's, my husband had a heart attack, and he had been fasting for 3 months of every year for several years. I asked his cardiologist if the fasting had contributed to his heart attack, and his Dr. looked at me and said, " If more people fasted, I'd have a lower patient load." He went on to explain that fasting is good for your body, if you're eating nutrient dense foods when you do eat. The type of fast is important as well, and he explained that a Muslim fast is ideal for good health. The key and deciding factor comes down to the foods you eat when you're not fasting. In a 24 hour period, it doesn't matter what hours you're eating, as long as the calories and nutrient values are what your body needs to properly function. I hope you all do yourselves a favor, and find out what your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is. This number of calories is what your body needs, dependent on age/sex/current weight, and considers your activity level when giving you the rate. I promise, if your caloric intake is within that range, you'll feel better and be able to  do the extra prayers you're intending to do. Also, hydration is extremely important during these summer days. Please be mindful that your body has a right on you! Drink plenty of water. Not soda! So many brothers and sisters end up with kidney issues within the first week because they haven't hydrated properly. I cannot emphasize it enough: DRINK WATER! I'll close with wishing everyone a very Happy Ramadan. May you be blessed in it, and may your fasting and extra acts be accepted and rewarded. And, please forgive me for any offenses I may have caused.

Prayers and Supplications for the Month of Ramadan - pdf book

Nice Ja'fari collection of duas for the month of Ramadan in a pdf booklet. Enjoy!

The most specific fast

The highest level of fasting is to disengage oneself from other than Allāh (SwT).  Every thought, speech, action, etc.  is solely for Allāh (SwT).  The fasting one in this level ensures that not only does he observe the first two levels of fasting, but protects his heart from other than Allāh (SwT).  Perhaps this noble dictum of Imām al-Sādiq (‘a) refers to this very station:

أَلْقَلْبُ حَرَمُ اللٌّهِ، فَلاََ تُسْكِنْ فِي حَرَمِ اللٌّهِ غَيْرَ اللٌّهِ.

“The heart is the sanctuary of Allāh; therefore do not make other than Allāh reside in the sanctuary of Allāh.[80]”

The result of such a fast is ‘the Paradise of Divine Encounter’[81] (Jannat al-Liqā’).  If we ponder over the supplications of the Holy month of Ramadān and try to understand what kind of reception and banquet we can anticipate, we would realize that it is this level of fasting that we must struggle to attain.

Imām Khumaynī in one of his sermons to the seminarians in Najaf al-Ashraf says:

وأَنِرْ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوْبِنَا بِضِيَاءِ نَظَرِهَا إِلَيْكَ، حَتّى تَخْرِقَ أَبْصَارُ الْقُلُوبِ حُجُبَ النُّورِ فَتَصِلَ إِلـى مَعْدَنِ الْعَظَمَة. ضيافة اللّه همان «معدن عظمت» است.  خداوند تبارك و تعالى براي ورود به معدن نور و عظمت از بندگانش دعوت فرموده است.‏

“And enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of Your vision, until the vision of the hearts tears through the curtains of light and reaches the Source of Greatness (ma’din al-’azamah).’[82]

The banquet of Allāh (SwT) is that very “source of greatness.”  God, the Blessed and Exalted, has invited His servants to enter the source of light and greatness.”[83]

He also says:

و جزاي چنين روزه‏اي خداست چنانكه فرموده است: أَلصَّوْمُ لِي وأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ.  چيز ديگر نمي ‏تواند پاداش چنين روزه‏اي باشد.  جنات نعيم در مقابل روزه او بى‏ارزش بوده نمي ‏تواند پاداش آن به حساب آيد.  ولى اگر بنا باشد كه انسان به اسم روزه دهان را از مطعومات ببندد و به غيبت مردم باز كند و شبهاي ماه مبارک رمضان، كه مجالس شب نشينى گرم و داير بوده وقت و فرصت بيشتری است، با غيبت، تهمت و اهانت به مسلمانان به سحر انجامد، چيزي عايد او نمي ‏شود و اثري بر آن مترتب نمی‏گردد. 

“The reward of such a fast is God, as He has stated: “The fast is for Me and I am its reward.”[84] Nothing else could be the reward of such a fast.  The Gardens of Blessings would not count as a worthy reward for such a fast.  If a man takes fasting to mean closing his mouth to food but opening it for backbiting, and he engages in backbiting until sahar in the warm and friendly company in the nights when there is opportunity and time, such fasting will be of no benefit and have no effect…”[85]

Elsewhere he also says:

در اين ماه شريف، كه به مهمانسراي الهي دعوت شده‏ايد، اگر به حق تعالى معرفت پيدا نكرديد يا معرفت شما زيادتر نشد، بدانيد در ضيافة اللّه درست وارد نشديد و حق ضيافت را به جا نياورديد...

“In this noble month, in which you have been invited to the divine banquet, if you do not gain insight (ma’rifah) about God the Almighty nor insight into yourself, it means that you have not properly participated in the feast of Allāh and failed to observe the etiquette of the feast...[86]”

Therefore our aspirations should be high, and we should struggle to attain the position which would enable us enter the Divine Feast.  In the supplication of Abū Hamzah al-Thumāli, which Imām al-Sajjād (‘a) taught to his noble companion, we are taught to pray in the following way:

...وَلَدَيْكَ أَرْجُوْ ضِيَافَتِي...

“…And I aspire to be a guest near You…”[87]

Notice ‘to be a guest near Allāh’ is quite different from being just an ordinary guest.  In the above verse we seek that kind of insight and knowledge that is obtained ladā Allāh - in the neighborhood of Allāh; In simpler terms, we are not just after any kind of knowledge, but that which is Divinely inspired, which is also known as al-‘ilm al-ladunnī and is, according to the Qur’ān, a product of piety; it is not a knowledge acquired from a human tutor. 

It is, using the words of the Holy Prophet (s) ‘a light that Allāh infuses in the heart of whosoever He wishes to guide.’[88] This is the kind of knowledge, say some exegetes of the Qur’ān, that the following verse speaks about:

)وَاتَّقُوا اللٌّهَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللٌّهُ وَاللٌّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (

“Be God-wary and God shall teach you, and God has knowledge of all things.”[89]

And the path towards achieving taqwā, as clearly specified in the Holy Qur’ān, is siyām (fasting).  The Holy Qur’ān says:

)يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَـتَّقُونَ (

“O you who have faith! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed for those who were before you, so that you may attain taqwā.”[90]

Hence, ‘fasting’ is a factor that can refine the spirit of the human being so much that he can qualify to be taught directly by Allāh (SwT).

Some supplications teach us to ask Almighty Allāh to be hosted in ‘paradise’ in this month.  In one of the supplications recommended during sahar time of the nights of the Holy month of Ramadān, we ask Almighty Allāh for Paradise:

وَقَدْ أَوْجَبْتَ لِكُلِّ ضَيْفٍ قِرىً، وَأَنَا ضَيْفُكَ، فَاجْعَلْ قِرَايَ اللَّيْلَةَ الْجَنَّةَ، يَا وَهَّابَ الْجَنَّةِ، يَا وَهَّابَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، وَ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِكَ...

“…And very you have made obligatory for every guest to be entertained; and I am Your guest; therefore make my banquet tonight to be ‘Paradise’, O the Bestower of Paradise, O Bestower of forgiveness, and there is no strength nor any power save by You…”[91]

It is possible that the reason why this supplication was followed by the two sublime names of Allāh - ‘Yā Wahhāb al-Jannah’ and ‘Yā Wahhāb al-maghfirah’ was to ask Allāh (SwT) for Paradise, and thus, necessarily also ask Him for relief from the Hell Fire, which enables one to enter Paradise.  In other words, we are trying to seek the same ‘qirā’ (meal served to the guest) that we seek in holy precincts of Ka’bah during the seventh round of our circumambulation around the Ka’bah.  We are taught to say:

أَللٌّهُمَّ الْـبَيْتُ بَيْـتُكَ، وَالْعَبْدُ عَبْدُكَ، وَهٌذَا مَقَامُ الْعَائِذِ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ، أَللٌّهُمَّ اِنِّي حَلَلْتُ بِفِنَائِكَ، فَاجْعَلْ قِرَايَ مَغْفِرَتَكَ...

“O Allāh, the house is Your house; and this servant is You servant; and this is where one who seeks Your Refuge from Hellfire stands; O Allāh, surely I have stopped at Your courtyard; therefore make my banquet to be Your forgiveness.”[92]

In fact there is clear mention of seeking salvation from the Hell Fire in many supplications that we are taught to read in the Holy month of Ramadān.  In the famous du‘ā that most of us recite after every prayer, we say:

يَا عَلِيُّ يَا عَظِيمُ يَا غَفُورُ يَا رَحِيمُ...مُنَّ عَليَّ بِفِكَاكِ رَقَبَتِي مِنَ النَّارِ...

“O Exalted One, O All-Great, O All Forgiving, O All-Merciful….bless me with freedom from the Hell Fire.”[93]

And during the ā‘māl of laylat al-qadr we are taught to open the Holy Qur’ān and say:

...وَفِيهِ اسْمُكَ الأَكْبَرُ، وَأَسْمَآؤُكَ الْحُسْنَى، وَمَا يُخَافُ وَيُرْجَى، أَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ...

“…and in it is Your Great Name and Your Most Beautiful Names and that which should be feared and hoped for, that you make me from those whom you have freed from Hell Fire…”[94]

Another very important point to bear in mind is that since these supplications were from infallible masters, the Paradise sought is not that which the laity like the author aspire, but levels beyond.

The mystics have classified Paradise into different levels, the highest of which is Jannat al-liqā’ (Paradise of meeting the Lord).  And this is what a true believer’s delight is in.  The following prophetic tradition alludes to this verity:

لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ؛ فَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ إِفْطَارِهِ، وَ فَرْحَةٌ عِنْدَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ‏.

“For the one fasting there are two joys: joy when breaking his fast, and joy when he meets His Lord.”[95]

Notes:

[80] Bihā r al-Anwār, vol. 70, pg. 25.

[81] Some scholastic theologians being ignorant of the truth of meeting Allāh have resorted to different fruitless interpretations.  Ayatullāh Maliki Tabrīzī in his treatise on Meeting Allāh (Risāleye Liqā’ullāh) criticizes them, saying: “One who tries to understand with a mind free from foreign ambiguities that penetrate the heart, and looks at these different expressions would be convinced that the meaning of meeting God is not encountering His reward, examples of which are ‘entering Paradise’, ‘eating apples’, ‘sharing the company of heavenly damsels’, etc.  How is this meaning related to such expressions? If one can attribute the word liqā’ to a meaning of remote relevance, what should he do with regard to the other words [used to indicate the encounter of God]? For example, how should he translate the phrase ‘looking at God’s countenance’? How should we interpret the statement ‘wa alhiqnī binūrika’l abhaj’ (and attach me to your most delightful light)? Can we say that the statement ‘And enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of their looking at You’ means ‘to eat pears?

[82] This is a reference to a part of the well-known whispered supplication of Sha‘bān called Munājāt Sha‘bāniyyah.  See Mafātīh al-Jinān, pg. 158.

[83] Jihād-e-Akbar, pg. 45.

[84] It should be noted that this dictum is translated in two different ways.  From the context of Imām’s speech, it is apparent that he reads the dictum as ‘wa ana ujzā bihi’ (I am its reward) unlike when it is read as ‘wa anā ajzī bihi’ (and I grant its reward).  Other divine scholars such as Mullā Hādī Sabzawārī in his Asrār al-Hikam and Ustād Shujā’ī in his Maqālāt [vol. 3, pg. 127] have translated this dictum is a similar manner.  Nevertheless, both the meanings are correct.

[85] Jihād-e-Akbar, pg. 44.

[86] Jihād-e-Akbar, pg. 39.

[87] Mafātīh al-Jinān, pg. 194.

[88] al-Mahajjat al-Baydā’, vol. 5, pg. 45.

[89] Holy Qur’ān, 2:282.

[90] Holy Qur’ān, 2:283.

[91] Mafātīh al-Jinān, pg. 201.

[92] al-Mahajjat al-Baydā’, vol. 2, pg. 171.

[93] Mafātīh al-Jinān, pg. 176.

[94] Mafātīh al-Jinān, pg. 225.

[95] al-Mahajjat al-Baydā’, vol. 2, pg. 122.

Taken from the book A Short Treatise on the Divine Invitation by Muhammad M. Khalfan

Ramadan ideas for kids

Assalamu alaykum!  Here are 2 cute ideas for Ramadan I found for the kids.  One is a Good deeds tree and the other is a fasting chart.  My daughter will be doing her first year of fasting from lunch until maghrib so I am trying to find things to make it fun!  I hope these ideas are useful!

Good Deeds Tree


Fasting Chart

Sighting of the Crescent - fiqh videos from I.M.A.M. (Arabic and English)

Very good set of short lectures about moon sighting - addressing in detail the matters of certainty and contentment in determining to accept information regarding the start/end of a month or not.  Can you accept the sighting of a woman?  What about astronomical data?  What if according to the fiqh of on marja it is Eid tomorrow but another it isn't - is it really necessary for communities and even families to have multiple Eids?  The answers may surprise you!

_________________________________________________________In the Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful         The Crescent Presentations   _______________________________________________________________ by: Sayyid M. B. al-Kashmiri Please join us by Clicking Here (Arabic)   __________________________________________________________ by: Sheikh Aous Asfar Please join us by Clicking Here (English)   __________________________________________________________

I.M.A.M. | Imam Mahdi Association of Marjaeya | 835 Mason St. | Dearborn | MI | 48124

Ramadan : The Spring Season of Hearts

In the name of Allah the most Merciful Beneficent

Ramadan : The Spring Season of Hearts

"O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). "(2:183)

The blessed month of mercy and forgiveness is once again back in our life. The purpose of this great month and fasting which is prescribed in it is to make us guard against evil and receive guidance from Allah. This glorious month is the period when holy Quran was revealed. Fasting makes our hearts pliant and soft which become capable to receive the guidance. As the different seasons have different effects on the fertility of the soil, so is case of our souls. We see that soil become most fertile and most productive in the spring season. The water which falls from the sky revive the earth and make it fertile. The spring time is the best time to sow seeds as due to greater fertility and producing capacity of earth we'll get good results. Likewise our hearts show different moods in different periods of a year. Some times we feel dead from inside, no word of guidance however may be very wise seem to affect us. Our hearts simply do not incline to listening truth. Sometimes we perceive a little softness and we response to guidance. But the period of holy month of Ramadan in the spring time of our hearts, we incline more towards Our Creator, and response best to guidance. The holy Quran compares the condition of hearts to that of rocks: "Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness; and surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth, and surely there are some of them which split asunder so water issues out of them, and surely there are some of them which fall down for fear of Allah, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do. "(Holy Quran, 2:74) The human heart which is capable of receiving divine guidance sometimes become header than rocks that even rocks shake in the fear of Allah but sometimes human heart become harder. The holy month of Ramadan creates an environment of spirituality in which even the most deviated ones return to remembrance of Allah and their hearts become pliant to listening to few words of guidance.

This great month is one of the roads to Allah. Man the weary traveler when treads on this road finds peace and tranquility and is drawn near to His Creator. The month revives his soul and reconnects him with His Maker Lord. Imam Sajjad beautifully recites in Sahifa Sajjadia:

"And praise belongs to God who
showed favour to us through His religion,
singled us out for His creed,
and directed us onto the roads of His beneficence,
in order that through His kindness we might travel upon them
to His good pleasure,
a praise which He will accept from us
and through which He will be pleased with us!

And praise belongs to God who appointed among those roads His month,
the month of Ramadan,
the month of fasting,
the month of submission,
the month of purity,
the month of putting to test,
the month of standing in prayer,
in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance to the people,
and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Separator! "

The holy Quran says "And seek assistance through patience and prayer, and most surely it is a hard thing except for the humble ones (2:45)" According to several traditions the patience in this verse refers to fasting. In this way the fasting becomes a medium to receive His assistance. Because fasting purifies from inside and creates piety. The Holy Prophet (s) says "If people understood what good there was in the month of Ramadhan, they would have liked that it last for a year."

The guidance and peity is core of fasting and if we are failing in this then we are deserving for this statement of Imam Ali(AS) :"Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst, many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. "

Definitely the blessings of this month exceed our understandings and the utmost of them is revival of souls to receive guidance.

May Allah make us receive the blessings of this great month and guide us on the right path!

The specific fast

The specific fast (besides the general fast- i.e refraining from food, drink and sexual intercourse) is a more meaningful fast. In this level, not only does the fasting one refrain from those things that he must avoid during the general fast, but he also ensures that every member of his body fasts. In fact, some traditions consider this fast as the fast[74] anticipated from the believers.

Observe the following narratives:

1.  The Holy Prophet (s) is reported to have said:

رُبَّ صَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ صِيَامِهِ الْجُوْعُ وَالْعَطَشُ، وَرُبَّ قَائِمٍ حَظُّهُ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ السَّهَرُ. 

“How often is the share of one who fasts, [nothing save] hunger and thirst, and how often is the share of one who stands in prayer [nothing but mere] vigil.[75]”

2.  Imām ‘Alī (‘a) is reported to have said:

أَلصِّيَامُ إِجْـتِنَابُ الْمَحَارِمِِ كَمَا يَمْـتَنِعُ الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ.

“Fasting is to abstain from forbidden acts the way a man refrains from food and drink.[76]”

3.  Hadrat Fātimah Zahrā’ (‘a) is reported to have said:

مَا يَصْنَعُ الصَّائِمُ بِصِيَامِهِ إِذَا لَمْ يَصُنْ لِسَانَهُ وَسَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ وَجَوَارِحَهُ؟

“What should the fasting one do with his fast if he did not protect his tongue, hearing, sight and members of his body?[77]”

4.  Muhammad bin ‘Ajlān reports from Imām al-Sādiq (‘a):

لَيْسَ الصِّـيَامُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ أَنْ لاََ يَأْكُلَ الإِنْسَانُ وَلاَ يَشْرَبَ فَقَطْ، وَلٌكِن إِذَا صُمْتَ فَلْيَصُمْ سَمْعُكَ وَبَصَرُكَ وَلِسَانُكَ وَبَطْنُكَ وَفَرْجُكَ، وَاحْفَظْ يَدَكَ وَفَرْجَكَ وَأَكْثِرِ السُّكُوْتَ إِلاَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ، وَارْفِقْ بِخَادِمِك.

“Fasting from food and drink does not merely mean that the human being should not eat or drink; rather when you fast, then your ears, eyes, tongue, stomach, and private parts must [also] fast; and safeguard your hand and private parts and observe silence most of the time save from what is good to say; and be kind to your servant.[78]”

5.  Imām Zayn al-’Abidīn (‘a) in his prayer on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadān humbly prays:

أَللٌّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ، وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ فَضْلِهِ وَإِجْلاَلَ حُرْمَتِهِ، وَالتَّحَفُّظَ مِمَّا حَظَرْتَ فِيهِ، وَأَعِنَّا عَلـى صِيَامِهِ بِكَفِّ الْجَوَارِحِ عَنْ مَعَاصِيكَ، وَاسْتِعْمَالِهَا فِيهِ بِمَا يُرْضِيكَ، حَتّى لاَ نُصْغِيَ بِأَسْمَاعِنَا إِلـى لَغْوٍ، وَلاَ نُسْرِعَ بِأَبْصَارِنَا إِلـى لَهْوٍ، وَحَتَّى لاَ نَبْسُطَ أَيْدِيَنَا إِلـى مَحْظُورٍ، وَلاَ نَخْطُوَ بِأَقْدَامِنَا إِلـى مَحْجُورٍ، وَحَتَّى لاَ تَعِيَ بُطُونُـنَا إِلاَّ مَا أَحْلَلْتَ، وَلاَ تَنْطِقَ أَلْسِنَتُنَا إِلاَّ بِمَا مَثَّلْتَ، وَلاَ نَتَكَلَّفَ إِلاَّ مَا يُدْنِي مِنْ ثَوَابِكَ، وَلاَ نَتَعَاطَى إِلاَّ الَّذِي يَقِي مِنْ عِقَابِكَ، ثُمَّ خَلِّصْ ذٌلِكَ كُلَّهُ مِنْ رِئَاءِ الْمُرَائِينَ، وَسُمْعَةِ الْمُسْمِعِينَ، لاَ نُشْرِكُ فِيهِ أَحَداً دُونَكَ، وَلاَ نَبْـتَغِي فِيهِ مُرَاداً سِوَاكَ.

“O Allāh, bless Muhammad and his Household; inspire us with knowledge of its excellence, veneration of its inviolability, and caution against what You have forbidden within it, and help us to fast in it by our restraining our limbs from acts of disobedience toward You and our employing them in that which pleases You, so that we lend not our ears to idle talk and hurry not with our eyes to diversion, we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited, our bellies hold only what You have made lawful and our tongues speak only what You have exemplified, we undertake nothing but what brings close to Your reward and pursue nothing but what protects from Your punishment! Then rid all of that from the false show of the false ostentatious and the fame seeking of the fame seekers, lest we associate therein anything with You or seek therein any object of desire but You![79]”

Notes:

[74] In terms of obligation, however, the Islamic Jurists unanimously consider the first fast to be sufficient.  However, for those who worship Allāh (SwT) to attain His proximity such a fast would not avail them save being absolved from their obligation.

[75] al-Amālī, pg. 166.

[76] Ibid., vol. 39, pg. 294.

[77] Mustadrak al-Wasā’il, vol. 7, pg. 366.

[78] Wasā’il al-Shī‘ah, vol. 10, pg. 165 .

[79] Imām al-Sajjād (‘a), al-Sahīfah al-Sajjādiyyah, sup. 44, pp. 143-144

Taken from the book A Short Treatise on the Divine Inivation by Muhammad M. Khalfan

30 children's activities for the month of Ramadan

http://goodtreemontessori.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/30-childrens-activities-for-ramadan/http://goodtreemontessori.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/30-childrens-activities-for-ramadan/


Some of the activities are religious, some more cultural oriented (what is a fanous - some kind of lantern?)  But most look like lots of fun!  Most are crafts but not all.

Fidyah and Kaffarah Fiqh

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In the name of Allah the beneficent the merciful قبل حلول شهر رمضان، بعض الأحكام والمسائل، اضغط هنا لمشاهدة النص العربي Before the coming of the month of Ramadan Here are some rulings regarding Qadha (make-up) fasts and offering Fidyah & Kaffarah (expiation)... Qadha Fasting: If one has missed days of fasting during the month of Ramadan last year, then it is a religious recommendation to make up those fasts before the upcoming month of Ramadan. If one has days of fast to make up but does not make them up before the upcoming month of Ramadan intentionally, the person is still held religiously liable (to make the days up at a later time) and must offer afidyah for each day missed by feeding one poor person (as defined by the religious criteria). Those Unable to Fast: Those incapable of fasting, such as the elderly, those who cannot fast due to illnesses, and those who go through desperate situations temporarily preventing them from fasting such as some pregnant women and some nursing mothers, must offer the fidyah. The fidyah is feeding one poor person for each day in which fasting was missed during the month of Ramadan. The Fidyah and the Kaffarah: The Fidyah: A compensation paid for not being able to fast. It is to feed one poor person for each day. The one incapable of fasting, thus, offers thirty meals to the poor. The Kaffarah for delaying the Qadha fasting: To feed a poor person for each day, in addition to being obligated to perform the Qadha fast. The Kaffarah for intentionally breaking one's fast during the month of Ramadan: Either fasting for sixty days, or feeding sixty poor persons, for each day missed. It is permissible to offer the entire Fidyah to a single poor person, but the Kaffarah of feeding sixty persons must be offered to distinct individuals. When it comes to the Fidyah and the Kaffarah, nothing but "feeding" suffices. As for how much food, it is the average amount which we usually feed ourselves and our families. According to Islamic law, it must be the equivalent of at least 750 grams (1.65 lbs.) of wheat, rice or dates. It is permissible to pay money with the condition of delegating the appropriate entity, or trustworthy person, or the poor person him/herself, so long as one feels assured that the food will be bought and offered. It is not permissible to purchase anything but food with the money. Note: Contrary to common belief, in the United States there are many poor and needy persons who are in need of food. For this reason, our organization, in collaboration with other charitable entities and relevant organizations, in the United States, takes on the responsibility of feeding the poor and needy. You can send the required Fidyah andKaffarah by following links: Click here for Fidyah payment service Click here for Kaffarah payment service May God accept your fasts and good deeds, and may every year pass you by in the best of health and spirits. Department of Religious Affairs I.M.A.M.

Youtube Videos of all 30 Juz Qur'an - one per day, longest 46 minutes

Do you find it difficult to find the time to read a Juz of Quran each day?
Below are Youtube video links of each individual Juz which lasts between 33 minutes to 46 minutes!!


Juz 1
38:44
http://youtu.be/MHcfs8F0Mmw

Juz 2 - Shaikh Saud Al Shuraim
36:23
http://youtu.be/rM12GoGuE3U

Juz - 3
43:15
http://youtu.be/toFDf9-8j34

Juz 4
40:11
http://youtu.be/yvSfA6FUlKE

Juz 5 - Sheikh As Sudais & Ash Shuraim
39:47
http://youtu.be/111SNYrL4z8

Juz - 6
40:59
http://youtu.be/OI4iHgr3pSc

Juz - 7
41:58
http://youtu.be/pwT1QnZRzXc

Juz 8
41:14
http://youtu.be/h-7XzGMAnkU

Juz - 9 - Shaikh Fares Abbad
44:05
http://youtu.be/m82nIWXcWaI

Juz 10 - Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Sudais
39:10
http://youtu.be/5N4O4ahBATg

Juz 11
44:03
http://youtu.be/pjUqJe-W_hU

Juz 12 - Ishak Danis
42:01
http://youtu.be/cM0YMZiFXN8

Juz 13
46:35
http://youtu.be/5-Ts5jIYxRo

Juz - 14
39:19
http://youtu.be/ld-DdriAq5s

Juz 15
43:03
http://youtu.be/0RSuTt7YCEQ

Juz - 16 - Shaikh Mohammed Saad Al Majid
39:52
http://youtu.be/3G1IquSEDAU

Juz 17 -Shaikh Saud Al Shuraim
33:25
http://youtu.be/0PAaMCkhehY

Juz 18 Shaikh Khalifa Al Tunaiji
36:53
http://youtu.be/OXSDCxeIajI

Juz 19 - Shaykh Shuraym and Shaykh Sudais
41:17
http://youtu.be/giqsln_N64s

Juz 20 - Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Sudais
37:16
http://youtu.be/sDPW9gzzWnA

Juz 21 - Sheikh As Sudais & Ash Shuraim
39:24
http://youtu.be/AAdqz3OlJUw

Juz 22
40:50
http://youtu.be/cAd7Vdbd_2o

Juz 23
43:35
http://youtu.be/SLdN0rmgBrk

Juz 24
42:01
http://youtu.be/oT9XFMygXaw

Juz 25
42:53
http://youtu.be/2V6lT2hObbM

Juz - 26 - Shaikh Fares Abbad
44:30
http://youtu.be/hkR-YtuNS18

Juz - 27 - Shaikh Saud Al Shuraim
38:27
http://youtu.be/y7wiqJjfjRY

Juz 28
40:24
http://youtu.be/ULucJpZoCZo

Juz 29
39:20
http://youtu.be/SJMvpTIw50o

Juz 30
44:20
http://youtu.be/XcMKugfDMzU

Excellent Ramadan Health Guide

Very good publication which covers diet, medical issues, spiritual issues, etc.


http://www.ramadan.co.uk/RamadhanHealth_Guide.pdf

Something to think about this month of Ramadan: Eating Less Meat is better for your soul and the planet

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/aug/26/meat-islam-vegetarianism-ramadan

For most of the billion-plus Muslims who sit down each evening to break their Ramadan fast, meat will be on the menu. Lots of it. But how Islamic is eating meat?

Not very, according to Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, who argues that historically Muslims ate so little meat they were almost vegetarian. "Meat is not a necessity in sharia, and in the old days most Muslims used to eat meat – if they were wealthy, like middle class – once a week on Friday. If they were poor – on the Eids."

In today's world, meat-eating has taken on a new fervour, with many Muslims demanding animal flesh as part of their daily diet. Just the other day, an Egyptian journalist was relating to me how he attended a dinner at a local organisation here in Cairo. When people arrived, questions began to fly across the hall: "Where is the meat? We aren't going to have enough for everyone."

According to a recent study by the Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre, 89% of Egyptians eat more than 2kg of meat monthly. This figure rises along with social class. The study revealed that wealthy Egyptians often consume more than 8kg of meat each month.

The prophet Muhammad was not an advocate of daily meat-eating. Instead, the Islamic Concern website says, he warned his followers against constant meat consumption as it could become "addictive". It seems that 1,500 years later his concerns are not being heeded.

Early Islamic leaders and scholars repeatedly emphasised that animals were to be cherished and treated in a humane manner, but many Muslims nowadays view animals as the dominion of people. A sheikh at the Egyptian ministry of religious endowments told me: "Animals are slaves for human purposes. They were put here for us to eat, so talk of vegetarianism is un-Islamic."

This statement by the ministry official goes against everything the prophet stood for, in the opinion of Gamal al-Banna, a prominent Islamic scholar who has come under attack in recent years for his "liberal" stance. Al-Banna told me that being a vegetarian and Muslim does not break any tradition and is in no way un-Islamic.

"When someone becomes vegetarian they do so for a number of reasons: compassion, environment and health reasons," he began. "As a Muslim, I believe that the prophet would want the followers to be healthy, compassionate and not destroy our environment. If someone believes not eating meat is that way, it is not like they are going to go to hell for it. It may be the right thing to do."

Al-Banna continued, when I asked him about the Eid al-Adha sacrifice (which many argue is obligatory), that any Muslim who believes in being vegetarian does not have to slaughter a sheep. "In today's modern world, ideas and religion change and Islam is no different. We must not remain rigid in our understanding of faith to mean the blind acceptance of anything, killing living beings included. There is no obligation to kill."

Others disagree, arguing that meat-eating is part of the Islamic tradition and, thus, vegetarianism is a foreign notion for the Middle East. Muslims who eat meat at every iftar (fast-breaking evening meal) this month undoubtedly believe they are doing the right thing. On the other hand, the idea that animals are merely slaves to humans is not only abhorrent to animal-rights advocates, but seems to be at odds with the prophet's teaching.

Some would argue that the prayer said before halal slaughtering is part of Islam's humanity when animals are killed for food. This may have been true historically, but in today's "halal" slaughterhouses, a pre-recorded prayer often blares nonstop as the animals are lined up and killed. That is a cop-out from what Islam teaches about "humane" slaughter.

Ultimately, the argument is simple. The Qur'an reveals that all living animals are sentient beings, just as human beings are.

"There is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings – but they are communities like you." (Qur'an, 6:38)

Exercising while Fasting - a Great Option - The Scientific 7-Minute Workout

This workout can be as short as 7 minutes, although you might want to do it up to 3 times in succession, 3-5 times per week.  Research is showing that short intense interval workouts can give as much bang for the buck as many much longer workouts in terms of fitness - weight loss, cardio fitness, strength training, etc.  Even in the month of Ramadan you can probably manage a 7 minute workout!


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/

Audio Files to time your workout

Web App to time and direct your workout:  http://7minworkoutapp.com/

Videos to show how to do each component in proper form:  http://lifehacker.com/these-12-videos-show-the-proper-form-for-a-7-minute-ful-499199366