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General

As the Eid Greetings start…

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Beware…

As your phone goes into meltdown with Eid greetings, and as you rush around to prepare for Eid tomorrow beware of this distraction that robs you of the final precious hours of Ramadan. Make time even if a little between now and maghrib to cut off all distractions, turn to Allah and make heartfelt duas for Him to accept your Ramadan and save you from disgrace on the day of Judgement and the hellfire and to enter you into the eternal gardens of peace by His Mercy. Pray for yourself your parents your families and the Ummah.

Weep, plead and beg in these golden moments that will not return for another year

Actions are determined by how we finish so let’s make up for our shortcomings and deficiencies that we had this month in these last few hours of this most amazing and blessed of months.

Stories

This Eid…

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They had their haircuts the night before Eid and then hit town to get some nice new clothes for the night out they had planned for Eid.

It was going to be wicked, they were going to look sharp and fresh and the ladies of Birmingham would be flocking around them that night! Imran brought himself some Louboutins, a new aftershave and Riz spent 400 on a blazer from Selfridges, when he had gotten home from the haircut before he left for town his mother had asked him to take her shopping. He told her he was busy and instead called her a taxi so she could go herself. “Got things to do enit ammi flipping hell always doing my head in” he shouted as he left, slamming the front door, and leaving home. His mother was single, abusive husband had finally left her after years of torment. He had met another woman and was undoubtedly ruining her life too.

The boys went home and showered then prepared for the big night out. Imran had rented out an M4 for the weekend and they were going to drive it even though they planned to drink the night away. They left home, for the last time ever.

It was 2am and the boys were intoxicated. In a heaving club where they’d managed to pull 2 friends who were visiting Birmingham for the weekend. Riz slurred to them that they were going to take the girls on a mad cruise and showed photos of the car they had hired, the girls thought wow these boys have money and were taken by the idea. 30 minutes later and Imran was doing 120mph down a road where the max speed was 40mph. The girls had been dropped off as they were scared of the way Imran was driving and Riz was vomiting in the passenger seat as he’d drank too much.
It was a cold night and the crunching impact sent a shockwave through the icy still air as they smashed into a brick wall trying to avoid the roundabout they had suddenly approached. The occupants of the car died instantly that night. Intoxicated.

Family unaware, as their blood spilled into the street and people slowly began to gather. Later, as their bodies lay cold on metal beds in the hospital morgue it was their families who screamed, it was their families who suffered, they cried and prayed because of the way they had died.

Blood tests indicated alcohol and cocaine. Imagine that was you, planning your night out and you died. It doesn’t have to be a car crash, or even if you’re drunk.

Imagine you die doing something displeasing to Allah? Be scared and repent before it’s too late. This Eid please don’t let this status be about you. Drive carefully and remember the angel of death could be coming for you….. #Share

Preparation

Five Groups of People during Ramadan

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Ramadan is the month of fasting, standing, generosity, self-evaluation, patience and the Qur’aan. Indeed there are many groups and paths regarding the month of Ramadan. Let’s see which group we belong to.

The first group:

is a group that sees Ramadan as a time of restrictions and preventions; a time of prohibitions from desires and lust. They do not comprehend the benefits of Ramadan. You will find them lazy and tired. They fast with great difficulties while continuing in backbiting, lying and other sins. They see the fast as nothing more than an obstacle in front of their desires.

As for the second group:

it is a group that sees the month of amadan as a month of food and drink. Most of their time is consumed going and coming from the grocery store purchasing food for themselves, families and guests. Ramadan doesn’t increase them except in appetite. We know that consuming lots of foods will cause fatigue and laziness. The worst thing that the sons of Adam can fill is their stomachs. In addition, some from amongst them actually gain weight in Ramadan.

As for the third group:

they know nothing of Ramadan except that it is obligatory. Neither the days nor the nights are spent in worship rather they might not even perform the five daily prayers. They awaken with Allah’s displeasure and sleep with Allah’s displeasure.

As for the fourth group:

it is a group who does not know Allah except and until the month of Ramadan. They attend the Jumu’ah prayer, frequent the Masjid and the women wear the hijaab for the duration of Ramadan. And when the month is over all of those good deeds come to end, that is until the next Ramadan.

As for the fifth group:

this group is a group who can not wait for the arrival of Ramadan. And when it comes they roll up their sleeves even more and they work as hard as they can. This month rejuvenates and strengthens them.

Evaluate yourself. Which group do you belong to?

Source – Al Haadi

Fasting, Hadeeth

Fasting is a Shield

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Fasting is a shield [Bukhari]

Fasting is a shield for a person which protects them from Shaytan, Allah’s punishment and Jahannam. However, one needs to make sure the shield is not damaged in any way. Otherwise it will not be effective in doing its job. The actions that damage this shield and render it useless are sins like Backbiting, Lying, Evil Glance, Swearing, Nonsensical Conversation, Arguments, Slander, Haram Sustenance, and every other evil.

Besides the compulsory fasting in the month of Ramadan, one should try to fast during those days for which Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه و سلم) has mentioned many rewards, for example:

  • 6 days of Shawwal
  • Day of Aarafah
  • Ashoora (9th & 10th or 10th & 11th of Muharram)

Source: Riyadul Jannah Issue 2 Vol 13

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Last Third

The Wonderful Status of I’tikaaf

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by Hazrat Muhammad Farouq Sahib

Fulfil one’s I’tikaaf in such a Masjid wherein the five daily Salaah is offered. A Masjid in terms of the Shariah. By means of this act Allah Ta’ala has granted us solitude while in a gathering. What more can be said!

Two Haj and two Umrah, by means of a single days I’tikaaf, how far is one removed from Jahannum? A distance of five hundred years. Brothers! What we all desire and need is to be distanced from Jahannum and closeness to paradise.

Another amazing point is the fact that one who is waiting for Salaah is granted the rewards of being in Salaah. It is as if the person forming the intention for I’tikaaf has begun Salaah on the eve of the twentieth of Ramadaan and remains engaged in this Salaah for a full ten days and nights, till the sighting of the crescent for Eid after which he turns for Salaam and completes his Salaah. While fast asleep, he is in Salaah! While wide a wake, he is in Salaah! While eating, he is in Salaah! While drinking, he is in Salaah! At every instant during his stay in the Masjid he is in Salaah. At times this is actually so while at other times he is allegorically so. We beseech Allah Ta’ala to grant us the abundant Taufeeq for these actions to be performed during Ramadaan and that He make them easy for us and assist us therein.

O Allah! We are weak and helpless. We are assailed by different forms of illnesses. O Allah! Provide us with Your assistance from the unseen whereby we can imbibe all these aspects within us. Let us engage in the abundant recitation of the Quraan as in the case of Hazrat Raipuri who gave up all his correspondence as well as meeting people and was either occupied in fasting or recitation of the Quraan. This cycle continued over and over every day of the entire month. We beseech Allah Ta’ala to grant such devotion to us as well, along with I’tikaaf during the last ten days.

O Allah! Grant abundant Taufeeq to us as well as to our children and the other members of our household. O Allah! Grant us the Taufeeq to spend Ramadaan in keeping with the Sunnah as discussed. Grant us the Taufeeq to spend Ramadaan in the shadows of Your accepted servants, Ameen.

Source: Darul Uloom Al-Islamiyya , Port Elizabeth South Africa

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Last Third

The Last Ashrah

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The month of Ramadhan enjoys and intrinsic superiority over all the other months of the year. Likewise, it’s last ‘Ashra or ten days are superior to the two earlier ‘Ashras, and laylatul Qadr or the Night of Power, generally, falls in it. That is why, the sacred Prophet (peace & blessings upon him) devoted himself more intensively to prayer and other forms of worship during it and urged others, also, to do the same.

Ayesha (RA) related to us that “the Apostle of Allah (peace & blessings upon him)strove harder and took greater pains to observe prayer etc., during the last ten days of Ramadhan than during the other days.” [Muslim]

It is related by Ayesha (RA) that “when the last ten days of Ramadhan began the Apostle of Allah (peace & blessings upon him) would gird up the loins and keep awake in the nights (i.e., he used to spend the whole of the nights in prayer and worship), and, also, wakened the members of his family (so that they, too, could partake of the blessings of the nights of that month).” [Bukhari]

Source: Meaning and Messages of the traditions
by Shaykh Mohammad Manzoor Nomani

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Virtues of Ramadan

A Memorable Month

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The month of Ramadhán is always a memorable month. This is that special month in the Islámic calendar that causes Muslims all over the world to re-invigorate their ímán. No matter what the condition of the Muslim is, this individual finds it easy to give up bad habits and make more ‘Ibádat in the blessed month.

Maulana Maseehuallah Khan