Islamic Information Blog Issue 12 - Ramadan Issue

Assalamu Alaikum Brothers and Sisters,

I know there is so much time left before Ramadan, but isn't it best to be prepared for it?

In this issue InshaAllah, I hope to help you and as well as myself do good during this Ramadan, remember it only comes once a year...for all we know we may not reach the next.

There is so many reasons to why Ramadan is such a blessed month, not only for fasting, but other reasons such as

* The Qur’an was first revealed during this month
* The gates of Heaven are open
* The gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained up in Hell.
* Taraweeh Prayers
* Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power)
* We fast thinking of others who "fast" for days and are grateful for food and drink when they get it. (meaning they haven't get what we have in life, the food and drink day after day.)

Anyone can really fast for days, but there has to be reasons to why we fast in this blessed month, especially when the weather can be really hot.

DID YOU KNOW?

That Ramadan isn't only to do with not eating and drink during the times we fast? We has Muslims still have to follow what Allah has told us to do, which is to do what is right, and forbid what is wrong, we still have to pray 5 times a day, just because its Ramadan and we have less energy doesn't mean we should give up our duties as a Muslim. Like I will say again and again, there is no such thing has a part-time Muslim who can pick and choose when to do what he likes, for example you will see Muslims only coming to the masjid during Fridays, or Ramadan with the Taraweeh prayers, or even just coming for Eid. Brothers and sisters, we has Muslims should be going to the masjid each and every salat! We make excuse after excuse, but act upon this if you do go to the masjid for Ramadan, make it a habit to come days and days after Ramadan for you are missing the reward for praying in congregation.

Vol 1, Book 8. Hadith 466. (Bukhari)
Narrated By Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "The prayer offered in congregation is twenty five times more superior (in reward) to the prayer offered alone in one's house or in a business center."

Vol 1, Book 6. Fiqh 1.077B. (Fiqh-us-Sunnah)
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said, "The ties of Islam and the principles of the religion are three, and whoever leaves one of them becomes an unbeliever: testifying that there is no god except Allah, the obligatory prayers, and the fast of Ramadan."

Ramadan can be a month where you turn your life around. What do I mean? Now is the time to change what is wrong about yourself and do what is right for the sake of Allah. Like I wrote above its time to make a habit of doing things for the sake of Allah, praying 5 times a day, doing extra prayers for Allah, extra fast, giving charity, doing good deeds, think about doing theses for Ramadan and think about doing theses in the rest of the year. You may get lots of reward for doing stuff in Ramadan, but you do get reward the rest of the year as well.

INTENTIONS

Before getting ready to fast the Month of Ramadan, everyday before Fajr remember!! to make your intentions to fast, for the one who doesn't make intentions, their fast will not be included. So you can say it before you sleep that way if you over sleep you will be able to carry on your fast InshaAllah.

WHO CAN FAST?

Fasting the month of Ramadan is an obligation on every Muslim adult, that is able to fast, menstruating woman or the woman who is on her period, is excused from fasting the days, also pregnant woman and breast-feeding woman is allowed not to fast if she fears that harm would come to her or her baby from her fasting but she must make up the days that she has missed after Ramadan. Children do not have to fast but they should be showed how to starting from the age of 7 years ago to help them get used to fasting and InshaAllah getting used to fasting this beautiful Month. To fast we must be stable and able to do the fast, fasting is not obligatory on the insane person. Also old age and people who have illness do not have to fast, due to it might make them weaker in health etc.

START AND END FAST

Muslims start eating and drink before dawn after that Muslims stop eating, drinking and other pleasures during the day, AFTER Maghrib as come in, not before, we are allowed to break the fast inshallah. During the day Muslims should do what they usually do, continue to pray, worship, give charity, helping others, read the Quran,

EXTRA PRAYERS: TARAWIH

Book 4. Prayer. Hadith 1666. (Muslim)
'Aisha reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayed one night in the mosque and people also prayed along with him. He then prayed on the following night and there were many persons. Then on the third or fourth night (many people) gathered there, but the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) did not come out to them (for leading the tarawih prayer). When it was morning he said: I saw what you were doing, but I desisted to come to you (and lead the prayer) for I feared that this prayer might become obligatory for you. (He the narrator) said: It was the month of Ramadan.


Vol 2, Book 15. Fiqh 2.027. (Fiqh-us-Sunnah)
The legality of the tarawih prayer: The specific prayers during the month of Ramadan, which are known as tarawih, are sunnah for both men and women, and they are to be performed after the obligatory 'isha and before the performance of the witr. They should be prayed in sets of two rak'at each. It is allowed to pray them after witr; though, this is not the best thing to do. They may be performed until the end of the night.
Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet sallallahu alehi wasallam would encourage people to perform the special prayers during Ramadan without commanding them as obligatory and he said: "Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan [Tarawih] with a firm belief and hoping for reward, all of his previous sins would be forgiven."


Vol 3, Book 32. Hadith 231. (Bukhari)
Narrated By Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."


I'TIKAF.

I'tikaf is meaning the act of staying in the Mosque for the last day tens of Ramadan fully for the purpose of worshipping Allah, praying, prasing Him etc.

Vol 3, Book 58. Fiqh 3.154. (Fiqh-us-Sunnah)
Actions that Nullify the I'tikaf: If a person performs one of the following acts, his I'tikaf will be nullified:

1. Intentionally leaving the mosque without any need to do so, even if it is for just a short time. In such a case, one would not be staying in the mosque, which is one of the principles of I'tikaf.

2. Abandoning belief in Islam, as this would nullify all acts of worship. If you ascribe a partner to Allah, your work will fail and you will be among the losers.

3. Losing one's reason due to insanity or drunkenness, or the onset of menstruation or post-childbirth bleeding, all of which disqualifies a person for I'tikaf.

4. Sexual intercourse. Allah says: "But touch them not [that is, your wives] and be at your devotions in the mosque."

4. Sexual intercourse. Allah says: "But touch them not [that is, your wives] and
be at your devotions in the mosque."

However, one may touch his wife without there being any desires. One of the Prophet's wives would comb his hair while he was performing I'tikaf. As for kissing or touching due to desire, Abu Hanifah and Ahmad say that it is not desirable, for it leads to something that is forbidden for the one performing I'tikaf. However, it does not nullify it unless one ejaculates. Malik says that it nullifies the I'tikaf, for it is an illegal touch regardless of whether the person involved ejaculates or not. From ash-Shaf~i there are two reports that correspond to the two preceding opinions.

Ibn Rushd explains that: "The reason for their differences of opinion is [the (fact) that] if a word has more than one meaning, one being literal and the other figurative, does the word apply at one time to all of them or not? This is one of the types of words that have more than one meaning. Those who say that it carries both meanings interpret 'touch' in the 'ayah... and touch them not and be at your devotions in the mosque' in the unrestrictive sense - that is, covering both sexual intercourse and also actions [of touching] that are less than that. Those who don't say it carries all of its meanings and they are the majority say that the 'ayah points to sexual intercourse or to touching that is less than intercourse. If we say that it refers to sexual intercourse by consensus, then this nullifies the possibility of it referring to actions less than intercourse, as one [single] word could not be taken in its literal and figurative meaning [at the same time]. Those who say that what is less than sexual intercourse is included say so because it
falls under the literal meaning of the verse. Those who differ do not take the word in its literal and figurative meaning at the same time.

LAYLATUL-QADR
Vol 3, Book 57. Fiqh 3.144A. (Fiqh-us-Sunnah)
Night of Qadr, its virtue: The night of Qadr is the most virtuous night of the year. Allah says in the Qur'an: "We revealed it on the night of power [that is, Qadr]. What will tell you what the night of power is? It is better than a thousand months." Any action therein, for example, reciting the Qur'an, making remembrance of Allah, and so on, is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain the night of Qadr.
Allah says in the Quran:
"Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?. 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 thousands months i.e 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh (Jibrail (Gabriel)) by Allah's Permission with all Decrees, (All that night, there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn" (Al-Qadr [Surah 97:1-5)

JazakAllah for the support always, anything that I have said wrong is from me and Satan, everything that was said right from Allah and Allah alone.

Brothers and Sisters of Islam, I hope you will look at this Ramadan and improve yourself, this newsletter was a simple reminder to myself and to you all, I ask Allah to increase our deen in the month of Ramadan, I ask Allah to accept our good deeds, prayers and fast in the
blessed month.

If I write another issue Allah knows best, until then, I love the Ummah for the sake of Allah

Your Brother In Islam
Was Salaam