Date: May 29, 2016
The author Jameel Syed expresses his experience in Umrah that he witnessed while his pilgrimage. He says nobody can walk empty handed from this place of purification. He first visited Umrah in the month of Ramadan in 1998. The pilgrimage journey was a gift from his parents for graduating from the University of Michigan. Pilgrims chanted loud and loud as they moved closer to the object of desire. His heart beats started to beat faster and faster when he reaches the place of Allah. His eyes started to fill with tears and while walking towards the object of desire he was in a dreamy state. Finally he stopped and he knew that he was in the presence of majesty. People come from far and near to have their prayers heard. Different people believes in Islam with different skin colors eat different foods, speak different languages, wear different clothes and practice different customs all gathered in one place to celebrate peace, brotherhood and unity. The pilgrimage places like Mecca and Madinah have their own flavors. Both cities carry the wonderful air of devotion and humanity and both are complimentary to one another. Both cities make you feel safe and privileged. While the trip to Madinah, he could meet many notable personalities who are working for Islam and its teachings. Qalam Institute, Ustadh Wissam Sharieff, Imam Dawood Yasin, Imam Khalid Latif, imam Omer Bajwa, Ustadh Jameel Besada were some among them. The ever loving and memorable thing that the author could do was being given the permission to raise the adhan in two masajid of the holy city: Darul Hadith and the famed Islamic University of Madinah. Since this greatest thing happened, he believes that nobody can walk away from this place empty handed.
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari
Are you eagerly waiting for the month of Ramadan? If yes, that’s quite awesome and deserves praises. Many Muslims waits the month of Ramadan with mixed feelings. Some love to fast and celebrate Ramadan. Some fear genuinely by thinking of the long hours of fasting. And most of countries will be hot in this season. When you analyze a day of a real Muslim, prayer is a pure but difficult thing to perform. There will be lack of prayer hall at your office or schools. But at any cost, we the Muslims perform prayers everyday without fail. Likewise fasting is very hard and difficult. There will be pain and ache in body parts due to hunger and thirst. But here lies the exact challenge and worship. At the very month of Ramadan, we must learn to live by helping others and giving zakat to the deserving people. If you fast in the month of Ramadan, your sins will be forgiven by Allah. Fasting is a complete act o worship and forgiveness. Make good decisions in this Ramadan such as love Allah, set good goals for future, help poor and love your family.
Read MorePraise be to Allah, the Creator and Cherisher of the worlds and peace be upon his prophet Muhammad SAW. The blessed month of Ramadan is near completion. A month which brings mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from fire if completed virtuously. The month of Shawwal, which follows Ramadan, also has unique opportunities to continue to earn Allah’s blessings. Muhammad SAW said, “The one who fasts the month of Ramadan, followed by six days in Shawwal, is purified of sins as if he was just born.” (Hadith: Sahih Muslim and Abu Da’ud). The six days of fasting in Shawwal can begin any day after Eid al-Fitr and can be completed continuously or spread throughout the month. There are differences of opinion regarding the requirement to make up missed Ramadan (fard) fasts before keeping Shawwal (nafl) fasts. See the link below from Yasir Qadhi: However we choose to do it, certainly, rewards come from Allah and anything we do sincerely to please him will not be wasted. _As for those who believe and do good deeds, rest assured that We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work._ (Quran 18:30) The Alim Foundation Inc., NMS/NH, May 21, 2020
Read MoreSafar is the second month of the Islamic calendar. The definition is empty and the reasoning is all the Muslims would rush towards the battlefield (at the time of the Prophet (SAW), leaving their houses deserted after Muharram. Moreover, superstitions were widespread during the days of ignorance (pre-Islam). These superstitions were made irrelevant by the following Quran verse: "No misfortune befalls except by Allah’s command..." Surah Tagabun, Verse 11. Folks in those days believed bad omens and evils occurred in Safar, but all those beliefs were incorrect. As stated in Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2222: There is no bad omen in the month of Safar and no ghouls (evil spirits). Superstition is for folks who lack faith and trust in Allah (SWA). Assalamwalakum.
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