Surah Al-Baqarah [2:185]
During the month of Ramadan the Qur ‘an was sent down as a guidance to the people with Clear Signs of the true guidance and as the Criterion (between right and wrong).

So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead.
Allah wants ease and not hardship for you so that you may complete the number of days required, magnify Allah for what He has guided you to, and give thanks to Him.

Dealing with riba (usury, interest) is a major sin against which Allah has issued a stern warning. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Fear Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from Ribaa (from now onward) if you are (really) believers.

279. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allah and His Messenger but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums)”
[al-Baqarah 2:278]

“Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: “Trading is only like Riba,” whereas Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Riba. So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Riba, shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allah (to judge); but whoever returns (to Riba), such are the dwellers of the Fire — they will abide therein”
[al-Baqarah 2:275]

When I started turning towards Islam in university, I was faced with the question of abstaining for music. It was a hard decision but I eventually took the plunge and gave it up. It wasn’t an easy journey for me and I moved back to listening to music, then gave it up only to once again start it again. I finally gave it up completely Alhamdulillah over five years ago (May Allah help me stay on this path).

There are many who would argue that there is nothing wrong with music, it is just another gift of God, etc. The below just serves to confirm to me that my decision was indeed a wise one, an attempt to raise my level of Taqwa, an attribute that needs constant work from our part. As we enter the last ten days of Ramadan, we will need to start the struggle to continue the momentum of Ramadan. For indeed if we were to walk away from Ramadan without a positive change it would be a big travesty on our part. Your positive change could be giving up music. Insha’Allah I hope the below will help you towards this change.

Ramadan Kareem and may Allah (SWT) accept our deeds and have this month serve as time for our forgiveness and for the shower of His mercy.

DiscoMaulvi

A few months back, the following email sent to the list serve of Al-Huda Canada was forwarded to another list I am on. The content of the email (reproduced below) was amazing.

Bismillah
Assalamoalaikum wrwb
Few weeks ago my daughter, who is in first grade had a science fair at her school.  We decided to do an interesting experiment.  Our Hypothesis was that listening to Qur’an has physical effects just like listening to music has physically visible effects.  To prove our point we took an apple which also has 60-70 percent water content like human bodies.  We cut the apple into half, put each half in a zip lock bag and then for seven days played Qur’an for one half of the apple and music to another half of the apple .. Both apples were kept on room temperature.  The results were amazing and so our hypothesis was accepted.
In Quran Surah Luqman Allah(s.a.w) says:
And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e.music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allah, or the Verses of the Qur’an) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire).(6)
In surah Yunus Allah SWT says about  Quran:
O mankind! There hath come to you a admonition from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts and for those who believe, a Guidance and a Mercy. (57)
Please look at the attached pictures.  The first picture is of the apple when it was freshly cut. Second picture is after 3 weeks of the experiment.
JazakAllah Khiaran

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Sabah State Mosque is the state mosque of Sabah, located at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. It was constructed in 1974. Sabah’s State Mausoleum is situated near the mosque.

Dr. O blogs at Muslim Medicine, a site that strives to serve only the freshest grade-A certified ẓabiḥah ḥalāl comedy. Contact your local ḥalāl butcher for more details.

Every Muslim down in Islamville liked ”Īd, a lot!

But Abu Grinch, who lived north of Islamville, DID NOT.

Abu Grinch hated ”Īd, oh you might think it treason!

But don’t ask why, no one quite knows the reason.

It could be, perhaps, some angry masjid uncles were mean,

Or perhaps no sister wanted to marry a guy so hairy and green

But I think the most likely reason of all,

May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.

But whatever the reason, his heart or his cold whims,

He stood there during Ramadan, hating the Muslims.

Staring down from his cave with a Grinchy frown,

At the hungry Muslims about to break fast in their town.

For he knew every Muslim down in Islamville below,

Were busy cooking meals and baking tasty dough.

“They’re putting out dates and drinks!” he snarled with a sneer.

“Tomorrow is ”Īd-ul-Fitr- it’s practically here!”

He trembled, his cold heart beating like Zain Bhikha’s drumming,

“I must find some way to stop ”Īd from coming!”

For tomorrow, he knew- all the little Muslim girls and boys,

Would jump, shout, and play joyously with their new toys!

And the noise… ugh, the noise! The Noise! Noise! NOISE! NOISE!!

All the Muslims, young and old, would embrace one another and hug

And they’d hug! And they’d hug! And they’d HUG! HUG! HUG! HUG!

Not once, not twice, but three times- oh, such a touching display

That the mere thought of it caused Abu Grinch to wince in dismay

THEN they’d do something that he hated most of all,

Every joyous Muslim, the big and the small,

Family, friends, and perhaps a loving soul mate,

Would all gather together and start to celebrate!

Uncles fondly reminiscing about good times long past,

While Aunties set up matches to get their kids married fast,

Young men playing XBOX and talking about sports and cars,

While young sisters make henna designs and swoon over Bollywood stars.

Cute little kids full of energy would rush about, jump, play, and sing,

And the furious Abu Grinch would shout, “I must stop this WHOLE THING!”

Then he got an idea! An absolutely AWFUL idea.

Abu Grinch got a terribly awful idea!

“I know just what to do!” Abu Grinch laughed in his throat.

And he grabbed his favorite hat and his puffy old coat.

And he chuckled and chortled, “What a great Grinchy plot!”

“I’ll turn them against each other; divide and split up the whole lot!”

And so Abu Grinch crept into the joyous town, completely unaware,

He began to speak poison to the Muslims, their emotions he’d ensnare.

What a delightful topic moon-sighting can be… oh, how swell.

Grand fights to start Ramadan, and the same fights in its farewell!

A stroke of a few egos, the spewing of jealously and spite,

Fanning flames in a family reunion, turning it into a bullfight!

The joy of ”Īd was slowly being robbed; clear to anyone who could see,

Abu Grinch tried to take what the Muslims needed most- sweet harmony.

And as he chuckled and reveled in his cold-hearted glee,

He found himself towering over tiny little sister Imani.

She frowned at Abu Grinch, her tiny eyes welling up with tears,

“Why are you doing this?” she asked through his sneers.

“Sweet girl,” hissed the Grinch with a sinister scowl,

“They turned their backs on me, treated me quite foul”

Abu Grinch’s face snarled, “They don’t care at all for me.”

“And those who take away joy, don’t deserve to be happy.”

And then something happened, that Abu Grinch hadn’t planned,

Little sister Imani wiped her tears away and gently took his hand.

“Someone was mean to me once, too” she said without fear,

“But in Ramadan I forgave them, and I gave them gifts every year”

And so amongst all the Muslims fighting and arguing on every inch,

She took her small ”Īd gift, a toy pony, and handed it to Abu Grinch.

“”Īd isn’t about the moon or the money” she said with a smile,

“It’s about sharing happiness, that’s what makes it worthwhile.”

Abu Grinch felt wobbly, his mind swept into a blur,

He never felt this way before, she caused quite a stir!

The Muslims around him overheard her words and felt its touch,

Who knew a child’s sweet innocence could teach them so much?

Abu Grinch balanced himself, his mind still feeling sore,

And then he thought of something he hadn’t before.

“Perhaps this day of ”Īd means something much more.”

“A gift of escape from hardship and sadness that Muslims ask for.”

The ice of Abu Grinch’s cold heart began to melt as he felt inspired,

He finally found the happiness and welcome that he always desired.

Allah, The Most Exalted, says:

“And when My servants ask you, (Oh Muhammad), concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me (by obedience) and believe in Me that they may be (rightly) guided. (Qur’an-2:185)

The Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:

“The duas of three people are not rejected. The fasting person’s at the time of breaking fast. A Just Ruler. The oppressed person’s – whose Dua Allah takes above the clouds and the doors of the heavens are opened for it, and Allah says ‘I will certainly help you, even if it be after some time.” (Hadith-Ahmed, Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibaan)

Note: Every dua made is granted acceptance with Allah Ta’ala in one of three forms:

1. Allah Ta’ala grants the person what is requested

2. Allah Ta’ala prevents some calamity or harm from afflicting the person in exchange of the dua.

3. The reward of the dua is stored until the Day of Judgement (when the recompense will be far greater)

Subah`Allah!
Alexander Fretz was born to Christian parents in 1990 and his mother chose from the very beginning to allow him to pick the religion he wants for himself. She bought him various religious books and after a close look, he announced that he was a Muslim at the age of 8. Moreover, he learned everything about Islam such as prayer, Qur’an memorization, calling the athan, and many of the Shariah laws before meeting one Muslim!

He chose to be named Mohammed Abdullah following the example of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alihi Wa sallam whom he loved.

He was invited by one of the Islamic channels accompanied by his mother and while the host was preparing to ask the young child questions, he was surprised that the child was doing the questioning…he asked, “How can I perform hajj and umrah? Is the travel expensive? Where did you buy the clothes of Ihram?”

The young child was popular in his school and when the time of prayer comes, he stands alone calling the athan and prays.

The host asked him, “Do you face problems or disturbances with that?”, So he replied with a broken heart, “Some prayers pass me sometimes because I don’ t know the exact time for prayer!”

He was asked, “What attracted you to Islam?” He replied, “The more I read about it, the more I loved it.”

He was asked, “What are your aspirations?” He replied with longing, “First that I become a photographer so that I can convey the right image of the Muslims because it pains me much to see the filthy American films which tries to tarnish the image of my beloved Mohammed (Sallallahu Alihi WaSallam). The second is to go to Makkah and kiss the black stone.”

He was asked, “What are some of your other aspirations?” He replied, “I hope that Palestine would return to Muslims as this is their land and it was stripped by the Isreal from them!”

He was asked, “Do you eat pork with your parents?” He replied, “Pig is a very filthy animal, I don’t eat it neither do I know how people can eat it.”

He was asked, “Do you pray in school?” He replied, “Yes, and I have found a secret place in the library where I can pray everyday.”

So Maghrib prayer entered (while he was in the interview) when he looked at the host and said, “Would you allow me to raise the athan?”

Then he got up and called the athan which caused the host to tear up and cry.

WWW.PROJECTRAMADAN.COM

There is a common belief that one who passes away during blessed days or months is saved from the punishment of the grave.

The following discussion supports this.

Death on a Friday

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (radiyallahu ánhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu álaihi Wasallam) said, ‘Whoever passes away on a Friday will be saved from the punishment of the grave.’

(Musnad Ahmad vol.2 pg.220; hadith 7050, 6646).

Similar narrations have been reported by Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abdullah

(refer Hilyat al-Awliya vol.3 pg.181),

Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (refer Abu Ya’ala, Majma al-Zawa’id vol.2 pg.319)

and others.

Meaning of this Hadith

It is possible that the punishment is withheld for that day or even permanently. (Fatawa Mahmudiyya vol.6 pg.62; Rad al-Muhtar vol.2 pg.165)

Death in Ramadhan

As for the one passing away in Ramadan being saved from punishments, this can be deduced from the hadith that in Ramadan, the doors of Jahannam (Hell) are closed and the doors of Jannah are opened. (Sahih al-Bukhari hadith 3277; also refer to Fatawa Mahmudiyya vol.6 pg.63)

Hafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hambali (rahimahullah) states, ‘Our predecessors preferred a death after the performance of a good action like the fast of Ramadan … and it used to be said, ‘Whoever passes away in this manner is forgiven’.’(Lata’if al-Ma’arif pg.173)

Imam Ibn Abid-Dunya (rahimahullah) has narrated from Imams; Musayyab ibn Rafi’i (rahimahullah) and Khaythamah ibn ‘Abdul-Rahman (rahimahullah) (two tabi’een) that they said, ‘It used to be said (i.e, by the Sahabah ), ‘Whoever observes the fast of Ramadan and passes away during that year enters Jannah.’ (Fadha’il Shahr Ramadan pgs.44;48)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

The Prophet (s.a.w.w) taught us five favourable (mustahab or “sunnah”) actions for us to follow while fasting. These are:

1. Hasten Iftaar: When Maghrib time arrives, hasten to break your fast–do not delay. It’s said that he, (s.a.w.w), sent Bilal (R.A) to stand on top of a high-up hill to see when the sun set, then broke his fast immediately.

2. Eat Suhoor: A lot of cultures teach us to skip suhoor and start fasting when we sleep. (Though nobody skips the sunnah of hastening iftaar …) Aside from being (medically) bad for you, it extends the length of your fast by a good six or more hours.
Forget that. Eat suhoor–and close to Fajr time–and with this, with iftaar, protects your fast–dawn to sunset. The Prophet (s.a.w.w) said: My nation will remain in goodness as long as they break the fast as soon as it is due. [Muslim]

3.Pray Fajr: The Prophet (s.a.w.w) never, ever missed Fajr intentionally, ever. Skipping salaah entails a major sin! Scholars differ on whether you are considered Muslim or not if you skip prayers intentionally, i.e. whether you will enter Hellfire forever–may Allah protect us all. So don’t do it! If you eat suhoor close to Fajr anyway, it becomes very easy to pray Fajr. If you have access to transportation, pray at the masjid and get the benefit of multiplied good deeds deposited in your account.

4. Avoid Foul Language: The Prophet (s.a.w.w) said: Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.) [Bukhari 3/31/127, Muslim] So no swearing, lying, backbiting, insulting, etc. You wouldn’t want to struggle though all that hardship, to end up with an unaccepted fast, would you?

5. Make Du’a at Iftaar: A lot of people miss out on this. We cram dates into our mouth when the adhaan sounds, then rush off to make wudoo or pray Maghrib.
The Prophet (s.a.w.w) said: Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler. [Al-Bayhaqi, Saheeh according to Al-Albani] [1]
So keep it simple: stick the date in your mouth and raise your hands to the sky. You get the best of both rewards!

And remember, the reward of following a sunnah (or musthabb–recommended act) is an accreditation of good deeds in your account. And we can all do with more good deeds.

May Allah (swt) keep us all on the Straight Path and help us to follow the sunnah, ameen!

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