The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The dearest parts on the face of the earth near Allah are its mosques, and the most hated parts near Allah are its markets.” [Sahih Muslim]

The superiority of the mosques is obvious. People pray and worship Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in mosques. They recite the Quran in it and encourage one another to obey Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). The mosque in the time of the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was also the head quarters of the Islamic State. Foreign delegations were received there, the consultative assembly was held in Masjid-e-Nabwi, and all matters of state were discussed therein.

On the other hand, malls and bazaars are where people forget Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). The adhan and time of prayer go unnoticed. Shaitaan makes us indulge in such forbidden acts as fraud, lying, gossiping, checking people out and wasting money.

Malls and bazaars are disliked for the many sins that are likely to occur in them, not least of which is taking Allah’s blessings and favours for granted. Shops taunt us with their glittery ware, flaunting before us all that we do not possess of material goods, while possessing these things is of no value to our everlasting life. We end up wasting our money which we could have used to come closer to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

Spending more time than necessary in market places is also a waste of another precious commodity: time. “Hanging out”, “window shopping” and “killing time” are the very antithesis of an Islamic understanding of life. During an exam does any sane person do anything except focus on getting the exam questions answered correctly? We are in an exam until we die. What we do every second that we are alive, counts in the final assessment. We can’t afford to waste time. The purpose of life is simply to qualify for Allah’s Grace and His granting us everlasting happiness in Jannah. There is no other purpose to life.

I woke up at 4:20 am this morning, ate four hard-boiled eggs and a blueberry bagel, swallowed down a cup of coffee, and sat down to pray.

And I haven’t eaten or had a drink since.

The clock reads 6:26 pm, and I still have over two hours to go.

This is the first day of Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims around the world. For thirty days, Muslims fast from all food and drink from sunrise to sunset.

Oh, and me, too.

I decided to observe Ramadan this year, for a number of reasons which I will explain over the next thirty days. I plan to blog about the experience, too.

I have tried my hand at fasting in many different ways over my lifetime, most recently with a regular Friday fast from sunrise to 3 pm. Fasting has never come easy for me – that may be the point!? – but I have certainly come to value the spiritual rigor and discipline of abstaining from food for extended periods of time.

We American Christians aren’t really all that good at fasting; it’s never been high on our list of spiritual disciplines. Even in the one season of the church calendar in which we are supposed to fast, Lent, we manage to find ways to minimize and downplay the sacrificial aspect of the fast. We give up chocolate or soft drinks for an entire forty days – woohoo, that should bring us closer to Christ!

That’s why I’ve always been fascinated by the extreme fasting that most Muslims practice during Ramadan – no food or drink during daylight for thirty whole days!

Recently, I’ve felt a little stale, dry even, in my own spiritual life. I do the normal, daily things; I go through my regular routine of prayer and Bible reading. But it doesn’t seem as rich and as profound. I’ve found myself deeply distracted by things happening in the world, including the great hubbub in the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, concerning the status of the denomination and the fate of our particular bishop.

I took a meeting with my good friend, Shaikh Yaseen, the imam (religious leader) of a mosque in Plano, part of the Islamic Association of Collin County. We have been friends for several years, and recently I attended the dedication of the new wing of the mosque.

When I told him that I was considering observing Ramadan, he grinned and said, “Brilliant!” in his British accent. “It’s intense, you know.”

I informed him that I was well aware of what such a commitment meant, but asked him to give me a deeper understanding of what it meant.

“Ramadan is a fast of the body, of course,” he said. “But even more importantly, it’s a fast of the hands and feet and eyes, and finally, of the mind. It’s a time to become very aware of God and to be completely obedient.”

I am intrigued by the fact that “Islam” means “submission,” and that, fundamentally, the Islamic faith is an attempt to practice submission to God’s will on a daily basis. This is not a foreign idea to Christians – this was Jesus’ stated approach, as well. He famously said, in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done.” He also once said that whoever did the will of his Father in heaven, were his brother and sister and mother.

The core of both Islamic and Christian faith is the quest to know, and to live within, the will of the one God.

Yaseen went on to explain that, during Ramadan, Muslims read through the Quran, make special financial gifts for the needy, and attend prayer time at the mosque daily. It is, in fact, a month of searching, of devotion, of love of God and neighbor. It is a living symbol of one’s hunger and thirst for the true God.

That’s what appeals to me in my current spiritual tepidity. I feel as if I need a jolt to my senses. And I know that observing Ramadan will deliver a burst of hungering and thirsting for God – a God whom Muslims call “Allah,” and whom Christians call “Father.”

But there’s another reason that I have chosen to “act like a Muslim” over the next thirty days. I truly want to stand in solidarity with my friend, Yaseen, and his congregation in Plano. I want them to know that I do not resent their presence in my community and country. In fact, I am very glad that they are here.

Not only do I stand with the Plano Muslims, but I have also begun to make friends with Muslim refugees from Iraq, Somalia, and Sudan. I’ve previously blogged about Mohammed, a young Sudanese Muslim who often attends New Day. The last time I served him Communion, he asked if he could pray “for the food” first. After he prayed in Arabic, I happily offered him the bread and cup, symbol of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

I get to return the favor now. By turning down food and drink during Ramadan, I begin to wear Mohammed’s shoes, live a small part of his life, and catch a glimpse of his own religious commitments and devotion.

I don’t know if I can truly love Mohammed until I do this. I don’t believe that I can truly be Yaseen’s friend until, and unless, I attempt to enter into his story, into his life narrative. I must know what it is like to worship God as a Muslim.

Perhaps then I will learn how to worship God … as a Christian.

If I can just make it until 8:37 …

READ FULL ARTICLE

http://www.youtube.com/MakkahLive

Google’s bringing tradition and technology closer together by putting a digital spin on the holy month of Ramadan.

As explained in a blog post by Maha Abouelenein — Google’s head of communications for the Middle East and North Africa — the search engine giant will have a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing Islamic prayers live from Mecca, a new YouTube channel which will offer 50 “premium Ramadan shows” on the same day that they air, and Google+ Hangouts which will begin after sundown.

The Google+ Hangouts will coincide with the traditional evening break-the-fast meals (called the “Iftar”) and involve celebrity chefs who will share recipes, doctors who will give pointers on healthy eating habits, actors who’ll talk about their favorite Ramadan shows, poets, religious figures and more.

http://www.youtube.com/MakkahLive

And Moosa prayed, “Our Lord! You have given Firaun and his chiefs adornment and wealth in the life of this world, our Lord, that they may lead astray from Your path; our Lord! Destroy their riches and harden their hearts so that they may not accept faith until they witness the painful punishment.”[Yunus 10:88]

In The Name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful.
May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon his last and final messenger.
asalamu alaykum (peace be upon you)

Tawbah is to repent from ones previous sins and to start fresh by changing whatever bad they used to do and trying to adhere to the law of Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala. When a person makes a proper tawbah and Allah excepts their tawbah, that tawbah will eliminate all their previous sins and so they have a clean slate to start over on.

Quranic verses concering tawbah:

Surah 39 Ayah 53
Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah 19 Ayah 60
Except those who repent and believe, and work righteousness: for these will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least,-

Surah 25 Ayah 70
Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,

Surah 66 Ayah 8
O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance In the hope that your Lord will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow,- the Day that Allah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, “Our Lord! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things.”

a collections hadeeths adressing tawbah and forgiveness.

Abu Musa Ash’ari Radiyallahu ‘anhu has narrated that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:
verily Allah the Almighty spreads open His arms of forgiveness every morning so the one who disobeyed Him during the day can repent to Him, and spreads open His arms of forgiveness throughout the night so the one who disobeyed Him in the day can seek His forgiveness and repent to Him and this will continue untill the day the sun rises from the west.
(Muslim)

Umar bin Al Khattaab Radiyallahu ‘anhu has narrated that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:
Verily Allah the Almighty will accept the repentance of his servants right until the last moments of his death
(Tirmidhi)

Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu ‘anhu has narrated that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:
The one who repents prior to the rising of the sun from the west Allah will accept his forgiveness.
(Muslim)

Anas bin Malik Radiyallahu ‘anhu has narrated that the Holy Prophet Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:
Allah becomes even more happier when you repent to him than the happiness of one of you who is in a barren land and he has all his belongings on a conveyance and he loses it, he becomes despondent at finding it and waits for death to overcome him, to his utter amazement he finds it in front of him, due to excessive happiness and joy as a result of finding his conveyance with all his belongings, as a slip of the tongue he utters Oh Allah, I’m your Lord and You are my servant, one can imagine how happy he must be, Allah Subhânahù wa Ta’âlâ when the lost servant finds his direction and repents to Allah Subhânahù wa Ta’âlâ, Allah becomes even more Happier.
(Bukhari, Muslim)

In the Name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most merciful
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His last and final messenger.
Asalamu alaykum (peace be upon you)

Who are those Whom Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala loves.We need not to turn to other than the Holy Qur’an. Allah mentions those Whom he loves in the Qur’an clearly and so we should try to be like them.Many times Allah subhaanahu wa ta’aala also mentions how they will be rewarded in the hereafter.

3:146
“But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah’s way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah Loves those who are firm and steadfast.”

Surah 2 Ayah 195
“And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.”

Surah 3 Ayah 76
“Nay.- Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright,-verily Allah loves those who act aright.”

Surah 5 Ayah 42
“If thou judge, judge in equity between them. For Allah loveth those who judge in equity.”

Surah 2 Ayah 222
“For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.”

A beautiful lecture by Sheikh Mohamed Elshinawy.
The Promise of Allah
Enjoy.

The following story was narrated by Professor Anwar, who teaches in the Ryerson University located in Toronto, Canada. He said that during his student life, he was studying at an university in Bangladesh. There, he had a good friend who was very intelligent. This friend was the only child of his family. Everyone used to look upto his great future. And they were right, he graduated with the highest mark in his field. Immediately, calls came for him from big companies. One day, Dr. Anwar was requested by his friend to accompany him to one such companies for an interview. They were going by riding on a motor cycle. On the way, a speeding truck couldn’t manage itself and hit their motor cycle from the back. At that collision, Dr. Anwar flew off the motor cycle and fell on the side of the street. But his friend got hit from another vehicle that was coming from the opposite side and died instantly.

Here was a person who was at the peek of material success in this world but little did he know that his death was just around the corner. We have spent much of our time preparing for the life before death, but how much time have we spent preparing for the everlasting life after death?

ARTICLE

Narrated by Anas:

The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, “When a human being is laid in his grave and his companions return and he even hears their foot steps, two angels come to him and make him sit and ask him: What did you use to say about this man, Muhammad ? He will say: I testify that he is Allah’s slave and His Apostle. Then it will be said to him, ‘Look at your place in the Hell-Fire. Allah has given you a place in Paradise instead of it.’ ” The Prophet (may peace be upon him) added, “The dead person will see both his places. But a non-believer or a hypocrite will say to the angels, ‘I do not know, but I used to say what the people used to say! It will be said to him, ‘Neither did you know nor did you take the guidance (by reciting the Quran).’ Then he will be hit with an iron hammer between his two ears, and he will cry and that cry will be heard by whatever approaches him except human beings and jinns.”

Sahih Al Bukhari

Allah has promised the Muslim men and Muslim women, Gardens beneath which rivers flow – they will abide in it forever – and pure dwellings in Gardens of everlasting stay; and the greatest (reward) is Allah’s pleasure; this is the supreme success. [Taubah 9:72]

August 3,4&5, 2012, Path to Piety will be hosting Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar for a 3 day retreat at the Islamic Society of Toronto – Masjid Dar Us Salaam. Visit our website at www.pathtopiety.com for more information

Friday, 27 July 2012 from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Toronto, Ontario

The Heart That Bleeds | Fundraising Iftaar Dinner for Syria

http://theheartthatbleeds.eventbrite.ca/

As we are all aware of the genocide that is currently taking place in Syria where thousands of children, women, and men have been raped, tortured and slaughtered, a group of youth from Toronto decided that they needed to do something to mobilize the community into action for helping those most afflicted by the violence in Syria. The money raised will help in providing humanitarian aid including food, medical aid, and emergency shelter for those most afflicted by the violence.

Join us for a SPECIAL night with incredible speakers and entertainment for the entire family

Tickets are only $20.00 / At the door $25.00
Table tickets (6 seats) $100.00

Dinner is included!

Join us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/events/458508824167589/
Follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/SYRIA_isCALLING

Questions? Syria.is.calling@gmail.com

Want to volunteer? Join our group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/248705015247579/

Join us for an evening of reminders, remembrance, and advices as we demonstrate solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Syria!

Sponsored by Human Concern International

Fasting is for a fixed number of days, and if one of you be sick, or if one of you be on a journey, you will fast the same number of other days later on. For those who are capable of fasting (but still do not fast) there is a redemption: feeding a needy man for each day missed. Whoever voluntarily does more good than is required, will find it better for him; and that you should fast is better for you, if you only know. [2:184]

Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe? (21:30)

By Shafath Syed, Special to CNN

(CNN) – As our family has been getting ready for Ramadan and I look at my daughter I’m reminded of our Hajj trip and how it completed our family. I didn’t fully realize the impact that Hajj would have on our family’s life. It not only gave us a spiritual awakening but also brought a child, our child, into our lives. For Muslims, the chance to perform Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the greatest expressions of our faith.

There are three facets of my life that make me who I am. I’m an American by nationality, a Muslim by faith and an Indian by culture. Faith has always been an important part of my life. It comes from my parents, who exposed me to faith not just with education, but also in practice. For as long as I can remember, they were involved in the Muslim community and even helped to establish our local mosque.

Typically, Muslims perform Hajj during their senior years but my wife and I wanted to do it in our 30s, because we did not know what the future would hold. Additionally we had another reason, one that was very personal. We had been married for more than 10 years but didn’t have any children. We thought it would help if we performed Hajj and prayed for God to bless us with a child.

CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the big stories

We knew that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so we wanted to do it right. We wanted to share the experience with our friends, so we assembled a group of close friends. Our local imam, i.e. religious leader, would lead our group, so it was going to be a great adventure. Little did I know what would unfold.
We tried to conceive for many years without success, so we talked about adoption but I just wasn’t ready for it.
Call it a mental or emotional block but I just wasn’t there. I didn’t want to adopt until I knew that I would love an adopted child exactly the same way I would my own biological child.
Hajj resolved these concerns, for the better.
At Hajj it dawned on me why we are required to perform it. It’s not as much about the ritual but about teaching patience, tolerance and focus.
Explain it to me: Ramadan

It’s the greatest example of diversity and unity at the same time. There were millions from all over the world converging on one city.
They looked different, spoke differently and had different cultures, but they were all there for the same reason and did the same things at exactly the same time. You had to keep your cool at all times and maintain focus to complete your Hajj.
We prayed for health, happiness and to be blessed with a child.
After returning from Hajj in early 2007 we were on a spiritual high and saw things from a more optimistic perspective.
We knew some day, somehow we would get a child.
That day happened in late 2008 when we learned that a baby girl in Pakistan was recently abandoned and available for adoption.
When you’re dealing with an abandoned baby you don’t have time to debate the issue. You have to act immediately, because the child’s well-being is at stake and you may miss this chance.

Living in California and having never set foot in Pakistan made the challenge even greater. I said to myself that I’m ready to adopt and hop on a plane to bring this child home. A couple of days later we landed in Pakistan and had a beautiful baby girl in our arms.
Like many developing countries, Pakistan has a large problem of population growth and limited resources. Unfortunately due to a lack of education and resources, many babies are abandoned upon birth.
We would often hear on the news how conflicted and dangerous Pakistan is, so we were nervous about the process and didn’t know how it would end, but our Hajj experience brought us through.
At Hajj we learned patience to deal with the days and weeks of waiting. We learned tolerance to deal with the living conditions. We learned to stay focused so we could complete the rigorous adoption process.

Most of all the spiritual awakening from Hajj and connection with God gave us the strength to make it happen.
Given all we went through it was clear to my wife and me that we would name our daughter Imaan, which means “faith.”
Imaan is nearly 4 years old now and we love her with all our hearts. My only regret is that we didn’t adopt sooner.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Shafath Syed.

It has been said that everything 8 Easy Steps to Recite the Entire Qur’an this Ramadan has a beloved & that the month of Ramadan has a beloved, too: The Glorious Qur’an. And so for the duration of this month, Muslims worldwide honour Ramadan’s beloved and aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’an.

In this article you’ll learn how you too can work towards achieving this noble goal, insha’Allah.

Step 1: Establishing an intention

Our beloved Messenger ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) taught us – through his words & actions – the importance of one’s intent or purpose. Establishing one’s intention is an effective catalyst for implementation. Once your intention has been established, remember to renew it often. Whilst reciting and even upon completion of the Qur’an, recall your intention and renew it, thus ensuring that it is constantly purified & you are seeking His Divine Acceptance, inshaAllah.

Step 2: Don’t be overwhelmed

For some, as much as they aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’an during Ramadan, they are overwhelmed by the number of pages or the length of some Surahs. Remove ‘I can’t’ from your vocabulary and eliminate negative thinking, for the believer puts their trust in Allah, matched by striving with their actions. Remind yourself that you are (if Allah wills) fully capable of achieving your Qur’anic aspirations, whether it be completing Qur’an 1 or 5 times. This second point is key. Put your heart into this accomplishment & reap the rewards throughout, inshaAllah.

Step: 3 Plan ahead

Prior to commencing with your recitation it’s important to plan around your routine and block out time for your Qur’an goal e.g. your work hours, rest hours & any other commitments which you may have. Structure a realistic plan of how to complete the recitation of Qur’an within the month by dividing each Juzz up per day. Draw up this personal plan, review it constantly, and put it into action!

As you put your plan to paper, consider past Ramadans and; ask yourself if there have been instances where you were unable to complete Qur’anic recitation. Reflect over why and how this occurred. Is there a different mechanism that you could put into place? How could you enhance your daily Qur’an routine if these distractions were dealt with?

Take the first opportunity that comes, to begin your Qur’anic quest. So when the moon is sighted & the announcement has been made for the 1st Salaatul-Taraweeh, begin in earnest, with Surah Al-Fatiha, Surah Al-Baqarah etc.

Step 4: Understand the Qur’an

Read the translation of the Juzz you will be reciting daily. Having a basic knowledge of the theme, topic, message & meaning of what you are reciting makes the recitation of the Qur’an an incredibly uplifting experience that you do not want to miss out on!

Step 5: Find Qur’an Buddies and Compete in Good

Develop close bonds with brothers/sisters who are known for their attachment to the Qur’an. They’ll be your spiritual friends. Engage a Qur’an Buddy in your noble Qur’an productivity goals. Request that they remind you to fulfil your goals and spiritual aspirations so they can help you in times of slacking.

In life, we compete with many materialistic goals and race one another, but what about following the footsteps of the best of generations that had come before us in a competition this Ramadan? In striving and competing with our friends and colleagues towards our noble goals, in a good-natured way, we can motivate ourselves to finish our Qur’an goal.

One of the common aspects which deter a Muslim from completing this task is excessive communication. Often, many of us spend too much unnecessary time surfing the net, chatting, texting, etc… . Reduce this even by a third and you will see, feel and witness the blessings in your time, inshaAllah.

Step 6: Seize the Moment

A deeply inspiring story in ‘lessons from the waiting room’ – where a mother; who has taken her unwell child to the hospital; waits for the doctor to see to her child. She notices a young Muslim who uses his time in the waiting room, in a most effective & spiritually rewarding way, reciting from a pocket-sized Quran. Lesson to be taken here: Invest in a pocket-sized Qur’an and make it your best friend this Ramadan. Seize every opportunity and moment to be with Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He) through your recitation.

One of the best times at which to recite Qur’an, is after Suhoor. Having partaken from the Sunnah meal, and within an hour or two still to go before work or school, this is the ideal jump start to your day. The Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) asked Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He) to bless our Ummah in the early hours, and you will also be more likely to memorise ayahs at this time. Research shows that morning study creates better performance in students so don’t miss the morning recitation!

Time Tip: Salah Followed by Qur’an.

Consider the following option that has worked well for numerous people in past Ramadans. Try reciting 6 – 8 pages of Qur’an (depending on the Mus-haf that you are using) after each of your 5 daily salah. Add Qiyaamul-Layl as a 6th addition, and you will reach the end of Ramadan, having completed your Qur’an recitation with ease & perhaps, even before the last 5 days of Ramadan so long as you remain committed.

Time Tip: Recite before going to sleep.

Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He) says: “Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words” [73:6]. Reciting during the day is also beneficial, however the night time recitation is easier as well during Ramadan as there are less distractions and noise.

Step 7: Remain steadfast and consistent

The key to any success is consistency. Once you’ve mapped your plan, stick to it. Remind yourself of the greatness of this month, of the opportunities that it provides for your spiritual growth and your relationship with the Qur’an. Don’t be willing to compromise it in this month.

Step 8: Make dua’a to Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He)

Nothing can be achieved without the aid and guidance of Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He). When making your intention to complete your memorisation of Qur’an, supplicate to Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He) to ease this noble pathway and to crown your efforts with success, inshaAllah.

These are the 8 ways I wanted to share with you on starting and completing your journey through recitation of the Qur’an this Ramadan. Indeed, Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He) says in Surah Al-Baqarah: “This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah.’’ In the hours of the days and nights of this sacred month, may the Qur’an be your companion of light and guidance, resonating through your words, actions and life mission. May your relationship with the Qur’an be strengthened, enriched & enlivened with the profound wisdom and divine message from Allah subḥānahu wa ta’āla (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He).

ARTICLE: PRODUCTIVE MUSLIM