Issue 13

If you wanna get the best out of Ramadan and achieve its purpose which is to gain Taqwa (God-Consciousness) then instead of 'killing time' here are some important things to do every day in Ramadan:

SALAH (Prayer)

Five daily prayers - Try to read them in congregation (Jamaat) if possible. If you don't normally pray then this is the best month to start.

Qadah Salah (Missed Prayers) - Try to make up for as many missed Salah as possible i.e. all those you have missed over the years!Try reading Qadah Salah after each prayer if you can.

There are many words we read and hear but aren’t too sure what they mean. So The Revival attempts to define some Islamic terms used in this issue:

Ansar - means the 'Helpers.' They are the Muslims of Madina who helped the Muhajireen (immigrants) of Makka in the process of settling down in the new environment in Madina.

Fitnah - trial or tribulation; also refers to any period of disorder or the period of time before the end of the world or any civil strife.

Istighfar – to ask the forgiveness of Allah (swt), especially by saying, ‘Astaghfiru’llah’ (I seek the forgiveness of Allah (swt))

Q. So much is said these days about the rights parents have over their children, but what rights do children have over their parents and what protections and duties do their parents owe them?

A. In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent and Merciful.

As with all humans, each person has some sort of rights, and children are no exception. Children are an Amana (trust) which are given to parents to look after and bring up with the best of their abilities. If brought up correctly, children are a joy and their blessings bring sustenance, mercy and an abundance of reward.

Allah says: ‘Wealth and Sons are allurements (joys) of the life of this world…’[Quran 18:46]

Q. Is your Wudhu or Ghusl accepted when you have human hair extension weaved in your hair?

Answer by Shaykh Salim Giza

A. In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent and Merciful.

Wudhu or Ghusl is accepted when a person has human hair extensions as long all the obligations are fulfilled.

The four obligations for Wudhu, according to the Hanafi Madhab, are:

1. Washing the whole face once
2. Washing both of the hands/arms up to and including the elbows once
3. Wiping one quarter of the head with wet fingers
4. Washing both feet up to and including the ankles once

The three obligations for Ghusl, according to the Hanafi Madhab, are:

1. Washing the whole of the body, head to toe, once so no part is left dry

Baba Ali (real name Ali Ardekani) has become an Internet phenomenon. He is the co-founder of Ummah Films, and his series of videos on YouTube, 'The Reminder' and 'Ask Baba Ali', have been watched by hundreds of thousands of people.

Ummah Films seems to use entertainment to reach out to the masses who usually do not attend lectures or services at the mosques to learn about Islam. Baba Ali can now be seen on the Islam Channel and has been a guest at many Islamic conferences around the world.

The Revival caught up with him at a recent event for an exclusive interview...

So how did you get the idea for Ummah Films?