Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam which Muslims fast for 30 days and nights. Fasting or 'Sawm' as it is pronounced in Arabic, is the third pillar of Islam and is the duty of all Muslims who are of age and in good health to perform this act.

In the Qur'an it says:

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (The pious)".
- Qur'an chapter 2:183

The messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

"The gates of Hell are closed, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the devils are in chains. An angel calls out: 'O you who intend to do good deeds, have glad tidings. O you who intend to do evil, refrain, until Ramadan is completed."

Ramadan is the month in which Allah had revealed the last and final testament to mankind, The Qur'an to his last and final messenger, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is rewarded immensely as Muslims remind themselves of the revelation when the Qur'an was sent down to them from heaven. During Ramadan Muslims pray each night for 30 days, reciting different chapters each day until the end of Ramadan when the Qur'an is completed. This is the Taraweeh prayer which is prayed after reading the evening prayer of 'Esha' and concluded with the last prayer of the night named Witr. Whoever performs the Taraweeh prayer with the remembrance of Allah his past sins will be forgiven.

It is stated in the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in which Allah has said:

"Every deed of a man will receive 10 to 700 times reward except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like)..."

Performing one good deed will attain you 10 - 700 rewards, but the rewards for the act of fasting has no cap or limit, it is for Allah to decide how much he wants to give and multiply the rewards by.

Ramadan gives Muslims a chance to reflect on their behaviour and attitude towards others around them.
Ramadan is a stepping stone; it helps people to continue their good deeds even after Ramadan is over.
Ramadan purifies the body and soul to resist all bad cravings and temptations and to receive the showers and blessings from Allah.

Fasting

Fasting is observed from dawn till dusk, during this time Muslim's should devote their time to Allah by reading the Qur'an, by softening their hearts to forgive one another and to extend their hand in the way of charity.

Some of the many reasons why Muslims fast during Ramadan are as follows:

To give thanks to Allah in what he has provided; such as food, water and clothes etc. Giving up material things in the month of Ramadan allows one to appreciate how lucky and fortunate they are where others aren't.
Controlling one self, refraining from any act of bad or evil such as fighting, swearing, backbiting and lying etc. If a Muslim can refrain from indulging in pleasured affairs such as eating, drinking and sexual intercourse, then he is more likely to give up what Allah has forbidden.
To remember the needy and to give charity. To appreciate the basic of necessities we have such as water and not to take things for granted, there are people in the world who are not so fortunate.

Suhoor

It is recommended for Muslims to delay their Suhoor before dawn and then pray their Fajr (Morning Prayer) which is performed before sunrise. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that the gap between the predawn meal and the call to the Fajr prayer should be the time it takes for one to recite 50 verses from the Qur'an.

Fasting begins with the predawn meal of Suhoor, the following Du'a (prayer) is recited:

"I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan"

Suhoor is the most important breakfast meal of the day, the Prophet (PBUH) said:

"How excellent are dates as the believer's Suhoor".

Eating dates is recommended for Suhoor, equally eating healthy is also important, it is up to the individual to eat what they want. If one cannot find food to eat, then water should suffice as a substitute to the Suhoor.

Iftar

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) broke his fast with dates and with Milk. This is the tradition and example set by the Prophet which Muslim's should follow as example when breaking their fast, at the same time they should remember Allah by reciting the following Du'a (prayer).

"The thirst has gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is certain, Allah wills."

Ramadan is concluded with the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month and the beginning of the new Islamic month of
Shawwal.

For Ramadan 2012 Timetables visit http://www.ramadantimetable.co.uk

short and straight to the point. alhamdoulillah, may Allah reward this sister.

Islam, the Caste System and Marriage

One of the things that has become apparent to me in the last few years, and reared its ugly head again very recently, is the question of caste. You may be thinking “we are Muslim’s what on earth has caste got to do with us?” South Asian Muslims, certainly Muslim’s in Pakistan and I am pretty sure in India too, have a tradition of slotting people into castes according to their family occupation.

This is mainly a result of living amongst Hindu’s and Sikh’s for so long that we have taken on their customs without question and incorporated them into our practice of Islam. One of the things that I love about Islam is the fact that it treats all men and women as equals and judges a persons value not by their tribe or nationality but by their piety. None of us need to be shackled by the position our parents were born to.

I had no idea we had a caste system until my generation started to look at marriage. One of my parent’s friends had refused the partner their daughter had chosen because he was deemed of a lower caste – one of the “kami kameen” (a derogatory word for low-class or under-class which makes my blood boil). People of these castes are usually people whose parents or grandparents family occupations were barbers (nai), shoe-menders (mauchi), tailors (darzi), weavers (casbih), or similar – basically honest working people.
-exactly what i was thinking, i'd be so proud if my dad was a shoemender! or a tailor! these are valuable skills! where would the world be without those AWESOME people!-

I was truly amazed. That people in this day and age were still letting things like this influence their lives. Muslim’s at that. Now every time someone close to me raises the matter of marriage, the caste question is raised. Even people who should know better or are fairly religious cannot escape the tyranny of this issue for fear of losing face amongst their biradari (or extended kinship circles). I once argued with a brother-in-law about this saying it was completely wrong and he laughingly retorted “you know what we say here? Banda hai ya nai? (Are you a human or a nai?)”

One of the things that facilitated the spread of Islam within South Asia with such startling speed was its focus on equality amongst men in a place where the caste system was particularly oppressive. Whereas amongst Hindu’s, the shadow of a lower-caste person falling on a higher-caste person’s food was enough for the food to be deemed polluted and discarded, amongst these new people with their new religion were people who would share their food with anyone – even those assigned to the lowest castes and labelled dirty.

We are going to have to take steps to get over this practice. In Pakistan it is so deeply ingrained that even with people becoming more religious it would be difficult to deal with. People of “higher” castes maintain a sense of superiority because of this system and so would be more likely to hold on to it, sometimes even in ridiculous situations. Near where my parents originate from in Punjab, there were a very wealthy and prosperous clan called the Syeds (these are people in Pakistan who claim descent from our beloved Prophet (PBUH)) who cemented their power by aligning themselves with the British. My grandfather remembers them for their passion for hunting, horses, hounds and birds of prey. Wherever they turned up the people of surrounding villages were expected to care for their animals and run and fetch for them. These were people who could not feed their children properly and were feeding someone’s dogs. What they were not passionate about was education and hard work. Over the years, and especially after the British, left these qualities meant that they fell on hard times. In contrast the “lower” castes were focussing on education as a means to escape from poverty and started to travel to the big cities. This didn’t stop the Syed’s from abusing them as “upstarts” whilst they themselves sat about in the bazaars playing cards.

Here in the West though, perhaps we can overcome this. When we are marrying or arranging the marriage of our children we can endeavour to look past caste at good character. We can remind each other that Allah (SWT) does not elevate us by birth but by our deeds.

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well-acquainted. ~Al- Quran, 49:13

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black has any superiority over a white- except by piety and good action” ~ Bukhari Chapter 3, Book 7

http://www.happymuslimah.com/2009/03/islam-caste-system-and-marriage.ht…

Cabinet ministers have said there is no evidence that Adam Werritty influenced Government policy

Detectives are also considering investigating Mr Werritty over allegations of fraud.

Werritty gave out business cards saying he was an adviser to Dr Fox. If that is not the case and he was getting money - for whatever purpose - by misrepresenting his relationship with the Defence Secretary, that cannot be right

Labour MP John Mann

http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16089926

Please watch this latest video by Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi

You can click on 'cc' to read the english subtitles

Pagan Origins of Halloween

Halloween originated as the Eve of Samhain, a celebration marking the beginning of winter and the first day of the New Year among ancient pagans of the British Isles. On this occasion, it was believed that supernatural forces gathered together, that the barriers between the supernatural and human worlds were broken. They believed that spirits from other worlds (such as the souls of the dead) were able to visit earth during this time and roam about. At this time, they celebrated a joint festival for the sun god and the lord of the dead. The sun was thanked for the harvest and given moral support for the upcoming "battle" with winter. In ancient times, the pagans made sacrifices of animals and crops in order to please the gods.

They also believed that on October 31st, the lord of the dead gathered all the souls of the people who had died that year. The souls upon death would dwell in the body of an animal, then on this day the lord would announce what form they were to take for the next year.

Christian Influence

When Christianity came to the British Isles, the church tried to take attention away from these pagan rituals by placing a Christian holiday on the same day. The Christian festival, the Feast of All Saints, acknowledges the saints of the Christian faith in much the same way that Samhain had paid tribute to the pagan gods. The customs of Samhain survived anyway, and eventually became intertwined with the Christian holiday. These traditions were brought to the United States by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.

Islamic Teachings

Virtually all Halloween traditions are based either in ancient pagan culture, or in Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, they all are forms of idolatry (shirk). As Muslims, our celebrations should be ones that honor and uphold our faith and beliefs. How can we worship only Allah, the Creator, if we participate in activities that are based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world? Many people participate in these celebrations without even understanding the history and the pagan connections, just because their friends are doing it, their parents did it ("it's a tradition!"), and because "it's fun!"

So what can we do, when our children see others dressed up, eating candy, and going to parties? While it may be tempting to join in, we must be careful to preserve our own traditions and not allow our children to be corrupted by this seemingly "innocent" fun. When tempted, remember the pagan origins of these traditions, and ask Allah to give you strength. Save the celebration, the fun and games, for our 'Eid festivals. Children can still have their fun, and most importantly, should learn that we only acknowledge holidays that have a religious significance to us as Muslims. Holidays are not just excuses to binge and be reckless. In Islam, our holidays retain their religious importance, while allowing proper time for rejoicing, fun and games.

http://islam.about.com/od/otherdays/a/halloween.htm

Origins of the Hallow’een Festival

The ancient Celtic (Irish/Scottish/Welsh) festival called Samhain is
considered by most historians and scholars to be the predecessor of what
is now Hallow’een. Samhain was the New Year’s day of the pagan Celts. It
was also the Day of the Dead, a time when it was believed that the souls
of those who had died during the year were allowed access into the “land
of the dead”. Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with
Samhain continue to be practiced today on the 31st of October. Most
notable of these customs are the practice of leaving offerings of food
and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting
of bonfires. Elements of this festival were incorporated into the
Christian festival of All Hallow’s Eve, or Hallow-Even, the night
preceding All Saint’s (Hallows’) Day. It is the glossing of the name
Hallow- Even that has given us the name of Hallow’een. Until recent
times in some parts of Europe, it was believed that on this night the
dead walked amongst them, and that witches and warlocks flew in their
midst. In preparation for this, bonfires were built to ward off these
malevolent spirits.
By the 19th century, witches’ pranks were replaced by children’s tricks.
The spirits of Samhain, once believed to be wild and powerful, were now
recognized as being evil. Devout Christians began rejecting this
festival. They had discovered that the so-called gods, goddesses, and
other spiritual beings of the pagan religions, were diabolical
deceptions. The spiritual forces that people experienced during this
festival were indeed real, but they were manifestations of the devil who
misled people toward the worship of false idols. Thus, they rejected the
customs associated with Hallow’een, including all representations of
ghosts, vampires, and human skeletons – symbols of the dead – and of the
devil and other malevolent and evil creatures. It must also be noted
that, to this day, many Satan-worshippers consider the evening of
October 31st to be their most sacred. And many devout Christians today
continue to distance themselves from this pagan festival.

The Islamic Perspective

Iman (faith) is the foundation of Islamic society, and tauheed (the
belief in the existence and Oneness of Allah) is the essence of this
faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of this iman, and of
this pure tauheed, is the primary objective of all Islamic teachings and
legislation. In order to keep the Muslim society purified of all traces
of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and remnants of error, a
continuous war must be waged against all customs and practises which
originate from societies’ ignorance of divine guidance, and in the
errors of idol worship.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) issued a stern warning: “Whoever
imitates a nation is one of them!” (Abu Da’oud). Muslims should heed
this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the kufar in their
celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to follow the
religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and especially of the
idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The Prophet (s.a.s.)
said: “By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are ordered to enjoin good
and forbid evil, or else Allah will certainly afflict you with torments.
Thereafter, even your du’a (supplications) will not be accepted.”
(Tirmidhi). From an Islamic standpoint, Hallow’een is one of the worst
celebrations because of its origins and history. It is HARAM
(forbidden), even if there may be some seemingly good or harmless
elements in those practises, as evidenced by a statement from the
Prophet (s.a.s.) “Every innovation (in our religion) is misguidance,
even if the people regard it as something good” (ad-Daarimee.). Although
it may be argued that the celebration of Hallow’een today has nothing to
do with devil-worship, it is still forbidden for Muslims to participate
in it. If Muslims begin to take part in such customs, it is a sure sign
of weak iman and that we have either forgotten, or outrightly rejected
the mission of our Prophet (s.a.s.) who came to cleanse us from
jahiliyyah customs, superstitions and false practises.
Muslims are enjoined to neither imitate the behaviour and customs of the
non-Muslims, nor to commit their indecencies. Behaviour-imitation will
affect the attitude of a Muslim and may create a feeling of sympathy
towards the indecent modes of life. Islam seeks to cleanse the Muslim of
all immoral conducts and habits, and thus paving the way for the Qur’an
and Sunnah to be the correct and pure source for original Islamic
thought and behaviour. A Muslim should be a model for others in faith
and practice, behaviour and moral character, and not a blind imitator
dependant on other nations and cultures.
Even if one decides to go along with the outward practises of Hallow’een
without acknowledging the deeper significance or historical background
of this custom, he or she is still guilty of indulging in this pagan
festival. Undoubtedly, even after hearing the Truth, some Muslims will
still participate in Hallow’een, send their kids “trick-or-treating,”
and they will try to justify it by saying they are doing it merely to
make their children happy. But what is the duty of Muslim parents? Is it
to follow the wishes of their children without question, or to mould
them within the correct Islamic framework as outlined in the Qur’an and
Sunnah? Is it not the responsibility of Muslim parents to impart correct
Islamic training and instruction to their children? How can this duty be
performed if, instead of instructing the children in Islam, parents
allow and encourage their children to be taught the way of the
unbelievers? Allah exposes these types of people in the Qur’an: “We have
sent them the Truth, but they indeed practise falsehood” (23:10). Muslim
parents must teach their children to refrain from practising falsehood,
and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and festivals. If
the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic heritage, they
themselves will, insha Allah, abstain from Hallow’een and other
non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas,
Valentines Day, etc. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) said: The Final Hour
will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations
and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (inch by
inch). (Bukhari). Islam is a pure religion with no need to accomodate
any custom, practise or celebration that is not a part of it. Islam does
not distinguish between “secular and sacred;” the shari’ah must rule
every aspect of our lives.
“You must keep to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided
Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every
new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading.”
(Bukhari)
“When the people see a person committing a wrong, but do not seize his
hand to restrain him or her from the deed, it is likely that Allah will
punish them both.” (Abu Da’oud, Nasa’i, Tirmidhi)
“Whoever imitates a nation is one of them.” (Abu Da’oud)
http://southernmuslimah.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/halloween-harmless-or-…

Babies as young as 15 months can recognise when someone is being treated unfairly and respond by being generous towards them, scientists have found.

Read more @ The Telegraph

Yes, 100 years old.

On thursday he will attempt to run a marathon.

He started running at the young age of 89.

BBC News

There is a video of him running in the link too.

Im finding it so hard to get a balance right now, really hard and i dnt knw how to change it!

I guess since i just started uni it might take me a while to get a routine going, but tbh i dont think i even had the right balance before. But i want it, i need it or i shall fear for the little bit of sanity tht i DO posses! The plus side this time is tht im slightly more organised and not as lazy.

Right now uni pretty much takes up any time that i have. Im either thinking of the work that i have to do, or actually doing the work. What i dont want to happen (again) is tht because i cant find this balance, it will start to impact on my Quran first of all. Ive got weekly lessons (to memorise) and ideally i should spend some time on it everyday though this doesnt always happen cos things get in the way.

I know my studies are important and tht i NEED to put in the hard work now to benefit from it later, but i dont just want to spend my time and energy on just tht! It's not what i want as the focus of my life.

I want islam to be the focus of my life or it should be. To at least spend just as much time on the religious side of things without neglecting my studies. Right now im feeling that one of them will suffer at the end of the day no matter what i do and u can probably guess which one tht is!

I take my hijaab off to those tht manage to do all this on top of being married/kids/work. Was supposed to start working but that seems out of the question at the moment. But why shouldnt I work? everyone else seems to manage just fine! Am i tht incapable at living 'life' that i just have to do with one thing at a time?! :/ tht doesnt make me feel so good. So just shut up and lump it? Was gonna get rid of everything halfway. started to think i was being silly and ott, but these worries are just gonna keep nagging at me so if i at least get something out of posting all this i will. I need balance cos the way im thinking right now, it seem tht death will be my only salvation if i keep going like this and not even then!

confuuuuused! 🙁

The Shia are not Muslim

The Shia imam in this video is saying that Abu Bakar (R.A) and Umar (R.A) were born from an incestuous union

Nauzobila this is kuffar