Ramadan
Shaban
Shawwal
Muharram
Dhul Hijjah
Hajj
Eid
Special nights and days
Moonsighting
Allah Almighty said in Surat al Muminoon: فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَلَا أَنسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلَا يَتَسَاءَلُونَ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَادِّينَ قَالَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ۖ لَّوْ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ When the Horn is blown,…
Continual struggle The Prophet (peace be on him) had given dawah (invited people to Islam) tirelessly for 13 years until 610 CE, and withstood escalating torture and persecution and threats during this time. Only a very tiny minority had accepted the divine message he had brought. We do not have accurate statistics, but we estimate…
Recommended fasts In general, as per the sunnah of the Prophet (peace be on him) it is recommended to fast on Mondays and Thursdays and the three white days i.e. the days of the full moon (13,14,15th of the lunar month). Fasting on Mondays It is also recommended to fast on Mondays: He was then…
Allah Almighty swears in the Quran: والفجر . وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ By the dawn and the ten nights. (89:1-2) In another verse, Allah Almighty says: The months of Hajj are well known. (2:197) Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) commented that these ten nights were the nights of Dhul Hijjah and the months of…
Extra reward post Ramadan The reward of fasting any six days in Shawwal after fasting in Ramadan is equivalent to fasting for a whole year, as per the narration of Abu Ayub Al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever fasts during the month of Ramadan…
In the verses regarding fasting in Surat al Baqarah, Allah Almighty said, He wants ease for us; He doesn’t want hardship for us, so that we may complete our fasts and glorify Allah for granting us guidance and be grateful. شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ…
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that: “When the last ten nights of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would tighten his belt, spend the night in worship, and awaken his family. (Bukhari and Muslim) عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ:” كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا دَخَلَ…
Ramadan: victory against your nafs and your enemy Praise be to God, we have received an honourable guest, Ramadan, which will stay with us for around a month. Guests usually brings gifts, and Ramadan generously brings with it forgiveness and mercy in abundance. In Ramadan, God has made it compulsory for us to fast, as…
From preparing in Sha’ban to improving our relationship with Allah during Ramadan and beyond, Shaykh Haytham’s spiritual reflections on Ramadan give insight into what is on offer. This FREE booklet will help you attain deeper spiritual benefits, insights intoLaylatul Qadr and how to find tranquility in a month like no other. Download your Free copy…
The end of another year It has been another challenging year globally, for the environment, for families communities and individuals. This year we lost many blessed souls and personally I lost my dear father. May Allah envelop them in His mercy and grant them all jannatul firdaus. As Muslims we have to be people of…
Todays reminder is about unity and not returning to the habits of pre-Islamic (Jahiliyya) times. In Surat al Imran, Allah Almighty says: ﴿١٠٣﴾ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ…
Today’s reflection is about the Hijra (the migration of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him to Madinah) and Muharram. Every year people celebrate the New Islamic Year. The conflation of Muharram with the Hijra was introduced later, as in fact the migration took place in Rabbi al-Awal not Muharram. The date of Hijrah The…
And when you have performed your holy rites remember God, as you remember your fathers or yet more devoutly. Now some men there are who say, ‘Our Lord, give to us in this world’; such men shall have no part in the world to come. (2:200) Celebrate Allah’s name and glorify Him Allah Almighty made…
Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran that Hajj is ‘a well-known month’, ashurhum malumaat: “Remember Allah (God) during the well-known days.” (2:197) There are three months which are considered holy, because they are months of hajj. It used to take 1-2 months to travel to reach Makkah, therefore hajjis had to leave for hajj long…
The surahs recited every Eid Every Eid, the Prophet (peace be on him) used to recite Surat Al A’la in the first rakah and Surat Al Ghashiya in the second rakah, which are two consecutive surahs in the Quran. He recited them at almost every Eid and sometimes at Jummuah. I was wondering why he…