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Tag: ramadan


10
May 2023
Keeping motivated beyond Ramadan

You end Ramadan with a clean slate, a new page. Be careful what you write on that new page. What do you want to see on it? Make a list of what you want to achieve as you do at New Year’s. This is your post Ramadan resolution if you want. What do you want to achieve after Ramadan? Maintain and improve the good deeds which you have done. Control your anger beyond Ramadan. Control your faculties - eyes, ears, tongue and limbs, after Ramadan. This will affect heavily what will be......

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14
Apr 2023
Laylatul Qadr and the reward of congregational worship

Focus on Allah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that in the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would spend the night in prayer, and wake up his family so they could also pray and worship Allah. Our focus on the last ten nights should be worshipping Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would isolate himself in a tent Aisha would erect for him with bamboo sticks in the mosque. And he would stay awake all night. عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ......

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25
Mar 2023
Becoming closer to Allah

In Surat Az-Zumar, Allah Almighty talks about those who do qiyam (voluntary night prayers) and supplicate to Allah, and how they are not equal to those who deny Allah and reject the akhirah, and are only concerned with the dunya. Makki vs Madani surahs This is a Makki surah. Like other, similar surahs, it addresses basic issues of reality, and deals with the way people think, and the way they challenged the Prophet (peace be on him), accused him, called him names, etc. In the Makki revelations we also see that the......

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25
Mar 2023
How to turn an ordinary fast, into a super-fast

The aim of fasting is to achieve righteousness Allah Almighty said in Surat al Baqarah: يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous – Alhamdulillah, we are fortunate to witness another Ramadan. Many did not get this chance and left us before Ramadan, however Allah granted us the favour to live to witness another Ramadan. It is a great gift that He......

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25
Mar 2023
What is the connection between closeness to Allah, excellence and fasting?

They ask you… My reflection today is on a very beautiful ayah among the 5 verses on fasting in the Quran which are found in Surat al-Baqarah (183-187). Allah Almighty says: وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ If my servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on me, so let them answer me and have faith in me that they may be rightly guided. This ayah is......

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17
Mar 2023
Psyching up for Ramadan

Allah Almighty said in the Quran that fasting is an obligation in this famous ayah, but when was this ayah revealed and when was fasting made an obligation? يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous. Though we think of Islam as the five pillars, they were not revealed at the same time. The first pillar was tawheed, coming straight after the......

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28
Apr 2022
How to fill your bucket when it's raining gold

Laylatul Qadr is the night of greatness and magnificence. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory. (97:1) In Surat Dukhan, Allah Almighty said the Quran was revealed in a  very blessed night: حم ٓ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ By the clear Book! (44:2) إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night, for We always warn ˹against evil˺. (44:3) This night is full of barakah. Among many translations, it is called the Night......

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10
Apr 2022
Ramadan - a month of internal and external victories

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 He stated in the Quran: O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will gain taqwa. (2:183) The verse ends with you will achieve ‘taqwa’, in the second person “you”.......

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17
Mar 2022
How much is fidyah? And how much is kaffarah?

Fasting is an obligation for all Muslim believers, as ordained by Allah in Surat al-Baqarah: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become righteous. (2:183) أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ ۚ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۚ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ ۖ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ For a......

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15
Mar 2022
The Spiritual Guide to Ramadan - FREE Booklet

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 here. Feel free to share with your friends and family. Other FREE publications: Culture vs Islam: Birth and Death Rites Do support us with your duas and donations and enable us to continue spreading free content through......

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07
Jun 2021
Is my fast broken if  I eat by mistake?

If you genuinely eat, drink or have intercourse while you are fasting, out of forgetfulness, your fast is not broken. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: “Whoever forgets he is fasting and eats or drinks, let him complete his fast for it is Allah Who has fed him and given him to drink.” (Bukhari and Muslim) You do not have give expiation or make up that fast.   In the Quran, in Surat al Ahzab, it says: And there is no sin on......

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02
Jun 2021
When do you have to make the intention to fast?

Fasting is preceded by the intention (niyyah) to refrain from eating and drinking. It does not need to be verbalised, it is in the heart. How do I make intention to fast in Ramadan? As per the Maliki school of thought, it is possible to make your intention to fast for the whole month of Ramadan at the beginning of the Ramadan. In the Hanafi school the intention should be made daily in the heart between Maghrib (i.e. the night before) and Duha (an hour before Dhur). When do I make the......

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30
Apr 2021
The blessings of Qiyamullayl

As we approach the last ten nights of Ramadan, I would like to share with you the blessings of qiyam al layl, (night prayers) in general. Tarawih during Ramadan is qiyam Ramadan. Qiyam and tarawih are not obligatory, but from the sunnah. وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رضي الله تعالى عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ قَامَ بِعَشْرِ آيَاتٍ لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ، وَمَنْ قَامَ بِمِئَةِ آيَةٍ كُتِبَ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ، وَمَنْ قَامَ بِأَلْفِ آيَةٍ كُتِبَ من المقنطرين» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد. The enormous reward for praying......

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