Until I See You - Poem by Ammar - 3D Kinetic Typography

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Qurbani (Sacrifice) for Non-Pilgrims

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

WHAT IS HADY?

Hady refers to the sacrificial animals that Hajj pilgrims offer for Allah's sake in the Haram (Makkah) between 10th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah.

WHAT IS UDHIYAH (QURBANI)?

Udhiyah refers to the sacrificial animals that non-pilgrim Muslims may offer, seeking Allah's pleasure during the days of 'Eid ul-Adha.Udhiyah is, in fact, offered in memory of the great sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Isma'il, peace and blessings be upon both of them, were ordered to offer for Allah's sake — when Ibrahim was ordered in a vision to offer his son in sacrifice for Allah's sake, and Isma'il promptly consented. But Allah spared them the sacrifice and ordered them to sacrifice an animal instead. This is referred to in theQur'an:

"And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice." [Al-Qur'an 37:107]

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HADY AND UDHIYAH (QURBANI)?

Hady refers to the sacrifice offered by Hajj pilgrims in Makkah while Udhiyah refers to the sacrifice offered by non-pilgrims.

IS UDHIYAH (QURBANI) OBLIGATORY?

For those not performing Hajj wishing to offer Udhiyah there are two scholarly opinions:

(A) that it is wajib (obligatory). This is the opinion of the Imams Abu Hanifah (d. 150H), al-Awza'i (d. 157H) and al-Layth (d. 175H), and it is one of the two opinions narrated from Imam Ahmad (d. 241H). It was also the opinion of Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (d. 728H), and is one of the two opinions in the madhhab of Imam Malik (d. 179H), or is what seems to be the madhhab of Imam Malik. Those who favour this opinion take the following as evidence:

1. The verse: "Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)." [Al-Qur'an 108:2]. This is a command, and a command implies that something is obligatory.
2. The Hadith of Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before he prays, let him slaughter another one in its place, and whoever did not slaughter a sacrifice, let him do so in the name of Allah." [Reported by Muslim (3621)]
3. The Hadith: "Whoever can afford to offer a sacrifice but does not do so, let him not approach our place of prayer." [Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Majah; classed as sahih by al-Hakim from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. It says in Al-Fath al-Barithat its men are all sound]

(B) that it is a stressed Sunnah. This is the opinion of the majority, and it is the madhhab of Imam ash-Shafi'i (d. 204H) and the better-known opinion of Imams Malik and Ahmad but most of those who favour this opinion state that it is disliked for the one who is able to offer a sacrifice to neglect to do so. They base their opinion on the following:

1. The Hadith of Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, in Sunan Abi Dawud, where he said: "I prayed 'Eid ul-Adha with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and when he finished (the prayer), he was brought two rams, and he sacrificed them. He said, 'In the Name of Allah, Allah is Most Great. This is on behalf of myself and any member of my Ummah who did not offer a sacrifice.' " [Sunan Abi Dawud bi Sharh Muhammad Shams al-Haq Abadi (7/486)]
2. The Hadith reported by all the famous scholars of Hadith apart from al-Bukhari: "Whoever among you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him not take (cut) anything from his hair or nails."

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymin said, following his discussion of those who say it is obligatory and those who say it is Sunnah, "Each point of view has its evidence, but to be on the safe side, the one who is able to offer a sacrifice should not neglect to do so, because of what is involved in this act of reverence towards Allah, remembering Him, and making sure that one has nothing to be blamed for.

Source: http://sunnahonline.com/library/hajj-umrah-and-the-islamic-calendar/326-qurbani-sacrifice-for-non-pilgrims

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

1st Dhul Hijjah 1433

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

1st Dhul-Hijjah will be on Wednesday 17 October 2012, 

and the Muslims performing Hajj will be in 'Arafah on Thursday 25 October 2012 (9 Dhul-Hijjah 1433), 

and the Muslim Ummah shall be celebrating 'Eed al-Adhaa on Friday 26 October 2012, (10 Dhul-Hijjah 1433), inshaaAllaah.

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Short History of Hajj

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

IslamiCity.com - Short History of Hajj

Hajj literally means 'to set out for a place'. Islamically however it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad .

Hajj and its rites were first ordained by Allah in the time of the Prophet lbrahim [Abraham] and he was the one who was entrusted by Allah to build the Kaba - the House of Allah - along with his son Ismail [Ishmael] at Makkah. Allah described the Kaba and its building as follows:

"And remember when We showed Ibrahim the site of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not anything [in worship with Me and purify My House for those who circumambulate it [i.e. perform tawaaf] and those who stand up for prayer and those who bow down and make prostration [in prayer etc.]."
[Surah Al-Hajj 22:26]

After building the Kaba, Prophet Ibrahim would come to Makkah to perform Hajj every year, and after his death, this practice was continued by his son. However, gradually with the passage of time, both the form and the goal of the Hajj rites were changed. As idolatry spread throughout Arabia, the Kaba lost its purity and idols were placed inside it. Its walls became covered with poems and paintings, including one of Jesus and his mother Maryam and eventually over 360 idols came to be placed around the Kaba.
During the Hajj period itself, the atmosphere around the sacred precincts of the Kaba was like a circus. Men and women would go round the Kaba naked, arguing that they should present themselves before Allah in the same condition they were born. Their prayer became devoid of all sincere remembrance of Allah and was instead reduced to a series of hand clapping, whistling and the blowing of horns. Even the talbiah [1] was distorted by them with the following additions: 'No one is Your partner except one who is permitted by you. You are his Master and the Master of what he possesses'.
Sacrifices were also made in the name of God. However, the blood of the sacrificed animals was poured onto the walls of the Kaba and the flesh was hung from pillars around the Kaba, in the belief that Allah demanded the flesh and blood of these animals.
Singing, drinking, adultery and other acts of immorality was rife amongst the pilgrims and the poetry competitions, which were held, were a major part of the whole Hajj event. In these competitions, poets would praise the bravery and splendor of their own tribesmen and tell exaggerated tales of the cowardice and miserliness of other tribes. Competitions in generosity were also staged where the chief of each tribe would set up huge cauldrons and feed the pilgrims, only so that they could become well-known for their extreme generosity.
Thus the people had totally abandoned the teachings of their forefather and leader Prophet Ibrahim. The House that he had made pure for the worship of Allah alone, had been totally desecrated by the pagans and the rites which he had established were completely distorted by them. This sad state of affairs continued for nearly two and a half thousand years. But then after this long period, the time came for the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim to be answered:

"Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them your aayaat (verses) and instruct them in the book and the Wisdom and sanctify them. Verily you are the 'Azeezul-Hakeem [the All-Mighty, the All-Wise]."
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:129]

Sure enough, a man by the name of Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah  was born in the very city that Prophet Ibrahim had made this supplication centuries earlier. For twenty-three years, Prophet Muhammad  spread the message of Tawheed [true monotheism] - the same message that Prophet Ibrahim and all the other Prophets came with - and established the law of Allah upon the land. He expended every effort into making the word of Allah supreme and his victory over falsehood culminated in the smashing of the idols inside the Kaba which once again became the universal center for the worshippers of the one True God.
Not only did the Prophet rid the Kaba of all its impurities, but he also reinstated all the rites of Hajj which were established by Allah's Permission, in the time of Prophet Ibrahim. Specific injunctions in the Quran were revealed in order to eliminate all the false rites which had become rampant in the pre-Islamic period. All indecent and shameful acts were strictly banned in Allah's statement:

"There is to be no lewdness nor wrangles during Hajj."
[Surah al-Baqarah 2:197]

Competitions among poets in the exaltations of their forefathers and their tribesmen's achievements were all stopped. Instead, Allah told them:

"And when you have completed your rites [of Hajj] then remember Allah as you remember your forefathers; nay with a more vigorous remembrance."
[Surah al-Baqarah 2:200]

Competitions in generosity were also prohibited. Of course, the feeding of the poor pilgrims was still encouraged as this was done during the time of Prophet Ibrahim but Allah commanded that the slaughtering of the animals which was done for this purpose should be done seeking the pleasure of Allah rather than fame and the praise of the people. He said:

"So mention the name of Allah over these animals when they are drawn up in lines. Then, when they are drawn on their sides [after the slaughter], eat thereof and feed the beggar who does not ask, and the beggar who asks."
[Surah al-Hajj 22:36]

As for the deplorable practice of spattering blood of the sacrificed animals on the walls of the Kaba and hanging their flesh on alters, then Allah clearly informed them that:

"It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is Taqwaa (piety) from you that reaches Him."
[Surah al-Hajj 22:37]

The Prophet  also put a stop to the practice of circling the Kaba in a state of nudity and the argument that the pagans put forward to justify this ritual was sharply rebutted in Allah's question:

"Say: Who has forbidden the adornment [i.e. clothes] given by Allah which He has produced for His Slaves?"
[Surah al-A'raaf 7:32]

Another custom which was prohibited through the Quran was that of setting off for Hajj without taking any provisions for the journey. In the pre-Islamic period, some people who claimed to be mutawakkiloon (those having complete trust in Allah) would travel to perform Hajj begging for food through the whole journey. They considered this form of behavior a sign of piety and an indication of how much faith they had in Allah. However Allah told mankind that to have sufficient provisions for the journey was one of the preconditions for making Hajj. He said:

"And take a provision [with you] for the journey, but the best provision is at-Taqwaa (piety)."
[Surah al-Baqarah 2:197]

In this way, all the pre-Islamic practices, which were based on ignorance, were abolished and Hajj was once more made a model of piety, fear of Allah, purity, simplicity and austerity. Now, when the pilgrims reach the Kaba, they no longer find the carnivals and the frolic and frivolity that had once occupied the minds of the pilgrims there before. Now, there is the remembrance of Allah at every step and every action and every sacrifice was devoted to Him alone. It was this kind of Hajj that was worthy of the reward of paradise, as the Prophet said: "The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing less than paradise."
May Allah grant us all the ability to visit His House and perform the Hajj in the manner of the Prophet Muhammad . Aameen.

---

Footnotes
1 Labbaik Allahumma labbaik... (Here I am present, O' God, I am present...) This is the chant which the pilgrims say when they are traveling for pilgrimage.

Source: Invitation to Islam, Issue 1, May 1997

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Getting rid of a bad habit cannot happen through prayer alone

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Getting rid of a bad habit cannot happen through prayer alone, but requires willpower, determination and a great effort with sacrifice as well.

When a bad habit is highlighted to us, never feel bad but rather appreciate that someone cares, even if the tone was not ideal.

It is common to hear those drowning in bad habits say, "Pray for me!" Prayer is indeed powerful, but hang on, if YOU are not going to do something about it then how is the prayer alone going to change things.

The Almighty Himself has said that we must work hard towards achieving whatever is beneficial for us. This means together with prayer BE STRONG!

Come on... kick that bad habit now! You can!

Mufti Menk

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

DUA FOR THE MUSLIMS OF BURMA | Sheikh Muhammad al-Arifi | HD

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Rohingya: Stateless and Unwanted

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/rohingya/

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

The plight of Rohingya Muslims

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The plight of Rohingya Muslims

Last Updated on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:08Please help us run Islam21c and its' projects for the next 12 months. Donate to our Just Giving page.

The burnings and looting of their houses in the villages in a number towns in Arakan are still ongoing. Murders are not exception, which has claimed thousands of lives, not to mention the cases of rapes against the Rohingya Muslimahs, in addition to those who are forced to flee to neighboring countries, who are not well received, in fact they are even driven out, all these are increasingly hurting the Muslims all over the world.

*Click here to donate to the Emergency Burma Appeal

The sufferings of the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan (Rakhine) or those who have fled to neighboring countries, have not yet ended. The burnings and looting of their houses in the villages in a number towns in Arakan are still ongoing. Murders are not exception, which has claimed thousands of lives, not to mention the cases of rapes against the Rohingya Muslimahs, in addition to those who are forced to flee to neighboring countries, who are not well received, in fact they are even driven out, all these are increasingly hurting the Muslims all over the world.

Despite being at their worst, the international world seems powerless to deal with this. The Rohingya Muslims are truly not protected, be it from the parties within the country or abroad. Whereas, Rakhine is not an unaccessible area that is far from human life. Even the Burmese authorities are silent and letting the atrocities against Muslims continue to happen, claiming to have sent their security forces to Arakan , but the security forces are not protecting the Rohingya people, in fact they are even involved in violence themselves.

Some of the pictures here have been published in the pro-Rohingya media and some were published by those who have the direct connections to the sources in Arakan, and some were taken from the video in Youtube. These are just some small evidences of the violences that are taking place in Arakan. While the precise details concerning the number of casualties, the wounded and refugees of the Rohingya Muslims have not been recorded, due to the huge numbers and the limitations of information gathering.

The silence of most of the top media of the international scale on the atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslims, is also caused by the the ignorance the outside world on the condition of Rohingya. Some of the international media that have successfully plunged into the scene, are only recording the situation at a glance, and not showing or reporting how the Muslims are massacred and their houses burned, and they are simply showing the presence of Burmese security forces who are as if seen on guard, however it was not exposed of how the security forces are jointly involved with the Buddhist Rakhine ethnics in burning the houses, arresting and murdering the Muslims. Also it was not exposed of how the thousands of lives of the Msulims have been lost as a result of the abominations committed against them and tens of thousands of them are forced to be displaced.

Direct local sources from Arakan who can still communicate with the outside world, report the actual situations that happen through their relatives, friends or the pro-Rohingya media, despite the limitations in ability to collect detailed information. What can be reported, are only a small portion, which simply represents that atrocities against Muslims are truly happening in Myanmar.

The Muslims who are being persecuted presently in Arakan, are really in a very saddening state, helpless, only hoping for the help from Allah, with the hope that Allah would send them people who would help them, especially people from the Muslim community of the world who have the ability.

Is it really so difficult for those who have the ability to help the Rohingya Muslims? Do we need to await for the result or investigation by Burma or the UN? The Rohingya Muslims are not illegal immigrants in Arakan, they should receive the protection from the international bodies that claim to uphold the 'Law and Basic Human Rights!' that they always carry around. For prictures of the massacres taking place click here (images are graphic and disturbing)

"And they resented them not except because they believed in Allah , the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy, To whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. And Allah , over all things, is Witness. Indeed, those who have tortured the believing men and believing women and then have not repented will have the punishment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the Burning Fire." [1]

"Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. [They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right ." [2]

"The believers, in their love, mutual kindness, and close ties, are like one body; when any part complains, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever." [3]

  *Click here to donate to the Emergency Burma Appeal

---

 

 :Notes this article has been cross posted from http://theunjustmedia.com

Sources: www.islam21c.comIslam21c requests all the readers of this article, and others, to share it on your facebook, twitter, and other platforms to further spread our efforts.

[1] (Al-Buruuj: 8-10)

[2] (Al-Hajj :39-40)

[3] (Muttafaqun ‘Alaih from al-Nu’man bin Bashir)

DISCLAIMER: All material found on Islam21c.com is for information purposes only. The views expressed on this site or on any linked sites do not necessarily represent those of MRDF.

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Eidul Fitr 1433

Eid Mubarak!

Surah Al Qadr

~97. Surah Al-Qadr (The Night of Decree)~



1. Verily! We have sent it (this Qur'an) down in the night of Al-Qadr (Decree)

2. And what will make you know what the night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is?

3. The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months).

4. Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah's Permission with all Decrees,

5. Peace! (All that night, there is Peace and Goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.

Duaa for Night of Power

`Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked: "O Messenger of Allah! If I realize Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?''


He (PBUH) replied, "You should supplicate:


Allahumma innaka `afuwwun, tuhibbul-`afwa, fa`fu `anni


(O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me).”

[At-Tirmidhi].

Last 10 days approaching....

Emergency Burma Appeal

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

uwt.org

Burma Appeal

‘(They are) those who have been evicted from their homes without right, only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah.'

  -  Surah al-Hajj, Verse 40

The past few months in the Arakan state of Burma have seen over 90,000 Muslim Rohingya displaced from their homes. Savage violence perpetrated by vigilante mobs has led to a terrible situation for our brothers and sisters.
 

The Rohingya ethnic minority of Burma are trapped between severe repression in their homeland and abuse in neighbouring countries. Residing under oppression, they are forced to endure a life of misery and abject poverty. They have experienced forced labour, land seizures, arbitrary arrests, rape and torture.
 

Rohingya Muslims have been declared as non-citizens of Burma, making them legally stateless. There is now a coordinated campaign to erase the Muslim identity of the Rohingya by destroying homes, masjids, graveyards and archaeological sites. They are denied freedom of movement, education, health treatment and even marriage.
 

Ummah Welfare Trust has been operating inside Burma for the last 10 years. The charity has rebuilt masjids, madrassahs and graveyards; constructed homes and boats; sponsored orphans and widows; installed hand pumps; distributed ‘Udhiyah’ meat and Eid gifts; run medical clinics; and regularly distributed food provisions. The charity currently runs an orphanage where both students and teachers are being sponsored.
 

‘No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help.
 

And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help.’

- Sunan Abi Dawud

The Ummah continues to hurt and Muslims continue to be persecuted. But we will continue to aid them and continue to earn Allah’s pleasure, for indeed in this there is success. Ummah Welfare Trust is urgently appealing for Zakah, Sadaqah and Lillah donations to help it administer emergency relief to displaced Rohingya families in Arakan state and the surrounding areas.
 

Please respond to the Rohingya’s cries by supporting Ummah Welfare Trust’s appeal in this blessed month of Ramadhan.

May Allah’s Mercy rain down on one of the most forgotten people of these times. Ameen.

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

13. Eyes and ears

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/08/01/13-eyes-ears/

12. Morning and evening

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/31/12-morning-evening/

11. Running out of time

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/30/11-running-out-of-time/

10. Towards good

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/29/10-towards-good/

9. Careful sleep

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/28/9-careful-sleep/

8. To my parents with love

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/27/8-to-my-parents-with-love/

7. For a bleeding Ummah

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/26/7-for-a-bleeding-ummah/

6. I will give time for my children

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/25/6-time-for-my-children/

5. I will give charity

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/24/5-charity-daily/

4. The hearts dua

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/23/4-the-hearts-duaa/

3. I will race to feed the fasting

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/22/3-the-race-to-feed/

2. I will leap for every Salah

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/21/2-leap-for-salah/

1. I will give myself to the Quran

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2012/07/20/1-myself-to-the-quran/

At the Gates of Ramadhan...

igotitcovered.org

Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and seek forgiveness

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

"By the One in Whose Hand my soul is! If you do not commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah will certainly forgive them."

[Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith does not mean that Allah likes disobedience. But by this way of description, the aim is to emphasize the importance of seeking forgiveness from Allah. We know that every man commits sins. But Allah likes those people who, after committing a sin, do not stick to it, but right away seek forgiveness for their sins from Allah. They weep and express sorrow before Allah. By seeking forgiveness, a relationship with Allah is established between man and his Creator. So seeking forgiveness is a very good act.

(Riyadh us Saliheen)

Ramadhan Mubarak!

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

"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)." 

[Surah al-Baqarah (2):183]

  Has not the time yet come for those who believe that 

their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah 

and what has come down of the truth? 

[Surah Al Hadid 57:16]

Welcoming Sha'ban

By Ismail Patel

Many people find it difficult getting into the spiritual state that Ramadan requires and complain in the last ten days of the great month that their month has gone to waste. A major reason for this it seems is that they assume that Allah would have Muslims worship him one month of the year! Whilst worship is a daily affair, Allah would have us worship more in some months more than others. Furthermore, the righteous, in understanding the importance of Ramadan, would want to be as prepared as possible, and as a result, would begin preparation two months earlier in Rajab!
Sha’ban is the eighth month of the Islamic calendar and considered one of the special months for which we find particular sunan of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is reported that the Prophet would fast most of the month of Sha’ban except for the last few days.

A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that “Allah's Apostle used to fast till one would say that he would never stop fasting, and he would abandon fasting till one would say that he would never fast. I never saw Allah's Apostle fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban.”[1]

Although these fasts are supererogatory we can see how much importance the Prophet attached to them. We know that when he was asked by Usaamah ibn Zayd concerning his observance of the Sha’ban fasts, he answered, “It is a month that people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan; a month in which people’s deeds are taken up to the Lord of the Worlds and I would like my deeds to be taken up when I am fasting.” This hadith clearly indicates the importance of Islamic months, and living in the west we must maintain a relationship with Islamic religious symbols, the Islamic calendar being an important one. Additionally, the Prophet informed us of matters of the unseen, namely that our actions are taken up in this blessed month, and so, it would be sensible to be in a state of servitude whilst being taken to account.

We also know that the Prophet prayed for Sha’ban to be blessed and connected it to Ramadan thus informing us of an inextricable link between the two. He would supplicate, "O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)."[2]

Many people find it difficult getting into the spiritual state that Ramadan requires and complain in the last ten days of the great month that their month has gone to waste. A major reason for this it seems is that they assume that Allah would have Muslims worship him one month of the year! Whilst worship is a daily affair, Allah would have us worship more in some months more than others. Furthermore, the righteous, in understanding the importance of Ramadan, would want to be as prepared as possible, and as a result, would begin preparation two months earlier in Rajab!

Abu Bakr al-Balkhi said: The month of Rajab is the month for planting, the month of Sha’ban is the month of irrigating crops, and the month of Ramadan is the month of harvesting the crops. He also said: The likeness of the month of Rajab is that of the wind, the likeness of Sha’ban is that of the clouds and the likeness of Ramadan is that of the rain; whoever does not plant and sow in Rajab, and does not irrigate in Sha’ban, how can he reap in Ramadan? Now Rajab has passed, so what will you do in Sha’ban if you are seeking Ramadan? This is how your Prophet and the early generations of the ummah were in this blessed month, so what will you do?

From amongst the forms of preparation is increasing in reciting the Quran. When Sha’ban would begin, ‘Amr ibn Qays (of the righteous early Muslims) would close his shop and free his time for reading Qur’an. The notion of excessive fasting, as quoted earlier, is found in the hadith of A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that she “did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban.”[3]

Fasting is a great act of servitude and devotion to Allah, and given that the Arabic word sawm (fasting) means to restrain from something, it implies the repression of one’s nafs and worldly abstinence out of a firm belief in the afterlife. Abu Hurairah narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah said: The fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My sake. Fasting is a guard (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.”[4]

Let us use Sha’ban to become people of prayer and fasting, that we use the coming month as a time of rectification and spiritual rectitude, and we prepare our souls for the last Ramadan we may ever face. A’ishah narrates that the Prophet never fasted in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban. He used to say, “Do those deeds which you can do easily, as Allah will not get tired (of giving rewards) till you get bored and tired (of performing religious deeds).” The most beloved prayer to the Prophet was the one that was done regularly even if it were little, and whenever the Prophet offered a prayer he used to offer it regularly.[5]

Notes:
Sources: www.islam21c.com
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[1] Bukhari
[2] Al-Tabarani and Ahmad
[3] Bukhari
[4] Bukhari
[5] Bukhari

Taken from: http://www.islam21c.com/spirituality/5402-welcoming-shaban

“And if you were to count Allah's favors, you would not be able to number them…"

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah


And if you were to count Allah's favors, you would not be able to number them; most surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. [Sūrah al-Nahl: 18]

Our lives are a continuous succession of Allah’s gifts. Many people, due to their outlook on life or their circumstances, fail to see that they are receiving Allah’s bounty. Allah has made it clear that we will never be able to count all of His blessings upon us, since they are innumerable.

This statement is found elsewhere in the Qur'an, emphasizing humanity's ungratefulness and heedlessness of Allah's blessings:

“If you were to count Allah's favors, you would not be able to number them; most surely humanity is very unjust, very ungrateful.”
[Sūrah Ibrāhīm: 34]

Consider the human body. It is made up of one hundred trillion cells. Each cell is a blessing from Allah. But this does not mean that there are only one hundred trillion blessings in the human body. There are far more, since Allah’s blessings manifest themselves within each one of those cells in innumerable ways. Moreover, each cell is exposed to an incalculable number of potential threats, from viruses to cancer to a variety of malfunctions, and Allah through His mercy protects the cells from all of these. Therefore, we can never begin to enumerate the blessings that Allah, at every moment, bestows upon us within our bodies.

Even if we entertain the idea that the blessings Allah bestows upon any one of us is some finite number, that number would not take into account all of the misfortunes that Allah withholds from us, though He certainly tries some of His servants with those misfortunes. Then there are all the blessings Allah has bestowed upon our predecessors, our contemporaries, and our descendants and on the incalculable aspects of creation upon which our lives depend.

Allah reminds us:
“And whatever good thing you enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when misfortune reaches you, you cry out to Him for help.” [Sūrah al-Nahl: 53]

We should look at ourselves and the way we behave towards Allah’s blessings. Do we use them in obedience to His commands? Do we realize that Allah has a right over us in everything that He gives us? If we are blessed with wealth, the poor have a right in it. If we are blessed with health and strength, the weak and the infirm have a right in it. If we are blessed with knowledge, then those who are in want of knowledge have a right in it. For every ability that we are blessed with, those who are unable have some right in it.

We must praise Allah for empowering us to do that which others are incapable of doing. Part of the thanks we owe Allah is to give something of whatever we are blessed with to those who cannot do for themselves. We should remember that every blessing we enjoy will inevitably come to an end. Either we will lose the blessing some day in our lives, or we will depart this life and leave that blessing behind.

Another part of our gratitude to Allah is to serve Him with what He gives us and to use what we have in ways that are lawful and pleasing to Him. We should not be like Pharaoh. Some wise people advised him:

“Do not exult. Surely Allah does not love the exultant.” [Sūrah al-Qasas: 76]

Pharaoh replied: “I have been given this only on account of the knowledge I have.”

So Allah tells us:
“Did he not know that Allah had destroyed of the generations before him those who were mightier in strength than he and greater in assemblage? And the guilty need not be asked about their sins.” [Sūrah al-Qasas: 78]


We often do not notice a blessing that we have until we lose that blessing or are threatened with its loss. How many of our faculties, our limbs, and our talents do we take for granted? These are but some of the blessings in our own bodies. How many blessings surround us, in our families, our friends, our work, the status we enjoy, the connections we have, even our hopes and our dreams?

Even the world on which we live is a blessing, how it possesses everything needed for life to thrive. How many other words do we see and are still discovering in the heavens, some approximating our Earth in size, some smaller, some many times larger, but we find them to be sterile, hostile, unaccommodating worlds.

Praise be to Allah, who possesses all things and who gives without measure.

Source: http://en.islamtoday.net/artshow-276-3544.htm