RAMADAN IS COMING.....
In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful Ramadan is the best of the months of the years. The Qur'an was revealed in it as stated in the Qur'an. Also the rewards are greatly multiplied in Ramadan if the intention is sincere. The gates of Paradise (Jannah) are open, the gates of Hell (Jahannam) are closed, and the Shayatin (plural for Satan) are tied up as the Prophet ( s.a.w.) told us. Also the fasting of Ramadan can wipe out all the wrong doings committed before if we avoid the great ones (Kabir) that need repentance (Tawbah). Qiam (praying at night) in the month of Ramadan can also wipe out all the wrong doings committed before if the great ones are avoided. This does not mean than we cannot do wrong in Ramadan because Shaitan is tied up; people can make the job of Shaitan much easier by coming to him rather than he comes to them. There are so many Hadiths that talk about reward in Ramadan; just to quote some, the Prophet ( s.a.w.) said: "Whoever fasted Ramadan out of belief in it and sincerely seeking the reward from Allah, all his past wrong doings will be forgiven". He also said: "Whoever prayed Qiam throughout Ramadan, all his past wrong doings will be forgiven". It is a good idea to pay Zakah of assets during this month since the reward will be multiplied Insha Allah. Ramadan: The Month of Glory The great lessons which Allah Ta'ala wanted human beings to derive from His Commandments and guidelines are not fully understood by many of them. That is why, some of them turn their faces away from the absolute Light of Allah and some of them who abide His orders do not comprehend their significance. Understanding the religious precepts will provide with insight into the reality which moves a person closer to the truth. The order of Allah to the believers to keep fasts in the holy month of Ramadan possesses manifold benefits. The element of hunger and thirst is only one aspect of this spiritual exercise, which is inclusive of a total experience of one's being at the personal, social, universal and metaphysical levels. Some of the great benefits of fasting can be briefly outlined as under: 01. While fasting, the believer abstains from eating and drinking even when he is alone. This is a reminder of the fact that Allah Ta'ala looks at him and is aware of his every movement wherever he may be. Remembrance of Allah at all times, secretly and openly moves a believer closer to Allah. 02. Fasting gives practice to control and to be stronger than one's desires, which has been the cause of ruin of millions of people in the history of mankind. This inside enemy called desire should be subjugated to reason and intellect without letting oneself be governed by desire. Fasting teaches a believer not to be a slave of one's desire for the sake of goodness and piety. 03. Fasting inculcates patience and tolerance in the face of hardship, temptation, sin; and in showing greater eagerness to be obedient to the orders of Allah. Tolerance is a great blessing which can transform a human being if one can make purposeful and constructive efforts. 04. Fasting makes the intentions stronger in doing good work. We will not be weak, hesitating and reluctant in situations where we have the choice of selecting piety and leaving aside sin. 05. Fasting makes one humble of heart in front of Allah. A heart full of mercy and sympathy. Such a heart is closer and dearer to Allah. 06. It teaches our tongue to abstain from lies and to speak only the truth. Telling lies on Allah, the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Masoomeens ( A.S.) will make a fast void, which itself is a big sin. So a month of uttering and speaking only the truth is a vital lesson in avoiding lies and becoming virtuous. In fact fasting cannot be meaningful without the fasting of every other organ of the body along with the stomach from all prohibited actions. 07. Fasting makes believers remember the hunger and starvation of the poor and initiates empathy for the deprived people. It is an opportunity to experience hunger so that people will understand the pain of the hungry and will go forward to help them. 08. Fasting being a continuous situation of hunger, thirst and tiredness in the way of Allah teaches us the virtue of sacrifice and the ability to suffer. And to know that this sacrifice and suffering is noting but our salvation. 09. Fasting makes the believer know the value of the bounties which Allah Ta'ala has bestowed on us. The various bounties of Allah will be appreciated more clearly when one fasts. 10. Fasting is a state of worship which lasts throughout the whole day. This prolonged form of worship makes Muslims familiar with the situation of true believers whose life as a whole is the embodiment of Allah's worship. "Say: surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds." (Holy Qur'an, 6: 163) These are some of the benefits which every believer can get from fasting. At the social level, fasting establishes a bond of co-operation between the rich and the poor. It helps in removing ill-feelings from the heart of people and brings them closer to each other. Fasting is a proof of Allah's concept of the unity amongst all Muslims. All believers begin and end their fasts at the same time in the same city. It teaches them to help each other in way of Allah and to keep away from evil. Clearly the great lessons of fasting can make a society humane and civilized to a great extent if people were to derive maximum benefit from this remarkable form of worship and try to implement the orders of Allah Ta'ala with understanding. Those who treat the fast as a customary practice fail to get much out of it. As the Holy Prophet (SAW) remarked: "There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst." May Allah Ta'ala bless us with His remembrance and worship in a manner leading to forgiveness of sins and earning bounties of Duniya and Aakherat. Ilahi Aammeen. ALHAMDO LILLAHAY RABBIL AALAMEEN. Many persons get nothing out of their fasts but hunger and thirst; many more get nothing out of their night prayers but exertions and sleepless nights. Wise and sagacious persons are praiseworthy even if they do not fast and sleep during the nights. Imam Ali ( A.S.) DUA - The magical hotline to Allah After belief in God, prayer comes ask the innate function of man and the basis of his worship, for man is subjected to endless calamities and attacked by numerous enemies in spite of his infinite impotence, and has limitless needs and requests in spite of his infinite poverty. Remember how a child expresses his need for something he cannot reach: he either says that he wants it or simply cries, that is, he asks for, in word or in action - in either case with the tongue of his weakness and indeed, reaches his goal. Belief requires prayer as a certain means of attainment, the nature of man strongly calls for prayer, and God Almighty also decrees: "Say, My Lord would not concern Himself with you but for your prayer." (Qur'an, 25:77) "Call on Me; I will answer your prayer." (Qur'an, 40:60) If you say, `We pray many times, but our prayers are not accepted'. The meaning of the above verse is general; it states that there will be an answer for every prayer. To answer is one matter, to accept is another. Suppose that a sick child is asking a doctor to give him a certain medicine, the doctor may give him that exact kind of medicine or he may give him an injection for the benefit of the child (which the child doesn't like) or he may give nothing at all. In the same way, God Almighty, the one of Absolute Wisdom answers the supplication of his slave, but His answer is not to be dictated by the wishful thinking of man. Rather, He answers the prayer of His slave conforming to His Wisdom, and therefore gives either what is requested, or what is better, or nothing. Moreover, prayer is a kind of worship and worship yields its fruits in the Hereafter. Worldly causes of prayer, therefore, cannot be its purposes; they only mark the time of prayer. The prayer for rain, for example, is a worship; and the lack of rain is its time. It is not to be aimed at bringing down rain, in which case it will not be sincere and acceptable. One should exhibit in prayer one's impotence and take refuge in Him and should not interfere with His Lordship. That is, one should not so act as if accusing His Compassion, but should leave the arrangement of the matter to Him, with a complete trust in His Wisdom. The Holy Qur'an says, "Such is your Lord. To Him belongs all dominion and those whom you invoke besides Him have not the least power". (35:13) Hence, if a calamity or hardship has not been lifted despite many prayers, one is not supposed to say, "The prayer has not been accepted" but is supposed to say, "The time of prayer is not yet over. "If God Almighty lifts the calamity, that is the result of His Grace and Mercy, and indicates the end of the time of supplication. Basically for worldly goals, one must strive and move actively in that direction and simultaneously request His Help and Guidance. Sometimes, Dua is the only element missing to bring His Favors down. Supplications, invocations and Istigasa [i.e. seeking the intercession of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Holy Imams (A.S.) in asking for God's Help] are the recommended forms of optional prayer which have no constraints of time, place or state of cleanliness. It is only preferable to ask for one's wishes in the last Rak'at of night prayers, before sunrise, when the wind blows or when rainfall starts. Needless to say that the whole process of acceptance is expedited when a person has a lawful goal in mind and prays with sincerity of intention. Prayer is such a tree that it gives abundant fruits throughout the year. Prayer gives man hope and courage, prevents calamities, removes the enemy from one's path, brings friends together, helps cure sickness, replaces poverty with abundance, and earns forgiveness of God, etc, etc. Not surprisingly, losing hope in receiving any Mercy from God is considered a major prohibited act and a sin. Prayer is not a medicine to be taken during difficulties and hardships alone. Recognition of blessings enjoins thanking the Bestowed of the blessings. "If you are thankful I will give you more, but if you are thankless, My punishment is surely terrible". (Qur'an, 14:7) Thus, Prayer is a powerful means of seeking nearness to God. Only the ungrateful avoids prayers & the ignorant ignores it. Moon sighting Possibilities for Ramadan 1426 Ramadan: The Astronomical New Moon is on Monday October 3, 2005 at 10:28 Universal Time. Looking at the visibilty curve one can understand that the moon is in the Southern Hemisphere. The moon is about 15 hours old and being too low on the horizon for North America will set in 14 min. after sunset on west coast. It cannot be seen in North America nor anywhere in East of USA October 3. On October 4, it will be visible in most of the world except most of Asia and Europe, where it will be 24 to 31 hours old and less than 2 degrees above the horizon, still not visible. In Europe and most of Asia, it can be seen even on October 5, when it will be 48 to 55 hours old. Accordingly, the first day of Ramadan will be on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 for North America and most of the world, Insha-Allah. Source : Unknown ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/TXWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in any way reflect the official views of Hidayahnet unless sanctioned or approved otherwise. 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