English Newsletter - Mosque Foundation

mada II 1431
Issue 36
W W W. M O S Q U E F O U N D AT I O N . O R G
November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437 Issue 97
Message From The Imam
HIJRAH
Sh. Jamal Said
Brothers and Sisters,
says,
In the passage of time there lies great mystery and miracle. Allah
“Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of
night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,” (3:190). Oh
Allah make us among your servants who awaken themselves from the lull of infatuation of the worldly life and become witnesses to Your signs and miracles!
As this lunar year comes to a close it is sealed like an envelope never to be
opened on our journey of no return until the Day of Judgment when you and I
will all stand before our Lord to account for every year, every day, and every
hour we spent on this Earth. Allah
says, “Oh you who believe, fear Allah,
and every soul must consider what he (or she) has sent ahead for tomorrow.
And fear Allah. Surely Allah is fully aware of what you do,” (59:18). This verse
invites us to ask ourselves, ‘Who do I fear? Who’s pleasure do I seek? What
has occupied me? What has overwhelmed my thoughts and feelings? What
is it that motivates me to act? Is it a matter that will serve
me in the next life? Or will it only serve me in this life? Or
neither?’ Indeed, tomorrow will be a day filled with joy for
those who prepared for it and grief and sorrow for those who
have procrastinated.
Sisters and Brothers, this year, like every year we have witnessed, had its many bitter and few and fleeting sweet moments as is nature of this life. Our Ummah suffered great
tragedies and small victories. Many people were born and
many have died. As this hijri year begins, so does a new
page in our own life story, a blank canvas, ready to be filled
with the blackness and whiteness of our deeds. Who will
fill this new year with committing major sins and persisting in committing minor sins? Who will continue in their
arrogance, envy and slander? Who will be among those
who humble and purify themselves by accounting for their
deeds? Oh Allah
make us among those who account for
their own souls before they are accounted for by You!
We begin the year with a choice endowed to us by our Creator millions of years ago when He created our father Adam
and his wife Hawa; choosing to grasp firmly to the rope of
guidance and adorn our books with good deeds or loose our
grasp and soil our books with evil deeds. This choice was
made hundreds of years ago on the momentous occasion
from which we derive our calendar when the Messenger of
Allah (S) and his righteous Companions (R) migrated to Madinah, marking the beginning of a new era for the Muslim
Ummah. On this occasion, we are reminded of the words of
Prophet (S)’s uncle when he came to him to dissuade him
from calling to Islam offering him worldly gains, “If you
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HIJRAH
MF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1. Hussein Ata
2. Oussama Jammal
3. Jamal Said
4. Habes Abdallah
5. Abdallah M Shuaibi
6. Kalid Baste
7. Fahim Aref
8. Jehad Materiyeh
9. Ahmed Kamni
10. Aisheh Said
11. Banan Said
12. Marwan Elsafadi
13. Jafar Ahmad
14. Safaa Zarzour
15. Mohamed Aduib
16. Montaha Salem
17. Muin Abu Sharara
18. Ziad Zatar
19. Karen Danielson
EDITORIAL BOARD
Hussein Ata
Sh. Jamal Said
Sh. Ahmed Arafat
Tareq Abu-Ammer
Aisheh Said
Mohamed Chehade
Banan Said
Abdel Baset Hamayel
N ove m be r 2 0 1 5 Vol. 06, Issue 97
Copyright © 2015 by The Mosque
Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction without permission is
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is published monthly in the United
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November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437
want money we will give you until you become the richest among us. If you want position and
fame we will make you our dignitary so that we will not do anything without consulting you.
And if you are seeking to be a king we will make you our king.” The Prophet
responded to
his uncle: “O uncle, I swear by Allah! If they were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon
in my left hand in order to have me leave this call I will not stop preaching and spreading Islam
until Allah reveals it or I die for it.” Peace and blessings be upon you, oh Messenger of Allah
! The greatest caller to truth! He
taught us to remain persistent in standing for truth, no
matter the cost. Today, those who call to the truth are rare and even those who do have little of
the patience required to follow through. However, his companions (R) followed in his example
when they migrated to Madinah, leaving behind their families, wealth, lands, and homes seeking
the pleasure of their Creator
.
Hasan al-Basri, a great Muslim scholar, once said, “Oh son of Adam, you are no more than a
number of days, every time a day passes, so does a part of you.” Let us take great measures to
ensure we take advantage of the guidance that Allah
has chosen to bestow upon us by planting good seeds so that our baskets will be full on the day of harvest.
To be among those who will reap the delectable fruits of their harvests, you must first begin
with an evaluation of our fara’id, those acts of worship that are obligatory, from salat to zakat
to siyam. Should you find a shortcoming in their performance, be hasty in rectifying it. Second,
cease committing acts that we have been forbidden from, repent to Allah
and perform good
deeds to wipe away the evil of these actions. Seek every opportunity to do good as outlined in the
Sunnah of our beloved Messenger
, such as asking Allah to bestow mercy and forgiveness to
the believing men and women, both those alive and those who have passed. Prophet Muhammad
promised we will receive a good deed for every believing person we prayed for as related by
Obadah (R). Volunteer your money and time for the sake of Allah
, which is an easy way to
adorn your time with good deeds and earn the pleasure and blessings of Allah
.
Third, evaluate your words and actions with a keen eye, the eye of a blameful soul. Each night
evaluate the actions of the morning and in the morning, evaluate the actions of the night. Aside
from developing a habit of evaluating your time, do your best to recite daily from the Quran. Start
with the recitation of a few verses a day, so that you do not overwhelm yourself and give up too
quickly. Every month or so you can increase the number of verses to ensure you are consistent in
performing good deeds which is most pleasing to Allah
. Keep yourself among those people
who value their time and encourage you to do good by remaining connected to the Masjid. Be
wary of timewasters; both people and actions! Be resolute in attending every Friday prayer,
jama’ah prayer, and attending a weekly circle of remembrance and reminder.
Finally, become a person of thikr by grasping every opportunity to remember Allah
and send
peace and blessings upon His Messenger
. Ask Allah
for forgiveness persistently during
the day and night for those things that you do know you did and those that you do not. Those
who ask for forgiveness are those who fear Hellfire the most. Keep track of every opportunity
to gain expiation of sins such as fasting the days of Tasooa’a and Ashoora’, the 9th and 10th of
Muharram which are just around the corner.
Brothers and Sisters, let us take advantage of our every heartbeat and every breath in this worldly
life to earn a home in the next life, the final destination and abode. Let us be among those whose
hard work paid off reclining on the beds of al-Jannah surrounded by what no eye of man has
witnessed, no ear has heard, and no mind could have imagined. Oh Allah! Make our last deeds
our best deeds and the conclusion of all our deeds good and the best of our days the Day we shall
meet You! Allahuma Ameen.
November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437
Keys to Enliven Your
Salah, Part 1
Sh. Ahmed Arafat
Have you ever felt that your performance in salat was reduced to
mumbled words? Or that mindfulness and connectedness was absent
during your prayer? Well, you are not alone! Many people express
the same concerns and desire to experience more meaningfulness
during salat which supports their spiritual growth. The goal of this
series is to illustrate different ways, or keys, to rescue and enliven
salat.
The first key is to approach salat as a form of Munajah, or an intimate conversation with Allah
. Missing the sense of Munajah
will cause your performance in salat to be automatic, machine-like
movements. The following are examples drawn from the Sunnah
which illustrate the power of Munajah in the salat of Prophet Muhammad
:
started
(1) After the first Takbirah, Prophet Muhammad
with “Du’aa’ al-‘Istiftah” or an opening prayer. There are a variety of opening ‘ad’iyah Prophet Muhammad
was reported to
have used. Here are some examples:
“I turn my face in complete devotion to One Who is the Originator of the heaven
and the earth and I am not of the polytheists. Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my
living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; There is no partner with
Him and this is what I have been commanded (to profess and believe) and I am
of the believers.”[Muslim]
(3) Rising from ruku’, Prophet Muhammad
would add:
“Our Lord, praise is Yours, abundant, good and blessed praise that fills the
heavens and the earth and what lies between them, and whatever else You please.
(You Allah) are most worthy of praise and majesty, and what the slave has said
- we are all Your slaves. O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give,
and none may give what You have withheld. And the might of the mighty person
cannot benefit him against You.” [Muslim]
(4) Besides “Subhana Rabbiya al-A’la” during his sujud (prostrating position), Prophet Muhammad
would add:
“O Allah, to You I have prostrated and in You I have believed and to You I have
submitted, and You are my Lord. My face has prostrated to the One Who created
it and formed it, and brought forth its hearing and sight. Blessed be Allah the
best of Creators.” [Muslim]
(5) Between each Sajdah, Prophet Muhammad
would say:
“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, heal me, and provide for
me.” Or “My Lord, forgive me.” twice [Abu Dawud]
In our next section we will briefly explore Surat al-Fatihah and how Prophet Muhammad
approached it as a form of Munajah with
Allah
.
“Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are due unto You, and blessed is Your
name and high is Your majesty and none is worthy of worship but you.”[AlTirmithi]
“O Allah, put a great distance between me and my sins, as great as the distance
You have made between the East and the West. O Allah, cleanse me of sin as a
white garment is cleansed from filth. O Allah, wash away my sins with snow and
water and hail.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
(2) Besides “Subhana Rabbiya al-‘Atheem” during his ruku’
(bowing position), Prophet Muhammad
would add:
“O Allah, to You I have bowed, in You I believe, to You I have submitted and in
You I put my trust. You are my Lord. My hearing, my sight, my blood, my flesh, my
bones and sinews are humbled before Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” [Muslim]
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First Day of School
After a long summer break, students of Al-Siddiq School finally
returned for the new school year of 2015-2016. Students expressed their excitement to start their first day at school. Upon
arrival, students were greeted with candy and pencils just to start
their day off with a smile. We pray that this year will be a successful one for all bi’thinillah!
Eid Gift Shop
Every year, Al-Siddiq School sets up a Eid Gift Shop where students are afforded an opportunity to buy their loved ones a small
gift for Eid. Students express great enthusiasm in buying gifts
for their family members and friends.
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November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437
November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437
Hajj Day
On September 20, 2015, Al-Siddiq School held their Annual
Mock Hajj. This year it was held outdoors for change. Brother
Islam Jaber served as the main speaker guiding students through
each Hajj station. Step by step, he accompanied students explaining briefly different steps of performing Hajj including tawaf,
sa’ee, and standing at ‘Arafa. The most exciting part for many
of the younger students was seeing a live sheep as they learned
the story of Ibrahim (A) and his son Ismail (A). Before completing their mock pilgrimage, students were each given a cup of
Zamzam water with a date. Hajj Mabroor to Al-Siddiq School’s
staff and students and to Sister Abeer Wazwaz. May Allah (SWT)
accept from you and us!
Eid Field Trip
On September 27, 2015, Al-Siddiq School divided students into
5 groups to attend separate field trips. Students attended either
of Fair Oaks Farm, Safari Land, Go Bananas, Paintballing, and
Starved Rock. Each group returned with big smiles and thoroughly enjoyed their time. We pray that our students and their
families enjoyed a blessed Eid with their families and loved ones!
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En El Nombre de Allah,
El Misericordioso
El Compasivo
Queridos hermanos de fe es una bendicion poder compartir con ustedes este articulo en este mes de Al- Muharram, cual es uno de los cuatro
meses benditos de Allah El Todopoderoso, en el calendario lunar islamico. Al- Muharram es conocido tambien como El mes de Allah; en una
hadiz Abu Huraira (que Allah este complacido con el) reporto del profeta(saws) fue preguntado cual es lo mas exelente despues de la oracion
prescrita,y cual es el ayuno mas exelente despues de el mes de Ramadan. El (saws) dijo: la oracion ofrecida en la mitad de la noche y el ayuno
mas exelente despues de el mes de Ramadan, es el ayuno en el mes de Allah Al-Muharram.(sahih muslim #2612).
Cuando el profeta(saws) emigro de Mecca a Al-medina, el profeta(saws)vio a los judios ayunando ese dia. El(saws) les pregunto porque estaban haciendo eso y ellos le dijeron la razon; que Allah le habia dado al profeta Moises(as)liberacion de el faraon en ese dia y ellos ayunaban
ese dia por el gozo de ser salvados. El profeta(saws) dijo; en este gozo de el profeta Moises (as), los musulmanes tienen derecho de observar
el ayuno mas que los judios. El profeta(saws)observo el ayuno en el dia 10 de Al- Muharram. El (saws) dijo que si el fuese a vivir el proximo
ano el (saws) ayunaria el dia 9 de Al-Muharram tambien, para asi ser diferentes de los judios.En otra hadiz , El profeta(saws) ordeno a los
musulmanes a observar el ayuno de Ashura y anadiendo el dia 9 al dia 10 o ayunar el dia 10 y el dia 11 de Al-Muharram a lo contrario de los
judios. (Musnad Ahmad, vol.4,p-21)En otra hadiz dice, que el ayuno en ese dia de Ashura expiara los pecados del ano que viene. (Muslim)
El dia de Ashura, el dia 10 de Al-Muharram cae en el dia 23 de Octubre, un Viernes y seria bueno anadir el dia Jueves, 22 de Octubre o el dia
Sabado, 24de Octubre. Ustedes tienen la oportunidad de elejir hacer este ayuno voluntario para su beneficio; es una bendicion para losque buscan acercarse a Allah (SWAT)y desean recibir cual enorme recompenza de Nuestro Creador, El Misericordioso, El Generoso, El Compasivo.
Inshallah este articulo sea de beneficio para ustedes pues asi como la hadiz de el profeta Mohammad(swas) dijo :”Ninguno de vosotros cree,
hasta que quiera para su hermano, lo que quiere para si mismo.”(Al-Bukhari y Muslim) Pense en mis hermanos de fe y con la ayuda de Allah
(SWAT) decidi escribir sobre este articulo. Quiera Allah (SWAT) darnos la oportunidad de hacer acciones buenas que nos ayuden aumentar
nuestra fe,Amen.
Su hermana en Islam,
Celia Snowber
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November 2015 – Muharram - Safar 1437