EID AL-FITIR 2017 ..EID MUBARAK

EID MUBARAK AND MANY HAPPY RETURN OF THE DAY

أتقدم لكم بأطيب التهاني وأجمل البركات بمناسبة حلول عيد الفطر المبارك

أعاده الله علينا وعليكم و على الأمة الإسلامية بالخير والبركات

سائلاً المولى عز وجل أن يتقبل صيامنا وقيامنا.

 BROTHERS, SISTERS AND FRIENDS WORLDWIDE EID MUBARAK AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY.

EID MUBARAK

EID AL-FITIR 2017 
 
Eid Mubarik and many happy returns of the day.Do not miss the Eid prayer and make your families, relatives and friends happy. Provide charity to the poor and deprived neighbours, visit the sick, and remember the dead of your relatives and friends.

May Allah accept our fasting, our prayers and our charity during Ramadan and after. May Allah bless us, our families, friends, neighbours and all Muslims worldwide with joy, prosperity and peace of mind.

May Allah free all oppressed, cure all sick, enrich all poor. May Allah guide us to his path and make us those whom he shields from all evil. May Allah make us those he frees from hell in the honour of Eid Al-Fitr Al-mubarak.Ameen.

EID MUBARAK TO YOU ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISLAM.



Ahmed Hassan Arwo
Somaliland Presidential Economic Advisor
eci.advisor@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ahmed-Arwo/246544372035127

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1438 Ramadan and Rahma 2017-21.. by Ahmed Arwo

Laylatul-Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan

"When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer), and wake up his family." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]As we are in the last ten days of Ramadan which includes the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr), we have to reflect on their virtue and spiritual assets. There are many fictions and fabrications in relation to this night specifically and to the last ten days of Ramadan in general. There are stories about surprise encounters of saints and prophets in disguise, mostly as beggars in the most detesting and disgusting shape and clothing. There are others who celebrate the greatness of this night in worldly festive mood with music and dance, similar to the Christmas, and even distribute surprise gifts to children and poor families, in a manner near to that of Father Christmas.

I do not want to indulge myself into innovations and misinterpretation of this glorious night, lest I may distract those of weak hearts from this special night full of Allah's mercy and forgiveness. May Allah make us those who endorse this night in prayer and dikr, as prescribed by Allah and his Messenger. Let us commit ourselves to commemorate this ten nights in accordance to the conduct of the Prophet and his companions.

The following article by one of the greatest scholars of Islam, Sheikh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani (may Allah reward him about his unreserved efforts in spreading the correct principles and practices of Islam), will guide us to the proper way of honouring last ten days of Ramadan, specially how to seek Laylatul-Qadr . The article is posted in its authenticity and entirety, without any change in shape and form from http://www.islamtoday.com/.

How to Seek Laylatul-QadrShaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-AlbaniAdapted from "The Night Prayers: Qiyam & Tarawih from works by Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albani (and other scholars)" Compiled by Muhammad al-Jibali.

Laylat ul-Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. If a believing person is zealous to obey his Lord and increase the good deeds in his record, he should strive to encounter this night and to pass it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven.
Praying Qiyaam
It is recommended to make a long Qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many hadeeths, such as the following:
Abu Tharr (radhiallahu `anhu) relates:

"We fasted with Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in Ramadaan. He did not lead us (in qiyaam) at all until there were seven (nights of Ramadaan) left. Then he stood with us (that night - in prayer) until one third of the night had passed. He did not pray with us on the sixth. On the fifth night, he prayed with us until half of the night had passed. So we said, 'Allah's Messenger! Wouldn't you pray with us the whole night?' He replied:
'Whoever stands in prayer with the imaam until he (the imaam) concludes the prayer, it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.'…" [Recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmithi (who authenticated it), an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, at-Tahawi (in Sharhu Ma`an il-Athar, Ibn Nasr, al-Faryabi, and al-Bayhaqi. Their isnad is authentic.]

[Point of benefit: Abu Dawud mentioned: "I heard Ahmad being asked, 'Do you like for a man to pray with the people or by himself during Ramadan?' He replied, 'Pray with the people' I also heard him say, 'I would prefer for one to pray (qiyaam) with the imaam and to pray witr with him as well, for the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "When a man prays with the imaam until he concludes, it is recorded that he prayed the rest of that night." [Masaa'il]]
Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu `anhu) narrated that the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylat ul-Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the addition "and it is facilitated for him" is recorded by Ahmad from the report of `Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]
Making Supplications
It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. `A'ishah (radhiallahu `anha) reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylat ul-Qadr, what should I say during it?" And he instructed her to say:
"Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuh.ibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee - O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me." [Recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi. Verified to be authentic by Al-Albani]

Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr is likely to be. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah. `A'ishah (radhiallahu `anha) reported:
And she said:
"Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights." [Muslim]

Ahmed Arwo
Samotalis@gmail.com
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

Waxyaabaha Casriga ah ee la xidhiidha soonka Sh.Barbaraawi

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

18 Reasons Why Muslims Should Fast in Ramadan

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint. [Quran 2:183]

Ramadan is a month of fasting and prayers for the Muslims. The fast consists of total abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk. There is, however, a greater significance to fasts than mere abstinence from eating and drinking. The real objective of fasts is to inculcate in man the spirit of abstinence from sins and of cultivation of virtue. Thus the Qur'an declares that the fasts have been prescribed with a view to developing piety in man, as is clear from the verse quoted at the top of this page.

How are the many facets of piety sought to be cultivated through the fasts?
The prime consideration in undertaking fast, as in any act of devotion, is to seek NEARNESS TO GOD and beseech HIS PLEASURE and FORGIVENESS. This itself generates a spirit of piety in man.

The willful creation of the stringent conditions of hunger and thirst for one's own self, simply in obedience to the Divine Order, measures the FAITH of man in God and helps to strengthen it by putting it to a severe test.

Fasting enhances through creation of artificial non-availability, the value of the bounties of God, which man is apt to take for granted in the midst of plentiful availability, and thus inculcates in man a spirit of GRATITUDE and consequent DEVOTION to GOD. Nothing else can bring home to man the worth of God's bounties than a glass of water and a square meal after a day‑long fast. This also reminds man that the real joy in enjoying God's bounties lies in MODERATION and RESTRAINT and not in OVER INDULGENCE.

Fasting makes us deeply conscious of the pangs of hunger and discomfort suffered by the less fortunate among our brethren, who may have to put up with such stringent conditions all through their lives it thus enkindles in man a spirit of SACRIFICE leading to CHARITY towards his suffering brethren.

Fasting affords man an unfailing training in ENDURANCE i.e. a SPIRIT OF. ACCEPTANCE of the inevitable, which could well prepare him to put up with the unchangeable situations in life in the same spirit of RESIGNATION as cultivated during the fasts.
Fasting develops COURAGE, FORTITUDE and a FIGHTING SPIRIT IN man to surmount the heavy odds in life with a cool and tranquil mind. It sharpens his, power of CONCENTRATION to overcome obstacles, through a vigorous exercise all through the month, leading to a steeling of his WILL POWER and RESOLVE, which could help him in trying situations in actual life. It is seen that many an undesirable habit which is found hard to leave, is more easily left off during the days of fasting.

Fasting teaches man RELIANCE on God and CONFIDENCE in HIM in facing the bitter situations in life with the comforting thought that these too, ordained by Him, could well be surmounted through His assistance alone, even as the rigorous state of fasting for a complete month. For, fasting develops the quality of PATIENCE in man, with the realization that, as the days of fasting, though seeming unending do have a successful and, so are all the bitter situations in life. It therefore infuses a spirit of GOOD CHEER, (driving away BITTERNESS and DESPAIR) in his attitude towards life and in his demeanor towards others.

Through quick alternation of the state of plenty and of scarcity, fasting seeks to inculcate in man the right type of attitude in different situations in life of GRATITUDE and THANKSGIVING in plenty and of PATIENCE and FORBEARANCE in difficulty.


Fasting is meant to CONQUER ANGER, not to augment it, and to develop SELF CONTROL in man; for the vigorous effort of willfully putting up with a continued state of hunger and thirst can well be extended to conquer other infirmities of human character that lead man into error and sin.


Fasting inculcates a spirit of TOLERANCE in man to face unpleasant conditions and situations without making his fellow-being the victim of his wrath on account of his adverse conditions, such as deprivation of his basic needs of life, which constitutes the common cause of dissension among men.


Fasting MELLOWS a man and enhances his character, giving jolt to the human instincts of 'PRIDE, HAUGHTINESS, ENVY and AMBITION, for when fasting, a man's energies are too sapped to follow these instincts which are the chief causes of discord and conflict among men.


Fasting exposes the weakness of man in the event of his being deprived of but two of the bounties of God those of food and drink; it thus infuses in him a spirit of MEEKNESS and SUBMISSION, generating HUMILITY and PRAYER in an otherwise arrogant man.


Fasting breathes the spirit of FORGIVENESS in man towards his subordinates, as he himself seeks God's FORGIVENESS through fasts and prayers.


Fasting affords lessons in PUNCTUALITY through man's strict adherence to various time schedules in the observance of fasts and offering of prayers.


Fasting can be made to effect ECONOMY in an individual's life, which can be extended to wider spheres.


Fasting enforces in man rigid DISCIPLINE mental, spiritual and physical a trait of character which forms an essential ingredient to success in human life.


Fasting provides LEISURE, that could he gainfully employed in devotional or intellectual pursuits. The month long duration of fasts creates a proper climate for the SPIRITUAL REFORMATION in man, infusing in him a spirit of enthusiasm and zest to turn over a new leaf an opportunity provided every year.


On the physical side, fasting cleanses the human system of the accumulated impurities of uninterrupted eating throughout the year. It prepares the body for toughness and hardihood to face disease or conditions of scarcity. The rigid abstinence that the fast provides, regulates man's HEALTH, sharpens has INTELLECT, gives spurt to his SPIRITUALLY and enhances the qualities of his HEART. With the cleansing of the human body, it paves the way for its easy and effective rebuilding through meals at the end of the day or after the month is over.

*****

Source: Jamiatul Ulama (Council of Muslim Theologians), Johannesburg, South Africa.

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1438 Ramadan Mubarak Spreading the message of Qur’an

1438 Ramadan Mubarak Spreading the message of Qur’an
P. K. ABDUL GHAFOUR

The Jeddah-based Holy Qur’an Memorization International Organization (HQMIO), an affiliate of Muslim World League (MWL), has been playing an important role in spreading the message of Qur’an all over the world by conducting a variety of educational programs.

The organization will hold a grand ceremony in Jeddah during the holy month of Ramadan to honor the winners of its international prize for the service to the Holy Qur’an.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of MWL, thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for his support to the program, adding that it would be attended by prominent personalities including academics and scholars.

The prize categories include: The best personality in service to the Qur’an; the best college of Qur’an; the best Qur’an contest; the best Qur’an society; the best model institute for Qur’an memorization; the best Qur’an memorization teacher; the best TV program on the Qur’an; the best website on the Qur’an; the best Qur’an scholar; and the best Qur’anic research.

“By organizing this international prize we intend to highlight and recognize the efforts of various individuals and organizations in the service of Qur’an and honor the best among them,” said Dr. Al-Turki. “We hope the prize would encourage Qur’anic institutions to compete with one another by developing their educational systems and improving their performance.”

Dr. Abdullah Basfar, secretary-general of HQMIO, thanked King Abdullah for his generous support to his organization. “Since the time of King Abdul Aziz, the Saudi leaders have given utmost importance to teaching and spreading the message of the Holy Qur’an.”

The Qur’an is a divine book of guidance sent by the Almighty for the progress and salvation of the whole humanity. If offers the panacea for the problems facing mankind.

Basfar urged people all over the world to look at Islam and the Qur'an fairly for their own benefit. "After the global financial crisis, some Western thinkers and economists called for introducing the Islamic banking system. The world should be humble to learn what God has taught it through Islam,” he said. Basfar's organization, which was established in 2000, runs more than 60 model Qur'an memorization institutes in Africa, Asia and Europe. Students are also taught Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith, Tawhid and Islamic history.

"We provide scholarships to graduates of these institutes to pursue higher studies in medicine, engineering, management and other courses," he said, adding that the HQMIO has so far given more than 1,500 scholarships. The organization also sponsors Qur'an learning centers at mosques.

Basfar called for joint efforts by international Muslim organizations to spread the message of Qur’an, being the word of God and a blessing for the whole mankind. “There are millions of Muslims who do not even know how to read a small chapter of the Qur’an,” he said.

Basfer’s organization also holds Qur’an recitation and memorization contests at national, regional and international levels in order to encourage Muslim youths to study the holy book.

HQMIO has been organizing an annual competition for Pakistani children below 10 in Islamabad, which draws 1,000 boys and girls. HQMIO held a ceremony in Islamabad two days ago to honor young winners of the competition, which was attended by prominent Pakistani and Saudi officials.

Addressing the function, Jassim bin Muhammad Al-Khaledi, deputy head of mission at Saudi Embassy, commended the efforts of MWL and its organizations such as HQMIO and the International Islamic Relief Organization Saudi Arabia in the service of Islam and Muslims.


http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1438 Ramadan Mubarak - A religion that offers remedy for social ills

1438 Ramadan Mubarak - A religion that offers remedy for social ills

A religion that offers remedy for social ills

This is the last part of Abdul-Lateef Abdullah’s story about how Islam changed his life.

Being a social scientist by trade, much of my time is spent working on and pondering over the ills and dilemmas of our society. As I learned more about Islam, I came to the conclusion that societal ills are based primarily on unhealthy, dysfunctional social behaviors. Since Islam is a lifestyle focused totally on the most healthy, positive way of conducting our lives in every setting, then it is, and will always be, the only true answer to any society's social dilemmas. With this realization, not only did I decide that Islam was relevant to my everyday life, but I began to understand why it is so different from other religions. Only Islam provides knowledge and guidance for every aspect of life. Only Islam provides a way to achieve health and happiness in every dimension of life — physical, spiritual, mental, financial, etc. Only Islam provides us with a clear life goal and purpose. And only Islam shows us how to live in and contribute to a community, not just talk about it. Islam is what everyone needs, and what so many who have not found it yet, are searching for. It is the path to purpose, meaning, health and happiness. This is because it is the straight path to the source of all the power we could ever need — God.

It was only until I actually became Muslim that I realized just how encompassing our lifestyle truly is. Literally everything we are instructed to do has one underlying purpose — to remember God. It just shows the absolute and divine brilliance of the religion, in that there is a lifestyle that can show you how to remember your Creator in as simple an act as greeting someone, or getting dressed in the morning, or waking up from sleep. Islam shows us that by constantly remembering God, everything we do becomes focused on Him, and thus becomes an act of worship. From this, our energy, our thoughts, and our actions all become redirected away from unhealthy and useless causes, and focused on the source of all goodness. Thus, we are continuously tapping into His divine strength, mercy and grace. So, by remembering God constantly, we become stronger, better, and healthier in every aspect of our lives.

I thank God everyday for the ease to which he has allowed me to make the necessary changes in my life so that I can continue to live in America and still be, Insha-Allah, a good Muslim. As a white, middle-class American, many of the cultural aspects of Islam are quite different from what I, and those close to me throughout my life, have been used to. In fact, when I finally broke the news to my family that I had taken my Shahada (testimony of faith) and become Muslim, almost all of their questions and concerns were related to cultural differences — marriage, social life, family, etc. They were much less concerned about my general beliefs around God and religious practice. For my family, friends, and co-workers, becoming Muslim was not seen necessarily as a negative change, but it has required a great deal of education for them about Islam. In fact, as with my own education, this process of sharing the truth about Islam with them is never-ending because there is no limit to how much knowledge we can acquire, and it is the responsibility of every one of us to share whatever right knowledge we have.

Because acquiring right knowledge is such a critical component to a Muslim's development, having a teacher who has taught me how to apply Islam in everyday life that has made all the difference for me and helped me in managing whatever difficulties I have experienced from my reversion. Having someone knowledgeable you can turn to whenever you have questions is a wonderful support that every new Muslim should go out of their way to find. Islam is not a religion that can be rationalized, in the way that Christianity and Judaism have been over the ages. It is a clear path that must be followed exactly as God laid for us through the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his companions, and the scholars of Islam.

In this day and age, in this society, discerning the path can often be difficult, especially when we are constantly faced with questions and doubts from people who on the surface may not be hostile to Islam, but whose general lack of faith can have a harmful effect on someone who bases everything they do on their love for God. It is also not easy being in an environment where we are constantly bombarded with sensual temptations which are seen as ordinary, common aspects of everyday life.

But when we have the support of a knowledgeable, experienced teacher, who is able to apply the universal teachings of Islam to his life, then the truth becomes clear from error, exactly how God describes in the Qur’an. From this, we are able to understand how to apply Islam correctly to our own lives, and thus receive God's many blessings. The ultimate test, however, of anyone who claims to have true and right knowledge, is to look at how they apply it in their own lives. If their actions support their teachings, then and only then should we look to them for guidance.

My journey to Islam, although short, has been a life-altering experience. It is one that with every passing day makes me more and more appreciative and thankful to Almighty God. The extent of His mercy can only fully be understood from the perspective of someone who prostrates themselves regularly and submits their will to that of the Creator. This is what I strive for through Islam. It is the struggle that we must fight every moment of every day, but one that we love, because we know Who to turn to for support and Who is helping us along.

I look back at my life prior to Islam and reflect on the different ways I sought guidance. I think back to all the different ideas I once had of who God really is, and how we can become close to Him. I look back now and smile and perhaps even shed a tear because now I know the truth. Now, life makes sense. Now, life is order. Now, I know why I am here, where I want to go, what I want my life to be, how I want to live, and what is most important not just to me, but to everyone. I only hope and pray that others who have not found the path yet, can feel the same that I do.

(Courtesy of www.islamreligion.com)

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1437 Zakat Al-Fitr 2016

1437 Zakat Al-Fitr 2016

Ahmed Arwo

Islam is a religion of unity. Believers are united in all acts of worship, regardless of difference in gender, colour, nationality or social status. We fasted together, and we are about to feast together. To realise that communal feast, it is necessary to help the poor and the destitute. Hence the obligatory alms imposed not only on rich and adults, but on relatively poor and minors accomplish this objective. All living Muslims before sunset of last day of Ramadan, are duty bound to pay Zakatul Fitr.

No other religion or any political system prepares its subjects for life long charity at birth. Although it is the parents that pay on behalf of minors, we have to teach and involve our children in exercising this duty. I remember back home, during my childhood that each one of us used to be given a portion of rice (SA'A) to give out. It is practically easy and effective way to prepare children for their spiritual responsibility. I hope this tradition is well maintained at home and abroad. Those of us who pay Zakat Al- Fitr in cash, can adopt this practice easily by handing the prescribed amount of money due, to each child, and instructing them to put into family collection, from which we can send either to Zakat funds collected in Mosques or sent to poor relatives back home.

Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wassalam) said in a Hadith: "A person who attributes anything to me, which I have not said, is making his abode in the Hill." With that warning, I always leave interpretation and explanation of Islamic concepts and principles to our scholars who are professionally qualified to simplify every complex issue to our benefit. That is evident in the following article which comprehensively elucidates everything we need to know about Zakatul Fitr. The following article is from http://www.islam.com/copied in its entirety without any change in form or shape. May Allah accept our fasting and make us among those he emancipated from Hell. Ameen.

ZAKATUL-FITRE AND EID 

A- Zakat Al Fitr
Zakat al Fitr is an obligatory charity on every Muslim at the end of the month of Ramadan. Ibn `Umar said: "The Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, enjoined the payment of one Sa'a of dates or one Sa'a of barley as Zakat al-Fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim) The purpose of Zakat al-Fitr is to purify the one who has fasted from any type of indecent act or speech he might have committed while fasting. It also helps the poor and the needy. Ibn Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, enjoined Zakat al-Fitr on the one who fasts to shield him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy." (Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.)

The Amount of Zakat al-Fitr
As the first hadeeth indicated, the amount of Zakat al-Fitr is one Sa'a. Sa'a is a volume measure corresponding approximately to the volume of 5 lb of good wheat. The material of the Zakat can be either dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn or similar items considered as basic foods. Abu Saeed said: "We used to give for Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of every child, aged person, free man or slave during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, one Sa'a of food, or one Sa'a of dried yogurt, or one Sa'a of barley, or one Sa'a of dates, or one Sa'a of raisins." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.) In U.K a cash payment of £4.00 is equivalent in value to Sa'a and is due on each person. And Allah knows the best.

The Time for Zakat al-Fitr
Zakat al-Fitr has to be paid by the end of Ramadhan. There are two times to pay Zakat al-Fitr. Either one or two days before Eid as 'Umar used to do, or the day of Eid before the Eid prayer. Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, ordered them to pay Zakat al-Fitr before they go out to perform the Eid prayer. If Zakat al-Fitr is paid after the Eid prayer, it will only be considered as regular charity. The Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, said: "If one pays Zakat al-Fitr before the Salat, it is considered an accepted Zakat, if he pays it after the Salat, it is considered an ordinary charity." (Related by Abu Dawud.)
Zakat al-Fitr is to be given to the same eight categories or people as in the other types of Zakat. Some scholars say that the poor and the needy are the most deserving ones since the Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, said that it had "...the purpose of providing food for the needy.

Ahmed  Hassan Arwo

https://www.facebook.com/aharwo/

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1437 Zakat Al-Fitr 2016

1437 Zakat Al-Fitr 2016

Ahmed Arwo

Islam is a religion of unity. Believers are united in all acts of worship, regardless of difference in gender, colour, nationality or social status. We fasted together, and we are about to feast together. To realise that communal feast, it is necessary to help the poor and the destitute. Hence the obligatory alms imposed not only on rich and adults, but on relatively poor and minors accomplish this objective. All living Muslims before sunset of last day of Ramadan, are duty bound to pay Zakatul Fitr.

No other religion or any political system prepares its subjects for life long charity at birth. Although it is the parents that pay on behalf of minors, we have to teach and involve our children in exercising this duty. I remember back home, during my childhood that each one of us used to be given a portion of rice (SA'A) to give out. It is practically easy and effective way to prepare children for their spiritual responsibility. I hope this tradition is well maintained at home and abroad. Those of us who pay Zakat Al- Fitr in cash, can adopt this practice easily by handing the prescribed amount of money due, to each child, and instructing them to put into family collection, from which we can send either to Zakat funds collected in Mosques or sent to poor relatives back home.

Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wassalam) said in a Hadith: "A person who attributes anything to me, which I have not said, is making his abode in the Hill." With that warning, I always leave interpretation and explanation of Islamic concepts and principles to our scholars who are professionally qualified to simplify every complex issue to our benefit. That is evident in the following article which comprehensively elucidates everything we need to know about Zakatul Fitr. The following article is from http://www.islam.com/copied in its entirety without any change in form or shape. May Allah accept our fasting and make us among those he emancipated from Hell. Ameen.

ZAKATUL-FITRE AND EID 

A- Zakat Al Fitr
Zakat al Fitr is an obligatory charity on every Muslim at the end of the month of Ramadan. Ibn `Umar said: "The Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, enjoined the payment of one Sa'a of dates or one Sa'a of barley as Zakat al-Fitr on every Muslim, young and old, male and female, free and slave." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim) The purpose of Zakat al-Fitr is to purify the one who has fasted from any type of indecent act or speech he might have committed while fasting. It also helps the poor and the needy. Ibn Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, enjoined Zakat al-Fitr on the one who fasts to shield him from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of providing food for the needy." (Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.)

The Amount of Zakat al-Fitr
As the first hadeeth indicated, the amount of Zakat al-Fitr is one Sa'a. Sa'a is a volume measure corresponding approximately to the volume of 5 lb of good wheat. The material of the Zakat can be either dates, barley, wheat, rice, corn or similar items considered as basic foods. Abu Saeed said: "We used to give for Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of every child, aged person, free man or slave during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, one Sa'a of food, or one Sa'a of dried yogurt, or one Sa'a of barley, or one Sa'a of dates, or one Sa'a of raisins." (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.) In U.K a cash payment of £4.00 is equivalent in value to Sa'a and is due on each person. And Allah knows the best.

The Time for Zakat al-Fitr
Zakat al-Fitr has to be paid by the end of Ramadhan. There are two times to pay Zakat al-Fitr. Either one or two days before Eid as 'Umar used to do, or the day of Eid before the Eid prayer. Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, ordered them to pay Zakat al-Fitr before they go out to perform the Eid prayer. If Zakat al-Fitr is paid after the Eid prayer, it will only be considered as regular charity. The Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, said: "If one pays Zakat al-Fitr before the Salat, it is considered an accepted Zakat, if he pays it after the Salat, it is considered an ordinary charity." (Related by Abu Dawud.)
Zakat al-Fitr is to be given to the same eight categories or people as in the other types of Zakat. Some scholars say that the poor and the needy are the most deserving ones since the Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhe wa sallam, said that it had "...the purpose of providing food for the needy.

Ahmed  Hassan Arwo

https://www.facebook.com/aharwo/

http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

1437 Most believe Laylatul-Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan 2016

1437 Most believe Laylatul-Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan 2016

Ahmed Arwo

"When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer), and wake up his family." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

As we are in the last ten days of Ramadan which includes the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr), we have to reflect on their virtue and spiritual assets. There are many fictions and fabrications in relation to this night specifically and to the last ten days of Ramadan in general. There are stories about surprise encounters of saints and prophets in disguise, mostly as beggars in the most detesting and disgusting shape and clothing. There are others who celebrate the greatness of this night in worldly festive mood with music and dance, similar to the Christmas, and even distribute surprise gifts to children and poor families, in a manner near to that of Father Christmas.

I do not want to indulge myself into innovations and misinterpretation of this glorious night, lest I may distract those of weak hearts from this special night full of Allah's mercy and forgiveness. May Allah make us those who endorse this night in prayer and dikr, as prescribed by Allah and his Messenger. Let us commit ourselves to commemorate this ten nights in accordance to the conduct of the Prophet and his companions.

The following article by one of the greatest scholars of Islam, Sheikh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani (may Allah reward him about his unreserved efforts in spreading the correct principles and practices of Islam), will guide us to the proper way of honouring last ten days of Ramadan, specially how to seek Laylatul-Qadr . The article is posted in its authenticity and entirety, without any change in shape and form www.islamtoday.com.

How to Seek Laylatul-Qadr

Shaykh Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-AlbaniAdapted from "The Night Prayers: Qiyam & Tarawih from works by Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albani (and other scholars)" Compiled by Muhammad al-Jibali.

Laylat ul-Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. If a believing person is zealous to obey his Lord and increase the good deeds in his record, he should strive to encounter this night and to pass it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven.

Praying Qiyaam

It is recommended to make a long Qiyaam prayer during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many hadeeths, such as the following:

Abu Tharr (radhiallahu `anhu) relates:

"We fasted with Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in Ramadaan. He did not lead us (in qiyaam) at all until there were seven (nights of Ramadaan) left. Then he stood with us (that night - in prayer) until one third of the night had passed. He did not pray with us on the sixth. On the fifth night, he prayed with us until half of the night had passed. So we said, 'Allah's Messenger! Wouldn't you pray with us the whole night?' He replied:

'Whoever stands in prayer with the imaam until he (the imaam) concludes the prayer, it is recorded for him that he prayed the whole night.'…" [Recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmithi (who authenticated it), an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, at-Tahawi (in Sharhu Ma`an il-Athar, Ibn Nasr, al-Faryabi, and al-Bayhaqi. Their isnad is authentic.]

[Point of benefit: Abu Dawud mentioned: "I heard Ahmad being asked, 'Do you like for a man to pray with the people or by himself during Ramadan?' He replied, 'Pray with the people' I also heard him say, 'I would prefer for one to pray (qiyaam) with the imaam and to pray witr with him as well, for the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: "When a man prays with the imaam until he concludes, it is recorded that he prayed the rest of that night." [Masaa'il]]

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu `anhu) narrated that the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylat ul-Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the addition "and it is facilitated for him" is recorded by Ahmad from the report of `Ubaadah Bin as-Samit; it means that he is permitted to be among the sincere worshippers during that blessed night.]
Making Supplications

It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. `A'ishah (radhiallahu `anha) reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylat ul-Qadr, what should I say during it?" And he instructed her to say:

"Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuh.ibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee - O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love forgiveness. So forgive me." [Recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi. Verified to be authentic by Al-Albani]

Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship
It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr is likely to be. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah. `A'ishah (radhiallahu `anha) reported:

And she said:

"Allah's Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) used to exert more (in worship) on the last ten than on other nights." [Muslim]

Ahmed Arwo
Samotalis@gmail.com
http://samotalis.blogspot.com

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RAMADAAN KARIIM IYO BARAKADA SOONKA...AHMED ARWO

Waxa berrito Isniin 6 June 2016 inoo bilaabmaysa bisha barakaysan ee Ramadaan, bisha soonka, bisha quraanka, bisha dambi dhaafka, bisha nafta lala xisaabtamo, Allana sheydaanka inga xidho.

Waxaan hanbalyo iyo bogaadin u dirayaa ummadda islaamka, iyo Soomalida ku nool shanta dal Somaliland, Somalia, Jabuuti, Ethiopia Somali Zone, iyo Somalida Kenya, sidoo kale Soomalida qurbojooga ah ee daafaha dunida ku daadsan.

Waxaan dalka Somaliland xukuumad, shacbi, rag iyo dumar, dhalin iyo waayeel, miyi iyo magaalo u baryayaa in Alle barakada soonka nimco iyo barkhad inoogu daro , in Alle nabadda inoo xoojiyo. Sidoo kale ayaan u rajeynayaa Soomalida kale iyo guud ahaan dunida Islaamka.

Allow meeshii dab ka baxaayo dami, Allow colaadda ka qaad dunida Islaamka, Allow beerkooda burcad isu mari, Allow adaa awood u leh ee u gargaar shacbiga Suuriya iyo Falastiin.

Waxaa habboon in qof waliba xisaabtamo oo qaladkuu galay ka toobad keeno, haddaad xil ummadda u hayso xisaabtan, oo xusuuso inay geeri iyo xisaab aakhiro ku sugayso, xilka naftaada iyo qoyskaaga kaa saaran qiimee oo u gudo sida ugu habboon. Iska jir markhaatiga beenta ah. Ma aha markhaatigu kan maxkamadda uun laga hor furo, waxa ka mid ah qoraalada beenta ah ee qofna lagu daafacaayo qofna laga been sheegaayo. Waxa ka mid ah TVga qof keliyi kolba waji soo gashanaayo.

Dambi aadmi ayaa loo yahay oo waa ina daan weyne, ee waxa la rabaa soo noqosho iyo toobad keen. Allow ha na dilin anagoon toobad keenin, Allow dambigayaga, kii waalidiintayo, ka muslimka kii dhintay iyo kan noolba Allow dhaaf. Allow ha naga dhigin kuwa ammaanada ummadda ku tagri fala mid umadeed iyo mid shakhsiba. Allow ha noo ciqaabin danbiga ay galaan kuwa aan noo naxayn adna kaa cabsoonayn. Allow naga qabo kuwa iyagoo xumaan samaynaaya ku dhuunto diinta iyo munaafiqiinta.
Muslinow yeyna ku dhaafin barakada Ramadaan, soonka raaci quraan akhris iyo taraawiixda, iska jir golayaasha xanta iyo beenta, ka dheerow namiimada iyo isku dirka.

Alle heyna hanuuniyo dhammaanteen danbiile ayeynu nahay ee Alle dambigeena ha dhaafo. Aamiin.
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Ramadan in Gaza: life under missile-fire

Ramadan in Gaza: life under missile-fire
More than 100 have died – often women and children in their own homes – and food prices are rising fast as supplies dry up



Peter Beaumont in Gaza City

The Guardian,

Palestinians flee an air strike on a house in Rafah that killed five people and wounded 15 others on the fourth day of the Israeli military campaign. Photograph: Eyad Al Baba/Anadolu Agency/Getty


In Gaza's largely deserted streets, the first thing you notice is the absence of children.

The beach, usually crowded on Friday afternoons, is empty save for a handful of fishermen casting hand nets into the surf next to the harbour wall.

Al-Azhar park – next to the university of the same name – and Barcelona park with its climbing frames, lawns and basketball courts, are empty.

The few children who are outside play in the sheltered spaces between tall apartment blocks and the narrow lanes of the poorer neighbourhoods, a few feet from their doors under the watchful eyes of their parents: places deemed safer from bomb blasts.

It is the fourth day of Israel's intensive bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip, and more than 100 Palestinians have been killed, many of them children. More than 670 are injured. Families here have settled into a tense wartime regime, a daily routine hard-learned from Israel's previous military campaigns of 2008-09 and 2012.

Unlike Israel, there are no bomb shelters in Gaza. There are no sirens to warn of incoming missiles and no Iron Dome to shoot them down. The only warning, and one provided only intermittently, is that from those dropping the bombs – supplied by phone, text or a warning shot to the roof.

Under the ever-present hum of circling drones, squeal of jets, bomb-blasts and the thud of naval gunfire from the sea, most women and children are stuck indoors, often in buildings without electricity.

These families have been caught in a tragic catch-22. Afraid to leave their homes when the Israeli warplanes do drop their bombs on Gaza's neighbourhoods, it is the women and children sheltering in the buildings where they instinctively feel safest who are dying.

Israel has said it is training its missiles on Gaza's homes – a practice the United Nations Human Rights Office says may violate international law – because Hamas and other militants are hiding inside.

"We have received disturbing reports that many of the civilian casualties, including of children, occurred as a result of strikes on homes," Ravina Shamdasani, a UN spokeswoman said on Thursday. "Such reports raise doubts about whether the Israeli air strikes have been in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law."

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has rejected the criticism of international and local human rights groups and vowed to continue with the campaign. "No international pressure will prevent Israel from continuing its operation in Gaza … The leaders of Hamas are hiding behind the citizens of Gaza, and they are responsible for all casualties," he said.

For the 1.8 million people living in Gaza, this means that long Ramadan days – from before dawn until the late bedtime traditional during the fasting month – will continue to be defined by limited exposure to the open air.

Gaza City's central Firas market is usually packed with shoppers shoulder to shoulder, looking for fruit and vegetables after noon prayers. This Friday a few people were bustling along its lanes. Hamdi Haboush, 63, sat outside the hardware store where he sells brush heads and squeegees, spice racks and spades. "I haven't had any customers at all today," he said. "I only opened because I couldn't bear staying in the house. There are 50 of my family in our building, including twenty grandchildren.

"It's only really me who is going to early prayers at the moment [at four in the morning]. But it's the most frightening time for bombs so I walk close to the walls on my way to mosque.

"Otherwise no-one is going out. There's no work and nothing to do. Nowhere safe to go. Everyone is in a state of panic wondering when a bomb will fall.

"We have two metres square of space where the younger children can play. Last night some of the grandchildren came to me and said: 'Why are you going to open your shop? It's scary.' But I have to come out to change my mood."

Other men standing or sitting by their empty shops and stalls said the same. There is no money to be made – only relief from households going "crazy".

If, as Haboush says, early morning prayers are quiet, a steady stream of men and older boys filed in to the main mosque in Radwan for Friday prayers.

Mahmoud Karazem, 30, arrived late and in a hurry. He has grown used to the bombs over the years and different campaigns: "It's normal." Life under advanced missile-fire is not yet normal for his wife and two young toddlers.

"My wife is at home with the children. They are one and a half and almost three. I try to reassure them but when a bomb explodes it bursts the bubble. I cuddle them to get them used it, but sometimes it doesn't work."

The imam began his sermon with a message to worshippers that they were engaged in a fight of "good against evil". Ramadan "is a time of victories" he said before condemning the complicity of America and the international community and "the silence of the Arab world".

Mahmoud Khalija went to buy groceries after midday prayers. A worker at Gaza City's Shifa hospital, he said he is attempting to go about his life as "normally as possible".

"My wife is going to work too," he said. "Our older children stay at home with the youngest. The prices are the biggest problem. There is no fish," he added, indicating a shuttered fish stall. "And because it is so hard for the farmers to harvest and bring their produce to the market, some prices have quadrupled."

Others who had ventured out explained the judgment call: roads exposed to the sea, and therefore to Israel's naval gunships, are to be avoided. Roads bordering farmland where rockets are launched, are driven through quickly, if at all.

In Gaza, wealth cannot inoculate you from fear. In affluent neighbourhoods, where the buildings are taller and more widely spaced, the sound of the dropping missiles rings more loudly and clearly than in the huddled, poorer neighbourhoods and refugee camps. They are also closer to the naval boats pounding the coast with artillery fire.

In Tal al-Hawa, a neighbourhood hit hard in the 2008-09 conflict, Hazem Farwana, 38, a baker, is making Ramadan pancakes. He and his son Samir, 12, sell them for a £1.50 a kilo from a stall in front of a falafel takeaway.

Pancakes are the treat of any Iftar meal at the end of a day of fasting. They are served with nuts, cheese or dates and normally eaten before families go out visiting, sitting up late into the night. But Farwana and his wife have not gone visiting this week: "We are not living a normal life.

"People are stuck indoors. All they can do is eat. I have four children under 16 – I won't let them go too far from home."

As he spoke, a bomb exploded in the distance, close enough for a shockwave to rattle the window frames overhead.

Suddenly philosophical, Farwana added: "If I am going to die then I will die. I can die in the open as easily as I can indoors."
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Obama Humiliates Muslim Guests at White House Ramadan Event

Obama Humiliates Muslim Guests at White House Ramadan Event, Endorses Israel’s Gaza Assault and NSA Surveillance
The definition of poor leadership.

http://www.alternet.org/world/obama-humiliates-muslim-white-house-guests-endorsing-israels-gaza-assault-defending-nsa

At the annual White House Iftar dinner commemorating the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, President Barack Obama endorsed Israel’s ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip and defended government spying on Muslim-Americans. Alongside dozens of Muslim-American community activists and Muslim diplomats, the White House welcomed Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, an outspoken advocate of Israel's settlement enterprise who has claimed Muslim and Arab culture is endemically violent.

In the past, the annual Iftar dinner passed without much notice. Last year, President Barack Obama delivered a boilerplate speech to the assembled crowd of Muslim-American community activists and Middle Eastern ambassadors about his efforts to spur entrepreneurship. But this time, amidst a one-sided Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip that was about to claim its 200th death in just a week, and which the US had backed to the hilt, the heat was on.

While Obama prepared his remarks, calls rang out with unprecedented intensity for invitees to boycott the July 14 ceremony. Among those who urged a boycott in protest of the Gaza assault and ongoing government spying on Muslim-Americans was the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), an established presence in Washington representing the country’s largest Arab-American advocacy group.

Joining the boycott call was Mariam Abu-Ali, the sister of Ahmed Abu Ali, a US citizen renditioned to Saudi Arabia for torture before being sentenced to life in prison on dubious charges of threatening to kill George W. Bush. “The White House Iftar is a slap in the face to those in the Muslim community who have been victims of U.S. civil-rights and human-rights abuses,” Abu Ali wrote. “It is an attempt by administration after administration to whitewash the crimes of the U.S. government against Muslims by painting a less-than-accurate picture of their relationship with the American Muslim community.”

As established Muslim-American leaders like Laila Al-Marayati lined up to boycott (Al-Marayatirejected an invitation to the State Department’s Iftar), others defended their presence at the ceremony. Most vocal among them was Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), one of the two Muslim members of Congress. “I disagree with the tactic,” Ellison remarked in a statement released by his office. “It will not close Guantanamo Bay, guarantee a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine or undo the NSA’s targeting of Muslims.”

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) echoed Ellison, insisting that the event would “allow [them] to engage with senior White House officials for a decent amount of time on substantive issues.”

While Muslim-American civil rights groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations have assumed a more confrontational posture towards the White House and boycotted a prayer breakfast with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in protest of his support for NYPD surveillance of Muslims, MPAC has taken an altogether different tack. Its role as a paid consultant on the cable TV series, “Tyrant,” was perhaps the best example of its accommodationist stance.

Produced by Howard Gordon, the creator of “24” and “Homeland,” the show starred a white actor playing a pathological Arab dictator who ruled over the deeply dysfunctional fictional nation of Abuddin. Even mainstream TV critics derided the series as unbearably Orientalist, with the Washington Post’s Hank Stuever describing it as a “stultifyingly acted TV drama stocked with tired and terribly broad notions of Muslim culture in a make-believe nation on the brink.” Leading up to the White House Iftar, a leader of a major Muslim advocacy organization told me on background that MPAC was bleeding support, especially from younger activists.

At the Iftar dinner, Obama launched into a defense of Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, declaring,“I will say very clearly, no country can accept rockets fired indiscriminately at citizens. And so, we’ve been very clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against what I consider to be inexcusable attacks from Hamas.”


http://www.alternet.org/world/obama-humiliates-muslim-white-house-guests-endorsing-israels-gaza-assault-defending-nsa

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Palestinians in Gaza struggle this Ramadan

Palestinians in Gaza struggle this Ramadan

Grappling with unpaid wages and a struggling economy, Palestinian families have little to celebrate during holy month.

Fares Akram

Gaza City - On top of the Abu Amin Abu Shawish family’s Ramadan breakfast table sat only four bowls ofmaloukhieh soup, two dishes of white rice, and some lemons and green peppers.

"The meat was eaten yesterday. This is the leftover from the day before," said Abu Amin, 50, who provides for an extended family of 14 people, all living in a makeshift home in southeast Gaza City. The family’s economic situation during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan "is very bad" compared to previous years, Abu Amin said.

In the past, he distributed cement to several construction sites and projects in the Gaza Strip every day. The cement, like most other construction materials, was being smuggled into the Palestinian territory from Egypt. Last summer, the Egyptian army shut down most of the smuggling tunnels, cutting off the lifeline that had prevented Gaza's economy from near-total collapse.

More than 50,000 people who worked in industries related to the tunnels, and more than 150,000 professionals and artisans whose jobs relied on construction materials, have now joined the ranks of Gaza's jobless. In the first quarter of 2014, approximately 180,000 Palestinians in Gaza were unemployed, up from about 160,000 unemployed in the last quarter of 2013.

"In the past, I used to make from 100-150 shekels [$29-44] distributing cement a day, and my son worked on a [horse-drawn] cart also in distributing, making another 50 shekels [$15]," said Abu Amin, whose house is made of salvaged concrete bricks and rusted, corrugated aluminium. "We had a new meal every day."

"Now, we can't find 15 shekels [$4] to feed the horse," he continued.

RELATED: Gaza - Life under siege

While mosques are full for most of the day, at night people in Gaza are preoccupied by Israeli air strikes on the besieged Palestinian territory. Israel says the attacks are a response to rockets fired from Gaza; they have also come after Israel accused Hamas of orchestrating the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli settler teenagers near the West Bank city of Hebron last month. On Saturday, Israel launched 10 separate strikes on Gaza.

Meanwhile, Abu Amin's family only received one parcel of food from a charity operating in Gaza - beans, cooking oil, rice, sugar, and other basic staples - for Ramadan, compared to four parcels at the same time last year.

Charities in Gaza are struggling with increased demand for help, said Ahmed al-Kurd, the coordinator of humanitarian aid for several local organisations in Gaza. Last year, the organisations were able to support 60,000 families. This year, the number of families who applied for food assistance increased dramatically to 100,000, while the charities have enough money to provide for 30,000 families, al-Kurd said.



I came here to buy Ramadan goods for my family and my [married] daughter, but I don’t think I will be able to buy all the things I wanted.

- Mohammed Qanita, 44, electrician


Due to international political pressure, "hundreds of financial transfers [from Muslim and Arab donors] did not arrive," he told Al Jazeera. "We can't carry out our work as needed."

High prices and a lack of purchasing power also mean that many people wander through Gaza’s markets, but few actually buy.

"Prices are high this year," said electrician Mohammed Qanita, 44. "I came here to buy Ramadan goods for my family and my [married] daughter, but I don’t think I will be able to buy all the things I wanted."

At al-Zawya market in the old quarter of Gaza City, fewer Ramadan ornaments were visible than in previous years, and though the market was busy, the majority were not buying.

Alaa Masoud, who was selling cheese, jam, tahini halva, and other Ramadan staples, said that with the closure of the tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, much of the goods must be imported through Erez, an Israeli-controlled commercial crossing point.

"This has risen from 18 to 23 shekels [$5-7]," he said, pointing to a yellow Gouda cheese. An Egyptian-made feta cheese saw a six-shekel [$1.75] increase. "People have no money; workers are laid off, crossings are closed, no salaries," Masoud said. "At this time last year, I was selling 100,000 shekels [$29,250] a day. Now, I only sold for 60,000 [shekels, about $17,500]."

RELATED: Salary crisis imperils Palestinian unity

The West Bank-based Palestinian Authority has not yet paid the salaries of its 70,000 employees in the Gaza Strip. PA employees are usually paid the first week of every month, however the PA said the salaries will be late because Israel has not yet transferred Palestine's tax revenues.

Over the past eight months, the Hamas government, which was dissolved in June with the formation of a Palestinian national consensus government, has provided its employees with only small portions of their basic salaries. Employees of the former Hamas government, estimated at about 42,000 workers, still have not collected paychecks for April and May.

Read more of our coverage on Palestine



"We are looking for every way at least to provide them with a minimum income. There are attempts to provide employees with smaller payments from charities and benefactors. This is what we can do for them in Ramadan," Salah al-Bardaweel, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, told Al Jazeera.

While Abu Salem, a 35-year-old traffic cop, has not been paid for more than 50 days, he was still working under the hot sun.

"I have four children and it's their right to enjoy [themselves] like children of other families," he said, without giving Al Jazeera his full name. Abu Salem added that he wouldn’t be able to buy "fresh meat, chicken, qatayef, candies and sweets for Ramadan".

Maher al-Tabba, an economist based in Gaza, said that both sets of Palestinian public servants - in the West Bank and Gaza Strip - hold most of the purchasing power. "Markets often rely on the salaries of [Palestinian Authority] and Gaza employees."

He told Al Jazeera that the delay in paying the employees caused a sharp decrease in sales. "We are talking about 180,000 to 200,000 jobless people… This is a disastrous situation," he said.

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1435 Ramadan Mubarak - A religion that offers remedy for social ills

 A religion that offers remedy for social ills


Qiblatain Mosque in Madinah. (AN photo)

This is the last part of Abdul-Lateef Abdullah’s story about how Islam changed his life.

Being a social scientist by trade, much of my time is spent working on and pondering over the ills and dilemmas of our society. As I learned more about Islam, I came to the conclusion that societal ills are based primarily on unhealthy, dysfunctional social behaviors. Since Islam is a lifestyle focused totally on the most healthy, positive way of conducting our lives in every setting, then it is, and will always be, the only true answer to any society's social dilemmas. With this realization, not only did I decide that Islam was relevant to my everyday life, but I began to understand why it is so different from other religions. Only Islam provides knowledge and guidance for every aspect of life. Only Islam provides a way to achieve health and happiness in every dimension of life — physical, spiritual, mental, financial, etc. Only Islam provides us with a clear life goal and purpose. And only Islam shows us how to live in and contribute to a community, not just talk about it. Islam is what everyone needs, and what so many who have not found it yet, are searching for. It is the path to purpose, meaning, health and happiness. This is because it is the straight path to the source of all the power we could ever need — God.

It was only until I actually became Muslim that I realized just how encompassing our lifestyle truly is. Literally everything we are instructed to do has one underlying purpose — to remember God. It just shows the absolute and divine brilliance of the religion, in that there is a lifestyle that can show you how to remember your Creator in as simple an act as greeting someone, or getting dressed in the morning, or waking up from sleep. Islam shows us that by constantly remembering God, everything we do becomes focused on Him, and thus becomes an act of worship. From this, our energy, our thoughts, and our actions all become redirected away from unhealthy and useless causes, and focused on the source of all goodness. Thus, we are continuously tapping into His divine strength, mercy and grace. So, by remembering God constantly, we become stronger, better, and healthier in every aspect of our lives.

I thank God everyday for the ease to which he has allowed me to make the necessary changes in my life so that I can continue to live in America and still be, Insha-Allah, a good Muslim. As a white, middle-class American, many of the cultural aspects of Islam are quite different from what I, and those close to me throughout my life, have been used to. In fact, when I finally broke the news to my family that I had taken my Shahada (testimony of faith) and become Muslim, almost all of their questions and concerns were related to cultural differences — marriage, social life, family, etc. They were much less concerned about my general beliefs around God and religious practice. For my family, friends, and co-workers, becoming Muslim was not seen necessarily as a negative change, but it has required a great deal of education for them about Islam. In fact, as with my own education, this process of sharing the truth about Islam with them is never-ending because there is no limit to how much knowledge we can acquire, and it is the responsibility of every one of us to share whatever right knowledge we have.

Because acquiring right knowledge is such a critical component to a Muslim's development, having a teacher who has taught me how to apply Islam in everyday life that has made all the difference for me and helped me in managing whatever difficulties I have experienced from my reversion. Having someone knowledgeable you can turn to whenever you have questions is a wonderful support that every new Muslim should go out of their way to find. Islam is not a religion that can be rationalized, in the way that Christianity and Judaism have been over the ages. It is a clear path that must be followed exactly as God laid for us through the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his companions, and the scholars of Islam.

In this day and age, in this society, discerning the path can often be difficult, especially when we are constantly faced with questions and doubts from people who on the surface may not be hostile to Islam, but whose general lack of faith can have a harmful effect on someone who bases everything they do on their love for God. It is also not easy being in an environment where we are constantly bombarded with sensual temptations which are seen as ordinary, common aspects of everyday life.

But when we have the support of a knowledgeable, experienced teacher, who is able to apply the universal teachings of Islam to his life, then the truth becomes clear from error, exactly how God describes in the Qur’an. From this, we are able to understand how to apply Islam correctly to our own lives, and thus receive God's many blessings. The ultimate test, however, of anyone who claims to have true and right knowledge, is to look at how they apply it in their own lives. If their actions support their teachings, then and only then should we look to them for guidance.

My journey to Islam, although short, has been a life-altering experience. It is one that with every passing day makes me more and more appreciative and thankful to Almighty God. The extent of His mercy can only fully be understood from the perspective of someone who prostrates themselves regularly and submits their will to that of the Creator. This is what I strive for through Islam. It is the struggle that we must fight every moment of every day, but one that we love, because we know Who to turn to for support and Who is helping us along.

I look back at my life prior to Islam and reflect on the different ways I sought guidance. I think back to all the different ideas I once had of who God really is, and how we can become close to Him. I look back now and smile and perhaps even shed a tear because now I know the truth. Now, life makes sense. Now, life is order. Now, I know why I am here, where I want to go, what I want my life to be, how I want to live, and what is most important not just to me, but to everyone. I only hope and pray that others who have not found the path yet, can feel the same that I do.

(Courtesy of www.islamreligion.com)
http://samotalis.blogspot.com/

Uhuru hosts Muslim leaders for Iftar dinner

2014 Ramadan and Rahma

2014 Ramadan and Rahma

Realizing the ever increasing Somalis whose written language is English, and who never or rarely visit the exclusive Islamic websites, I take the liberty of surfing these sites on their behalf. I selected articles on essential issues of our religion. I shall post a series of most significant topics on my blog SAMOTALIS.BLOGSPOT.COM . Nothing is more important and virtuous than the duty of fasting. To your knowledge, I post the following article in its authenticity and entirety, without any change in any form or shape.

Any inquiry for clarification or otherwise, please visit http://www.islamweb.net/

Selected and posted by

Ahmed Arwo

samotalis@gmail.com

The significance of fasting

Fasting, is abstaining from eating, drinking and coitus from daybreak to sunset as a devotional ritual. Allaah, the Almighty Says in the Noble Quran (what means):

"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." [Quran; 2:183] That is: that you may fear Allaah, keep away from His prohibitions, and fulfill His Commands. Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: " Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allaah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)" [Al-Bukhaari]

This means that Allaah does not want us to abstain from eating and drinking only, rather, He wants us to refrain from evil deeds and vileness too. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, instructed that a fasting person, if offended or abused, should say: "I am fasting." [Al-Bukhaari] By this, as though the fasting person says: "It is because I am fasting I do not return your abuses." The offender at that point may feel embarrassed, and desist.

What is the purpose of Fasting?

The purpose of fasting is not physical training to endure hunger, thirst and exhaustion; rather, it is disciplining the ego to relinquish the loved for the sake of the Beloved. The loved are the desires of eating, drinking, sexual activities etc., while the Beloved is Allaah, the Exalted. Hence, it is imperative to keep in mind when we observe fasting that we do so only for the sake of Allaah. It becomes imperative on us to try our best to observe the rites that reflect our obedience to Allaah, such as the remembrance of Allaah, reading the Quran, supererogatory prayers, charitable deeds and donations, good manners, etc.

Fasting has great significances and aims, which, if carefully considered, instill in us much surprise. Among these significances, we mention the following:

First significance:

Fasting is linked with true faith in Allaah, the Most Exalted; that is why it has been reported that fasting is a secret act of worship since a person may break his fast, if he wishes, by eating, drinking or simply by not making the intention to fast (in which case his fast will not be accepted even if he remains fasting the whole day). Fasting, then, is a hearty, secret worship that concerns only the servant and his Creator. When the servant knowingly gives up the things and acts that nullify the fast, despite his ability to reach them in secret, he gives indeed strong evidence of his certain belief that Allaah, the Almighty, watches over him in both his manifest and secret deeds. There is no doubt that in this kind of conduct is a significant training to strengthen faith in Allaah.

Second significance

Fasting is also training for the servant to aspire to the Hereafter since, by fasting, he gives up some of the worldly matters, looking forward to Almighty Allaah's reward. By observing the fast, he weighs the profit in terms of the condition in the Hereafter. However, those who measure things in materialistic terms are only concerned with the worldly aspect of fasting. As a result, they think of it as merely deprivation of the pleasures of life, which please the self and satisfy the body. They are not in the least concerned with the other aspect of its significance in the hereafter that constitutes the real reward and the genuine perpetuity. This attitude of their hearts weakens their aspiration for the hereafter and its eternal enjoyment.

Third significance:

Fasting is a practical embodiment of submission and servitude to Allaah, the Exalted, that the servant manifests by eating and drinking at night only in response to the call of his Lord, Allaah Who Says in the Noble Quran (what means): "And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]." [Quran; 2:187]. That is why the fasting Muslim should eat at Iftaar (break fast) time, at sunset, and just before dawn (Suhoor, or the per-dawn meal) because continuous fasting (day and night) is forbidden in Sharee'ah (Islamic law).

The act of eating is, therefore, a form of worship of Allaah, the Almighty. When dawn starts, Muslims discontinue eating and drinking (and having sex with their spouses) in compliance with Allaah's order, for He Says (what means): "…Then complete the fast until the night [i.e. sunset]." [Quran; 2:187]. In this way, the Muslim is educated about complete servitude to Allaah, the Most High, in such a way that when his Lord commands, he complies. It is, therefore, not simply a matter of personal taste, whim and disposition, but a matter of obedience to Allaah and implementation of His Commands.

Fourth significance:

Fasting is similarly a form of education to the whole society since when the fasting Muslim feels that people around him are all fasting, he finds fast no longer difficult, but feels that he is in harmony with the society to which he belongs through worship, the unifying factor of the whole community. Whoever compares voluntary fasting to the obligatory fast in the month of Ramadhaan perceives a certain difficulty in the former and easiness in the latter due to the aforementioned reasons. That is why Muslims find it very difficult to spend the month of Ramadhaan away from Muslim environments.

http://www.islamweb.net/