Dar al-Madinah Sisters

Points to keep in mind about Laylatul-Qadr

1 – The Meaning of Qadr

Ibn Hajar said in ‘Fath al-Bari’ (4/323-324):

“There are various explanations of the meaning of the qadr that this night is ascribed to.

It was said that it means veneration, as in the verse: {“…and they didn’t venerate (qadar) Allah as He deserved…”} [al-An’am; 91] This refers to it being a night of veneration due to the revelation of the Qur’an taking place in it, or due to the descent of the Angels in it, or due to the blessing and mercy and forgiveness that descend in it, or that those who stay up that night in worship are venerated.

It was also said that qadr here means constriction, as in the verse: {“…and who is constricted (qadara) in his provision…”} [at-Talaq; 7] This refers to it being a night of constriction due to the exact night being hidden, or because the Earth is constricted due to the presence of such a large number of Angels.

It was also said that it is qadar, derived from the word for judgment. This refers to the fact that all the judgments of that year are made on this night…”

2 – Better than a Thousand Months

Ibn Kathir mentioned in ‘Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Adhim’ (4/686) that Mujahid said:

“There was a man from the Children of Israel who would pray all night and then fight Jihad against the enemy all day, and he did this for a thousand months. Allah then revealed the verse: {“The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months…”} So, praying on this night is better than the actions of that man.”

3 – The 27th Word

Ibn Kathir mentioned (4/690):

“…And it was reported that some of the Salaf used the Qur’an to conclude that it is on the 27th night because the word ‘هي’ (it is) is the 27th word in the chapter, and Allah Knows best.”

4 – Why the Exact Day Was Hidden

Ibn Hajar said (4/328):

“…This might have a benefit linked to legislation…or exertion in worship, because if the Night of Qadr was specified to be on an exact night, people would limit themselves to that night and miss out on the worship on other nights. It is as if this is what the Prophet meant when he said: “…this might be better for you.””

5 – Heavy for the Hypocrite

Ibn Kathir mentioned (4/692) that Ka’b al-Ahbar said:

“By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, the Night of Qadr is so heavy on the disbeliever and hypocrite that it feels like a mountain on his back.”

6 – What to Supplicate on the Night of Qadr

In ‘as-Silsilah as-Sahihah’ (3337), it’s reported that ‘A’ishah asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم): “If I happen to catch the Night of Qadr, how should I supplicate?”

He replied: “You should say:

اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني

O Allah, You Pardon and Love pardoning. So, Pardon me.”

7 – In the Shade of the Night of Qadr

It was said:

“…This night is better than thousands of months in the lives of human beings. How many thousands of months and years have passed by without leaving in our lives the changes that this single blessed, joyous night leaves us? The might of this night is such that its reality transcends the limits of human comprehension: {“And what will make you understand what the Night of Qadr is?”}

On that night, every wise judgment was made. Values, principles, and scales were laid down. Ordainments were made that surpassed that of individuals: ordainments for nations, countries, and peoples. In fact, it is even greater and mightier than this: ordainment of realities and hearts!

Humankind has become heedless – due to its ignorance and disconnection – of the value of the Night of Qadr and the reality and significance of this event. Since the time that it became heedless of this, it has been deprived of the most joyous and beautiful gifts from Allah. It lost the true happiness and peace – the peace of mind, and peace in the home and society – that Islam granted it. This cannot be replaced by the material bounty, civilization, and power that it has been given. It is in a bad state despite the outpouring of production and high standards of living it possesses!

This direct connection between the memory of the Night of Qadr and praying at night out of faith and expectation of reward is just one aspect of this sound and successful Islamic method…”

8- The Signs of the Night of Qadr.
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah praise him, described the morning of the night of Qadr so that we would have an idea as to what this night actually is.

Ubayy, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “On the morning of the night of Qadr the sun would rise without any beams; (it is like) a wash basin until it raises.” [Muslim]

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “We mentioned the night of Qadr to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah praise him, and he said: “Which of you remembers when the moon rises and it is like half a bowl.” [Muslim]

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah praise him, said: “The night of Qadr is a night of generosity and happiness, it is not hot and neither is it cold. The sun comes up in its morning weak, reddish.” [Tabaranee, Ibn Khuzaimah and Bazzaar]

–
Abdurrahmann Murad
Imam/Director of Dar al-Madinah Islamic Society

Sincere Advice to my beloved sisters…….

Allah (swt) says (what means), O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you, as it was on those before you, so that you may attain Taqwa.

We are now in the last ten days….nights of Ramadan… I question myself and all of you: have we tried to attain Taqwa in the first 20 days of Ramadan? Now we have less than 10 nights and days of our beloved month Ramadan to seek forgiveness and look toward Allaah to attain piety, taqwa and to sincerely ask Him to keep us on the siratul mustaqeem.

Many of us spend our days in the kitchen worried more about what we are going to fill our and our families’ stomachs with. Let us put down or at least minimize our kitchen duties and focus for these last ten nights.

Let us seek out the greatly anticipated Laylat ul Qadr……

Let us strive to stand up in Qiyam al Layl during these nights as it was reported by:

Abu Hurayrah (radhiallahu `anhu) that the Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whoever stands (in qiyaam) in Laylat ul-Qadr out of faith and expectation (of Allah’s reward), will have all of his/her previous sins forgiven.” Al-Bukhari and Muslim

We should also make a lot of dua’ during these last nights… Seeking Allaahu Subhana wa ta’Ala’s forgiveness.

`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.” Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi. Authenticated by Al-Albani

We have let the first 20 days and nights pass us….now we have just these limited amount of nights left. We should, if we haven’t done so already, leave our worldly desires and refrain from those things that we let waste our precious time throughout the year.

`A’ishah (radhiallahu `anha) reported:

“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

My dear beloved sisters we have just these nights to prepare us and give us a solid foundation for the rest of the year. Let us focus and give this time truly to Allaah and protecting our selves through repentance and let us truly attain the Taqwa that Allaahu subhana wa ta’Ala has promised to us in this blessed month.

The Mothers Of The Believers

Mothers of the Believers is a ground breaking series exploring the lives of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). It seeks to enlighten the hearts, minds and souls of the Muslim youth in the West. It is through the wonderful examples of the Mothers of the Believers that we can achieve a correct and balanced understanding when approaching issues such as building the Islamic family, social life, working, parenting and raising children.

• Introduction
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (part 1)
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (part 2)
• Sawda bint Zama
• Aisha bint Abi Bakr (part 1)
• Aisha bint Abi Bakr (part 2)
• Hafsa bint Umar
• Hind bint Abi Umayyah (Umm Salamah)
• Zaynab bint Jahsh
• Juwayriyah bint Al-Harith & Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan
• Safiyah bint Huyy Maymunah bint Al-Harith & Conclusion

http://www.kalamullah.com/lectures.html

Fasting in Ramadan provides a month of health benefits

By Dr. Ashraf Ali

Saudi Gazette

Muslims all over the world fast during the month of Ramadan just because it was ordained to them by Allah and not for any other purpose. However, this month-long fasting period has spiritual, religious, social, physical and economical benefits.  The most important issue is that fasting in Islam is not absolute fasting (i.e. fasting all day), which harms the body immensely. Instead, fasts last during the day and one is free to eat and drink at night. In other words, there is a mere re-scheduling of meals so that breakfast is advanced to Suhoor (just before dawn), lunch is skipped, and the fast is broken at sunset. Therefore, abstention from eating and drinking is only for about 12 to 14 hours in most parts of the Muslim world. This abstention brings a wealth of health benefits to the human body.

Rest and Rejuvenation
The entire digestive tract from the mouth down the stomach, liver,pancreases and intestines is at rest during the fast. Any organ which is rested this way has time to repair and renew itself for sustained work with renewed vigor.

Detoxification
The food we consume gives us life-sustaining nutrition as well as toxic by-products which are excreted in urine, stool and sweat. The detoxification process is undertaken by the liver which has ample time to catch up with its pending work in this 12–14 hours of fasting.

Prevention of cell choking
Each cell in the body is a chemical factory. By the constant supply of digested products, the cell gets ‘choked’, and fasting gives it ample time to clear pending work and escape from this ‘choking’.

Weight loss
Fasting leads to modest weight loss which results in a host of benefits like improvement in blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnola, atherosclerosis, heart diseases, lung diseases, obesity, digestive disorders, fatty liver, infertility, hypertrighlyceridermia and prevention of heart attacks and strokes.
However, these benefits only come to those who adhere to their fasts the way it has been laid out in the holy Qu’ran and Ahadith and not to those who fast all day and feast all night, as fasting in Ramadan has widely become these days. Islam’s prescription of month-long fasting – if done correctly – can act as an insurance against the obesity pandemic threatening society of late.

Tuning and Toning
During fasting, every day the glycogen storage in the liver gets depleted during the day and replenished in the night. Similarly, the dormant fat in the body cells gets renewed. This dormant fat is committed into active participation of energy generation.

Mental acuity and stamina
Fasting also improves mental acuity as well as increasing the physical and mental stamina of the fasting person. The more athletes practice, the more stamina they acquire. Fasting works the same way; making the body get used to working without the instant gratification provided by food and drink.