“...AND WHOSOEVER SAVES THE LIFE OF ONE, IT SHALL BE AS IF HE HAD SAVED THE LIFE OF ALL MANKIND” (QUR’AN 5:32) Muslim Aid sees children as society’s greatest asset and believe that they should be supported to reach their full potential whatever their background, ethnicity or religion. Our Rainbow Family Programme supports children in their own families to access education, healthcare, adequate food and clothing, mentoring services, social development and careers advice. To donate, request more information or volunteer your time please contact us in any of the following ways:
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THE
NOOR
M A G A Z I N E
Publisher Noor Ul Islam Trust
Editor Kamran Khan
Graphic Design Kamran Khan
Articles & Content Abu Muslim Umm Muslim Aslam Hansa Aaliya al Yasin Faisal Nazir
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CONTENTS 4
NOOR UL ISLAM UPDATES
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NUI YOUTH GROUP
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IN FOCUS: NOOR UL ISLAM PRIMARY SCHOOL PART II
HAJJ - THE JOURNEY
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CHARITY - BENEFTTING IN BOTH WORLDS
17 18 20
KIDZ ZONE
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NOOR UL ISLAM PRIMARY SCHOOL WORK
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RECOMMENDED...
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ZAKAH - THE OBLIGATORY CHARITY
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ISLAM QUESTION AND ANSWER
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POVERTY
IN PURSUIT OF WEALTH
EDITORIAL
ASSALAAMUALAYKUM We begin in the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. Indeed all praise is for Allah, may His peace and blessings be upon His Final Messenger, Muhammad sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Allah subhanahu wa ta’la says in Surah ale Imran, verse 92: “By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely as a charity) from that which you love; and whatever you spend Allah knows it well.” The importance of charity in Islam cannot be emphased enough. Allah mentions it to us in the Quran over and over again and it is re emphasised by our beloved prophet, salAllahu alayhi wa salam in many ahadeeth. In this special charity edition (to coincide with our 6th annual charity dinner), The Noor amagazine will explain and remind you of the benefits and importance of charity, the fitnah of craving for wealth aswell as explain how to get rewarded even after you leave this world inshaAllah. Another 3 months have passed and Noor Ul Islam has been as busy as always alhamdulillah, providing all sorts of events and activities for our community. Inside you will find updates of our services and events, as well as uplifting articles written by members of the local community. Our Updates pages include information about our Ramadaan activities as well as our dawah activities including “Islam Awareness Week”. Our regular In Focus feature in this issue continues from the last issue with the Primary School. And last but not least our familiar fun and exciting sections - Kidz Zone, Youth Group and IslamQA. We thank our advertisers who make this magazine possible, and we request from you, our readers, your thoughts, suggestions and contributions, so that we can continue to grow from strength to strength, inshaAllah.
Published by Noor Ul Islam. All rights reserved. Reproduction of pictures, articles or artwork in whole or in part without prior consent is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed by individual writers or contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor, Publisher, Trustees or the Staff of Noor Ul Islam Trust.
NOOR UL ISLAM CONTACTS:
Copyright © The Noor Magazine
Charity Registration Number: 1017780
Head Office / Academy 713 High Road, Leyton, London E10 5AB Tel : 020 8558 0786 Fax : 020 8923 7860 enquiries@noorulislam.co.uk admin@noorulislam.co.uk www.noorulislam.co.uk
Primary School
135 Dawlish Road, Leyton, London E10 6QW Tel : 020 8558 8765 Fax : 020 8558 5235 primaryschool@noorulislam.co.uk www.nuips.org
Masjid
711 High Road, Leyton, London E10 6RA Tel : 020 8558 0786
Pre School
715 High Road, Leyton, London E10 5AB Tel : 020 8558 3014 preschool@noorulislam.co.uk
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Noor Ul Islam
UPDATES 18th August 2009 – Shaykh Hasan Ali Noor Ul Islam worshippers were blessed to have Shaykh Hasan Ali visit and give a talk on the preparation of Ramadhan.
Iftar time. To promote better living, a Healhy Iftar event was held at Noor Ul Islam where healthy foods were distributed at Iftar time.
24th October 2009 – Quit smoking team The NHS Quit Smoking team were on hand at Noor UI Islam to encourage smokers to quit the habit.
31st August 2009 – Talk by Shaykh Yusuf Estes Shaykh Yusuf Estes from the USA visited us during Ramadhan and gave a inspiring talk to a packed Noor Ul Islam.
18th September 2009 – Iftar for Non Muslims – part 2 A second special Iftar was held, this time for non-Muslim males. Trustees from Noor Ul Islam invited a number of men to give them a chance to share and experience Iftar.
29th October 2009 – Sponsored Walk The Noor Ul Islam Pre-School held a sponsored walk to raise money for Barnardos
3rd September 2009 - Foreign Secretary visit Mr David Miliband, Foreign Secretary visited Newham to meet representatives from there and Waltham Forest. Br Yusuf Hansa, chairman of Noor Ul Islam attended the meeting and was given a chance to address the minister about the situation in Gaza where so many innocent victims are suffering. 4th September 2009 – Iftar for Non Muslims A special Iftar was held where a number of non-Muslim females were invited to share and experience what the breaking of the fast actually meant. Sisters from the Noor Ul Islam Women Advisory board and Women’s committee were on hand to welcome the guests. 7th September 2009 – Islamic Relief Iftar Br Yusuf Hansa and Maulana Yousuf Patel, Imam of Noor Ul Islam masjid, attended an Iftar event held by Islamic Relief. Mr David Miliband also attended this event. 9th September 2009 – Muslim Aid Iftar Two Noor Ul Islam representatives attended the Iftar function of Muslim Aid where Douglas Alexander, Minister (DFID) and the Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes attended and spoke about the contribution the Muslims make to stop poverty. 14th September 2009 - Healthy Iftar Whilst Ramadhan is seen as a time to service the body and soul, many of us indulge in having an unhealthy diet at
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What have we been up to these past 3 months...
18th September 2009 – The Islam Channel In recognition for its supports to the Dawah Project, the Islam Channel agreed to promote Noor Ul Islam Trust before and after each airing of its Jummuah Salaah from Makkah programme from 18th September to December. 20th September 2009 – Eid Ul Fitr Eid UI Fitr was celebrated by the community. Eid prayers took place at Noor Ul Islam. 27th September 2009 – Post Eid Event A special post eid event saw over a thousand people visit Noor Ul Islam. There were sections for the family, brothers only and sisters only. Stalls and entertainment were available at Noor Ul Islam for this special event. 4th October 2009 – Aalimah Jalsa The Aalimah section of Noor Ul Islam held its annual event at the Trust. Many people attended and witnessed the graduation of a number of students who have now completed the five year course. 11th October 2009 – Fund raising event The Noor Ul Islam Women’s Committee held a fund raising event at the Trust. This event was seen as a tremendous success, Alhamdulillah. 12th October 2009 - FCO Eid event Br Yusuf Hansa attended an Eid Event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.
13th November 2009 – Madrassa Prize Giving Day The LMCS madrassa held its annual prize giving event at Noor Ul Islam. The professional and organised event was a credit to the headteacher, Maulana Yousuf and his team. 14th November – 21st November – Islam Awareness Week Islam Awareness Week took place in Waltham Forest. Noor Ul Islam held a number of events to promote what Islam really is. Read more about this in the next issue. 18th November 2009 – Think Tank report Launch The Noor Ul Islam Think Tank launched its report on how Musilms can make Waltham Forest a better place. More information in the next issue insha Allaah. Noor Ul Islam’s use of 717 High Road We are pleased to inform you that Noor Ul Islam is renting the place at 717-723 High Road, Leyton E10. This arrangement will allow Noor Ul Islam to expand its activities and offer more people the chance to use its facilities. This has already been used for our post eid events and Eid salaah. We ask all our readers to pray to Allaah that he blesses us and helps us expand and provide even more services to the community and that He accepts our efforts.
Islamic Wills Home/Hospital Visits Probate/Contested Probate Inheritance Tax/Estate Planning Advice Commercial/Residential Conveyancing Lasting Power of Attorney Change of Name Deed Court of Protection Sponsorship Letter
In Focus: Noor Ul Islam
Primary School Part II
In the September issue of the Noor Magazine, you may have read our In Focus article on Noor Ul Islam Primary School. Since then three months have passed and the staff and pupils have been as busy as ever. The children returned fresh from their Summer break and settled quickly into their new classes for the academic year. Some of their hard work over the past three months in the classroom is reflected in the fantastic displays in our school hall. From Reception Class’s display on The Senses Allaah Gave us, to Year 1’s beautiful weaving patterns and Year 2’s instruction display on how to make snowflakes; the high standard of work achieved by such young children is reflected clearly. Our Keystage 2 displays range from Year 3’s Patterns Around Us showing some lovely printing work produced by the children to Literacy work on newspaper reports and recounts of the Year 5 and 6 class trips to Hainault Forest.
The visits to Hainault Forest took place early on in October and it was a great experience for the children some of whom had never been inside a forest before. They were able to experience first hand the beauty of Allaah’s Creation as the Autumn season was setting in and they were surrounded by the rich and varied colours of the forest. Noor Ul Islam
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School has been involved in this forest project run by Woodland Trust for a number of years now, in their aim to plant over a million trees. We feel it is important that our pupils are taught the importance of protecting and enhancing the environment and try to provide opportunities where they can get involved in environment based projects.
Pupils enjoying a visit by the Paradise Wildlife Park
Each year our Year 3 class, work with the London Wildlife Trust and experience nature and wildlife in the garden areas of the local school. They learn about different types of plants and animals that inhabit the area and it is an excellent opportunity for us to share with the staff of the Wildlife Trust how our Deen teaches us to care for and respect our environment and every living thing. Some of our children took up the chance to adopt a flower bed in the neighboring streets, they had the responsibility of watering the plants and helping with maintenance of the flower bed. In the past Noor Ul Islam Primary have been awarded the WalthamForest Environment Award for our children’s work in promoting re-cycling and taking care of the environment. In line with this theme of the environment, we have continued to develop our School Travel Plan with Walk On Wednesdays being a key feature. We encourage our children to walk to
school as much as they can, not only to cut down on traffic pollution but more importantly to encourage a more healthy life-style. Through healthy eating messages and lessons in Science and PSHE, we try to promote the notion that the body and health we have is a trust from Allaah (swt) and it is our duty to do our bit to look after it and keep ourselves fit and healthy. Towards the end of October two of our children were accompanied by staff to collect the Schools Travel Plan Awards at a ceremony held at the Emirates Stadium this was a memorable day for the children who collected the Travel Awards on behalf of the school. InshaAllaah we hope to continue with providing more trips and visits for our children, these trips help us to enrich the curriculum and provide our children with wider experiences. At the same time it also provides an avenue by which we can show Islam and Muslim Schools to the wider community. Our manners and characters as Muslims should be an example and magnet for others. This is what we aim to teach our children not just within the school but especially whenever they leave the building or we have visitors to the school. It is always so refreshing to be told how good our children are!
A recent visit from Paradise Wildlife Park was well received by all the children who were thrilled to see the
Bearded Dragon Lizarda as well as other animals! At the same time, the staff from the Wildlife Park were equally thrilled by ‘our amazingly well-behaved children!’ So good that we are able to leave a lasting impression which is so positive. October was a very busy month for all and culminated in a visit from Islam Channel. Brother Babar Mirza presenter of Islam Channel’s Education Matters show came to take a snap shot of Noor Ul Islam Primary School in action. He visited many of the classes and had the opportunity to see and capture on film the work that goes on at our school. As he came in our Keystage 2 children were preparing for Dhuhr salah and our Year 6 muaddhin was calling the adhaan, so it was perfect timing. InshaAllaah the program will be broadcast at a later date and we hope that inshaAllaah it will reflect the many positive and excellent aspects of our school.
exhibition have been extended to the local library, the hospital, local police, London Wildlife Trust, our neighbours as well as our neighbouring schools. Our parents have also been invited to bring along a guest to share our activities for the week. This way we hope inshaAllaah we can encourage our children to share the teachings and beauty of Islam with others and be proud to be Muslims. The children have been working on various art projects which will culminate next week in an art exhibition. Parents will be able to purchase the art work of our pupils work which will be part of a fund-raising effort for the school. It is not only for the school that we hold fund-raising events; our children are also encouraged throughout the year to get involved in and learn about the importance of charity and giving in Islam.
Some Art & DT work our pupils have been involved in doing
Pupils holding their seat belt protectors after an informative session on the importance of using safety belts
Currently in the build up to national Islam Awareness week, we felt that as a school it is important that we get involved and through the activities we have planned we aim to bring together members of our community to share with them the work we do as a school along with sharing the teachings of Islam. A neighbouring school, Dawlish Primary, are looking forward to their forthcoming visit to watch a presentation by our Year 6 class on the importance of looking after the elderly. The children across the school are currently busy with preparing displays for an exhibition they will be holding next week. Invites to view this
As a school we take part in a range of charity initiatives ranging from supporting the NSPCC, to Children with Leukemia. Some of our causes have been further afield; a few years back the children took part in a project putting together ‘Gifts in a Shoebox’ for orphanages abroad and raised money to create a library in a boarding school in Pakistan. Closer to home the children have helped raise money through various fund-raisers for the Whipps Cross University Hospital as part of their “Big Push Appeal”. Charity is central to the teachings of our Deen and we need to inculcate this sense of generosity in our children, and teach them that if we give to others, Allaah (swt) rewards us by giving us more. As part of this on-going awareness we want to raise in our children, one class is now
fully involved in a three year project run by Muslim Aid which is working alongside DfID. The Rainbow Family Project has linked a selected number of schools in this country with schools and orphanages in a range of countries in Africa and Asia. Through this our children have established a bond with children overseas and are learning to appreciate how different and often difficult the lives of others can be.
Of course none of this work and the progress we make as a school would be possible without the support of our parents who are an invaluable asset to us, Alhamdulillah. There are so many of our parents who are forever on hand to help in any way they can. Be it on school trips or at fund-raising bazaars to name just a few. The team effort that goes into any of our school events or projects reflects back to why Noor Ul Islam Primary School was established, for our children, for our parents, for our community.
May Allaah (swt) reward all of you for your support and may He (swt) continue to help Noor Ul Islam Primary School to flourish and grow and guide us all to do our best for our children. Ameen.
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BENEFITTING IN both worlds by Abu Muslim
Charity – The Best of Both Worlds In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, we seek his help and we seek his forgiveness. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our prophet [salAllahu alayhi wa salam], the anbiya, the shuhadaa and all those that follow him until the day of judgment. One of the greatest benefits of giving charity for the sake of Allah is that not only does it help us while we are alive but it is also able to benefit us after we pass away in the form of sadaqah jaariyah. Death will come to us all, when our time has arrived and the angel of death has taken our soul, our chance to do good deeds and work towards paradise will have also ended. We will not be able to pray any more prayers, perform one more hajj, fast any more Ramadaans, read any more Quran and so on and so forth. With that, our good deeds will have ended also, with the exception of three: The prophet [salAllahu alayhi wa salam] said:’’When a man dies, nothing lives on after him, except for three things: sadaqah jariyah (continuing charity), knowledge which can benefit others, or virtuous offspring who will pray for him.’’ Allah has blessed us with the ability to continue accumulating rewards even while we are buried under the ground. One of the ways we are able to do so, as mentioned in the hadeeth is via continuing charity. This can come in many forms but it
is ultimately something that is long term and which people benefit from even after you have left the dunya. Ongoing charity is the waqf (“Islamic endowment”) which may take many forms. The definition of a waqf is that the origin is “frozen” and the fruits are donated for the sake of Allaah. Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his explanation of saheeh Muslim: Regarding this hadeeth, the scholars say the meaning of this hadeeth is that the deeds of the deceased come to an end when he dies, and the renewal of reward ceases for him, except in these three cases, because he is the cause of them: his son is counted among his earnings, as is the knowledge that he leaves behind through teaching or writing, and ongoing charity, i.e., a waqf (Islamic endowment) Charity which benefits others after death not only brings happiness to yourself but also happiness to those who are benefiting. How many a people have built masaajids which people are still praying in till this day? How many a people have helped build an Islamic School in which children are still benefiting from till this day? How many a people have built a well in a poor country from which people are still drinking from to this day? Even if you are not in this world to see the benefits, you will reap them in the akhirah inshaAllah. A more specific example is to establish a masjid or Islamic school or donate towards one. For all those
people that pray there you will get the reward inshaAllah, for all those children that study there you will get the reward inshaAllah, for all the good that comes from them, you will get the reward inshaAllah. Helping to build a masjid has a special reward in addition to being an ongoing charity. Whoever builds a mosque will have the reward promised for that. This is what is narrated in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allaah, even if it is like the nest of a sand grouse, Allaah will build for him a house in Paradise.” The hadeeth gives an example of building the smallest thing possible. [Narrated by Ahmad, 2157] Sadaqah jaariyah is not just limited to schools and masaajids. There is so much potential for reward which is ongoing. We can see from the sunnah of the messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) ideas and examples of this special type of charity. Abu Hurayrah said: “The good deeds that will reach a believer after his death are: knowledge which he learned and then spread; a righteous son whom he leaves behind; a copy of the Qur’aan that he leaves as a legacy; a mosque that he built; a house that he built for wayfarers; a canal that he dug; or charity that he gave during his lifetime when he was in good health. These deeds will reach him after his death.” [Ibn Majah/242] (cont. on next page)
Please remember to donate generously to Noor Ul Islam
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Benefitting in both Worlds cont.
BENEFITTING
IN both worlds There are many instances from the sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) where they would give charity freely and give sadaqah jaariyah specifically. As was narrated by alBukhaari (2737) and Muslim (1633) from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that ‘Umar ibn alKhattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was given a share of land at Khaybar. He came to the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) and asked him what he should do with it. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have been given a share of land at Khaybar and I have never been given any wealth that is more precious to me than it. What do you command me to do with it?” He said: “If you wish, you can ‘freeze’ it and give it in charity.” So ‘Umar gave it in charity and stipulated that it was not to be sold, given as a gift or inherited, and he gave it in charity to the poor, relatives and slaves, for the sake of Allah and for wayfarers and guests; there was no sin on the one appointed to look after it if he ate from it on a reasonable basis, and fed others without storing anything for the future.” The sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) used to give that which was loved to them for the sake of Allah. We can see from this that the sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) used to not only recite the Quran but also to follow it like it should be followed. The Quran was their guide in life, when they heard; they obeyed. They would take the ayaats of Allah and implement it into their lives. Allah [aza wajal] says in Surah ale Imran, ayah 92: “By no means shall you attain piety, unless you spend (in Allah’s Cause) of that which you love;
and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well.” Sometimes you may not see the results instantly. But Allah provides from avenues which you never thought were possible. He may be saving the reward for a time when you need it the most. Look at the mercy and love Allah has for his slaves; perhaps you spend in Allah’s cause during a time when you have the means while seeking the reward only from Allah and on turn, Allah spends on you during a time when you don’t have the means. The similitude of a person who gives sadaqah jaariyah is like the one who has planted a date tree in his garden. During his lifetime he is able to enjoy eating from the dates and sharing it with others, thus seeing the fruits of his labour (no pun intended). But when he passes away, the tree is donated to the community on his behalf and people can still enjoy eating from the tree and Allah will keep rewarding him every time someone eats from it. Ibn Hazm [RH] said in al-Muhalla (8/151): Ongoing charity is that which continues to bring reward even after death.
“What is left of it?” She said: “Nothing is left except the shoulder.” He (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said: “All of it will remain except its shoulder.” [Tirmidhi] What this means is that whatever a person eats is that which is gone and no longer remains, but that which he gives in charity is what will remain for him with Allah and he will benefit from it on the Day of Resurrection. This hadeeth is a reference to the verse in which Allah says in Surah Nahl, ayah 96: “Whatever is with you, will be exhausted, and whatever is with Allah (of good deeds) will remain” So long as the waqf is still in existence, the reward for its founder will be ongoing. So hasten to give charity and strive to make your charity ongoing, so that you may benefit from it after death. If we do not leave charity that is ongoing even after death then what else will benefit us after our death? Charity for the sake of Allah is an investment, not only for this world but for the hereafter. It is a chance for us to get the both of best worlds.
Whatever a person gives in charity of his wealth is his true wealth that will abide for him and benefit him. You are not losing out by giving your money in charity but in fact you are losing out by not giving your money in charity for the sake of Allah. Al-Tirmidhi (2470) narrated that a sheep was slaughtered at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and gave it in charity except for its shoulder. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked ‘As’ishah,
Please remember to donate generously to Noor Ul Islam
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Wednesday
Thursday
Islamic Will Writing Service Alternative Fridays 2:00pm - 3:00pm By Qualified Solicitor 713 High Road
Friday
Saturday Madrassah Boys & Girls 5 - 16 Years old 10:00am – 12:30pm 715 High Road
Saturday
Male Circumcision Service By Qualified Doctors By Appointment Only 10:00am – 4:00pm 715 High Road
Sunday
(updated Oct 09)
Tuesday Arabic for Sisters Intermediate 9:30am - 11:00am Beginners 11:15am – 12:45pm 713 High Road
Programme of Noor Ul Islam Trust & MIWA Activities Monday Tafseer for Sisters Urdu: 10:00am 1:00pm English: 10:00am 1:00pm 713 High Road
Swimming for Brothers & Sisters Venue: Leyton Leisure Lagoon Alternate Sundays 5:00pm – 7:00pm April - August
Islamic Studies/ Part Aalimah course In English for Sisters age 16 & over 9:30am 12:30pm 713 High Road
Karate Boys 6 -17 Years 1:30pm – 3:00pm Girls 6 years – Adult 3:00pm – 4:00pm 715 High Road
Islamic Studies/ Part Aalimah course In English for Sisters age 16 & over 9:30am 12:30pm 713 High Road
Tajweed for Sisters 10.00am – 12.30pm 713 High Road
Dressmaking Class 1:00pm - 3:00pm 713 High Road
Tae Kwon Do Brothers Only 16 Years & above 8:00pm – 9:00pm 715 High Road
Homeopathy for sisters Free advice 12:00 noon - 1:00pm 713 High Road
Women’s Group Islamic Talk 10.00am – 1:00pm 713 High Road
The Noor Hub (Youth Club) Sisters 2:00pm - 3:00pm Brothers 3:00pm - 4:30pm 713 High Road
Separate facilities for sisters
Madrassah 5 -12 yrs old Weekdays & Saturdays
Primary School from 4 years old 135 Dawlish Rd, E10
Boxing for Brothers Under 12 yrs 8:15pm – 9:15pm Over 12 Years 9:15pm – 10:15pm 715 High Road
Funeral & Burial Services
Permanent Activities and Services Civil Marriage, Matrimony & Nikah Services By appointment only
Noor Ul Islam Trust & MIWA, 711 - 715 High Road, Leyton, London, E10 5AB Telephone: 020 8558 0786 Email:- enquiries@noorulislam.co.uk www.noorulsilam.co.uk Charity No. 1017780
Pre School From 3 years old 1st (9 – 11.30) 2nd (12:45 – 3:15)
Jummah Salaat
Mothers and Toddlers Group Up to 4 Years Old 10:00am - 11:30am 713 High Road
Open Evening Session for Revert Sisters Only 7:00pm – 9:00pm 713 High Road
Aalimah Course Mon – Thurs 9:00am – 2:30pm Fri 9:30am – 11:00am 5 Year Course
Brothers & Sisters
Noor Ul Islam Football for Brothers 9:45am – 12:00 noon 8 Years – Adult Score Centre, 100 Oliver Rd, E10 5JY
Separate Open Evening Sessions for Brothers & sisters 7:00pm – 9:00pm Islamic Talk & Q & A 715 High Road
Hifz Class for boys Monday – Friday 6:45am – 7:45am 5.00pm – 7:15pm 711 High Road Colour Coding Brothers Sisters
Noor Ul Islam Primary School Work
The patterns whos the importance of being united. Every member of the ummah is important. If one line breaks, then the pattern is broken and also the unity is gone. Every line and every oibone in the ummah is nesseccary by Tayyabah
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DRIVERS WANTED URGENTLY We Have 4 Door Saloons, Estates or 7 Seater Cars Competative Rates OPERATED BY ANSAR KHAN
Zakah The Obligatory Charity
Shaykh Abu Bakr Jabir al Jazairy Legal Ruling Allah has obligated Zakah upon every Muslim who possesses a minimum amount of wealth, according to some conditions. Allah made Zakah obligatory in His Book by His statement; Take from their wealth Sadaqah in order to purify them and sanctify them with it. [9:103] And His statement: O you who believe! Spend from the good things which you have (legally) earned, and of that which We have produced from the earth for you. (2:267) And His statement: And establish the prayer (Salah) and pay the obligatory charity (Zakah). (73:20) Zakah was also made obligatory by the statement of the Messenger saws : lslam was built upon five (pillars): The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped hut Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the establishment of the prayer (Salah), paying the obligatory charity (Zakah), pilgrimage to the House (Hajj to the Ka’bah in Makkah) and fasting (the month of) Ramadhan.) (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And his statement in advising Mu’adh when he sent him to Yemen: Verily you are going to a people who are People of the Scripture, so invite them to the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I (Muhammad saws ) am the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that, inform them that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has obligated them to (pray) five prayers every day and night. If they obey you, then inform them that He has obligated them to give charity from their wealth that is to be taken from their wealthy and given to their poor. If they obey you in that, then stay away from (taking) the best of their wealth. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed person, for verily there is no veil between it and Allah. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Its Wisdom The following are some of the points derived from the wisdom of legislating Zakah: 1.Purification of the human soul from the vices of stinginess, greed, covetousness and lustfulness. 2.Comforting the poor and fulfilling the needs of the needy, distraught and deprived people. 3.Establishing comprehensive benefits that the life of the Muslim community (Ummah) and its happiness depend upon.
4.Limiting the inflation of wealth among the wealthy, and at the hands of the businessmen and merchants. This is so that the wealth will not be restricted solely to one limited group of people, nor controlled by only the wealthy. The Ruling of One Who Refuses to Pay Zakah Whoever refuses to pay Zakah, while denying its obligation, has disbelieved. Whoever refuses to pay Zakah due to stinginess, while affirming its obligation, has committed a sin. In this case Zakah is taken from such a person by force and he is also given some disciplinary punishment. If he fights in refusing to give it, he is fought until he submits to the command of Allah and pays Zakah. This is due to Allah the Almighty’s statement: So if they repent, establish the prayer and give Zakah then they are your brethren in religion. (9:11) Likewise, concerning fighting those who refused to pay Zakah, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said: “By Allah, if they refuse to give me (of Zakah) a young she-goat that they used to give to Allah’s Messenger …. I will fight them for it.” (Al-Bukhari) In this situation the Companions agreed with him (Abu Bakr) about this, so there was a consensus among them.
January Sale! Women’s Swim Suit For Sale Special Offer: £25 for the Full Swim Suit (including hat) or £30 for the Full
Swim Suit and blouse.£10 for the blouse/vest if bought separately.
(normally £28 for suit, £35 for full and £15 for blouse)
Kid Sizes available from 6 to 14 years (No blouse for children) Adult sizes available from small to extra large.
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Poverty by Aaliya al Yasin
Did you know; each year over 8 million people die because they are simply too poor to stay alive. Did you know; everyday 800 million people go hungry. Did you know; the GDP of the poorest 48 nations is less than the wealth of the 3 richest people. Did you know; 30,000 children die everyday due to hunger and treatable illnesses. Did you know; 6 million children die every year before their fifth birthday as a result of malnutrition. ... I bet you didn’t. While you’re sitting snuggled up on your sofa, let me remind you that 150 million children are living on the streets. While the little ones moan to go to school, let me remind you than only 4/10 sub-Saharan Africans are able to get an education. While we think it’s the end of the world to have a cough, let me remind you that every 14 seconds a child is orphaned by AIDs. While we find it a burden on us to drink a litre of water a day, let me remind you that we spend more in Europe on ice-cream each year than it would cost to provide clean water and sanitation to everybody in the world and help prevent 6 children dyeing every minute from diarrhoea related diseases. Is that enough information to ignite a sense of guilt, a chill of remorse, a feeling of shame in you? Well most probably, all of the readers will feel some what of a burden but how many will actually make the effort to get up and give charity? Not many I guess. Countless, I hope. So will we continue watching them suffer in silence, or will we stand up, speak out to make poverty history. And one final question, do we actually need to live in poverty ourselves before we try to make a difference?
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Noor Ul Islam Youth Group Brothers as I recently wrote about youth in Ramadhan i want to talk about the virtues of charity this month. Charity is something that you need to give also known as zakaat. This is when you give money to help someone physically or mentally to please Allah and also seek forgiveness. We all make mistakes so we ask for forgiveness from Allah and hopefully intend to go to jannah. We all want stuff and new things such as a PS3 or new clothes. However, sometimes we need to sacrifice our needs for the benefit of others. We may not really see the reward from Allah in this life but in the hereafter Allah will give us our real reward. We can have rewards in this life but we have to remember we are on a mission to please Allah and gain His pleasure rather than going astray to shaytan. We have to remember to give charity and to have an idyllic life and to pray at our picturesque mosque. Faisal Nazir, 11.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Even
smile is charity
a
[Hadeeth Muslim]
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The Hajj – The Journey by ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah By Him whose House the loving pilgrims visit, Responding with ihram at the appointed limit, Uncovering their heads in total humility Before One to Whom faces bow in servility. They exclaim in the valleys, “We have responded to You – All Praise is Yours, and Kingdom too!” He invited and they answered, with love and pleasure; When they called upon Him, nearer came the Divine treasure. You see them on their mounts, hair dusty and dishevelled, Yet never more content, never happier have they felt; Leaving homelands and families due to holy yearning, Unmoved are they by temptations of returning. Through plains and valleys, from near and far, Walking and riding, in submission to Allah. At the Ka’bah When they see His House – that magnificent sight For which the hearts of all creatures are set alight – It seems they’ve never felt tired before, For their discomfort and hardship is no more. Now the eye of the Lover drowns in its streams, It sees through its tears the goal of its dreams; Now for Allah, how many tears are issued, Each one being followed by a multitude? When the eye perceives the House, its darkness clears, And from the sorrowful heart, pain disappears; Vision cannot encompass this beautiful sight: Each glance returns with greater delight! No wonder at this, for when the Merciful preferred The House for Himself, it became most honoured He clothed it in Majesty, a magnificent garment; Embroidered it with Beauty, a wonderful ornament! The hearts all love the House therefore, Awed and humbled, in respect and honour. ‘Arafat Now to ‘Arafat, hoping for Mercy and Forgiveness From the One overflowing with Generosity and Kindness; Now for Allah is that Magnificent Standing Like, though lesser than, the Day of Reckoning. The Irresistible draws near, His Majesty manifest, Boasting to His angels, for He is the Mightiest, “My slaves have come to Me so lovingly, I’ll be Generous and Merciful, willingly. I have forgiven their sins, – to this you are witness – Fulfilled their hopes, and showered them with goodness.” So joyous news! O people of that standing, When sins are forgiven and Mercy is spreading; How many slaves are set completely free? Whilst others seek a cure, and heal will He. Now Satan is never known to lose such face: He’s blameworthy, rejected, in utter disgrace. For he sees a matter that enrage him must: He flees, slaps his face and covers it in dust! Such Forgiveness he never did see As granted by the Lord, and such Mercy! He built his edifice from every temptation available Till he thought it was complete, unassailable; Then Allah struck his building at its very foundation, So it fell upon him, tumbling in devastation; What worth has his structure, this evil ploy, That he does build, and the Lord does destroy?
Muzdalifah & Mina Now to Muzdalifah, to spend the night In the Sacred Area, then Prayer at first light; Now on to the Great Pillar, which they need To stone at the time of the Prayer of ‘Id; Now to their tents for the sacrifice prepared, Reviving the tradition of a Father revered. If sacrificing themselves were Allah’s demand, They would respond, submitting to the command; Just as they’d expose their necks in Jihad To Allah’s enemies, till these stream with blood; They discipline themselves, presenting the head for a shave: Bringing humility and happiness to the obedient slave. The Tawaf of Ifadah/Ziyarah So when they’ve removed those natural growths, Completed their rites, and fulfilled their oaths, He invites them again to visit His House: What honour and welcome this visit allows! By Allah, they visit it in so much splendour, Receiving their rewards and plenty of honour; There Allah bestows Grace, Favour and Kindness, Showing Generosity, Mercy and Forgiveness. Mina Then they return to Mina, each to his tent, Every minute wish is granted, and they are content; They stay there a day, then another, then a third, They’re allowed to depart early, but to stay is preferred; They stone the pillars daily after the sun’s decline, With a slogan of Takbir in the presence of the Divine! If only you could see their standing there: Palms outstretched, hoping for Mercy’s share! “O Lord! O Lord! Knowing as You do That we hope for no-one, only You! Then grant our wish, O You All-Knowing, We pray for Your Mercy overflowing.” The Farewell Tawaf When they’ve achieved at Mina all their gains, Once more they fill the valleys and plains: To the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, by the end of the day, To circle it seven times, and then to Pray. When departure nears and they are certain That the bond of proximity is about to loosen, There’s only a last stand for a final farewell: Now for Allah are the eyes that swell, Now you see those bewildered, perplexed in the throng, Whilst others chant their sorrowful song: “I depart, but there remains for You my yearning, My fire of grief is raging and burning; I bid farewell, but longing pulls my reins – My heart is encamped in Your eternal plains!” No blame today for saying what you feel: No blame for expressing what you used to conceal!I have forgiven their sins, – to this you are witness – Fulfilled their hopes, and showered them with goodness.” So joyous news! O people of that standing, When sins are forgiven and Mercy is spreading; How many slaves are set completely free? Whilst others seek a cure, and heal will He. Now Satan is never known to lose such face: He’s blameworthy, rejected, in utter disgrace. For he sees a matter that enrage him must: He flees, slaps his face and covers it in dust! Such Forgiveness he never did see As granted by the Lord, and such Mercy!
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In Pursuit of Wealth
by Umm Muslim
“Say: My Lord enlarges the provision for whom he wills or he narrows it (for whom he wills); but most people do not comprehend” (Quran - Saba 34:36) Wealth, a topic of great interest at the moment due to the recession and creditcrunch, is something that has troubled the children of Adam from the very beginning of creation. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The son of Adam (i.e. man) grows old and so also two desires grow old with him; love for wealth and a wish for a long life.” [Bukhari : Book 8 : Volume 76 : Hadith 430] The question of how much wealth and property one owns, or how many of the luxuries and pleasures of the world one enjoys, have preoccupied the thoughts of each and everyone of us at one point or another our lives. Wealth has been the cause of wars, the cause of suicide, the cause of marriages, and divorces, amongst many others. But what exactly is wealth? Believers are troubled when they see that the wicked, the corrupt and the perpetrators of evil have whatever they wish for in terms of wealth and percieved power, whilst those who are virtuous, good and honest are deprived of it all. This can lead them to wonder, and often doubt, whether goodness, honesty and virtue have any real value, since they often go hand in hand with poverty and deprivation. Some may also think that Allah only gives in abundance to someone who enjoys a privileged position with Him. However, believers must always remember the corruptive nature of wealth and the fitna (trials) and evil that accompany it. Allah Aza Wajjal warns the believers that: ‘Satan threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseeingly. Allah promiseth you His forgiveness and bounties. And He careth for all and He knowth all things.’ {2:268} So we should always strive to maintain honesty and righteousness regardless of the corruption that surrounds us. We should never give into the temptations of this world nor the whisperings of Satan, as he is to mankind ‘an avowed enemy’. Believers must also remember that the best of creation, our beloved Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) lived in extreme poverty and
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suffered great material deprivation. Yet, he is the most beloved to Allah and will have the highest standing amongst the entire creation, in the Hereafter. The Qur’an separates the riches and luxuries of this world from the values which Allah approves of. It states that Allah grants wealth or poverty to whomever He wills, out of His mercy, and that it is not an indication of whether He is pleased or displeased with them. This is because often a person’s wealth, position and offspring can in fact be a trial and test for them. Allah says in the Qur‘an: ‘Your riches and your children may be a trial: whereas Allah, with Him is the highest reward. So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey; and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls. And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, - they are the ones that achieve prosperity.’ {64:15-16} Allah tests his servants with wealth and with poverty, and each will be rewarded or punished according to how they conduct themselves. On the Day of Judgement a person will be asked about how acquired their wealth and how they spent it, and judged on whether or not they were grateful to Allah for it. The wealthier a person is, the more responsibility that wealth carries. A person who is poor cannot be asked about how they acquired or spent their wealth if they did not posses any in the first place. Therefore, there is less chance that they will be punished for being ungrateful for the blessings bestowed upon them by Allah Aza Wajjal. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Anyone whom Allah has given wealth but he does not pay its Zakah, then, on the Day of Resurrection, his wealth will be presented to him in the shape of a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two poisonous glands in its mouth and it will encircle itself round his neck and bite him over his cheeks and say, “I am your wealth; I am your treasure.” Then the Prophet recited this Divine Verse:-- “And let not those who covetously withhold of
that which Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty.” {3.180} [Bukhari : Book 6 : Volume 60 : Hadith 88] The mercy and wisdom behind Allah Aza Wajjal withholding wealth from a person is explained in the following ayah, when Allah says: ‘If Allah were to enlarge the provision of His servants, they would indeed transgress beyond all bounds through the earth; but He sends it down in due measure as He pleases. For He is with His servants well acquainted, Watchful.’ {42:27} Allah clearly tells mankind that the reason that wealth has been withheld from some of them is because if they were to possess it, it would lead them to transgress the boundaries set by Allah. And ultimately lead to their destruction. It can be seen from the stories in the Qur’an that the people who posses power and privilege in the world, like Firawn and the mushrikeen of Makkah, are the ones who reject the signs of Allah out of arrogance and are the most despised by Him. Wealth corrupts the soul of man because money opens the doors to fitna, which would otherwise remain closed. It also becomes a source of arrogance, one of the traits hated by Allah and the quality possessed by the worst of creation, Iblis. Allah warns the believers that: ‘Certainly, We shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits; but give glad tidings to those who persevere, - those who say, when a misfortune strikes them, “Surely to Allah we belong, and surely to Him we return”; these are the ones on whom blessings from their Lord descend, and mercy, and these are the ones who are rightly guided.’ {2:155-157} Thus, a true believer shows gratitude and thankfulness for the countless blessings bestowed on them by Allah and displays patience and submission during times of poverty and affliction. Those who are wealthy may enjoy their affluence in this life, however, they are denied the wealth of the hereafter, which is far better and eternal.
In Pursuit of Wealth cont. Allah says: ‘To any that desires the tilth of the Hereafter, We give increase to his tilth; and to any that desires the tilth of this world, We grant somewhat thereof, but he has no share or lot in the Hereafter. {42:20} True wealth is attained in the hereafter. ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Who among you considers the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?” They replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! There is none among us but loves his own wealth more.” The Prophet said, “So his wealth is whatever he spends (in Allah’s Cause) during his life (on good deeds) while the wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his death.” [Bukhari : Book 8 : Volume 76 : Hadith 449] It can be seen from this hadith that wealth is only beneficial to you if it is spent in the way of Allah, rather than hoarded. Because that which man leaves behind after death will not benefit him; unless it is pious offspring, religious knowledge or on-going charity. The money stored way in his bank account will not profit him in the least. Abu Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘While I was walking with the Prophet in the Harra of Medina, Uhud came in sight. The Prophet said, “O Abu Dhar!” I said, “Labbaik, O Allah’s Apostle!” He said, “I would not like to have gold equal to this mountain of Uhud, unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar of it remains with me for more than three days, except something which I will keep for repaying debts. I would have spent all of it (distributed it) amongst Allah’s Slaves like this, and like this, and like this.” The Prophet pointed out with his hand towards his right, his left and his back (while illustrating it). He proceeded with his walk and said, “The rich are in fact the poor (little rewarded) on the Day of Resurrection except those who spend their wealth like this, and like this, and like this, to their right, left and back, but such people are few in number.” [Bukhari : Book 8 : Volume 76 : Hadith 451]
it were poor people, while the rich were forbidden (to enter along with the poor, because they were waiting the reckoning of their accounts), but the people of the Fire had been ordered to be driven to the Fire. And I stood at the gate of the Fire and found that the majority of the people entering it were women.” [Bukhari : Book 8 : Volume 76 : Hadith 555] And ‘Amr bin ‘Auf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘“By Allah, I am not afraid that you will become poor, but I am afraid that worldly wealth will be given to you in abundance as it was given to those (nations) before you, and you will start competing each other for it as the previous nations competed for it, and then it will divert you (from good) as it diverted them.”’ [Bukhari : Book 8 : Volume 76 : Hadith 433 ] The insatiable hunger which accompanies the hoarding of wealth diverts believers from their religious obligations towards Allah, because it increases their love of the world, which is fleeting, at the expense of the hereafter, which is enduring. The more people become obsessed with acquiring wealth in this world, the more they begin to love this world and the less likely they are to want to leave it. Acquiring money becomes the sole purpose of their lives, when it should be worshipping Allah, as Allah says in Surah Ad-Dhariyat: “I created not man and jinn, except to worship me.” However, for the lovers of wealth, the worship of Allah is replaced with the worship of money! Abu Sa’id AlKhudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Mesenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No doubt, good produces nothing but good. Indeed it is like what grows on the banks of a stream which either kills or nearly kills the grazing animals because of gluttony except the vegetation-eating animal which eats till both its flanks are full (i.e. till it gets satisfied) and then stands in the sun and defecates and urinates and again starts grazing. This worldly property is sweet vegetation. How excellent the wealth of the Believer is, if it is collected through legal means and is spent in Allah’s Cause and on orphans, poor people and travellers. But he who does not take it legally is like an eater who eats but is never satisfied and his wealth will be a witness against him on the Day of Resurrection.” [Bukhari : Book 4 : Volume 52 : Hadith 95]
The fitna that accompanies wealth also renders it harder for the wealthy to enter Paradise. The more wealth you have, the more responsibility and corruption accompanies it. Usama (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the majority of the people who had entered However, it can be seen from the above
hadith that wealth, when acquired by permissible means and spent in the way of Allah, can be an immense blessing. Allah also says in the Qur’an that: ‘Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by day and night, in secret and in public, have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.’ {2:274} Many pious predecessors, such as Uthman bin Affan and Khalid bin Waleed, were wealthy and they successfully spent their wealth in the cause of Allah. Ultimately our provisions are in the care of Allah Aza Wajjal who is the Most Beneficent, the Most Generous and the Most Loving. Our fate was written whilst we were still in the wombs of our mothers, so subhanAllah there is no need for us to worry as whatever comes from Allah is the best for us. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Allah has appointed an angel in the womb, and the angel says, ‘O Lord! A drop of discharge (i.e. of semen), O Lord! a clot, O Lord! a piece of flesh.’ And then, if Allah wishes to complete the child’s creation, the angel will say. ‘O Lord! A male or a female? O Lord! wretched or blessed (in religion)? What will his livelihood be? What will his age be?’ The angel writes all this while the child is in the womb of its mother.” [Bukhari : Book 4 : Volume 55 : Hadith 550] The most important thing for a believer to remember is that we were created for the sole purpose of worshipping the Lord of Creation alone, and this life is just a means of testing our obedience and faith in Him. Whether we are granted abundant riches or severe poverty we must always strive to obey the commands of Allah Aza Wajjal and fulfil our duties towards Him. A believer’s honour lies in Islam. The words of Allah (the Qur’an) and the Sunnah should be our guides, not the desires of the society surrounding us, which places great value on wealth and materialism. We are merely travelers in this world and we will soon move on. What we will take with us from this world will be our good deeds. They will be our wealth on the Day of Judgement and they are what we will be judged on. He whose deeds are heavy on the scale, will have succeeded and gained something that all the wealth of this world cannot buy, the pleasure of his Lord and eternal paradise.
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KID ZONE Colour your own masjid
Biggest Muslim Populated Countries
Indonesia, 210 Million Muslims
Pakistan, 167 Million Muslims
India, 121 Million Muslims
Kids Jokes: The Last Imam An Imam shocked his community when he announced that he was resigning from that particular Masjid and moving to a drier climate. After the session, a very distraught lady came to the Imam with tears in her eyes, “Oh, Imam, we are going to miss you so much. We don’t want you to leave!” The kind hearted Imam said “Now, now, sister, don’t
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carry on. The Imam who takes my place might be even better than me”. “Yeah”, she said, with a tone of disappointment in her voice, “That’s what they said the last time too . . . “
Recommended Reading Title: Patience and Gratitude Author: ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah Paperback: 82 pages Publisher: Taha Publishers Language: English In this book, the author explains the Islamic concept of sabr (patience, fortitude) and its counterpart, shukr (gratitude), in a practical fashion which shows how these important spiritual values may be incorporated into everyday life
Recommended Audio Title: The Hereafter Series Speaker: Imam Anwar al Awlaki Language: English Running Time: 18 hours (18 CDs) Producer: al Basheer Publications A detailed study of the hereafter from the the time of death, up until jannah. This set of lectures covers the events from death, the grave, the day of judgement, hell and heaven. The speaker gives a detailed insight into the world of the unseen including tours of both jannah and jahannam. Taken primarily from Ibn Kathirs [RH] al Nihayah wal Bidaya [the beggining to end] with sources from the Quran and Sunnah.
Recommended Website Links www.dhikrullah.com - A great resource for Islamic books and articles from the Quran
and Sunnah. A range of Islamic information from aqeedah to zakah. The website is also a great place to download and listen to the recitiation of the Quran. http://www.islamqa.com - An authentic website for question and answers related to anything about Islam. Answered by qualified scholars.
www.mounthira.com - a website which makes it easy for people to learn and memorise important verses, which can benefit us all in our life...for protection, success... and to get closer to our Creator.
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ISLAM Question & Answers all answers taken from http://www.islamqa.com
Charity Special Charity during Ramadaan Is it better to give in charity in the last ten days of Ramadaan, or to spend the nights of those days in prayer and dhikr which is the only special thing about those nights?.
Charity to Non Muslims Is it permissible to give charity to nonMuslims if they are in urgent need? Will the person who gives such charity be rewarded?
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise be to Allaah.
What was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning staying up at night during the last ten nights of Ramadaan is that those nights should be spent in prayer and dhikr.
It is permissible to give charity to nonMuslims and this action will be rewarded, if they are in need of it, but they should not be given the obligatory charity, i.e. zakaat, unless they are those whose hearts are to be softened (i.e., they are close to embracing Islam). It is a condition for giving charity to non-Muslims that they should not be involvied in fighting the Muslims or driving them from their homes, because charity in such cases would be seen as helping them to wage war against the Muslims. (Fataawa Mutanawwi’ah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 521).
Charity during Ramadaan is better than charity at other times, but we do not know of anything in the Sunnah to indicate that giving charity in the last ten days is better. But the scholars stated that righteous deeds are better when done at times of virtue, and undoubtedly the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better than any other nights, because Laylat al-Qadr is among them, which is better than a thousand months. Whatever the case, what is prescribed for the Muslim is to give a great deal of charity throughout Ramadaan. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most generous of people and he was at his most generous during Ramadaan. Narrated by alBukhaari, 6; Muslim, 2308 And Allaah knows best.
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Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allaah loves those who deal with equity. It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allaah forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the zaalimoon (wrong-doers – those who disobey Allaah.)” [al-Mumtahimah 60:8-9].
Muslims should seek first and foremost to give their charity to their Muslim brothers who are in need, and there are plenty of them. And Allaah knows best. Money from people whom money can not be returned to A number of years ago I took moneys from each of a number of colleagues. Later on I travelled to another region and forgot these colleagues, and they forgot me. Now I do not know where they are. What should I do about the money I owe them? Please tell me, may Allaah reward you. Praise be to Allaah. If the case is as you describe in your question, and you have forgotten the person who lent you the money, then what is prescribed in Islam is that you should give an equivalent amount in charity on their behalf. When you remember any of them, then pay him what you owe him, unless he accepts the fact that you gave charity on his behalf. This will clear you of debt and bring reward to you and to them. And Allah knows best.