Hikmah Magazine: Issue i

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The contemporary Muslim magazine of Peterborough

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First edition How to maximise the good this Ramadan The wisdom behind the name

The importance and value of time Food to revolutionise your fast

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Contents Page 3 ~

It’s in the name

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Editorial

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Ramadan Matters

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Food Recommendations

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The importance of time

Hikmah magazine is a new, contemporary Muslim magazine of Peterborough. It is produced by a very small editorial team with the best intentions: spreading the true message of Islam of peace, togetherness and love. It covers local events, contemporary issues, food and hopes to showcase local talents: writing, speaking, designing and others.

As a small, local publication, it seeks to serve the whole Muslim community of Peterborough and can do so through your help. Article submissions and graphics are always welcome and shall be directed towards the editorial team at the Facebook or Twitter pages. ‘Letters/Emails to the Editor’ are also welcome and will be considered for publication in future issues. Your constructive criticism will assist further improvements.

Photo credits: sxc.hu

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Editorial It gives me great pleasure to present to you, hikmah, the new, contemporary Muslim magazine of Peterborough.

As the foundations of every secure oak tree and every sturdy conifer (literally) lay in the earth, so too, I hope this first issue will be the root which will nourish many varied shoots in the future.

This, God willing, will be a publication with a purpose, a magazine with a mission.

Just as this first issue has been brought to you through hard work and dedication, it is hoped your support – whether your own articles, your prayers or even just reading every subsequent edition – will allow it to flourish and go from success to success, building each and every time upon previous accomplishments that pave the way for greater achievements.

As the doorway on the front cover signals a new opening, so too, this publication envisages an opportunity. It is hoped you too will take this journey and join this enterprise, with Allah’s Permission.

Editor

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It’s in the name…

When people first see a new publication, some rather natural questions enter their mind. Why? For whom?

And more. Here, we try to express the ambition of this publication and the vision for which it strives

In an increasingly technological world and despite the creation of more and more communication tools, it is a fact that we're actually less connected and worse at connecting. The rich catalogue of i-this, and i-am-that fail to satiate our natural yearning – as social animals – for genuine communication and face-toface appreciation of each other. We've invested our human sense of belonging into gadgets and websites in the hope they'll act as our smokescreens but they actually perpetuate divisions and divisiveness.

The 2011 census revealed that in Peterborough, the Muslim population numbered 17,251; only 2.4% of this are members of the Facebook page, the majority of whom are young, recipients of some form of further education and at least second-generation individuals.

This confirms the subtle gap between our society that not everyone has access to information from a level playing field.

It was from this that the editorial team sensed the potential for a new beginning: a new contemporary Muslim magazine for the community. Hence, the magazine name of hikmah: wisdom. It was wisdom that has characterised our faith and its followers wherever they've gone and settled: a timeless, transcendent, trustworthy manifestation that defies any of the normal barriers to our existence and our various expressions of it.

Nouman Ali Khan of Bayyinah Institute (USA) differentiated: “in Islamic

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terminology, there's ilm (information), 'aql (understanding) and when you have this ilm and 'aql together – faham if you will – and you act on it (application): this is hikmah (wisdom)”.

Upon this, of the skills with which Allah has blessed us: that of thinking, considering, conceptualising, reasoning, understanding, writing, designing, communicating, distributing, cooperating. Using our skills allows us to appreciate them: feeding into our ultimate goal of shukr, thankfulness, to our Creator. Wisdom is more than just knowing: it's actually using action to manifest what is known.

Our faith should be that which binds us; not divides us. Variety is healthy but divisiveness as it plagues the Ummah nowadays is against what we should stand for. As Shaykh Yahya Rhodus said on his recent visit to Peterborough, he has genuine love for anyone who proclaims “La illaha ila Allah” [There is no God but Allah]. Wisdom can therefore be seen as having universality: speaking, appealing to, addressing everyone and not leaving anyone behind. This is why our faith has followers from every continent and all parts of the world: its foundations are firm and its fruits are fragrant. Indeed, when Islam – in the immediate centuries after the Prophet (pbuh)'s advent – began to spread around the world, the bearers of the religion didn't necessarily speak the language of those to whom they conveyed the message: rather they spoke with wisdom through their actions.

May Allah increase us in our knowledge and give us success.

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A Masjid shines radiant against the completely dark night sky.

Source: www.sxc.hu

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Event: Ramadan Matters with Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa

With just over a week before the expected beginning of the month of Ramadan, Shaykh Ibrahim Osi-Efa visited Peterborough to deliver his talk “Ramadan Matters” discussing some of the ways to maximise one's blessings and reward from the best of months

Shaykh Ibrahim, with his powerful enunciation and erudite scholarship, is no stranger to a Peterborough audience; he has visited in the past, mainly as a compeer-cumtranslator of visiting scholars typically from Yemen. The Shaykh's main residence is Source: virtuestour.com Liverpool and he was very kind to make such a long journey to visit the Midlands – his travel from Merseyside heralding other scholars (namely Shaykh Burhan and Imam Khalid Hussain) to come from their respective cities and listen to the thought-provoking talk.

The Shaykh began by eluding to the oftmentioned triumvirate parts to the holy month of Ramadan: that of Mercy (rahmah), Forgiveness (maghfirah) and Emancipation from Hellfire (itqum min an-nar). The Shaykh mentioned that through His Mercy, Allah (Subhana Wa

Ta'Ala) everyday of this noble month emancipates an untold number from the hellfire.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came and his very coming signalled the last chapter of our existence, the sign of the ever-nearness of the final end. “They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the Hour: when is its arrival?” (7:187).

Everything that starts must end—the previous nations of the Prophets: Ibrahim (as), Musa (as), Isa (as). We are the Ummah (community) of Muhammad (pbuh) and we have already existed for 1434 years, and as such, the fact that the community of Isa (pbuh) ended almost as soon as it had started, should act as a potent reminder that the end is near and our efforts should be exerted accordingly.

Shaykh Ibrahim used the powerful and well-known analogy of the Ummah as being Humpty Dumpty: ‘all the king's men and the all the horsemen couldn't put Ahlul Islam back together again’. As an Ummah, we are ‘cracked’, in a dire state which is highlighted in many ways.

The Prophet (pbuh) said even if one's hour arrives and they are in the midst of doing a good deed, they should continue:

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plant the seed.

Ramadan signals potential: the human being was never created to be meaningless. In the nature of the world, the human was created as the epoch of creation – preferred above all other creation. However this primordial favour should not be taken for granted; for Man, despite once being the epitome of creation, has the capacity to be abased and placed into “a Fire whose fuel is people and stones” (66:6) - degraded, through their actions, to the bottom of the heap.

The potential of humans becomes unleashed in Ramadan: those who struggled with their daily prayers are seen observing the 20-rakah of Taraweeh in the evening with little difficulty; those who didn't observe any extra fasts during the year can hold fast the whole duration of the month; charity increases exponentially as well.

The Shaykh mentioned the unfortunate situation that analysis of the economics of the Muslim home: we spend more in the month of Ramadan alone than the whole year combined! A predicament which is not the way of our pious predecessors – rather, they spent more in this month on charity and giving out to others.

The month is a time for personal change: the fate of humanity rests with us, the last Ummah, who need to be engines for change rather than formed by their surroundings. It is through the weakness of man that he becomes unfavourably moulded by his milieu which is a definite recipe for destruction. Through the capacity of the one, collectively, a lot can be achieved—Ramadan is an optimum time to bring this into fruition.

The word ‘Ramadan’ comes from the root, Ram-da: meaning, 'to burn', or 'to scorch'

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Etymology

‫– رمضان‬

comes from Ram-da (‘to burn’ or ‘scorch’)

‫ الصوم‬-

means junnah (protective shield)

Recommended reads ‘The End of History and the Last Man’

by Francis Fukuyama – meaning the month is a chance of purging, destroying evil deeds.

In Ramadan, Muslims need to hold fast to Dhikr and Sawm; dhikr only benefits in abundance and alleviates social problems (especially within the home) Sawm too requires abundance for effectiveness. Sawm is a junnah, a protective shield. Sawm protects from anything. Hence, the wisdom of the Prophet (pbuh) of recommending fasting on the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month, which is the coincidence of the full moon—studies have shown the full moon has a negative effect on humans (what the Shaykh jokingly referred to as ‘time of the month’ for men) albeit not in the cultural well-known extent as werewolves unleashed from the bodies of man!

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Ramadan Recommendations Here, we showcase some “Healthy Ramadan meal plans” collated from a number of sources; primarily nhs choices which was produced in consultation between both medical experts and Islamic scholars.

Porridge has many benefits. It heals the skin, fights infections, shields against heart disease and reduces the risk of diabetes – a chronic disease that is rapidly plaguing societies around the world.

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Walnuts are the healthiest type of nuts, being high in Vitamin E and antioxidants. Other nuts such as almonds, pecans and pistachios are high in protein and many vitamins.

Pitta bread hasn’t endured on the recipes for at least thousands of years for no reason! Being highly versatile on your kitchen table, it also harbours nutritional value: one serving contains 5.5 grams of protein, 11% of the recommended daily amount.

Protein is important for the healthy growth and repair of muscles, hair, nails and skin.

Famously a food of the Far East, rice supports good bowel movements, stabilises blood sugar levels and provides essential Vitamin B1 to the human body.

Brown rice contains more magnesium, which promotes healthy bones and better blood circulation. It now feeds more than half of world population.

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A 2011 Oxfam survey proved pasta was the world’s favourite food. It is popular worldwide – from Italy to Venezula to Tunisia. It is rich in carbohydrates – 54 grams per 100 g serving – and low in fat, ensuring you can keep full of energy without feeling bloated.

Adding just one salad to your diet a day can really revitalise your health.

Green salads give you a greater host of powerful antioxidants – namely, vitamin C and E, folic acid and betacarotene, the latter being a key ingredient to protecting against cancers. The National Cancer Institute suggests that people with diets rich in fruits and vegetables are less likely to develop cancers of the head and neck – even those who smoke.

The New York Times recently published an article titled: “Watermelon All Day Long”, which proved exactly that.

From soups to desserts, salads to hot/cold drinks, watermelon proves very adaptable. By weight, the fruit is a grand 92% water, allowing you to hydrate efficiently and effectively. Of course, the greatest seal of approval for any Muslim is that it was a favoured food of the Blessed Prophet (pbuh).

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Shaykh’s notes [Transcript (with edits) of a lecture delivered at the MAS-ICNA Convention of 2013] In Arabic logic, mantiq, there is a concept of universals, particulars, types and parts. As such, it is unusual to find something whose whole and specifics are both blessed – for example, humanity has been honoured as a whole but pockets of humanity, such as evildoers, are considered dishonourable (or less honourable).

Towards the end of The Noble Qur’an, Allah (SWA) swears by time – parts of time, aspects of time – for example, in Surah AlNajm (Chapter 53) where Allah begins, “By the star when it descends”; in Surah AlShams (Chapter 91) where Allah says, “By the sun and its brightness, and [by] the moon when it follows it, and [by] the day when it displays it”. In Surah Al-Fajr (Chapter 89), Allah swears “by the dawn” (ayah 1) and “[by] the night when it passes”.

Likewise in Surah al-Layl (Chapter 92), Allah says “By the night when it covers, and [by] the day when it appears”.

All of these references appear towards the end of The Qur’an in the thirtieth juz (part) which is the last one. In this same juz, known commonly as Juz Amma, Allah swears by specific nights as well. In Surah al-Qadr (Chapter 97), He swears by the Night of Decree, the night in which The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). In the 103rd chapter, Allah swears by time as a universal: “walAsr”, in the Chapter that takes the same name. This is a very unique circumstance, even in usul, and shows that time is therefore a ni’ma (blessing). The scholars famously said, ‘time is a tool’ – and how we use it is therefore crucial.

Allah has given us different parts of time which are advantageous. The five daily

prayers for example, are considered mubarak (blessed); the last third of the night; the first ten nights of Dhul-Hijjah (the last month of the Islamic calendar), which are the most beloved days to Allah (SWA).

So therefore, we realize that we need to take advantage both of time as a whole but also the ‘times’ as they occur. In particular, the time of youth cannot be overstated. In Surah Al-Kahf (the Chapter of the Cave, no.18), Allah makes mention of the story of “ashabul-Kahf”, which means, ‘The Companions of the Cave’. It is an alam, it is a title. Allah introduces these people to us in the ninth ayah as follows: “Or have you thought that the companions of the cave and the inscription were, among Our signs, a wonder?” – it grabs our attention and makes our intrigued, we want to listen to learn more of who these people are and why they are being mentioned.

Constantly, Allah keeps making mention of “youth” in the ayaat of Surah Al-Kahf to show the importance of this particular time of one’s life: this Qur’anic principle is called Idhaar fi maqam al-idhmar – to keep mentioning the name/title of someone.

Similarly, in Surah al-Qadr, Allah continually mentions the name “Laylat-ulQadr” (the Night of Decree) rather than using the pronoun, 'it’.

In Surah al-Qari'ah, Allah begins, “malQari’ah” (The Striking Calamity). And then, “What is the Striking Calamity?” and then “And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?” The constant repetition excites our interest and gives us an understanding of the true gravity and scale of this event.

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