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Ramadaan News local and abroad
TURKEY Turkish aid agencies are planning to reach millions of people across the world with food aid during the Islamic holy month of Ramadaan. Families in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Balkans will benefit from iftar, or fastbreaking, meals from the start of Ramadaan on Saturday. The Turkish Red Crescent will aim to reach 20,000 families over the month and will concentrate its iftar tents in the northern Syrian province of Idlib and Gaza in Palestine. Ships loaded with over 60,000 tons of humanitarian aid will head to countries hit by famine such as South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Yemen. DUBAI Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, ordered the release of 1,014 prisoners of different nationalities from Dubai’s correctional establishments, ahead of Ramadaan. Al Humaidan said that the order will have a positive impact on the community, as it will give the pardoned prisoners a chance to re-join their families and friends and begin a new chapter in their lives.
said Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as quoted by Gulf News. DUBAI Emirates utilises a unique tool to calculate the correct timings for Imsak and Iftar while in-flight SINGAPORE Coinciding with the first day of Ramadaan, a free carpooling app called Terawhere will be launched in Singapore for Muslims looking for a ride to the Masjid during the holiest month of the Islamic year. The app is the brainchild of 15 young people who wanted to create an app to help fellow Muslims navigate the busy roads filled with the faithful. The app draws its name from the “terawih” prayers, the central worship time on Ramadaan nights. INDONESIA Indonesian police used a steamroller to crush thousands of bottles of alcohol and torched a huge stash of seized drugs ahead of Ramadaan in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
DUBAI The Federal Ministry of Health and Prevention has started free health check-ups in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain which will run up to the 8th of June 2017.
CHINA The Taipei City government urged employers to show more tolerance and respect for Muslim workers during Ramadaan.
DUBAI UAE government urged residents to cut down food waste during Ramadaan, as the season usually doubles the amount of food wasted in the country.
Taipei is home to more than 40,000 migrant workers, of which 74 percent are Indonesian nationals, who are mostly Muslims, according to Lai Hsiang-lin, chief of the city’s Department of Labour.
Food waste during Ramadaan largely contributes to an estimated Dh14.69 billion ($4 billion) food waste in the UAE every year,
GHANA The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has presented 2,500 tonnes of
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dates as a gift to the government of Ghana. The 50 cartons of one of the world’s sweetest fruits were presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for redistribution to the Muslim community for the upcoming Ramadaan. KENYA Kenyan government has pledged to lift the dusk to dawn curfew on Mandera town on the Somalia border to allow residents to perform the Ramadaan prayers in the night, Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto said. MAKKAH Worshipers will not be allowed to offer non-obligatory prayers in the mataaf area till the end of Ramadaan, according to instructions issued by Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled AlFaisal, who is the chairman of the Central Haj Committee. No Iftar meals will be allowed inside the mataaf. The Emir ordered to clear the mataaf area in order to allow pilgrims performing tawaaf to complete their Umrah without hindrance. Worshipers and pilgrims will be allowed to pray the five obligatory prayers inside the mataaf. CAPE TOWN Alleged hijackers dressed in Muslim tops and fezzes carried out a daring hijacking while people were making Ramadaan salaah at a Cape Flats mosque. But they didn’t get very far as alert neighbourhood watch members caught up to them. Police say one of the alleged hijackers was caught and arrested, while two others are still at large. MOSUL Two car bombs killed at least 20 people in Baghdad and wounded about 80 others early on Tuesday, security sources said, one targeting the late-night crowds typical of the Muslim holy month of Ramadaan who shop and eat ahead of the next day’s fast.
MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCCIATION NMMU PORT ELIZABETH by Layya Coetzee
The MSA, Muslims Student Association, is a student based society at Nelson Mandela University. The role of the MSA on campus is to serve as a way for Muslim students to be able to fulfil their mandatory religious obligations. Other roles the MSA aim to fulfil are being a voice for all Muslim students, addressing issues that we face from academic to campus issues as a whole. We also aim towards spreading dawah on campus. With the auspicious month of Ramadaan arriving, so are exams, and students who are on campus during the late afternoon find it difficult to have to juggle that of studying and having to go home and cook or even make it home in time, for that matter. The MSA have therefore started to hold events in which we can raise money towards offering iftaar on campus for those who wish to break their fast. Events that have been held so far are the Female Ladies Brunch and a Soccer Tournament for the Males. We had a good support Subhannah-Allah. Insha’Allah we will be able to do more in the future. We will also be running a donation drive through Ramadaan for those who would like to donate anything from clothes to books for the needy, Insha’Allah.If you would like to get the MSA involved in a future project regarding the youth or If you require information regarding the Donation drive / want to donate please contact our chairperson, Fahad Zaheer Asmal on +27 74 923 0250 or Aadil Muzavar +27 74 728 6686. MuslimPages Ramadaan 2017 7
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Ramadaan without prejudice The Hadith exhorts us to spend and be gracious in assisting the poor. Ramadaan is not the time for character assassination. We need not poke fun at the failures of the impoverished; judge their sins and stereotype every poor person as a lazy beggar. Let us open our hearts this Ramadaan. We desire the magnanimous Allah to forgive our sins, so why not eagerly share His bounties. Stock piles of samoosas, savouries and grand desserts prepared weeks ahead of Ramadaan; tables decked for occasions of grand hosting for family and friends; midnight snacks galore have all served to associate Ramadaan with a celebratory instead of a spiritual atmosphere. The flurry and excitement of shopping for Eid unleashes a wild spending spree often reducing the blessed day of Eid to a fashion parade. Consider the hundreds of Muslim families who do not own a freezer, are not by the means to secure their next meal or the many women and kids deserted by errant husbands or fathers. Perhaps our stress of what to cook
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may be trivial to the mom who has no food to prepare for Iftaar! We often contextualise poverty as individuals suffering in desolate areas- having wasting stomachs and protruding ribs. Do we, who daily commit extravagance and demand the best of everything, understand the pang of a hungry stomach in passing judgment so easily on our neighbours? Compassion, assisting the poor and feeding is the dazzle of our Deeds and the epitome of acceptance. Nabi ﷺsaid: “The one who sleeps satiated and knows that his neighbour is hungry has not believed in me.” This Ramadaan, let us focus on those who are near by helping needy families with the basics to enable them to fast and feed their families at the time of Iftaar. Prejudice should not destroy the great rewards of feeding those in our vicinity. Our motto should be- close to home, close to heart. Nazir Munshie (Molana) On behalf of the Al Fidaa Foundation
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Ramadaan Q&A Your Ramadaan questions, answered by various Ulama Q: Kindly let me know if taking Rota haler breaks the fast? I’m a wheezing patient and its very difficult during fast. It’s a kind of powder which goes inside the throat AND I don’t swallow anything. A: In principle, a fast is broken if any discernible substance goes into the throat independently, without any valid Shar’i excuse. When using the rota haler, if visible particles reach the throat, the fast will be broken. If it becomes difficult to breath and there is no other option but to use an inhaler, it will be permissible to use the inhaler and break the fast. One must do qadha’ of the fast later on. Q: Does masturbating break the fast? A: One is not allowed to masturbate, it is an evil act that must be abandoned whether fasting or not. However if one does this act whilst fasting then the fast will break and a qadha will have to be kept. Q: Can I visit my gynaecologist or have a pap-smear during Ramadaan? A: The fast would be nullified if medication is inserted into the private part. It would therefore be advisable to delay the appointment until after Ramadaan. Q: Does a wet dream while fasting invalidate the fast? A: A wet dream will not invalidate the fast. Q: What should one do if ones parent / parents passed away owing two days of fasting which they missed due to illness during the month of Ramadaan?
A: The Prophet said: “Whoever dies owing fasts, his heir should fast on his behalf.” And if you feed the poor on his behalf by giving a saa‘ of the local staple food, which is equivalent to approximately 3 kg, that will be sufficient. Q: Since Ramadaan will be in winter once again, I’ve had the flu in the previous two Ramadaan’s, can I insert vicks into my nostrils to ease the blockage? A: Inserting vicks into your nostrils should be avoided. You may however apply it externally to the forehead, neck or chest. Q: As a lady I perform my Salaah at home. However I only know 11 surahs, how do I complete 20 raka’ats? A: You may repeat the Surahs that you know. Q: Many year back I broke my fast without a valid reason. I started with my kaffaarah fasts of 60 consecutive days and after 25 days I realised that Eid will interrupt my kaffaarah as it will take place in two weeks time. Do I pause my kaffaarah for the three days of Eid and then continue afterwrds? A: If you deliberately break your fast of Ramadaan, then you will have to make Kaffarah of 60 consecutive fasts and one Qadha fast. In the enquired situation, since Eid comes in between the Kaffaarah fasts, the Kaffaarah will be invalid. You will have to recommence your Kaffaarah after the three days of Eid. Q: I have heard “During the month of Ramadaan Allah stops the punishment of the grave for everyone buried.” Is it true? A: Hafiz Ibn Rajab (rahimahullah) has
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