YM Magazine Ramadan Issue by YM NJ

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

BISMILLAH

Bismi-llahi-r rahmani-r rahim In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

IN THIS ISSUE…

UpFront 03 Bismillah 04 In This Issue… 06 Editor’s Note

Getting Creative! 08 Recipes

Life 15 Ramadan Prep 16 Host an Iftar for Charity

Deen 18 Laylat al-Qadr: The Night of

09 Crafts for Ramadan!

Power

10 Fiction Angele

20 30 Daily Ramadan Dua

12 FictionKids Zerina’s First

22 Ramadan Resolutions

Day

23 Dua for Fast

13 Ramadan Around the World 14 Ramadan Quotable

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Self 24 The Benefits of Fasting 26 Healthy Tips for Ramadan

Fun to Read 28 Books to Read This Ramadan (Or Anytime) 30 Do you know Ramadan?

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

YM Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!

MAGAZINE

Ramadan Kareem! Ramadan is my favorite time of the year, Not only is the food amazing, but the iftars and the suhoors and all of the joy that you receive during Ramadan are amazing. There is more closeness of us all as an Ummah. Not to mention the bonus of many good deeds! This month to me is like a spiritual training session, since all of the devils are chained up, our nafs (soul) is free and we should train our souls since the main source of temptation is locked away. I am really excited for this issue; I hope that many more people will join us here on the YM Magazine Team. This issue is jam-packed with a few Ramadan essentials and tidbits that can be helpful throughout the month. Inshallah I hope that you all like it! Wishing you a joyous and wonderful Ramadan full of blessings and love! ď&#x201A;&#x2013;

Want to Contribute? Join The Team? Ask Questions?

Email ymchangeworld@ gmail.com

Blog

Ifrah A. Editor-In-Chief

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Ymchangeworld. blogspot.com

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Taken by Reem El-Sheikh

RECIPE

Fruit Kabobs  

Wooden Skewer Slices of your favorite fruit What to Do 1) Slide any slice over your favorite fruits onto the wooden skewer. 2) You can also grill your fruit for an even more delicious taste! 

Chicken Pot Pie in Phyllo Dough               

1 large carrot, peeled and diced 1 small potato or four fingerling potatoes, diced 1 small yellow onion, diced 1/2 of an entire leftover chicken, meat pulled and bones removed 2 Tb. unsalted butter 2 Tb. unbleached all-purpose flour salt, to taste ground pepper, to taste 2/3 cup heavy cream 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas cooking spray 1 package phyllo dough, cold but not frozen 1 cup milk 1/3 cup olive oil 4 Tb. black seeds

What to Do 1. 2.

Preheat the oven to 400º. In a medium saucepan, boil the carrot, potato and onion until soft (not mushy), about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, use another medium saucepan to heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour, salt and pepper and whisk to combine for about 2 minutes or until gold in color. 4. Add the heavy cream and whisk to blend. 5. Add the chicken and cooked and strained vegetables. Add the peas and use a large spoon to combine. Set aside. 6. Spray a large rectangular glass baking with cooking oil. 7. Pull out the entire package of phyllo dough and cut it in half at the fold. Set aside half, particularly in the refrigerator if your kitchen is hot. 8. Place one sheet of phyllo on the bottom of the sprayed baking dish. 9. In a small cup, mix the milk and olive oil. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the phyllo. Repeat this with all of the remaining phyllo dough sheets from the first half. 10. When you are done brushing the first half of phyllo sheets, spoon the entire chicken, cream and vegetable mixture onto the layer of phyllo. 11. Pull the second half of phyllo sheets from the refrigerator. Add the first sheet and brush the top with the milk/olive oil mixture. Repeat this until all of the remaining phyllo sheets are finished. Brush the top layer and then sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. 12. Bake in the heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top is a beautiful golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. 

Recipes brought to you by MyHalalKitchen.com

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

CRAFTS

RAMADAN CRAFTS!

Many traditional and cultural holidays have their own themed crafts. I mean look at Halloween, at Christmas, Thanksgiving.

Ramadan Stars and Moon     

Construction Paper Scissors Pencil Black Glitter String

Take black and yellow construction paper and cut out moon and star shapes Glue Black Glitter on the Moons Glue glow in the dark glitter on the stars Cut strings at different lengths, and tape them to the backs of the moons and stars. This way they will hang at different lengths. Hang the stars and moons either on the ceiling, if you attach them there or you can tape them onto your door, or window.

Many Muslims don’t usually do crafts for Ramadan, since they are very focused on the more spiritual sense, but that doesn’t mean that the kids can’t! 2) Making these fun crafts with your family can help raise awareness of Ramadan and more joy and love of it. It also gives the kids something to look forward and happy too. Everyone loves crafts and it would put a smile on anyone’s face to see your own handmade fanoos hanging from the window letting others know that Ramadan is approaching and how special it is to you.

3) 4)

Good Deed Tree         

Flowerpot Styrofoam Ball Florist Foam Stick Pipe cleaners Foam Flowers Toothpick Marker Scissors 1) 2) 3) 4)

Cut florist foam into the shape of the flower pot Push the stick through the foam, and wrap pipe cleaner around it to make the stem. Put the Styrofoam ball ¾ of the way into the other end of the stick. Poke toothpicks through the foam flowers and keep them on hand, whenever someone does a good deed, poke one of the flowers through the foam ball to add a blossom to the tree. You can keep doing lots of good deeds, until your tree is filled. You can also decorate the pot.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

You can also make your own Fanoos. Go to the link below and it will show you how: http://www.americasmuslimfam ily.com/hullabaloo/fanoos/fano os.html

GET CREATIVE THIS RAMADAN!

FICTION

ANGELE By Ifrah A.

“Beauty. Pure beauty and oh the flow of those words! It sounds so enchanting, I have to get closer!”

The sun was setting on the horizon and the birds were becoming quiet. Angele wondered if she would ever find out what the man had been reading.

12 year old Angele Houston was trying to climb over her neighbor’s fence. Almost reaching the top she peered over and saw a very old man sitting on a bench in the middle of two giant rose bushes reading aloud from a gold covered book. The wind carried his voice and it magically spread all throughout the garden where he was reading. Angele had to know what he was reading and she wanted to ask if he could teach her how to read from it as well. Just as she was about to jump over to the other side, a sharp voice cracked through the air, “Angele!” Angele cringed. That voice belonged to her father and from the sounds of it, he was furious. Angele turned around to see her father walking towards her. He stopped near the fence and began tapping his foot. “Angele, get down from there right now.” Angele shook her head, “Dad, I just want to know what he is reading, can’t I please go and ask him?” Angele’s father shook his head and reached up to pull Angele down. He then told her, “Angele this is the last time that I tell you not to climb over this fence. “

It was the first day of high school. There was a new girl who had just moved here. Word on the street was that she was unlike any other girl that anyone had ever seen. She wore a blue scarf on her head as if she was trying to hide her hair. This new girl was introduced in Angele’s Reading class as Farrah. Farrah explained that she was a Muslim and the headscarf that she was wearing was called a hijab. She told the class that it was what Muslim women wore to cover themselves and to be modest. Everyone stared at her, but once she brought out homemade cookies that she had made everyone instantly warmed up to her. Farrah was assigned to sit right next to Angele, and soon they became the best of friends. Yet their happiness together was short lived. Angele had invited Farrah over her house one day. The two girls spent the day together and Angele introduced Farrah to her Mom and together they all helped make dinner. As evening approached, Angele’s Dad came home and walked into the kitchen to kiss his wife and give a hug to Angele. When he saw Farrah, he asked, “Who’s this?” Angele happily introduced her new best friend, and then her Dad smiled and told the family that he was going to take a shower and then come down for dinner. Once the table had been set up for dinner, Angele’s Dad came back and joined them. Before eating, the whole family held hands and said grace. Only Farrah did something different. Before eating she said, “Bismillah ir-rahman nir-rahim.”

“You do it one more time, and you will be grounded for a full year.” Angele nodded, but in her heart she wasn’t so sure that she had complied. “But Dad, I mean why is it so bad? Why don’t you like it? Why do you never want me to know what it is? I think that it sounds beautiful.” Angele’s Dad glared at her and then pushed her along over their lawn and into their house. He said nothing. Once in her room, Angele glanced out her window and she could see the man close the book that he was reading and slowly walk into the back of his house.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

The whole family looked up at her and stared. Farrah looked around and then smiled, “What I just said

was what Muslims say before we eat. It means In the Name of God, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and it is like how you guys say grace before you eat.” The family nodded and began to eat. “So Farrah, your family is from Morocco right?” Mrs. Houston asked. “Yes, but my mom is from Egypt.” Farrah answered. Angele, between bites inquired, “Farrah, what you spoke just now, that was Arabic right?” Farrah nodded. Angele looked down at her plate. The words that Farrah had spoken sounded similar to what the man was reading in his garden many years ago. That man was still here, but he rarely read in his garden anymore, due to the fact that Angele’s Dad had gone over and told him to stop reading out there. As Angele had grown up she had realized that what the man had been reading was called the Quran. It was the book of Islam, kind of like how the Bible is the book of Christianity. Angele had never told her family this but she had secretly been learning more and more about Islam and she had liked it a lot, but if her Dad was to ever find out she would have been in deep trouble. Yet she still couldn’t understand why her Father hated Islam so much. He thought that it was a bad religion and that its followers wanted to harm us. He used to point to the news, the TV, and the so called word, “Terrorist” Despite all this, Angele knew that even though her Dad hated it all, she knew that a religion with a book that sounded as beautiful as the Quran could not be evil, and when Farrah came along Angele had confirmed her beliefs. Her father was judging a whole religion on the actions of just a few people, who totally went against what Islam taught anyway. Hopefully one day, her father would understand. After dinner it was time for Farrah to go home. She said her goodbyes and thankyous to Angele and her family and left. As soon as Farrah was gone, Angele’s father burst into anger, “Angele that was the last time that you bring her over our house!” Angele replied back to her father, “Dad, just stop! She is a nice person and my best friend so I think that you should stop with all of your prejudices and just look past all of it!” Her father snapped back, “You are in the wrong here! She is not a good person; she is going to trick you! She is dangerous; I want you to never see her again. You are far too young to understand and don’t know any better!” Tears pricked Angele’s eyes. She gritted her teeth, “Dad. I am 18. I will be going to college

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

next year. I think that I am pretty mature and smart enough to tell right from wrong and to decide who my friends are.” After saying this she ran upstairs, slammed her bedroom door and collapsed onto her pillow, crying. After that Angele was homeschooled. She never really got to see Farrah again, her father made sure of that. She felt trapped in her life, and could not wait to go to college, where she would be able to escape this all. She couldn’t wait to be far away from her family and far away from this prison of a house.

----------------------- 5 years later --------------------------Angele was a full fledged Muslimah. She had converted 2 years ago and was growing to be very strong in her faith. Farrah, her best friend was always by her side and they both often wore matching hijabs that they would custom make. Farrah was in her last year of Fashion Design School and Angele was going to become a writer. It had been a very long time since Angele had gone to visit her family. They knew of her becoming a Muslim and hadn’t reacted very supporting. Farrah’s family on the other hand was always there for Angele, but now and then she would miss her real family. Ramadan was approaching and Farrah was going back to their hometown to spend it with her family, and she sat down and told Angele that she should do the same. “Farrah, ever since I told my parents that I had converted they neglected me. Should I really go back to them? I’m scared.” Farrah put a hand on Angele’s shoulder, “Hey even if they neglected you, you are their daughter and you do have a responsibility to your parents. Remember the importance of parents in Islam? Allah is happy when your parents are happy. They don’t hate you; they are just scared, scared of what they don’t know. Have courage Angele, and go talk to them, you never know maybe they’ve changed.” Angele nodded and hugged her best friend. She then drove up to her old house, slowly walked up to the porch and stood outside the door for a while. “Allah is with me, Allah is with me. Bismillah-ir-rahmanir-rahim,” she sighed and then rang the doorbell. She could hear footsteps on the other side and the door was soon opened by her father. Before Angele could say another word, her Father reached out and hugged her tightly and with tears in his eyes, he whispered, “Subhanallah. I was so scared that you would never come back, but Allah, He has brought you back.” Angele’s eyes widened and then she thanked Allah as well, “Subhanallah, O Allah Thank you for bringing my parents back to me as well!” 

FICTION

By Munahil A. 

Zerina’s First Day It was the beginning of Ramadan and Zerina had to go to school. Her family had just moved here and they were still getting used to the new neighborhood. Zerina got up, did wudu, prayed Fajr and then picked out a new hijab to wear. She chose a green scarf with peace symbols all over it. It was her favorite scarf, and she hoped that it would bring her luck on her first day at a new school. Zerina’s mom dropped her off at the front gates of the school. The school was huge. It towered over little Zerina and she gulped. She was never good at making friends because she was so shy and she felt so scared, yet she sighed and walked in. As soon as she set foot in the school, she could feel the stares of many children following her. “Who’s that? “ “Is she new?” “Do you think she’s nice?” Zerina looked down and kept on walking, “Oh boy this was going to be a long day.” As lunch time drew near, Zerina’s homeroom teacher, Mrs. Heatherfield led her to the library. The smell of French fries and pizza wafted out of the cafeteria and Zerina heard her stomach rumble. She put her hand over it, trying to silence it. She was fasting so she couldn’t eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. Mrs. Heatherfield instructed Zerina to stay in the library until lunch was over, and then she would come and get her. Zerina nodded and took a seat at one of the library tables. The library was really big and had tons of books and cool art on the walls. A giant skylight let in the sun from outside. There weren’t a lot of kids in the library, just a couple who were browsing books, and on the computers. Zerina got up from the table and decided to pick a book to read to pass the time. Zerina scanned many shelves and saw many interesting books. She picked The Tale of Despereaux to read. As she was turning the corner, to head back to her table, she bumped into another girl. Zerina quickly got up, casting her eyes downward and apologized, “I’m so sorry!” The other girl laughed. Zerina was puzzled; she looked up and saw a brilliant flash of purple. The other girl was wearing a hijab exactly like Zerina’s, peace signs and all! The

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

only difference was that this girl’s scarf was a bright purple and Zerina’s was green. The girl got up, picked up her book, and then she introduced herself, “Assalamu Alaikum! My name is Iman, and you don’t have to say sorry, I bumped into you as well.” Zerina smiled and said, “Walaikum As-Salam! My name is Zerina.” Iman nodded and asked, “You’re new here right? I have never seen you here before.” Zerina replied, “Yes, today is my first day here.” Iman then asked her if she was doing okay and then related to Zerina’s unease about her first day. “It’s okay to be shy Zerina, but it is also okay to make the first step. If you want to be friends with someone, sometimes you have to go say Hello first. You have to be brave.” Zerina agreed with Iman’s advice and together they spent the lunch hour laughing and talking away. With Iman’s help Zerina got to meet many other people, and she made some great friends on her own too. One day Zerina brought Iman a Thank You card. When Iman asked why Zerina was thanking her, Zerina said, “I am thanking you because you have given me a great gift. You have given me the gift of friendship and I am really glad that I met you!” Iman hugged Zerina and then they both laughed. “I couldn’t have asked for a better friend either, Zerina.” Iman smiled. As soon as Zerina got home that day she prayed to Allah (SWT) and thanked Him for the wonderful school and the wonderful friends that He had given her. She also thanked Him for all of the blessings in her life and for her courage to make new friends and meet new people and to not be that shy anymore. She also thanked him for Zerina and the friendship that she had brought with her. 

The Prophet (SAW) said: “Each of you is the mirror of his brother, so if he sees any blemish in him, he should wipe it away from him.” (Tirmidhi)

ART

Ramadan FROM Around the World North America

EUROPE

ASIA

AUSTRALIA

SOUTH AMERICA

AFRICA ANTARCTICA

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

QUOTES

“Fasting is a screen from hell.” (Abu Dawud)

Narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger performs salat and observes sawm during the month of Ramadan, then it will be a promise biding upon Allah to admit him to Paradise, no matter whether he fought in Allah’s Cause or remains in the land where he is born. (Sahih Bukhari)

'You are the servant, He is the Master. Prayers come from you, answers come from Him. Abstinence comes from you, protection comes from Him. Repentance comes from you, acceptance comes from Him. Go towards him walking, He will come to you running.' (Abu Hurairah) When the world pushes you to your knees, you are in the perfect position to pray. -Anonymous

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

LIFE

PREPARING FOR RAMADAN

Ramadan is not a month to spend lazing around the house and sleeping. This is a very special month where we should try our best to be the best that we can be. Since in Ramadan all of the devils are chained up, we can’t use them as an excuse for our bad behavior. Thus this is the perfect month to shape our souls and make them stronger in our faith before the devils are released again. Here are just some tips to get you started.

1) Ramadan can be very taxing on your body, so getting in shape and eating healthy before Ramadan is always a good thing to do. 2) Read the Quran.

3) Make Dua. Hope for a beneficial Ramadan and ask for forgiveness. 4) Learn more about your Deen. This is a great way to be preparing for Ramadan, after all the more you know the better your understanding of everything is and the smoother things will go.

5) Prepare you room/house. Remove anything that you know will distract you during Ramadan; this could be a Wii, GameBoy, Movies, etc.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

6) Download Lectures, Naats, Surahs. Have an IPod, or MP3 Player? Just download some lectures, Surahs and Naats that way you can listen to something that will benefit you and you will get rewarded for it as well! Some great lectures to listen to are the ones by Quran Weekly: http://ramadanprep.ummahnow.org/note s/ 7) Decorate! It’s always great to make your house look nice for Ramadan too, so why not put up Hadith Quotes, Lanterns, or Arabic Calligraphy.

8) Make a Schedule. Making a schedule to follow during the days of Ramadan will keep you in check; also remember to build your schedule around the prayers, not the other way around. 9) Break Bad Habits! Make a list of bad habits that you want to break this Ramadan, maybe you want to work on your anger control skills, or to start praying more often.

10) Enjoy Ramadan! Ramadan is a fun and holy month, and it only comes once a year, 10 days every year because that is just how much it loves us! Make the most of it this year! 

Muslims Without Borders: mwbrelief.org

LIFE

Muslims without Borders is the 1st Student Based Relief Agency and First Aid Organization to help alleviate suffering through out the world.

So this Ramadan, they decided to come up with the idea of hosting iftars for Syria/Palestine. If you like Masjid iftars, and iftar parties, then maybe this year you should hold one of these iftar parties and raise money towards a good cause. You can also ask your mosque if they would like to partake in this, and that would be even better, since hundreds of people go to Masjid Iftars.

●

If you end up wanting to hold an iftar, then they will provide you with brochures, T-shirts, banners, videos, power point presentations, and even guest speakers for your event! We all want to help others, and this is a great way; plus it’s Ramadan so the reward is thus greater! ●

●

If you are interested please visit their site or email:

syrianow@mwbrelief .org Palestine@mwbrelief .org

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

ART

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

DEEN

What is Laylat al-Qadr? Laylat al-Qadr, otherwise referred to as the Night of Power is when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This blessed night of all nights falls on one of the last ten odd nights of Ramadan. It is a very essential and spiritual night and the month of Ramadan is honored with it.

Importance and Signs

The Night of Power is quoted to be better than a Thousand Months! It is in fact so important that there is even a whole surah in the Quran dedicated to it.

“Verily! We have sent it (Quran) down in the Night of Decree (Laylatal-Qadr). And what will make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh (i.e. Gabriel) by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, Peace! Until the appearance of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-5)

No one knows when the Night of Power is; just the hints about the Night that it will fall on appear.

It is also reported from the Prophet (P.B.U.H) that: “Verily I saw Laylatal Qadr, and I was caused to forget it, and indeed it is during the last ten (nights). It is during an odd night” st

The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith, seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And whoever spends the Night of power in prayer with faith, seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 The Prophet (SAW) indicated that the sign of Laylatal al-Qadr is

that the sun rises on the following morning with no visible rays.

 The Prophet (SAW) said: "Laylat al-Qadr is a pleasant night,

neither hot nor cold, and the following day the sun rises red and weak."

 The Prophet (SAW) said: "Laylat al-Qadr is a bright night, neither

hot nor cold, in which no meteors are seen."

So it will most likely fall on the 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 , or 29 .

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

DEEN Prepare for Laylat al-Qadr Spiritually Read lots of Quran and remember to pray regularly, also it’s not a bad idea to learn and memorize a few Surahs for the Night. Physically Staying up and praying all night long can be hard, especially if you are not used to it. Remember to keep your body in good health and to get a good rest on the odd nights. Mentally If you are not prepared mentally for this night, and you have no concentration on what you are praying then it will not count. Remember to relax your mind, some deep breathing exercises will help to calm you and good rest will also ensure better concentration at night. Another great way to prepare for Laylat al-Qadr is to perform Itikaaf. This is the practice of staying in the mosque in the last 10 days of Ramadan to worship Allah.

“Allah’s Messenger (P.B.U.H) used to practice Itikaaf in the last ten nights and say: ‘Seek out Laylatal-Qadr in the (odd nights) of the last ten days of Ramadan.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

On the Night of Power It is best that on the last 10 days of Ramadan, you pray, read the Quran, and make as many supplications as possible. It is after all for your benefit. It is prescribed to supplicate a great in Laylat al-Qadr. It is reported from Aisha (R.A):

“O Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Laylatal-Qadr was, then what should I say in it?” He said: “Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘affuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee.” (O Allah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).” (atTirmidhi)

This is a very special night, and a great gift from Allah (SWT), we should all try our best not to miss it, and to reap the joys and blessings of this treasure of a night! 

30 Daily Ramadan Dua

DEEN Day 1:

ALLAH, on this day make my fasts the

fasts of those who fast (sincerely), and my standing up in prayer of those who stand up in prayer (obediently), awaken me in it from the sleep of the heedless, and forgive me my sins , O God of the worlds, and forgive me, O one who forgives the

Day 8: ALLAH, on this day, let me have mercy on the orphans, and feed [the hungry], and spread peace, and keep company with the nobleminded, O the shelter of the hopeful.

sinners.

Day 9: ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share from Your mercy which is wide, guide me towards Your shining proofs, lead me to Your all encompassing pleasure, by Your love, O the hope of the desirous.

Day 2: ALLAH, on this day, take me closer towards Your pleasure, keep me away from Your anger and punishment, grant me the opportunity to recite Your verses (of the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an), by Your mercy, O the most Merciful.

Day 3: ALLAH, on this day, grant me wisdom and awareness, keep me away from foolishness and pretension, grant me a share in every blessing You send down, by You generosity, O the most Generous.

Day 10: ALLAH, on this day, make me, among those who rely on You, from those who You consider successful, and place me among those who are near to you, by Your favor, O goal of the seekers.

Day 11: ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire, by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help

Day 12: Day 4: ALLAH, on this day, strengthen me in carrying out Your commands, let me taste the sweetness of Your remembrance, grant me, through Your graciousness, that I give thanks to You. Protect me, with Your protection and cover, O the most

ALLAH, on this day, beautify me with covering and

chastity, cover me with the clothes of contentment and chastity, let me adhere to justice and fairness, and keep me safe from all that I fear, by Your protection, O the protector of the frightened.

discerning of those who see.

Day 5: ALLAH, on this day, place me among those who seek forgiveness. Place me among Your righteous and obedient servants, and place me among Your close friends, by Your

Day 13: ALLAH, on this day, purify me from un-cleanliness and dirt, make me patient over events that are decreed, grant me the ability to be pious, and keep company with the good, by Your help, O the beloved of the destitute.

kindness, O the most Merciful.

Day 6: ALLAH, on this day, do not let me abase myself by incurring Your disobedience, and do not strike me with the whip of Your punishment, keep me away from the causes of Your anger, by and Your power, O the ultimate wish of those who desire.

Day 14: ALLAH, on this day, do not condemn me for slips, make me decrease mistakes and errors, do not make me a target for afflictions and troubles, by Your honor, O the honor of the Muslims.

Day 7: ALLAH, on this day, help me with its fasts and prayers, and keep me away from mistakes and sins of the day, grant me that I remember You continuously through the day, by Your assistance, O the Guide of those who stray.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

DEEN

Day 15: O Allah, on this day, grant me the obedience of the humble, expand my chest through the repentance of the humble, by Your security, O the shelter of the fearful.

Day 23: ALLAH, on this day, wash away my sins, purify me from all flaws, examine my heart with (for) the piety of the hearts, O One who overlooks the shortcomings of the sinners.

Day 16: ALLAH, on this day, grant me compatibility with the good, keep me away from patching up with the evil, lead me in it, by Your mercy, to the permanent abode, by Your Godship, O the God of the worlds.

Day 24: ALLAH, on this day, I ask You for what pleases You, and I seek refuge in You from what displeases You, I ask You to grant me the opportunity to obey You and not disobey You, O One who is generous with those who ask

Day 17: ALLAH, on this day, guide me towards righteous actions, fulfill my needs and hopes, O One who does not need explanations nor questions, O One who knows what is in the chests of the (people of the) world. Bless Muhammad and his family, the Pure.

Day 25: ALLAH, on this day, make me among those who love

Day 18:

ALLAH, on this day, make me love goodness, and dislike

Your friends, and hate Your enemies, following the way of Your last Prophet, O the Guardian of the hearts of the Prophets.

corruption and disobedience, bar me from anger and the fire [of Hell], by Your help, O the helper of those who seek help.

Day 19:

ALLAH, on this day, multiply for me its blessings, and

ease my path towards its bounties, do not deprive me of the

Day 26: ALLAH, on this day, make my efforts worthy of appreciation, and my sins forgiven, my deeds accepted, my flaws concealed, O the best of those who hear.

acceptance of its good deeds, O the Guide towards the clear truth.

Day 20: ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of the

Day 27: ALLAH, on this day, bestow on me the blessings of Laylatal Qadr,

heavens, and lock the doors of Hell from me, help me to recite the Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an, O the One who sends down tranquility into the hearts of

change my affairs from (being) difficult to (being) easy, accept my apologies, and decrease for me [my] sins and burdens, O the Compassionate with His

believers.

righteous servants.

Day 28: ALLAH, on this day, grant me a share in its nawafil (recommended Day 21: ALLAH, on this day, show me the way to win Your pleasure, do not let Shaytan have a means over me, make Paradise an abode and a resting place for me, O the One who fulfills the requests of the needy.

prayers), honor me by attending to my problems, make closer the means to approach You, from all the means, O One who is not preoccupied by the requests of the beseechers.

Day 29: O ALLAH, on this day, cover me with Your mercy, grant me in it success and protection, purify my heart from the darkness of false accusations, O the Merciful to His believing servants.

Day 22: ALLAH, on this day, open for me the doors of Your Grace, send down on me its blessings, help me towards the causes of Your mercy, and give me a place in the comforts of Paradise, O the one who answers the call of the distressed.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Day 30: O ALLAH, on this day, make my fasts worthy of appreciation and acceptance, according to what pleases You, and pleases the Messenger, the branches being strengthened by the roots, for the sake of our leader, Muhammad, and his purified family. Praise be to ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds. ď&#x201A;&#x2013;

ADVICE

THE RAMADAN RESOLUTION

Ever heard of a New Year’s Resolution? Most likely you have, since it’s a common tradition to act upon at the start of every New Year. You know when you pick one thing that you want to do or improve upon in the following year; well just like a New Year’s Resolution, there is a Ramadan Resolution. Ramadan is a great time to train your soul, as it is free of the temptations of the devils; the devils get chained up at the start of every Ramadan. The Ramadan Resolution is pretty simple; you just come up with a resolution, either by yourself or with your whole family that you will act upon this Ramadan. This resolution could be:        

Going to the Mosque more often Praying on time Starting to wear the hijab Memorizing the Quran Giving and Volunteering at local Charities To stop lying Reading 3 books on the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) ANYTHING!!!!

So you see, there are no limits.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

Make a list of goals that you want to achieve and things about yourself that you want to improve upon. Starting this Ramadan, let us improve ourselves, be closer to Allah, increase our faith, be closer to our Ummah, and become better Muslims! Inshallah 

DUA

Dua at the Beginning of the Fast

Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri Ramadan I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan

Dua at the End of the Fast

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu wa alayka tawakkaltu was ala rizq-ika-aftarhu O Allah! I fasted for you and I believe in You and I put my trust in You and I break my fast with Your sustenance

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

SELF

“Fasting is the greatest remedythe physician within.” -Paracelsus

FUN FACT Some Other Benefits of Fasting Did you know that for every one day of Ramadan, Allah (SWT) gives his mercy to 200 people to be freed from the Hell Fire? So in 30 Days, that is about 6,000 people! Subhanallah!

Fasting is not only spiritually beneficial, but it is also greatly beneficial to your body. When you don’t eat for a while, survival mechanisms kick in, making you last longer, simply put giving you the ability to survive and live longer. Fasting rests your digestive system, I mean come on everyone and everything deserves a break right? When you abstain from eating all day, your insides are being cleansed and free radicals which are harmful are being detoxified from the body. Free radicals are really bad; they attack our healthy cells and our DNA, causing them to die and to lead to cancer and many other problems. When you fast, you realize your need for food, and your eating patterns. This can make you become aware of what you eat and can help you in changing your food choices to healthier ones, also you grow ever more thankful to Allah (SWT) and realize that your physical body is only temporary, but it is your spirit that will go on. Since you are not thinking about food, fasting improves your mental clarity and enables you to think clearer, free from emotional and physical stress. So while fasting cleanses your body, it also cleanses your heart, soul, and your mind. You achieve a feeling of lightness and you find yourself more energetic. You have inner stillness, and this enhances your connection to the spiritual world. The energy tied up inside of you is freed, so that you can heal on the inside. You can pray, meditate, read Quran and love Allah (SWT) even more. Allah (SWT) wants what is best for us and indeed fasting is probably one of the best things that we have been instructed to do as well. Reminding us again, that Islam is a way of Life, not only just a Religion. 

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433



Anti-aging effects

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Better attitude

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Better resistance to disease

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Better sleep

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Change of habits



Clearer planning

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Clearer skin

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Creativity

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Diet changed

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Improved sense

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Inspiration

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More clarity

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More energy

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More relaxation

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New ideas

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Purification

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Reduction of allergies

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Rejuvenation

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Right use of will

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Spiritual awareness

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Weight loss

SELF

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

SELF



Healthy Tips for Ramadan 

1. Do not drink too much excess fluids with your food. This will overwhelm your stomach and in turn cause some digestive problems, since the stomach acids will be in distress.

2. Eat a well balanced meal! The 9-inch plate rule is a good model for a balanced meal. You take a 9-inch plate, make ½ of it vegetables or salad, ¼ protein, and the last ¼ starchy carbs, like rice, potatoes, pasta, etc.

3. Good examples of protein are fish, chicken, beef, etc.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

4. Go whole grain. It is better for you, because regular white grain is stripped of essential nutrients. Whole grain is better and more beneficial to a complete meal.

5. Instead of eating two giant meals, of iftar and suhoor, try to eat lightly. This way after iftar you can eat light meals throughout the night and not overwhelm your stomach at one time. This is also good for your metabolism. 6. The best way to keep in shape throughout Ramadan without getting thirsty through your fast is to exercise throughout the night, this way you can replenish yourself with water and work off some pounds. 7. Eat 1 Tbsp. of Peanut Butter with your Suhoor. This will reduce cramps, headaches and minor pains all throughout the day. Plus it is packed with protein.

RAMDAN INSPIRATION

Ramadan Loves Us So Much that Every Year it Comes Back 10 Days Earlier Just to Be with Us ď &#x2122;

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

FUN TO READ

This is a Must Have for Any Muslim or Non Muslim Teen. It discusses all about Islam; from The Five Pillars to Cultural Diversity. A great companion and guide for any teen!

The Title Says It All. This is one of the best translations of the Quran. It offers background stories for verses, so that you can understand the whole picture behind them.

A Narrative Biographical Account of The Prophetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (SAW) Life, from before he was born, to the day that he passed away. This book spills out so many emotions and it is by far one of the most impacting books that you will ever read.

In this sweet little picture book, follow along as a young Muslim boy experiences his first Ramadan with his family.

A beautiful collection of some of the Hadith of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This book is simply designed, yet the lessons that it holds within are everlasting.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

FUN TO READ (continued…)

During Ramadan, families are not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset for a whole month. Almira is your typical protagonist, but when you add an exerciseobsessed mom, a no dating rule, and a new Muslim girl in school who struts around in super-short skirts, it can be tough for a teenage girl to survive, let alone feel normal and belonging.

A young all-American woman converts to Islam. This is the book about her journey in finding love, Islam, and herself.

The life sketches of the early female believers, in this book, stand as a beacon and outstanding role models for the so-called “weaker sex” and call for the revival of the pristine, lofty, high position of women in the society once again. The women in this book are listed in categories, such as “Mothers of the Prophet”, “Wives of the Prophet”, “The Prophet’s Daughters”, and many more categories. Read this book. Live the lives of these great women as they lived them around the Prophet (SAW). You will tell the tales to your friends and families. But most importantly…You will never forget them.

Tales of the Beloved Sahabah and Companions of the Prophet (SAW). Educational and deeply moving, as you learn about the lives of these magnificent men and women.

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

After 9/11, life in a small Ohio town changes for 14 year old Mohammed and his family. Their mosque is desecrated, the family business is boycotted, and Mohammed becomes the object of anti-Muslim taunts and threats at his middle school. On top of all this, his trip to New York City with the Young Engineers Club is canceled. Going to New York has always been Mohammed’s childhood dream. He knows New York like the back of his hand, and he is an expert on the Statue of Liberty. He knows her the best, (a.k.a. Miss Liberty) he even dreams about her. So when the canceled trip is unexpectedly rescheduled, Mohammad is at last in New York. However the Statue is closed to the public. Has he come this far to ignore his dream? Breaking all the rules, he makes it to Liberty Island where an extraordinary event unfolds: The Saving of Miss Liberty.

QUIZ

 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

In the Hijra calendar, what number month is Ramadan? When do Muslims fast during Ramadan? What does Laylat al-Qadr mean? What festival occurs at the end of Ramadan? Over a span of how many years was the Quran revealed? Allah (SWT) likes the smell of a fasting person’s mouth, better than that of? What is Itikaaf? When was Ramadan made obligatory to Muslims? List 3 important events that occurred during the Prophet’s (SAW) lifetime during Ramadan. Who is required to fast during Ramadan?



 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)

9th From Fajr to Maghrib, Sunrise to Sunset The Night of Power Eid Al-Fitr 23 years Musk Itikaaf is staying at the mosque, (usually for the last 10 days of Ramadan) specifically for the worship of Allah (SWT). 8) 2 A.H.; 623 C.E. 9) The Quran was Revealed Battle of Badr, The Victory of Makkah 10) All mature and sane Muslims, male and female

 30

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433

THANK YOU FOR READING! WALAIKUM AS SALAM!

YM Magazine ~ Ramadan 2012/1433