2013Ionanewsletter October (Hajj Special)

7/27/2019 2013Ionanewsletter October (Hajj Special)

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The Prophet (SAW) said:

Stylish Hijabs, Jilbabs & AbayasLatest Styles & Colors

For more information, please contact SouadHome (248)689-9662 | Cell (248) 872-2169

Adult Education Program

Arabic, Quran Tafsir, Tajweed, Hadith

Sundays from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Please see page 2 for more information.

IONA Sunday School

Quran, Arabic, Hadith, SirahFor Children Ages 5 to 13

Enroll today!Please see page 2 for more information.

Youth of Ummah(YOU) presents:

Islam 101 Program

Saturdays at 4:00 PM

Fast and Learn

Thursdays at 8:00 PM

Soccer League

Saturdays at 5:00 PM

Basketball

League Launch

Saturday, November 2

Monday Fasting,

Eid Camping Trip

and more to come!

For more information, please visit

www.youthofummah.com.

Hifz & QuranRecitation Program

For Children Ages 6 to 14Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (4:30 PM to 6:00 PM)

Saturdays (12:00 PM to 2:00 PM)

Please see page 2 for more information.


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Applications are still being accepted for IONAs 2013-2014 Sunday School, for children ofages 5 to 13. The school began on Sunday, September 8, 2013 and will run through Sunday Jun9, 2014, in sha Allah. The children learn Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies (Hadith, Sirah, etc.The tuition per school year is $375 per child including the $50 registration fee (non-refundable)$625 for two siblings, and $875 for three siblings (brothers and sisters only). Books will be sup-plied to students at no cost to be returned by the end of the Sunday School year.

You can pick up the registration form from the IONA Center. You may call Sr. Souad at 24-872-2169 or the IONA Center at 586-558-6900 to reserve a seat for your child. Make this agreat learning experience for your child(ren).

Enroll today for IONAs Adult Education Program. The program runs weekly on Sundaysfrom 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The current session started on Sunday, September 8, 2013, and wilend on Sunday, December 15, 2013, in sha Allah. Courses offered include Arabic, Quran TafsiQuran Tajweed, and Hadith. Classes take place at the IONA Center (King Plaza just north ofMasjid) The program is for both brothers and sisters, and is free of charge. There is, however,registration fee of $50 to cover the administration/facility expenses.

To register, please contact Br. Shoiab Faridi, Adult Education Program Director, at (248) 76-0445 or email [email protected].

IONA has started a new Hifz and Quran Recitation Program for children ages 6 to 14 yearsold (boys and girls) led by Sr. Souad Soubra (IONAs Sunday and Summer School principal) anSr. Fathieh (IONAs Sunday School teacher). The program runs weekly on Tuesdays, Wednes-days, and Thursdays, from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM and on Saturdays from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Themonthly cost for this program is $100.

Please contact Sr. Souad with any questions you might have. She can be reached at (248) 8722169. Applications are located at the IONA Center.

IONA Islamic Bookstore

Under New ManagementQurans/Islamic Books, Classic and Contemporary/CDs/DVDs/Childrens Books and Educational Materials/Games, and more..

Titles in English, Urdu, and Arabic

New Business Hours:11 AM to 7 PM - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday

2 PM to 6 PM - Sunday

[email protected]

IONA

Mustapha ElturkAmeer

IONA masjid

CommunityAdvisory Board

Mirza AhmadWarren

MohammadAbdul-basit Barlaskar

Warren

Syed ZafarullahSterling Heights

Ashraf JaigirdarWarren

Syed M. MonnanWarren

Farhan BaberWarren

Navid AshrafWarren

Office Manager

Ali Al-Katib

Announcements

October 2013 C.E.

Dhul Qadah Dhul Hijjah

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According to the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA), Eid al-Adha in North Americawould be on the day after Hajj; and Hajj is expected to be on Monday, October 14, 2013,unless Saudi authorities change that date to a date one day earlier. Accordingly, Eid-al-Adha isexpected to be on Tuesday, October 15, 2013, in sha Allah. We will post any new develop-ments in our e-newsletter. You may also call the IONA Center at 586-558-6900 to check forupdates.
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_8/586-558-6900http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_8/586-558-6900mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_8/586-558-6900


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IONA

Repentance

Revitalization of Faith

Renewal of Covenant

ionaonline.org

ionamasjid.org

For all your

Islamic needs

Visit IONAsBookstore

Monday, Tuesday,Thursday, and Friday11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Sundays2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Closed on Wednesdaysand Saturdays

Call586.774.0638

Reflections on Hajj

Continued on page 6

The ultimate destinationYoure the luckiest person in the world. Allh

(SWT) has invited you personally to His House.What isHajj? Hajj in the Arabic language

means aim, destination, or purpose (qasd). Thereason is clear: Hajj is the ultimate journey of lov-

ing submission (ubdyah) and conscious surren-der (riq) to Allh (SWT). Its ultimate destinationis your encounter with the House of Allh (SWT)(Bayt al-Allh)theKabahwith both your

physical body and, more importantly, your heart(qalb).

Ibn al-Jawz (rahimah al-Allh) relates a storyof an old, blind woman who was journeying toHajj years ago with a caravan. Throughout the

journey, she kept asking: Are we at the house ofmy Lord? Time and again, she is told, No,mother, we are not there yet. As the caravannears Makkah, she is informed that they are al-most there. Finally, they enter Masjid al-Harm.

She is led to the Kabah. Touching the Kabah,shecries, Baytu rabb? The House of my Lord?Weeping, she clings to the cloth of the Kabah and dies. The woman realized with her heart(qalb) the true significance of visiting the Houseof her Lord.

Allh (SWT) has invited you to His House,which He has called theBayt al-Atqthe an-cient, liberated, and liberating house. Your jour-ney is one of freedom and liberation. For as your

body leaves its material house to journey to Allh(SWT)s House, your heart is meant to disengagefrom the lower self (nafs), the shaytn, and theworld (dunya) and journey to Allh (SWT).

The ultimate reward for aHajj mabrris toreturn home with the purity of a newborn child.What could be a greater incentive! But beware, forHajj is a selective process. Only a few will attain a

Hajj mabrr, which is a Hajj performed correctly,without any disobedience to Allh (SWT) andwithout indulging in any argumentation. Be pre-

pared. Be vigilant. Be focused. This will be one ofthe greatestand sweeteststruggles of your life.And though you will long and dream for the restof your life to come back, you may never returnagain.

May Allh (SWT) allow our bodies to journey

to His House; may He permit our hearts to findHim, the Lord of the House. Ameen.

The most sacred spaceYou will be journeying from your earthly

house to Makkah, your spiritual home, the mostbeloved place to Allh (SWT) in all of space andtime. Allh (SWT) himself has decreed it to be sosince the beginning of creation. There is no placemore blessed, more beautiful, more virtuous, moreexalted than Makkah. Every inch and every corner

of Makkah is a haram, a sanctuary made sacred byAllh (SWT). The more you revere Makkah, themore you will be ennobled by Allh (SWT). Wemust take the greatest of care to never think casu-ally of our sojourn in Makkah or live within its

precincts in disobedience or negligence. Somereports teach that it was in Makkah that our fatherdam (AS) longed to go back to paradise and bein the presence of Allh (SWT). To console hisloneliness, Allh (SWT) commanded him to dotawf around the space of the current Kabah. Anddam did, and felt whole again. Other texts teachthat Nuh (AS), Ibrhim (AS), and many Prophets

before them, all did tawf around Allh (SWT)ssacred House. Their spiritual energy and legacyfills the air. You will be walking in the footstepsand the heart-steps of Raslullah (SAW) and hisnoble companions.

Shelter, solace, and sightHajj and its rites are described in various and

powerful ways by Allh (SWT) and his Rasl(SAW). Through these descriptions, we gain in-sight into the deeper meanings of Hajj. The rites ofHajj are described, for example, as mansik,mashir, and mashhid. Mansak(plural man-

sik), usually translated as ritual, connotes shelter(maskan) and tranquility (sukn). The rites of Hajjare residences of shelter and tranquility for theheart.

Mashar(plural mashir) connotes feelingand experience. The rites of Hajj cause the heart tofeel and experience the sweetness of nearness toAllh (SWT).

Mashad(plural mashhid) is to witness withthe heart the blessings of Allh (SWT) at everystationto see, with ones inner sight, Allh(SWT)s will as the Decreer of decrees and theCauser of causes.

Each word connotes a different inner dimen-sion of Hajj, as the movement, not only of your

body or limbs, but of your heart. For as your bodyjourneys from one place to another, so too mustyour heart travel through various stations(maqmt), each of which will provide it withshelter, solace, and inner sight.

Become angelic

Hajj is your chance to become an angel and tolive with the delight of an angel. In tawf, you will

be mirroring the worship of the angels, the mali-kah, those heavenly creatures created of pure lightand enveloped in the worship of Allh (SWT).Texts teach that the Kabah is connected in animperceptible way to theBayt al-Mamr, theheavenly Kabah of the angels, around which theyare constantly in tawf. Seventy thousand angels

perform tawf around this house and are replacedwith others, never to return.

The Internal Dimensions of Hajj


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Every season of Hajj reminds us of the legacyof Ibrahim (AS), who along with his son, Ismail(AS), raised the Ancient House (al-Bayt al-Ateeq)orKabah from its foundations to restore the wor-ship of One God.

Ibrahim (AS)s search of truth began when he

was a teenager living in the household of Azarhis father, who was engaged in the making andworshipping of idols. Guided by his pure nature,sound intellect, and rationalist mind, Ibrahim (AS)questioned his father about idol-worship pointingout to him that he and his people were in clear er-ror. Remember when Ibrahim said to his father,

Azar, Do you take idols as gods? I see that youand your people are clearly misguided (al-

Anam, 6:74)

Testifying to Ibrahim (AS)s firm belief intawhid, Allah (SWT) likens him to an entire nationor community (ummah), and affirms more thanonce that he was not from among the polytheists(mushrikeen). Ibrahim was a community in him-

self devoted to Allah and true in faith, He was notone of the polytheists. (al-Nahl, 16:120) Ibrahim(AS)s firm stand led him eventually to distancehimself from his household and his people. When

Ibrahim said to his father and his people, I amfree of everything you worship, except for Himwho brought me into being. He will certainly guideme. (al-Zukhruf, 43:26-27)

Allah (SWT) had blessed Ibrahim (AS) with adiscerning mind. He clearly distinguished betweenthe Creator and His creation. Observing keenlythe heavenly bodies, especially the stars, the moon,

and the sun, and using his intellect, Ibrahim (AS)reinforced his faith in the Creator of everything,who alone should be worshipped.

Possessing an intuitive and unflinching faith inAllah (SWT), Ibrahim (AS) now discovers Godeven through his rational faculty, and cannot help

but cry out, I have set my face with single-mindeddevotion, towards Him who has created the heav-ens and the earth, and I am not one of the polythe-ists.(al-Anam, 6:79) He rebuts those who arguewith him, Are you arguing with me about Allah,while He has guided me? (al-Anam, 6:80)

As evident from the Quran, Ibrahim (AS) was

put to severe trials and tribulations in his search oftruth. He succeeded in all the tests he had to gothrough. As a result, Allah (SWT) made him theleader of humanity (Imam un-Naas).

Being disgusted with idols and idol-worship,and in his anxiousness to teach a lesson to the peo-

ple that their false deities were absolutely power-less, Ibrahim (AS) smashed them. We too have to

be concerned if we have enslaved ourselves tomodern-day idolatryconsumerism and material-ism, in all their different ramifications. Our salva-tion lies in extricating ourselves from the grip of

these and other modern-day idols, and becometrue, humble, and obedient slaves of Allah (SWT)alone.

In his youth, Ibrahim (AS) used his power oflogical reasoning when confronting Nimrod, theking, in an argument about the existence of God

only to leave Nimrod dumbfounded. Islam makessense. There is no dispute between reason andrevelation. There are occasions when we have touse our logical reasoning more than our intuition.

Among Ibrahim (AS)s trials was that he wasconsigned to the flames of a blazing fire.Allah(SWT) in His infinite mercy ordered the fire to

become cool and safe for Ibrahim, and hence hemiraculously remained unscathed.

In compliance of Allah (SWT)s orders, an-other severe trial for Ibrahim (AS) was to leave hiwife Hagar and his infant son Ismail in the harsh,desolate, and desert land of Mecca, where there

was no water, no cultivation, and no humans.Again in His infinite mercy, Allah (SWT) savedboth mother and child by making the spring ofzazam gush forth from that desert land. The sevenrounds (al-Sai) between the hillocks of Safa andMarwa that Hagar took to search for water for her

baby son has become one of the important rituals(manaasik) that pilgrims have to perform at Hajj.

Finally, Ibrahim (AS) was tested all the moreseverely by having to sacrifice his young son Is-mail at Allah (SWT)s command. Both father andson displaying submissive obedience and stead-fastness willingly complied with Allah (SWT)scommand. Again, miraculously, Allah (SWT) re-

placed the person of Ismail with a lamb which waslain instead, making henceforth the offering of asacrificial animal an important ritual of Hajj.

Inreality, theHajj sea-son traces

back thelegacy ofIbrahim(AS) andhis questfor truth.

He estab-lished thecenter oftawhidthat re-mains tillthis daythe Qiblah for all Muslims in every nook and cor-ner of the world.

Edited by Dr. Munawar Haqu

IONA Research & Publication

Synopsis of Ameer Mustaphas Friday KhutbahIONA

Repentance

Revitalization of Faith

Renewal of Covenant

ionaonline.org

ionamasjid.org

In reality, theHajj season

traces back thelegacy of

Ibrahim (AS)and his quest

for truth.

The Hajj and the Legacy of Ibrahim (AS)


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Youth of Ummah...IONA Youth Program

Trick or treat? Halloween is coming up this month. Instead of talking aboutthe halal and haram of this festival, we will talk about the love of Allah (SWT)first. When you look across history, many people claim to love Allah (SWT).But its only Allah (SWT) who decides if they are truthful in their love or not.Bani Israel, the children of Israel, claimed to love Allah (SWT). They hadknowledge, but they did not act upon their knowledge. Loving Allah (SWT)

means submitting to Him, it means acting upon knowledge. Many Muslims today claim to love Allah(SWT), but they are ignorant because they have knowledge but dont act upon it. What are the meansto guarantee the love of Allah (SWT)?

In Surah Nisaa, ayah 125, Allah (SWT) states that He took Ibrahim (AS) as one of the closest toHim of His creation - why? Because he showed total submission to Allah (SWT). He went throughmany tests but always showed total submission and so Allah (SWT) showed His love to him throughthe Quran. Allah (SWT) also praises Ayub (AS), because he had a character that made Him love him-why? Because Ayub (AS) was patient. Ayub (AS) showed through his character that he had acceptedhis Qadr (divinely decreed destiny), through patience. Khadijah (RA) was promised a palace in Jannahmade of a pearl where there is no noise and no fatigue. These are examples of people that Allah (SWTloves. When you go through tests in high schools, universities, with parents, when trying to find a job,or when you are sick, how do you respond to these tests?

So what happens when Allah (SWT) loves us? The Prophet (SAW) tells us, as recorded in SahihMuslim, that when Allah (SWT) loves someone, He calls upon Jibreel (AS), and says, I love my ser-

vant so and so, so love him or love her and Jibreel (AS) loves them. Then Jibreel (AS) calls all theangels and says that Allah (SWT) loves his servant so and so, so love him or her. And thirdly, theneveryone on earth would love that person. So if you see that people on earth love someone, that some-one is loved on earth, then it is a sign that Allah (SWT) loves them and the angels love them. It is thesame if Allah (SWT) does not love someone, if Allah (SWT) hates someone, he calls upon Jibreel(AS) and tells him the same thing, I hate my servant so and so and commands him to hate him.

As a practical way to implement what we have learned so far, lets make sure we dont celebrateHalloween this October. The Encyclopedia Britannica says, Halloween is the Eve of All Saints Day.The souls of the dead, the Saxon and the Irish who innovated it believed, were supposed to revisit theirhomes on the 31st of October, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance with ghosts,witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds that are said to be roaming about. 1)Halloween is a festival innovated by the pagans. 2) It is based on paganistic and demonic beliefs. 3) It

is based on polytheistic beliefs that were not held even by theArab pagans in the pre-Islamic era.

As Muslims, our celebrations should be ones that honorand uphold our faith and beliefs. How can we worship onlyAllah (SWT), the Creator, if we participate in activities thatare based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world?Many people participate in these celebrations without even

understanding thehistory and the pa-gan connections, just

because their friendsare doing it, their

parents did it (its atradition!), and

because it's fun!This October, letssacrifice this prac-tice and not cele-

brate, because welove Allah (SWT)and we want toshow Him that weare happy with whatmakes Him happyand we stay awayfrom what brings hisdispleasure. We can,instead, prepare thisOctober to learnabout Hajj!

Youth of Ummah UPDATES

YOU Basketball League2013-2014 Launch:Saturday, November 2, 2013

Fast and Learn Program:Thursdays, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PMCurrent topic: Tafsir of Surah Yusuf

Islam I01:Saturdays at 4:00 PM

Soccer League:Saturdays at 5:00 PM

Monday Fasting:Fast with us every Monday and wewill provide the food. RSVP by

emailing [email protected].

Possible EID Camping Trip:Coming soon! Email us for moreinformation.

Subscribe to our YOU channel bygoing to www.youtube.com/youthofummah. Visit our website atyouthofummah.com.

To support us, register for our pro-grams, or send your feedback, pleaseemail us at [email protected],or call us at 586-996-0692.
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Around the Kabah, we are in a heavenly dimension. Nearthe Kabah are theHajr al- Aswad, or black stone, and the

Maqm Ibrahim, both gems fromjannah. We are taught that thehajr was darkened by the sins and transgressions of man. Itsheavenly light is now folded from us. The hajr will be personi-fied in the afterlife by Allh (SWT) and will witness on behalf ofthose who approached it with truth and sincerity. The hajr can be

said to take a picture recording of your heart as you stand beforeit. Kissing the hajr is the most profound renewal of your cove-nant with Allh (SWT) and a pledge of love, dedicated obedi-ence, and soulful allegiance to Him.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Entering into IhrmAs you near the miqt, your heart will tremble and tremor. Is

this really happening? Is my heart getting closer and closer to HisHouse? Soon you will enter Allh (SWT)s haram. It is only fit-ting that you enter into a state, both externally and internally, that

justly corresponds to this honor. Beyond the miqt, there is onlytalbiyah.

The essence of Hajj is the journey of our hearts away fromthe house of our lower selves (nufs) with its passions(shahawt), inclinations (ahw), and attachment to the createdworld (khalq) to the haram and, ultimately, the House of Allh(SWT). We must leave our attachments to receive the greatestconnection. We must leave to arrive.

Ihrm is from harm. Both meanings, to be sacred and to beforbidden, are carried in it.

Through the ihrm, the heart is meant to leave the temporaryand the finiteto make it, in a sense, forbidden and to pre-

pare for the sacred audience of Allh (SWT)s presence.The muhrim has disengaged from everything and anything

that distracts him or her from Allh (SWT) and, consequently,

from remembrance, peace and stillness. The muhrim has left hisor her home taking taqw or Allh-consciousness, the best suste-nance, as a provision.

Beginning TalbiyahOne enters into ihrm with talbiyah. Talbiyah is the hearts

most profound surrender to the invitation and call of Allh(SWT):Here I come to You, my Lord, here I comefully and

forever.With the talbiyah, we proclaim that no associate (shark) or

attachment will distract us from seeking Allh (SWT). Our hearwill not see, hear, obey, or be lured to another, besides Him. Threcitation of this talbiyah is to be said with constancy and convition, and not intermittently and infrequently. Talbiyah is essentito focusing our hearts. It will remind us of the purpose of our

journey; it will facilitate us in foregoing our rights, demands, anexpectations while yet rendering fully the major and minor righ

of others; it will dispel distractions; and it will make all obstacleeasy, even pleasurable.

There is no praise (hamd) and no dominion and power(mulk) except that Allh (SWT) owns it. Everything, whethertangible or intangible, belongs to Him. In fact, we are in praise oHim by Him.

MunMin, orMun, means desire, hope, longing. Some texts

teach that it was in Mun that dam (AS) longed and desired tojourney back home to paradise and to be, once again, in Allh(SWT)s presence.

It is in Mun that the journey begins. The day spent in Muntermed the day oftarwiyah (meaning, in part, to quench, to drinto ones fill), is meant for our heart to focus on the aim of its

journey, to gather in resolution and focus, and to begin our innemomentum towards the House of Allh (SWT).

AraftAraftmeans to know, to understand. Another verb scale

conveys the meaning of perfuming, making fragrant, scenting.Araft is the essential pillar (rukn) of Hajj; without Araft theris no Hajj.

Araft is the cleansing station outside the haram where westand and seek forgiveness for all that weve committed in ourlives. We beg and implore Allh (SWT) to make us worthy ofentering into His haram, visiting His House, and being in His

presence.Here, on Araft, we learn two things. As we acknowledgeour disobedience, our sins, our rebelliousness, and our forgetfulness, we know our unworthiness as true servants. We reveal everything to Allh (SWT), minor or major, Who knows already busimply wants us to admit with true transparency and sinceritywhat we are inside of ourselves. Moreover, we begin to know thall-enveloping knowledge, the inestimable mercy, the boundlessgenerosity, and the limitless grace of Allh (SWT) in forgivingand effacing our sins. Who is it, beside Him, that can forgive anthat does forgive? There is no refuge or flight from Allh (SWTexcept to Him.

Allh (SWT) celebrates, in the presence of the angels, thehujjj on Araft asking for forgiveness. And He affirms to the

angels that, yes, He has forgiven them.Now, as the sun begins to set, you continue, perfumed and

scented with the purity of Allh (SWT)s grace and forgivenessever closer to His haram.

MuzdalifaMuzdalifa, from the Arabic root izdilf, means to approach

to get closer. Muzdalifa is a second station of cleansing and purfication. The pilgrim is now closer to the Kabah. We remain insupplication (du) afterfajr, imploring Allh (SWT) again for

pardon and guidance. Some scholars have said that in MuzdalifaAllh (SWT) also forgives our violations against the rights of

Reflections on Hajj

The Internal Dimensions of Hajjcontinued from page 3


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Reflections on Hajj

others. Such violations are not usually forgiven unless, in addi-tion to seeking forgiveness, we remedy what has been violated.

Munand the casting of the pebblesDuring the Hajj of Ibrhim (AS), he was commanded to

sacrifice his son. Allh (SWT), of course, never intended thatthe slaughter take place. Allh (SWT) wanted, instead, to purifyand free Ibrhim (AS) from every love and every attachment

besides Him.

It was in Mun that the shaytn attempted to waylay Ibr-him (AS) from sacrificing his son. Ibrhim (AS) casted pebblesat the shaytn to reject his designs and prompting.

In casting the pebbles, the pilgrim affirms Allh (SWT)sgreatness over everything and covenants with Allh (SWT) thathe or she will never regress to anything which displeases Him.

Casting the pebbles is the casting away of shaytn, thelower self (nafs) with its desires, inclinations and evil, and, ulti-mately, casting away everything besides Allh (SWT). The peb-

ble is meant, not to hit the pillar, but to fall inside the container,ormajmar, where it will remain. The fire of the nafs, its impetusto evil, must be cast out, contained and confined. Our nafs must

be jailed for us to become free.

After the nafs is jailed by the casting of the pebbles, it isslaughtered. The sacrifice of the animal signifies the slaughterof the nafs by Ibrhim (AS). Ibrhims sacrifice was momen-tous: he sacrificed his very will. Ibrhim was named theKhall(cherished friend) of Allh (SWT) because his love for Allh(SWT) pierced and consumed his entire heart.

The hairsignifying status, station, and prideis nowshaved. Whatever remaining trace and residue of the disobedi-ent nafs is now completely cleansed.

Now, the pilgrim is welcomed by Allh (SWT) to visit HisHaram and His House. He or she is now freed from ihrm, butnot completely. Washing and the use of perfume are now per-mitted; intimate relations are not. Approaching ones spouse isunbefitting considering that now the pilgrim is going to visit the

Host.

Tawf al-IfdahIfdah means to flood, to rush, to move. The movement

from Araft to the haram is called ifdah. The rite of tawf thattakes place after the casting of the pebbles, the sacrifice and theshaving of the head is likewise termed Tawaaf al-Ifdah.

The heart (qalb), cleansed and purified from its attach-ments, inundated with love, desire, and longing, floods to theharam, to the House, and to its Lord. There, it circumambulatesthe House and renews its pledge of complete and loving submis-sion.

Sai between Saf and Marw

Sai means to work, to strive, to act. We remember in saithe actions of Hjar (AS) as she climbed, walked, and ran up

both Saf and Marw looking for sustenance for her starvingchild. The miracle ofzam zam was gifted to Hjar for her effortsand sincere reliance. Raslullah (SAW) teaches that if we drinkzam zam with firm faith and certainty, Allh (SWT) will mostdefinitely answer our supplication.

As servants of Allh (SWT), we are embedded in time andspace. We must act, all the while cognizant that it is Allh(SWT) who creates both cause and effect. To see waves uponwaves of pilgrims walking and running between Saf andMarw is to recognize that the reality of our life is constant sai

between struggle and reward, struggle and reward. On the hillsof Saf and Marw, where the pilgrim alights in reflection andsupplication, the heart exalts, seeing Allh (SWT)s power in allmatters, yours and others, large or small.

The days and nights of MunDuring our stay in Mun, we reaffirm and redeclare our

desire and hope for spiritual freedom by casting pebbles forthree days. Each casting of the pebbles cements our resolution

to contain and confine both the lower self (nafs) and shaytn.You remain in Mun as Allh (SWT)s guest. Here, we

must eat and drink with the consciousness of a guest in front ofa Most-Magnanimous Host. The greatest nourishment duringthese days, as Allh (SWT) himself indicates, is His dhikr, orremembrance.

We are destined to leave but Allh (SWT) intends we leavegradually, in gratitude to Him, remembrance of Him and gather-ing a firm resolution for permanent change when we depart.

Then the last pebble is cast. Our final farewell is imminent.

The farewellMost have waited their entire lives for the encounter with

the House of Allh (SWT). Many will never return. In truth,there is no certainty that any of us will ever gaze on the Kabahagain. Whether we return or not, we will never forget. It is said

and it is truethat the Kabah beckons you from afar, thenhaunts you forever. It is related that Ibn Abbas prayed this ashis final farewell, clinging with his entire being to the multa-

zam, the wall of the Kabah between the hajr and the door: O Allh, this House is Your House, and this servant is Your

servant, and the son of Your servants. You have carried me hereon what You have made accessible to me of Your creation, untilYou have made me reach, by Your grace, Your House, and Youhave helped me fulfill my rites of Hajj. (O Allh), If You havebeen pleased with me, then be more pleased with me, and if Youare not pleased with me, then I implore you to be generous to

me nowbefore my house becomes distant from Your house.For now it is time for my departure, if You permit menever toexchange You for anything else, nor Your House for any otherhouse; not being desirous of others instead of You, nor of anyother house besides Your House. O Allh, grant me safety and

good health in my body, protection in my religion and allow mea beautiful return; and provide me with deeds and acts of Yourobedience for as long as You grant me life; and gather for methe best of this world and the next; for truly You have powerover all things.

A mother once told her son that the Kabah says: The onewho does not see me will never rest; and the one who sees mewill never rest.

May our hearts find their ultimate rest by journeying to Al-lh (SWT) long after our bodies have returned from Hajj. Maywe always be in Hajj.Hajj mabrr, my beloved brother andsister.

--

This work is a general summary of a series of lectures byShaykh Mokhtr Maghrou on the internal dimensions of Hajj. Iwould request that readers please remember Shaykh MokhtrMaghrou in their supplications during Hajj as well as thesummarizer).

Courtesy of Imam Suhaib Webb (www.suhaibwebb.com)
http://www.yasminmogahed.com/http://www.yasminmogahed.com/http://www.yasminmogahed.com/


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Many people have written about Hajj: what to expect, how toprepare, what to take, and how to perform the rituals, etc. I am notoffering any of these tips. As a therapist, I see how my clients

perceptions and attitudes impact the way they experience life; andsince Hajj is a major life event, it is bound to be impacted by thesame dynamics. What follows are tweaks on how you may ap-

proach or perceive your Hajj journey so it would be meaningfuland powerful. If you are performing Hajj for the first time, youmay feel yourself in a whirlwind, swept away by the activitiesand demanding schedule. The following ideas are meant to plantseeds of awareness so instead of being swept away, you take onan active role. Be aware that when I talk about Hajj, I am mainlytalking about the actual act of Hajj: the four days that begin withÀrafa and end with the third day of Mena.

Catch the moments of spirituality when they embrace you:

What better motivation to do Hajj than reading the hadith(narration): the only reward for a righteous Hajj is Jannah[Paradise]. Somehow I imagined that performing Hajj would bea great spiritual experience that lasts for four days at the end of

which you are deeply connected to Allah (SWT). True, Hajj is agreat experience, but it is not four days of constant spirituality.

The reality of the situation is that moments of spirituality area rizq (divine bounty) from Allah (SWT) that will catch you un-aware. They will not last for hours on end. They will last forminutes and you better be conscious that they are happening and

bask in their beauty. When I am talking about moments of spiritu-ality, I am talking about private moments where you feel deeplyconnected to Allah (SWT) with no barriers at all. They feel as if adoor to heaven has opened just for you and you are somehow inthe presence of Allah (SWT) the Great. You lose sense of your

body and your surroundings and become only conscious of Him.Those private moments are very special and very beautiful! Sub-han Allah (glory be to God) when they happen, you have no

doubt that you have been enveloped in Allahs Mercy and bless-ings. You may have already experienced them in your life, and ifyou did, you have been blessed indeed! These moments are notlimited to time or place; they occur randomly, and the same ap-

plies during Hajj.Alhamdulillah (all praise and thanks belongs to God) I have

been blessed to perform Hajj three times. The first one was notspiritual. It was merely doing the manasik (rites of Hajj) andworrying about the details of the rituals without the spirit or con-nection. In my second Hajj, I was blessed to have my moments ofspirituality during the last hour or so of the day of Àrafa. Duringmy third Hajj, my moments of spirituality occurred duringja-marat(the throwing of the stones) one day. I can imagine you

asking yourself, What was she doing the rest of the time? I as-sure you praying and doing dhikr(remembering God) all the timeis not synonymous with feeling this deep connection with Allah(SWT). So my tip: when you feel that moment of spirituality,catch it, hold it, savor it, and accept the fact that it does not lastfor long. Just be grateful that you experienced it in the first place.And when you go back to your normal life, be sensitized to how itfeels so you may catch it again in your non-Hajj life.

Be aware of whom you spend your time with:

Subhan Allah, the journey of Hajj highlights the hadith: Theexample of the righteous companion and the companion of evil is

similar to themusk merchantand the black-smith. The muskmerchant willeither offer you

some for free,sell you some, oryou may justmerely smell thefragrant smell ofmusk. As for the

blacksmith, heeither burns yourclothes or you smell the repugnant smell of his shop.

During no other time in your life will you need to be morecautious about your companions than during Hajj. They have th

power to deplete your spirituality or raise it high above theclouds. Its true that you do not control whom your companionsare going to be, but you have control over how you spend your

time. This is no time to worry about how people feel about youwhat they think of you. If your goal is to have a stronger connetion with Allah (SWT), then choosing whom you associate withcrucial.

One thing that is common during Hajj is for people to complain about anything and everything. They complain about thetrip to Saudi, the airport procedures, the crowds, the time it taketo get somewhere, the food, the unclean bathrooms, the dirt andtrash, the rudeness and insensitivity, etc. Make it a point early oto avoid complainers. If the topic of conversation heads in thatdirection, remove yourself from the group. Empty complaints aa sense of entitlement detract from experiencing the blessings oHajj.

During my last Hajj, my companions and I made a pact toavoid irrelevant talk, stop playing our Smartphone games, andfocus on performing Hajj with ihsan (excellence). I was blessed

by Allah (SWT) to have such wonderful and supportive compaions who had the same goal as I did. So what do you do if yourcompanions are not on the same page with you? Take initiativeand minimize your contact with them without being rude or disspectful. During my last Hajj, on the day of Àrafa, more than owoman separated herself from the group, took a corner by herseand spent the day supplicating, reading Quran, and praying.Make a conscious decision about how you want your Hajj to be

because amazingly enough, the rituals of Hajj take very little timand you end up with a lot of down time on your hands. Use itwisely!

Be ready to retreat:

Here in the U.S., people talk about going on retreats for varous reasons. Some of us do work-related retreats. Others do spitual or meditative retreats. And still others do personal growthretreats. I believe that for us Muslims, Hajj is our greatest retrea

Generally, retreats have focused goals in mind. I have comto realize that one subtle goal of Hajj is to focus inward ratherthan outward: to reflect, think, and hopefully discover new meaings and insights. Have you ever reflected on why it is that theobligatory acts of Hajj do not include staying either at Makkah Madina? I find it amazing that Hajj does not include visiting th

Reflections on Hajj

The Other Hajj Tips


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Reflections on Hajj

Prophet (SAW)s Masjid. Of course most hujjaj (those whomake Hajj) make the trip to Madina before or after their Hajj,

but if you decide (like I did during my last Hajj) not to go toMadina, your Hajj is sound. Notice also that the majority of theobligatory acts of Hajj are performed outside Makkah. True, weare required to visit the Kaabah a couple of times and do the

sai`y (walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa) one time,but the rest of the time we reside in the valley of Makkah. Weare even required to remain there most of the time. Is it not in-triguing that Hajj is not about staying in Makkah nor Madina?This detachment from places of reverence forces us to focus onour personal relationship with Allah (SWT). Arafa and Mena

both do not invoke a sense of reverence in us. Its our stay there,during the specified time ascribed by Allah (SWT), that wecherish and value. It forces us inward rather than outward.

Did you also know that during Hajj your prayers are short-ened and you get to pray some prayers together? One may as-sume that Hajj will include more prayers than the usual, but itdoes not. The obligatory prayers during Hajj are less than thoseduring your normal everyday life. Additionally, tawwaaf(circling the Kaabah) andsai`y are both rituals that are basicallyachieved by merely doing the walk whether around the Kaabah

or between Safa and Marwa. You are not obligated to do anyspecific dhikrand hence, these two rituals become a munajah(private conversation between you and Allah (SWT)) focusedon your world, your needs, and what is significant for you at thetime. In fact, the days of `Arafa and Mena are filled with veryfew obligations and you end with many hours on your handsthat compel you to reflect and retreat. That is, if you choose toavoid idle talk and irrelevant conversations. Be ready to focusinward rather than outward.

Be ready to conquer your demons:

Hajj is an exercise of self-discovery. The experience of be-ing able to live without what you are used to is what makes Hajja powerful journey. You face your weaknesses and your short-

comings at different levels: physical, emotional, and mental.Hajj forces you to face what patterns and routines you have es-tablished in your everyday life. You face your fearsusing

public restrooms, having no restrooms, getting sick, dealingwith uncertainty, dealing with people you dont like, etc. Youare also forced to accept discomfortwalking long distances,maneuvering your way through crowds, sharing rooms and tentswith others, losing your privacy, disliking the food, not beingable to shower properly during Mena, getting disgusted byscenes and behaviors around you, etc.

What transforms Hajj from a journey filled with rituals to apowerful moving experience is whether you do face your fears

and short-comings.Thestrengthyou gainfromknowingthat youconqueredyourself isimmeas-urable. Iremember

during one Hajj being unable to take a shower for three days. Ifelt sticky, smelly, and very uncomfortable. The experience leftme with a deeper appreciation for the small pleasures of life thatI have come to take for granted, and I was grateful for thechance to prove to myself that I could do it.

Accept your rizq:

As with everything in life, there is what you expect you willdo, what actually happens, and what you wish would have hap-

pened. Its the same with Hajj. You will go there with expecta-tions on how you want things to happen: how many times youwill pray in the Haram (area surrounding the Kaabah), howmany times you will do tawwaaf, how many hours you willspend in the Haram, etc. And while there, your schedule willtake on a life of its own. You may not necessarily achieve eve-rything you set out to do. So while there, do not waste your en-ergy on lamenting what could have been, or should have been.Accept that what opportunities you are given are rizq from, Al-lah (SWT) and appreciate them to the fullest. Be mindful of the

present moment at any given time and avoid robbing it of itsbeauty with meaningless regret or wishful thinking.

I remember catching myself when things did not go the way

I would have wished, thinking that my next Hajj will be betterand I will do such and such. By thinking this way, I was forget-ting that what I was given is a rizq from Allah (SWT) and thereare no guarantees that next time will be better. Who knows ifone will be able to make Hajj a second time? You may wish fora second chance at Hajj and you may be invited a second time tovisitBayt Allah (the House of God); however, ensure that youare making the best of your Hajj with all of its shortcomings.

Bring back a piece of Hajj with you:

One thing that really helped me re-experience my Hajjmany times over was something that took place rather acciden-tally during my second Hajjagain a reminder of the manyforms ofrizq from Allah (SWT). At that time, I was not a regu-

lar user of the masbaha (prayer beads). During our days inMena, I discovered I had many hours on my hands and I re-membered the ayah (verse) from Surat Al Baqarah about thedays of Mena, and remember Allah during those specificdays. So I decided to use a masbaha and I asked my sister forone. She gifted me one that was not special in any way, exceptthat it became my Hajj masbaha. I took it back with me and onestressful day back in the U.S., I wanted to experience the peaceand calm of Mena so I held my Hajj masbaha in my hand andfocused on doing dhikr. From that day onwards, I would do thesame whenever life became hectic.

In therapy, we talk to clients about being grounded andfinding ones center. If you are blessed, when you come backfrom Hajj, you come back feeling grounded and centered. Timemoves slowly and life becomes less urgent. But alas, after sometime you lose that sense of peace and calm as you engage againin the rituals of daily living. However, if you bring back withyou a masbaha that you used during Hajj, you may be able toreclaim some of those feelings, albeit temporarily.

I pray that these thoughts will resonate for you and will beseeds of awareness to a deeper and more fulfilling Hajj journey.I pray that Allah accepts all that you put forth. I pray, if you areone of those blessed to be invited toBayt Allah, that you come

back with forgiveness, mercy, and an open door to Jannah.Ameen ya rab al `alameen (Amen, O Lord of the Worlds).

Courtesy of Noha Alshugairi (www.suhaibwebb.com)
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IONA KIDS

The Great Sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)We all have dreams but the dreams of Prophets are wahi or revelation. This means a Prophet's dream can be a

command from Allah (SWT) and their dreams are always true.Prophet Ibrahim (AS) had a dream in which he was sacrificing his son. When Ibrahim (AS) woke up, he was really

worried, especially because he loved his son Ismael so much.Ibrahim (AS) had the same dream a few times and knew that Allah was commanding him to sacrifice his son. Ibra-

him (AS) loved his son so much, but he would never disobey Allah (SWT). Allah was testing Ibrahim (AS) to see if he

would sacrifice his son and obey Allah's command.Ibrahim (AS) made his preparation for the sacrifice. Soon both father and son were on their way to the place ofsacrifice. As they both walked, the Shaytan came to Ibrahim (AS) and reminded him how much he loved his son. Ibra-him (AS) chased the Shaytan away by throwing stones at him. This happened three times.

Finally, they both arrived at the place of sacrifice and Ibrahim (AS) got ready to make the sacrifice. Allah (SWT)saw that Ibrahim (AS) would follow His command no matter what situation he is in. Allah (SWT) sent the Angel Jibraeldown from the skies with a ram and commanded Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice the ram instead. This meant that the sacri-fice was accepted by Allah (SWT) and that Ibrahim (AS) had passed this test.

Allah (SWT) liked the actions of Ibrahim (AS) so much that He (SWT) commanded the Muslims to do these ac-tions as well. Hajjis throw stones at three pillars which represent the shaytan. They also sacrifice an animal when theHajj is completed. We still love and respect prophet Ibrahim (AS) who was a great prophet of Allah (SWT).

Going for HajjEvery year, millions

of Muslims travel toMakkah to perform Hajj.Hajj is the fifth pillarof Islam and is one ofthe most important du-ties we need to carryout.

It is the duty ofevery Muslim to performthe Hajj at least once intheir lifetime if he has

the means to do so. Hajjis a fardh and should beperformed as soon asthe chance arises.

The Hajjis travelfrom all over the worldto do Hajj. There arepeople from every coun-try and from every walkof life. The men weartheir Ihram, the twopieces of white clothand the women wear sim-

ple plain clothes.During Hajj, people

pray to Allah (SWT) andask for forgiveness.Many people changetheir lives completelyafter Hajj.

Articles Courtesy of

www.musalla.org
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IONA KIDS

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Date Fajr Iqama Sunrise Zuhr Iqama Asr(S)* Asr(H)* Iqama Maghrib Azan Isha Iqam

T 01 5:58 6:45 7:29 1:27 2:00 4:39 5:28 5:30 7:17 7:23 8:36 8:4

W 02 5:59 6:45 7:30 1:27 2:00 4:38 5:27 5:30 7:15 7:20 8:34 8:4

T 03 6:00 6:45 7:31 1:26 2:00 4:37 5:25 5:30 7:14 7:19 8:33 8:4

F 04 6:01 6:45 7:32 1:26 2:00 4:36 5:24 5:30 7:12 7:17 8:31 8:4

S 05 6:02 6:45 7:33 1:26 2:00 4:34 5:22 5:30 7:10 7:15 8:30 8:4S 06 6:03 6:45 7:34 1:25 2:00 4:33 5:21 5:30 7:08 7:13 8:28 8:4

M 07 6:04 6:45 7:36 1:25 2:00 4:32 5:19 5:30 7:07 7:12 8:27 8:4

T 08 6:05 6:45 7:37 1:25 2:00 4:31 5:18 5:30 7:05 7:10 8:25 8:4

W 09 6:07 6:45 7:38 1:25 2:00 4:29 5:16 5:30 7:03 7:08 8:24 8:4

T 10 6:08 6:45 7:39 1:24 2:00 4:28 5:15 5:30 7:02 7:07 8:22 8:4

F 11 6:09 6:45 7:40 1:24 2:00 4:27 5:13 5:30 7:00 7:05 8:21 8:4

S 12 6:10 6:45 7:41 1:24 2:00 4:25 5:12 5:30 6:58 7:03 8:19 8:4

S 13 6:11 6:45 7:42 1:24 2:00 4:24 5:10 5:30 6:57 7:02 8:18 8:4

M 14 6:12 6:45 7:44 1:23 2:00 4:23 5:09 5:30 6:55 7:00 8:16 8:4

T 15 6:13 6:45 7:45 1:23 2:00 4:22 5:07 5:30 6:54 6:59 8:15 8:4W 16 6:14 6:45 7:46 1:23 2:00 4:20 5:06 5:15 6:52 6:57 8:14 8:3

T 17 6:15 6:45 7:47 1:23 2:00 4:19 5:04 5:15 6:50 6:55 8:12 8:3

F 18 6:16 6:45 7:48 1:22 2:00 4:18 5:03 5:15 6:49 6:54 8:11 8:3

S 19 6:17 6:45 7:50 1:22 2:00 4:17 5:01 5:15 6:47 6:53 8:09 8:3

S 20 6:18 6:45 7:51 1:22 2:00 4:16 5:00 5:15 6:46 6:51 8:08 8:3

M 21 6:20 6:45 7:52 1:22 2:00 4:14 4:59 5:15 6:44 6:49 8:07 8:3

T 22 6:21 6:45 7:53 1:22 2:00 4:13 4:57 5:15 6:43 6:48 8:05 8:3

W 23 6:22 6:45 7:54 1:22 2:00 4:12 4:56 5:15 6:41 6:46 8:04 8:3

T 24 6:23 6:45 7:56 1:21 2:00 4:11 4:54 5:15 6:40 6:45 8:03 8:3

F 25 6:24 6:45 7:57 1:21 2:00 4:10 4:53 5:15 6:38 6:43 8:02 8:3S 26 6:25 6:45 7:58 1:21 2:00 4:09 4:52 5:15 6:37 6:42 8:00 8:3

S 27 6:26 6:45 7:59 1:21 2:00 4:07 4:50 5:00 6:35 6:40 7:59 8:1

M 28 6:28 6:45 8:00 1:21 2:00 4:06 4:49 5:00 6:34 6:39 7:58 8:1

T 29 6:29 6:45 8:02 1:21 2:00 4:05 4:48 5:00 6:33 6:38 7:57 8:1

W 30 6:30 6:45 8:03 1:21 2:00 4:04 4:46 5:00 6:31 6:36 7:56 8:1

T 31 6:31 6:45 8:04 1:21 2:00 4:03 4:45 5:00 6:30 6:35 7:54 8:1

2013Ionanewsletter October (Hajj Special)

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Transcript of 2013Ionanewsletter October (Hajj Special)