IONA 2013 Summer School IONA Preschool 2012-2013 · Page 1 The Prophet (SAW) said: IONA Preschool...

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Page 1 The Prophet (SAW) said: IONA Preschool 2012-2013 Starting on Monday, September 9 Please see page 2 for more information. Youth of Ummah ‘Islam 101’ Saturdays at 4:00 PM ‘Fast and Learn’ Thursdays at 8:00 PM Soccer League Saturdays at 5:00 PM (will resume after Ramadan) YOU Mentors Training Third Sunday of every month at 9:30 AM Please see page 5 for more information. Youth of Ummah presents “Welcome Ramadan” Saturday, July 6 (5:00 PM - 11:00 PM) Featured Speakers: Imam Mustapha Elturk, Imam Shamsuddin, Mohammed Kibriya, Mohannad Hakeem Please see page 5 for more information. IONA 2013 Summer School Sundays 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM We are still accepting applications. Enroll Today! Please see page 2 for more information. Stylish Hijabs, Jilbabs & Abayas Latest Styles and Colors For more information, please contact Souad: Home (248)689-9662 | Cell (248) 872-2169

Transcript of IONA 2013 Summer School IONA Preschool 2012-2013 · Page 1 The Prophet (SAW) said: IONA Preschool...

Page 1: IONA 2013 Summer School IONA Preschool 2012-2013 · Page 1 The Prophet (SAW) said: IONA Preschool 2012-2013 Starting on Monday, September 9 Please see page 2 for more information.

Page 1

The Prophet (SAW) said:

IONA Preschool

2012-2013

Starting on Monday, September 9

Please see page 2 for more information.

Youth of Ummah

‘Islam 101’ Saturdays at 4:00 PM

‘Fast and Learn’ Thursdays at 8:00 PM

Soccer League Saturdays at 5:00 PM

(will resume after Ramadan)

YOU Mentors

Training Third Sunday of every

month at 9:30 AM

Please see page 5 for more information.

Youth of Ummah

presents

“Welcome Ramadan”

Saturday, July 6 (5:00 PM - 11:00 PM)

Featured Speakers: Imam Mustapha Elturk, Imam Shamsuddin,

Mohammed Kibriya, Mohannad Hakeem

Please see page 5 for more information.

IONA 2013 Summer School

Sundays 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

We are still accepting applications.

Enroll Today!

Please see page 2 for more information.

Stylish Hijabs, Jilbabs & Abayas Latest Styles and Colors

For more information, please contact Souad: Home – (248)689-9662 | Cell – (248) 872-2169

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Registration is still open for IONA’s Summer School. The school began on Monday, June 24 and will end on Thursday, August 22. Children ages 5 to 13 may enroll. School hours are Monday through Thursday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Qur’an, Hadith/Islamic Studies, Arabic and Sirah will be taught. The tuition per child is $325 per summer, The tuition for two siblings is $550 and $825 for three siblings. The non-refundable regis-tration fee is $50. Books will be supplied to stu-dents at no cost, to be returned by the end of Sum-mer School. REGISTER NOW, limited space still available. Registration forms may be obtained from IONA Center and submitted to the Principal, Sr. Souad Soubra, who is available on Sundays between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the IONA Center. For more information, please call 586-558-6900 or e-mail Sr. Souad Soubra at [email protected].

We are now accepting applications for IONA’s Preschool Program for the Fall 2013 preschool year. Sr. Souad Soubra, the Sunday and Summer School Principal, has designed a wonderful pro-gram for preschoolers. The curriculum includes Personal Development, Literacy Skills, Numbers and Math, Physical Education, and Art. Muslim children will, in sha Allah, have the benefit of learning Islamic manners, Dua’, Memorizing Qur’an, and Arabic.

This is the first step to schooling, and our goal is to build confidence in the students, get them acquainted with the educational environment, teach them good manners, and help them develop the concepts of sharing and charity. Students will receive a certificate at the end of the year marking their first memorable school year. Children ages 3 to 5 from all cultures are welcome.

This year, we are offering, in addition to half day, a full-day program. The half-day program is from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and the tuition per child is $300 and for two siblings is $525 per month. The full-day program is from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, and the tuition per child is $420 and for

two siblings $750 per month. The school starts on Monday, September 9, 2013 and will end Thurs-day, June 5, 2014. Applications are at IONA Cen-ter. You can also apply online at www.ionamasjid.org under the ‘Education’ sec-tion. For more information, please contact Sr. Souad at 248-872-2169.

In sha Allah, the first day of Ramadan will be on Tuesday, July 9. The first night of Tarawih will be on Monday evening after Isha prayer. The Ramadan prayer schedule will be released in the upcoming Ramadan Special issue of the newslet-ter. Per the Fiqh Council of North America, Eid ul-Fitr will commence on Thursday, August 8, in sha Allah. For more information on the start and end of Ramadan, please visit the Fiqh Council’s website, www.fiqhcouncil.org.

IONA wishes everyone a blessed Ramadan and a blessed Eid. May Allah (SWT) make it easy on us and shower us with His mercy and compassion during this great month, ameen.

Offering food to fasting people in Ramadan has its own merits and virtues. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person’s re-ward.”

IONA, in sha Allah, will once again be hosting weekend Iftar dinners free of charge to the com-munity. This year we will be having Iftar dinners on Fridays and Saturdays of every week during Ramadan corresponding to July 12 and 13, July 19 and 20, July 26 and 27, and August 2 and 3, in sha Allah. Eid will, in sha Allah, be on Tues-day, August 30. If you would like to sponsor or co-sponsor an Iftar dinner, please see or call Br. Waheed Rashid, (586) 904-5998. The cost for a full dinner sponsorship is $1,200. Excess money is spent on feeding needy people. May Allah (SWT) give our sponsors the best of rewards in this world and in the next, ameen.

IONA Islamic Bookstore

Under New Management

Qurans/Islamic Books, Classic and Contemporary/CD’/DVD’s/

Children’s 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

586-558-6900 - [email protected]

IONA

Mustapha Elturk Ameer

IONA masjid

Community Advisory Board

Mirza Ahmad

Warren

Mohammad

Abdul-basit Barlaskar Warren

Syed Zafarullah Sterling Heights

Ashraf Jaigirdar

Warren

Syed M. Monnan Warren

Farhan Baber

Warren

Navid Ashraf Warren

Office Manager

Ali Al-Katib

Announcements

July 2013 C.E.

Sha’ban — Ramadan 1434 A.H.

Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thr Fri

1 2 3 4 5

22 23 24 25 26

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

27 28 29 1 2 3 4

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

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IONA

Repentance

Revitalization of Faith

Renewal of Covenant

ionaonline.org

ionamasjid.org

For all your Islamic needs

Visit IONA’s

Bookstore

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Sundays 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays

Call

586.774.0638

Virtues of Fasting in the Summer

Continued on page 7

Virtues of Fasting in the Summer

Taken from: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalī’s “Latā’if Maʿārif”

As the blessed month of Ramaḍān coincides with the summer months, many Muslims are appre-hensive of the long fasts which lie ahead and, admittedly, not looking forward to staying hungry and thirsty for such a lengthy period. The following extract from Imām Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī’s Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif will, inshā-Allāh, change our perspective and make us realise the great opportunity Allāh Most High has granted us to reap extra reward.

Among the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during extreme heat is fasting, due to the thirst one experiences in the midday heat.

This is why Muʿādh ibn Jabal (RA) expressed remorse on his deathbed over the midday thirst he would no longer experience, and other predecessors expressed the same.

It is related that Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (RA) would fast in the summer and not fast in the winter. At the time of his demise, ʿUmar (RA) advised his son ʿAbdullāh: “Acquire the characteristics of faith,” and the first one he mentioned was fasting in the intense summer heat.

Qāsim bin Muḥammad said that ʿĀ’isha (RA) would fast in the intense heat. He was asked, “What caused her to do this?” He replied, “She was taking advantage of the time before death.” Mujammiʿ al-Taymī would fast in the summer until he would faint. One of the righteous women would choose the hottest days and fast them. When she was asked regarding this, she would say, “When the price is cheap, everyone will buy,” indicating that she preferred those actions only a few were capable of, due to it being difficult for them. This is a sign of great determination.

Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī (RA) was on a boat when he heard someone calling: “O People aboard, stand up!” three times. Abū Mūsā (RA) replied: “How can we stand up? Do you not see where we are? How can we stand up?” The caller asked, “Shall I not inform you of a decree that Allāh has taken upon Himself?” He replied, “Indeed, why not? Inform us!” The caller replied, “Allāh has decreed upon Himself that whoever makes himself thirsty for Allāh’s sake on a hot day has a right upon Allāh that He quench his thirst on the Day of Standing.” Thus, Abū Mūsā (RA) would seek the extremely hot days where one would be close to passing out and fast those days.

Kaʿb said that Allāh Most High said to Mūsā (AS), “I have made it incumbent upon Myself for whomever is thirsty for My sake that I will quench his thirst on the Day of Resurrection.” Others have said, “It is written in the Torah: ‘Glad tidings for whoever makes himself hungry in preparation for the Great Day where his hunger will be satisfied. Glad tidings for whoever makes himself thirsty in prepa-ration for the Great Day where his thirst will be quenched.’”

Ḥasan said, “A maiden of Paradise will say to a friend of Allāh, while he is reclining with her on the shore of a river of wine in Paradise, as she hands him a cup whilst he is in the pinnacle of enjoy-ment, “Do you know on which day Allāh married me to you? He looked at you on a long summer day while you were extremely thirsty in the midday heat. He expressed His pride over you to the angels, saying, ‘Look at My slave. He has left his wife, pleasure, food and drink for My sake, desiring what is with me. Bear witness that I have forgiven him.’ He forgave you on that day and married you to me.”

When ʿĀmir ibn ʿAbd Qays went from Basra to Shām, Muʿāwiya (RA) would ask him to refer his needs to him. He refused to ask of him, eventually saying, “My need is for you to return the heat of Basra to me, in order to make the fast a bit harder, as it is too easy in your lands.”

Ḥajjāj camped by some water on a journey between Makka and Madina and called for his dinner. He saw a Bedouin whom he called to eat with him. The Bedouin replied, “One who is better than you invited me, so I accepted his invitation.” He asked, “And who is this?” The man replied, “Allāh. He invited me to fast and so I fasted.” Ḥajjāj asked, “In this intense heat?” The man replied: “Yes. I am fasting in preparation for a much hotter day.” Ḥajjāj said, “Break your fast today and fast tomorrow.” The man replied, “Only if you can guarantee that I will live until tomorrow.” Ḥajjāj said, “This is not in my hands.” He replied, “How then can you ask me to do something now in place of something in the future you have no control over?”

Ibn ʿUmar (RA) was once on a journey with some of his companions and they had spread out their tablecloth. A shepherd passed by, so they invited him to eat with them. He said, “I am fasting.” Ibn ʿUmar (RA) said, “You are fasting on a hot day like this, while you are between these valleys walking behind these sheep?” The shepherd replied, “I am taking advantage of these free days of mine.” Ibn ʿUmar (RA) was impressed by this reply and said, “Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We will feed you from its meat with which you can break your fast and we will pay you for it.” The shepherd said, “They do not belong to me; they belong to my master.” Ibn ʿUmar (RA) said, “What will your master say to you if you tell him it was eaten by a wolf?” The shepherd left with his finger raised towards the sky, saying, “What about Allāh?” Ibn ʿUmar (RA) kept repeating this phrase of his. When he arrived in Madīna, he went to the shepherd’s master, and bought him and his sheep. He then freed the shepherd and gave him the sheep as a gift.

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Today’s khutba is a continuation of the previous khutba that discussed ayah 93 of Surat al-Ma’idah and the Hadith Jibril. We learnt from the ayah about the three levels of deen (maratib al-deen) or the three levels of faith (iman). One’s iman or faith may be (1) at the level of Islam (2) at the level of iman or (3) at the level of ihsan. These three elements constitute the essence of the Islamic faith. As for the hadith under discussion, what appears to be strange is that Jibril (AS) himself came in the form of a man to teach the companions (sahaba) their religion. Strangely enough, even though this incident took place in the latter part of the Prophet’s life, it had not dawned upon the sahaba despite their having spent good time with him to ask him these fundamental questions, “What is Islam?” What is iman?” “What is ihsan?”

The sahaba did know what Islam is as they had learnt from a hadith that Islam is built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is none worthy of wor-ship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Mes-senger of Allah, establishing the prayers, giving za-kat, making pilgrimage to the House and fasting the month of Ramadan. The Hadith Jibril, however, gives us a different dimension—the knowledge as to who can be considered as a Muslim in an Islamic State. A Muslim, only when he declares his disbelief in any of the articles of faith goes out of the fold of Islam. If he does not do so, he will continue to re-main a Muslim legally, even though he may not be a practicing Muslim. Accordingly, on legal grounds, we have the ruling from Imam Abu Hanifa, that iman neither increases nor decreases. It remains the same.

It is important to understand the fundamental difference between Islam (legal iman) and iman at the level of conviction in the heart (yaqeenun fil qalb). Referring to ayah 14 of Surat al-Hujurat, Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah have said that Allah (SWT) Himself had proved that there could be a state of Islam without the element of iman in it. In other words, while every Mu’min is a Muslim, every Muslim is not necessarily a Mu’min. Islam is a legal status based on things which can be verified through the verbal declaration of faith. As far as iman is concerned, it is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and fate (qadar), both the good and the bad of it. These are unseen realities that a Muslim must believe in. Any Muslim who denies any one of these articles of faith will cease to be a Muslim, even if he or she performs all the prescribed modes of worship.

It is to be noticed that there is no mention of declaration of faith (shahadah) in the articles of faith. This is because what is being referred to is real iman or conviction of faith in the heart. However, the depth of the conviction depends on the level of God-consciousness or taqwa a person has and varies from person to person. The iman as spelled out in the hadith is also called al-iman al-mufassal or the de-tailed iman.

There is another definition of iman that basi-cally constitutes only one article of faith, and that

is belief in Allah (SWT). It is called al-iman al-mujmal or the generalized form of iman. It implies to have faith in Allah as He is known by His names and attributes and to accept all His com-mands. Iman is also described as knowledge by the heart, a voicing with the tongue, and activity with the limbs. Real iman rests on how much iman one has in one’s heart. It is important to bear in mind that on the Day of Judgment, Allah (SWT) is not going to judge us on the basis of Islam. Rather He will judge us on the basis of our iman.

A Muslim is one who declares the testimony of faith, accepts the modes of worship, and be-lieves in the six articles of faith. A Mu’min, on the other hand is one whose life is a reflection of Islam in practice for the sole attention of seeking the pleasure of Allah (SWT). A Muslim will be con-sidered a Mu’min only when one lives Islam in letter and spirit, avoiding anything that may hurt or harm anyone or anything including humans, plants, animals, and one’s surroundings. A Muslim may pray for the sole purpose of fulfilling an obligation and that’s it. A Mu’min, however, is delighted when he prays, and the prayers (salah) become a source of his elevation. The Prophet (SAW) said in a hadith that prayers (salah) had been made a de-light for him. In another hadith he said that salah is what elevates a Mu’min. We have to keep meas-uring ourselves in the light of these examples and see where we stand.

Allah (SWT) is Just, Wise, Mighty, and Mer-ciful. It is solely His prerogative to decide the fate of a person in the hereafter in terms of that per-son’s entry into hell or paradise. A Muslim may because of his disobedience to Allah be sent to hell in order to purge him before he is sent to paradise. There is a hadith that says that whoever says the shahadah will enter paradise. A Mu’min, however, is promised paradise. It is in all fairness that the treatment of the two should be different.

Indeed, only when one’s consciousness of Allah (SWT) reaches the level of certainty (yaqeen) and one’s actions become a proof of it can one be called a Mu’min. To reach that level, we have to make a concerted effort to be mindful of Allah (SWT) at all times, and not only at the time of praying or performing other rituals. This requires struggling in the path of Allah (jihad). Jihad is an integral part of real iman.

Surat al-Nisa’ lays down the first five articles of faith. “O you who believe! Believe in God and His Messenger and in the Scripture He sent down to His Messenger, as well as what He sent down before. He who denies God, His angels, His Scrip-tures, His messengers and the Last Day has surely gone far astray” (al-Nisa,. 4:136). We come to know of the sixth article of faith through Hadith Jibril, and that is to believe in divine decree (qadar), both, the good and the bad of it. The term qadar refers to destiny, and should not be confused with the term qadr, which has to do with power, and the qudrah of Allah. The term qadr is found in the ayah, “Truly, We sent it down on the Night of Power” (al-Qadr, 97:1).

Synopsis of Ameer Mustapha’s Friday Khutbah

IONA

Repentance

Revitalization of Faith

Renewal of Covenant

ionaonline.org

ionamasjid.org

“A Muslim will be considered a

Mu’min only when one lives Islam in letter

and spirit, avoid-ing anything

that may hurt or harm anyone or anything includ-

ing humans, plants, animals, and one’s sur-roundings.”

Continued on page 6

Islam, Iman, and Ihsan Part 2

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Youth of Ummah...IONA Youth Program

Many of us do not invest the adequate amount of time in learning the duas of the Prophet (SAW) and not many people try to learn what the Prophet (SAW) said on a daily basis in order to increase himself in the remembrance of Allah (SWT). If you want the road to success in this life and the next, you`ll need to learn about this subject and transfer it from theoretical knowledge into practical application.

Seeking knowledge is all about knowing Allah (SWT) and connecting with Al-lah (SWT), but all connections are two ways. From Allah (SWT) to us is the Quran, and from us to Allah (SWT) is dhikr (remembrance) and dua. If one of them is missing, then the entire connection falls apart. Today the youth in particular are far away from remembrance of Allah (SWT), because constant Facebook wall posts, twitter tweets, text messages and big budget Hollywood movies have clouded the minds of many. With Ramadan coming up, we can change all that by turning off the above distractions for a month and concentrating on our duas.

Every time you raise your hands to the sky and make dua to Allah (SWT), you are calling up a toll-free number with no long distance charges. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Dua is worship” (Tirmidhi) So when we do try and converse with our Lord, are we doing it with the same excellence and concentra-tion that we use in other acts of worship, or are we just reciting the same old duas we learned in Sunday school? It’s important to learn the translation of the duas and even if you have to read them in English, do it so you actually understand and ask from your heart by pondering over the words.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes your prayers are not answered? Was it something you said? Or something you did or didn’t do? The Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah (SWT) does not answer a dua from a careless heart which is not concentrating” (Tirmidhi). Swearing, backbiting, watching haram things on the internet, not learning the meaning of your duas, earning money from haram sources, and yelling at your parents are all things that may prevent you from getting closer to Allah (SWT) and having your duas accepted. By learning the correct way to make dhikr and dua the way the Prophet (SAW) taught us to, you will not only build a stronger connection to Allah (SWT), but also a better insight into the personality of our beloved prophet (SAW).

We must have complete certainty (yaqeen) that Allah (SWT) (Glorified and Exalted is He) will answer our prayer. There should be absolutely no doubt in our minds that Allah (SWT) is listening to our duas and is capable of answering them. We must also be careful not to lose hope in our dua and become impatient when we don’t see the results we want. We need to continuously remind ourselves that the key to getting our dua’s answered is by being persistent in our dua. And most importantly, we must make sure that there isn’t a sin we are committing that we haven’t repented sincerely from, as our sins can be the first thing that can get in the way of our duas being accepted—especially if the sin in-cludes earning a living through unlawful means.

Once this is understood and followed, rest assured that Allah (SWT) will either give you what you want or something much better than it; and He will most likely give it to you in a way that you never imagined.

Youth of Ummah UPDATES:

Fast and Learn Program: Thursdays, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Islam 101: Saturdays, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Soccer League: Saturdays at 5:00 PM (will resume after Ramadan)

YOU Mentors Training: Every 3rd Sunday of the month; Starts 9:30 AM

Monday Fasting: Fast with us every Monday and we will provide the food. RSVP by emailing us at: [email protected].

To support us, register for our programs, or send your feedback, please email us at [email protected], or call us at 586-996-0692. Subscribe to our YOU channel by going to www.youtube.com/youthofummah. Visit our website at youthofummah.com.

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Sisters’ Section

It’s never easy to stand when the storm hits. As soon as it

starts raining, lightning shortly follows. Dark clouds replace the

sun and all you can see are the waves of an ocean, once calm,

surrounding you. No longer able to find your way, you reach out

for help.

You begin by calling the coast guard. No reply. You try

again to redirect the boat. No use. You look for the lifeboat. It’s

gone. You reach for a life jacket. Torn. Finally after you’ve ex-

hausted every means, you turn your face upward.

And ask God.

But there’s something completely unique about this mo-

ment. At this instant, you experience something you otherwise

could only theorize about: true tawheed. Oneness. See, on shore,

you may have called on God. But you called on Him along with

so many others. You may have depended on God. But you de-

pended on Him along with so many other handholds. But for

this singular moment, everything else is closed. Everything.

There is nothing left to call on. Nothing left to depend on. But

Him.

And that’s the point.

Do you ever wonder why when you’re most in need, every

door you seek of the creation remains closed? You knock on

one, but it’s slammed shut. So you go to another. It’s also shut.

You go from door to door, knocking, pounding on each one, but

nothing opens. And even those doors you had once depended

on, suddenly shut. Why? Why does that happen?

See, we humans have certain qualities which God knows

well. We are constantly in a state of need. We are weak. But, we

are also hasty and impatient. When we are in trouble, we will be

pushed to seek assistance. And that’s the design. Why would we

seek shelter if it’s sunny and the weather is nice? When does

one seek refuge? It is when the storm hits. So Allah (SWT)

sends the storm; He makes the need through a created situation,

so that we will be driven to seek shelter.

But when we do seek assistance, because of our impatience,

we seek it in what is near and what seems easy. We seek it in

what we can see and hear and touch. We look for shortcuts. We

seek help in the creation, including our own selves. We look for

help in what seems closest. And isn’t that exactly what dunya

(wordly life) is? What seems near. The word ‘dunya’ itself

means ‘that which is lower’. Dunya is what seems closest. But,

this is only an illusion.

There is something closer.

Think for a moment about what’s nearest to us. If asked this

question, many would say it is the heart and the self that are

nearest. But, Allah (SWT) says: “It was We Who created man,

and We know what dark suggestions his nafs (self) makes to

him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein,” (Qur’an

50:16).

In this verse, Allah (SWT) begins by showing us that He

knows our struggles. There is comfort in knowing that someone

sees our struggles. He knows what our own self calls us to. But

He is closer. He is closer than our own self and what it calls

for. He is closer than our jugular vein. And why the jugular?

What is striking about this part of us? The jugular vein is the

most important vein that brings blood to the heart. If severed,

we die almost immediately. It is literally our lifeline. But Allah

(SWT) is closer. Allah (SWT) is closer than our own life, than

our own Self, than our own nafs. And He is closer than the most

important pathway to our heart.

In another verse, Allah (SWT) says: “O ye who believe!

give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He cal-

leth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah

cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to

Whom ye shall (all) be gathered,” (Qur’an 8:24).

Allah (SWT) knows we have a nafs. Allah knows we have

a heart. Allah knows that these things drive us. But Allah tells

us that He is closer to us than even these. So when we reach for

other than Him, we are not only reaching for what is weaker, we

are also reaching past what is closer, for what is further and

more distant. Subhan Allah (Glory be to God).

So since this is our nature, as Allah (SWT) knows best, He

protects and redirects us by keeping all other doors of refuge

closed during the storm. He knows that behind each false door

is a drop. And if we enter it, we will fall. In His mercy, He

keeps those false doors closed.

In His mercy, He sent the storm itself to make us seek Him.

And then knowing that we’re likely to get the wrong answer, He

gives us a multiple choice exam with only one option to choose

from: the correct answer. The hardship itself is ease. By taking

away all other handholds, all other multiple choice options, He

has made the test simple.

It’s never easy to stand when the storm hits. And that’s ex-

actly the point. By sending the wind, He brings us to our knees:

the perfect position to pray.

Courtesy of Yasmin Mogahed (www.suhaibwebb.com)

Islam, Iman, and Ihsan — Part 1…continued from page 4

Qadar is understood as the infinite Knowledge of Allah (SWT). When Allah created each thing, He determined when it would come into existence and when it would cease to exist. He also determined its qualities and nature. All this is documented in the eternally preserved tablet (Lawh al-Mahfouz). And everything in the universe, both in the realms of the seen and the un-seen, is completely subject to the overriding power of Allah. Nothing can happen outside His Will.

It is to be understood clearly that pre-knowledge of everything does not necessarily mean predestination. We are not com-pelled by Allah to do acts which we do of our own choice. We are not programmed robots; rather we have been given freedom of choice to take the right path and be grateful or take the wrong path and be ungrateful. To believe in and to understand the concept of qadar helps us to have complete reliance (tawakkul) on Allah. We then begin to appreciate that whatever happens, (good or bad) is from Allah.

Edited by Dr. Munawar Haque IONA Research & Publications

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Virtues of fasting in the Summer…continued from page 3

Rawḥ ibn Zinbāʿ had stopped at a place between Makka and Madina on a very hot day when a shepherd came down to-wards him from a mountain. He said to him, “O shepherd! Come eat with me.” The shepherd said, “I am fasting.” Rawḥ said, “You are fasting in this heat?” The shepherd replied, “Should I let my days pass by in vain?” Rawḥ said, “You have utilised your days properly, O shepherd, while Rawḥ ibn Zinbāʿ has wasted his.”

Ibn ʿUmar (RA) used to fast the optional fasts until he would almost faint, but he would not break his fast. Imām Aḥmad would fast until he was close to fainting and he would wipe water over his face. He was asked about a person who fasts but finds it extremely hot. He said, “There is nothing wrong with wetting a cloth to cool oneself with and pouring water over one-self.” The Prophet (SAW) was at a place called ʿArj where he was pouring water over his head while fasting.

Abū ’l-Dardā’ (RA) would say, “Fast the extremely hot days, in preparation for the Day of Rising. Pray two rakʿats in the darkness of night, in preparation for the darkness of the grave.” It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim on the au-thority of Abū ’l-Dardā’ )RA), “We saw ourselves with Allāh’s Messenger (SAW) on one of his journeys on an extremely hot day. A man would put his hand on his head due to the intense heat. None of them would be fasting except Allāh’s Messenger (SAW) and ʿAbdullāh ibn Rawāḥa (RA).” In one narration: “This was during the month of Ramaḍān.”

When those who fast for Allāh in the heat are patient against their intense thirst, He has set aside for them a specific door among the doors of Paradise; the door of Rayyān. Whoever enters it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When they enter through it, it will be locked to those coming after them, thus none will enter through it except them. Courtesy of Al-Habib Publications (www.seekersguidance.org)

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JOIN US for the Weekly Qur’anic Tafsir every Friday at 8:00 PM.

IONA wishes everyone

“Ramadan Mubarak”

Ramadan will begin on Tuesday, July 9 in sha Allah.

Please see page 2 for more information.

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

M 01 4:11 5:20 5:58 1:35 2:00 5:32 6:44 7:00 9:16 9:21 10:34 10:45

T 02 4:10 5:20 5:57 1:35 2:00 5:33 6:45 7:00 9:16 9:21 10:33 10:45

W 03 4:09 5:20 5:57 1:35 2:00 5:33 6:45 7:00 9:16 9:21 10:33 10:45

T 04 4:09 5:20 5:56 1:35 2:00 5:33 6:46 7:00 9:16 9:21 10:32 10:45

F 05 4:08 5:20 5:56 1:35 2:00 5:33 6:46 7:00 9:15 9:20 10:32 10:45

S 06 4:07 5:20 5:56 1:36 2:00 5:34 6:47 7:00 9:15 9:20 10:31 10:45

S 07 4:07 5:20 5:55 1:36 2:00 5:34 6:47 7:00 9:15 9:20 10:31 10:45

M 08 4:06 5:20 5:55 1:36 2:00 5:34 6:47 7:00 9:14 9:19 10:30 10:45

T 09 FIRST DAY OF RAMADAN — RAMADAN MUBARAK

Date