I come to you with an appeal for my local Masjid / Community Centre.
We have a small Masjid / Community Centre on the Ground Floor of our Housing Estate. It acts as a hub for the local community where we gather for the Five Daily Prayers, Jum’uah, Tarawih and ‘Eid Prayers. In addition to this we have a Childrens Maktab to teach Qur’an, Supplementary School to assist young people with their Education, Advice Surgery for people on Benefits and much more. Continue reading Dorset Community Association – Appeal→
The following is the transcript of a talk that I was asked to give at the Weavers Community Forum Iftar gathering on Sunday 12 July 2015. Although the talk did not happen due to time restrictions and late coming of guests, I am sharing it here for all to benefit insha Allah. Continue reading Ramadan – A Time for Devotion→
1. Purify your Intention – Fast for the sake of Allah (SWT) only and not just because your family, your community and all the Muslims are fasting. Purify your intention and make sure it is sincere and it is solely for the sake of the One who has commanded us to fast.
“Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration was for Allah and His messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated.”
[Bukhari and Muslim]
2. Recite the Qur’an Often – This is the month of the Qur’an and therefore recite plenty of Qur’an. Try to complete a Khatm…
Ustadha Iffet Rafeeq completed her classical ‘Aalimah course in the UK, topping both male and female students in every exam she took! She gained bessings from part time courses under Sheikh Atabec Shukurov Nasafi and Shaykh Burhan. Whilst studying she was appointed a role as a teacher and spiritual counsellor for reverts by her Ustadh. After graduating she was 1 of 3 students gifted a scholarship for Al Azhar university in Cairo.
Once her Intense Arabic Grammar course was completed she returned to the UK to teach Islamic theology at City Hasanat College, whilst completing her Businesses Management diploma and also continuing to study under the guidance of Shaykh Zain ul Aqtab Siddiqui at the Suyuti Institute
She is a co-founder of Dust To Diamonds, a Da’wah and Counselling Organisation, which can be found on YouTube.
Ustadha Iffet has achieved so much in a few years; her only wish is to study, teach, and serve the Ummah of Rasulullah SallAllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam.
Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the primary teacher at Utrujj, and its founder. He has studied Islamic law for over 20 years. He has accreditation in interpretation and sciences of the Qur’an, Prophetic sayings (hadith) and jurisprudence (fiqh) from the scholars of Lebanon and Syria. He served as a lecturer of comparative jurisprudence for many years at the Islamic University of Beirut. He has also served as lecturer of hadith and the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) (seerah) at the Azhar Lubnan Academy, Lebanon.
As well as verifying over 20 books, his specialities include comparative jurisprudence, principles of jurisprudence (usool ul fiqh) and hadith. He is the director of the “Shariah Solutions Ltd” A consultancy firm in Islamic Finance and is on the Shari’ah supervisory board for Gatehouse Bank PLC (London), He has delivered numerous courses and lectures in Islamic finance including an annual conference with leading Islamic finance scholars.
He provides counselling and independent consultancy services for Muslim and non-Muslim organisations both in person and via the internet. He has appeared on both Islam Channel and Shari’ah TV channel. He has been a guest speaker on Islamic radio stations throughout the UK responding to questions on Islamic law and living Islam in the modern context. He has also delivered a range of seminars and courses on Islamic Finance.
‘And remember God, during certain days numbered. If any man hastens on in two days, that is no sin for him; and if he delays, it is not a sin for him; if he fears; and fear God, and know that to Him you shall be gathered.’ [Qur’an 2:203]
Photo credit: Akram Abahre
Mina is the place where the pilgrims congregate during the Hajj and stay there on the 8th and then from 11th to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah during the days of Tashriq.
Mina is situated approximately 7 kilometres to the east of Makkah. The pilgrims come here after completing their Hajj Rites and sacrifice an animal and cut / shave their heads before coming out from the state of Ihram.
“And when he was old enough to walk with him, he said, ‘O my dear son, I see in a dream that I shall sacrifice you. So see what you think’. He said, ‘O my father do whatever you have been commanded. You shall find me, God willing, of the steadfast’. And when they had both submitted, and he had laid him down on his forehead, We called to him, ‘O Abraham! Verily you have fulfilled the vision’. So do We reward those who are virtuous. Truly this was indeed a clear test’. Then We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice.” [Qur’an 37: 102-107]
It is here that Prophet Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him) brought his son Isma’il (Peace be Upon Him) in order to sacrifice him following the dream that he had. It is also here that the Shaytan tried to tempt him away from his mission to sacrifice his son so he beat Shaytan with pebbles at three different locations. These are marked by the 3 large walls known as the Jamarat, where pilgrims to this day stone the walls in recognition of this act of Ibrahim (Peace be Upon Him). Finally it is here, in Mina, where the pilgrim sacrifice an animal in remembrance of Ibrahim’s (Peace be Upon Him) willingness to sacrifice his son, and how Allah sent a Ram in Isma’il’s (Peace be Upon Him) place, as a ransom for him.
Mina is also the place where Masjid Al Khayf and Masjid Bay’ah are located.
Masjid Bay’ah is in ‘Aqaba, the nearest part of Mina to Makkah. It marks the place where the early Madinan Muslims came to give Bay’ah (Allegiance) to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) which led to the eventual Hijrah of the Muslims from Makkah to Madinah.
Photo Courtesy of Google Images
The first Bay’ah was given two years before the Hijrah with 12 people of Madina giving Bay’ah. The second Bay’ah took place one year before the Hijrah and was attended by 75 people from Madina who gave their Allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and pomised to protect him should he migrate to Madinah.
This was the catalyst for the momentous Hijrah which became the start of a new Dawn for the Muslims.
A Masjid was built here to commemorate the location and Alhamdu Lillah it’s one of the few structures that still remain today.
If the whole process of farming and rearing the animals is wrong, but you mention the name of God at the point of slaughter, does this make the produce truly Halal? – Something for everyone to ponder.
Below are some pics we took at the Willowbrook Farm open day on Sunday 19 April 2015.
Abu Zaynah 