FASTING IN ISLAM Part 4

The Believers spend this month of Mercy

in acts of worship to seek forgiveness for their

sins and protection from falling into evil ways.

While good deeds and behaviour earn divine

rewards at all times, the rewards for the same

acts are manifold during this blessed month.

Thus Ramadan is also a month of increase in

acts of charity to please Allah The Most Merciful.

The Believers perform these acts with

a deep sense of gratitude (shukur) to Allah

The Giver of all bounty for blessing humanity

with the noble month of \ramadan.

The Believers view the act of fasting as

a holistic exercise by striving to keep their

eyes, ears, tongues, hands and feet - and

all the other organs - free from sin.

This is the true fasting.

The true fasting goes on after the physical

fasting has ended. One who has experienced

it would long for the whole year

to be like the month of Ramadan.

"There are two pleasures for the fasting

person: one at the time of breaking the fast

and the other at the time when he will meet

his Lord; then he will be pleased because

of his fasting." [Bukhari]

There is nothing like the fast of Islam in

any other religion for realizing physical

and spiritual well being.

Dr. Y Mansoor Marican, Ph.D

www.islam.gov.my

FASTING IN ISLAM Part 3

To the Believers Ramadan is a month of reflection,
self-discipline and self-improvement.

While the Believers must strive to improve themselves
at all times, such striving carries special significance
during Ramadan.

It was in this month that the first verses of The Noble
Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh)through angel
Jibril (as).

The Noble Qur'an was revealed to guide mankind to
The Right Way and as the criterion to distinguish
truth from falsehood. [2:185]

The Believers make extra efforts in the month
of Ramadan to strengthen their bond with the
Noble Qur'an. It is considered meritorious
to recite the entire Qur'an during this month.

The most important night in this month is
Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power), the night
when The Noble Qur'an descended to the lowest
heavens in preparation for its revelation to
the Prophet (pbuh)

The Noble Qur'an describes this Night as
"better than a thousand months." [97:1-5]

The exact date of this Night is a divine secret.
The Prophet advised the Believers to "seek it
on the odd numbered nights of the last ten days
of Ramadan." (Bukhari)

Continue....

FASTING IN ISLAM Part 2

The aim of fasting is to acquire thaqwa or self-restraint.

[2:185]

We harm ourselves when we deviate from The Straight

Path by failing to live according to God's laws.

A deviated soul is unable to distinguish truth from

falsehood. The soul becomes a slave to satanic

whispers and takes to evil ways.

The Islamic way to remain steadfast in

The Straight Path begins with strengthening the soul.

Through obligatory and other acts performed to

please Allah The Most Merciful, the layers of

falsehood covering the soul are removed.

A soul that is free of falsehood is able to protect

itself from satanic temptations.

The fast of Ramadan is a personal obligatory duty

in Islam that aims to strengthen our God-consciousness.

When the soul deprives itself of the basic needs from

dawn to sunset for one month each year, to please

Allah, it strengthens itself to resist the pull of the

lower desires that cause it to go astray from The Right Path.

Sawm differs from the other obligatory duties. For example

one may pray (solat) just to be seen to be praying, and

not really pray!

But how can one suffer hunger as a show-off? The hunger

in sawm is real and can be felt but not "seen" by others.

No one abstains from things (such as food and sex) that are

normal, natural and permissible. Being hungry and abstaining

from pleasure is no pleasure in itself except when it is

experienced for the sake of Allah.

To be continued........

FASTING IN ISLAM

Muslims fast every day in the month of Ramadan,

the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

It is a divinely prescribed annual training exercise

to attain physical and spiritual well being.

The Arabic word for this exercise is sawm or

'abstaining from certain things.'

Muslims are required to abstain from food,

drink and sex from dawn to sunset.

Exemptions are given to those in special situations

such as sickness, menstruation and long distance

travel. They are required to replace the missed

days.

The beginning of the fast is preceded by taking

a small meal (sahur) followed by declaring one's

intention (niat) to fast to please Allah The Most

Merciful.

The niat distinguishes the fast of Islam from

just starving under a diet plan.

Muslims break their fast (iftar) at the time

of the call to prayer for the maghrib prayer.

During the hours of fasting, Muslims carry

on with their normal duties but with

greater awareness of the need to avoid

sinful acts and increase their good deeds.

The Prophet (pbuh) was reported to have said:

"Whoever did not give up lying and practicing

falsehood, Allah is in no need of his giving up

food and water." [Bukhari]

continue..........

CONVOCATION AT NILAI UNIVERSITI

The Convocation at President Hall Nilai University College

Graduans procession

Queing up with jubilation

The Diploma - i did it!!!

The graduated Chipmunk

Standing Tall

A proud father.

Sharing my daughter's joy.

Smile you are on candid camera!

TINGGAL KENANGAN

Hari ini, tanggal 23hb Julai merupakan hari lahir orang yang aku kasihani.

Sekiranya dia masih hidup usia akan menjangkau 74 tahun. Hari ini adalah

hari yang ke 42 dia di alam barzakh.

Insan ini cacat angota, tidak pernah bernikah, tidak punya zuriat.

Dia menabur budi merata-rata agar dia di sayangi dan diingati sepanjang masa.

Apa yang dia inginkan hanyalah suatu doa agar rohnya tenang dan aman.

Malam tadi selepas solat aku bertahlil buat dia yang aku sanjungi.

Ya Allah Engkau cucuri lah rahmat keatas rohnya, Engkau luaskan lah kubornya,

Engkau terangkan lah tempat semadinya. Engkau berilah dia Syurga Mu.

Ya Allah Engkau ampuni lah segala salah silap aku

waktu menjaga dia di saat saat yang akhir itu.

Aku tahu, aku tidak dapat memberi dia perhatian yang penuh.

Aku tahu, aku tidak tunjuk kan kasih sayang ku secukupnya.

Aku juga tahu, Ya Allah, Engkau yang Maha Pengampun

dari itu ampunilah diriku ini atas segala dosa dosa ku.

GIGIHNYA ANAK-ANAKKU MENCARI DUIT

Izzati Liyana setelah bergelar seorang graduan sejak 6 bulan lalu belum lagi mendapat sebarang perkerjaan. Keluar saja dari universiti dia sudah mula menolong ayahnya dalam bidang bisnes.

Sambil sambil itu rupanya dia mengambil kesempatan untuk menjalankan bisnes sendiri. Dengan bekalan wang yang sedikit dia menceburi perniagaan

kecil kecilan. Dia berniaga online, display produk produk yang ada di kedai. Syukur alhamdulilla...ada la dapat sikit masuuk.

Produk produk dia adalah....

Selendang, pashmina, biskut raya, make-up, brooch, baju muslimah......

Banyak lagi akan datang, katanya.

Selamat maju jaya dalam apa jua bidang yang diceburi.

Faiz pula masih lagi dalam pengajian dikolej. Semester lalu dia dapat 3 pointer.

Harap harap berkekalan atau lebih bagus lagi.

Sambil belajar Faiz berkerja di McDonald. Sekarang ini dia dilantik menjadi Floor Manager.

Naik pangkatlah anak mama ni. Gaji pun lebih lah sikit. Jangan belanja sakan dan jangan ghairah dengan duit tu.. tak banyak mana pun.

Mama nak ingatkan, assignment dan projek jangan lupa siapkan, dan jangan abaikan pelajaran. Inilah senjata hidup. ILMU

Selamat maju jaya dalam semua bidang.

THE CALL TO PRAYER (Part 3)

The Iqamah

The Iqamah is a shortened version of azan.

In Iqamah, after the "Come to success,"

call, the mu'azzin recites twice, "Prayer has

begun." The musallis (persons performing

the Prayer) reply, "May Allah establish it

and make it permanent."

The caller of Iqamah must also face the Qiblah.

The Iqamah is recited at

a faster pace than the azan.

The person who recites it need not be

same person who recites the azan.

The azan is a communal obligation

(fard kifayah) in that in all places

where regular prayer is established,

Muslims have to appoint a person

to do it properly at the appropriate times.

There are two azan for the Friday

congregational prayer. The second

azan is recited before the imam

addresses the gathering.

As the times for the five daily obligatory

prayers vary within and between time

zones, there is never a moment on our

planet when the azan is not being recited,

as the end of azan is one place is the

beginning of azan in another place.

The azan is the world's only non-stop call

that acknowledges the sovereignty of

The One True God and urges mankind

to hasten to worship Him.

When the proclamation that "Allah is

Greatest" is sincerely felt in the heart,

it reinforces the Believer's resolve

to live by His Commands, which includes

combatting the tyranny of the powerful and

refraining from the ways of the greedy rich.

The azan is a revolutionary proclamation of

Islam that sovereignty rests with Allah alone.

*******

Dr. Y Mansoor Marican, Ph. D

THE CALL TO PRAYER (Part 2)

The Azan

The Azan combines both the Testimony of

Faith in Islam that identifies the Believers

from others as well as an inspirational call

to achieve success in this world

and the Hereafter through prayer.

The azan is recited in Arabic,

which makes it easy for Muslims

to recognize it in all places in the world.

Though the azan is a call to the prayer

in congregation, Muslims staying in

locations where it cannot be heard

or praying alone are required to recite

the azan themselves before the prayer.

It is the religious duty of the Believers

to respond to the azan by stopping

all things that may impede

others from hearing the azan.

Muslims repeat softly the lines in 1,2,3,

6and 7 of the azan immediately after the

mu'azzin (caller to the prayer) has

completed each of the 11 lines.

They recite softly, "There is no protection

and power other than Allah", immediately

after the mu'azzin has completed each

of the two lines in 4 and 5 respectively.

They recite softly, "You said the truth

and you did good," immediately

after the mu'azzin has completed each time

the special recitation for the dawn prayer.

At the end of azan, doa or supplication

is made which consists of the following:

"O Allah, Lord of this complete call and

prayer of ours, grant Muhammad the right

of intercession and the highest position,

and raise him to the praiseworthy place

that You have promised him and

bestow on him the right of intercession

on the Day of Resurrection,

for You do not fail in your promise."

(Bukhari)

After allowing a few minutes for Muslims

to complete the tasks at hand,

the second call to prayer or Iqamah

is made to call the gathering to prayer

in a lower voice than that for the azan.

Dr Y Mansoor Marican, Ph.D

THE CALL TO PRAYER (Part 1)

Islam's call to prayer or azan is unique

in that it is an oral call. Others beat

drums, blow horns or ring bells.

Azan is a call to the Believers

to hasten to worship Allah The Merciful.

The 15 lines recited loudly in azan are:

1) Allah is Greatest (4 times)

2) I testify that there is no god

to be worshipped except Allah (twice)

3) I testify that Muhammad

is His final Messenger (twice)

4) Come to Prayer (twice)

5) Come to Success (twice)

6) Prayer is better than sleep (twice)

This call is for the dawn prayer only

7) There is no god to be worshipped

except Allah (once)

PERKIM

BULAN SYA'BAN

Keistimewaan bulan Sya'ban ialah:

seluruh amalan manusia diangkat untuk dihadapkan

kepada Allah swt, sewajarnyalah sepanjang bulan

ini diisikan dengan amal ibadah dan kebajikan.

Antara amalan yang digalakkan pada bulan Sya'ban adalah:

1. Memperbanyak puasa sunat

2. Bertaubat dan Beristiqhfar

3. Memperbanyak zikir dan berdoa

Malam Nisfu Sya'ban

Kelebihan Malam Nisfu Sya'ban itu telah disebutkan

di dalam hadis sahih daripada Mu'az bin Jabal r.a. Rasulullah saw bersabda yang maksudnya:

"Allah menjenguk datang kepada semua makhluk-Nya

di Malam Nisfu sya'ban, maka diampunkan dosa sekalian

makhlukNya kecuali orang yang menyekutukan Allah

atau orang yang bermusuhan."

Pada malam Nisfu Sya'ban juga, adalah di antara malam malam

yang dikabulkan doa. Mengikut pendapat Imam asy-Syafi'e

dalam kitabnya al-Umm telah berkata:

"Telah sampai pada kami bahawa dikatakan:

sesungguhnya doa dikabulkan pada lima malam,

iaitu:

pada malam Jumaat,

malam Hari Raya Adha

malam Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

malam pertama di bulan Rejab

dan

malan Nisfu Sya'ban

Kita boleh menghidupkan Malam Nisfu Sya'ban

dengan memperbanyakkan beribadat seperti:

sembahyang sunat

berdoa

berzikir

membaca al-Quran

Petikan dari PROJAKIM

HOW MUSLIMS DRESS (Part 4)

Humility and Thankfulness

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah likes to see the

signs of His bounties on His servants." (Tirmidhi)

He also said: "Eat, drink, wear clothes, and

give charity without extravagance and conceit."

(Bukhari)

Allah has not forbidden fine clothes, unless worn

in arrogance and wastefulness.

Allah's bounty should not be flaunted lest it provokes

envy and ill-feeling. Humility before The Creator and

fellow human beings is a virtue. It's difficult to be

humble when one is decked in thousand dollar suits!

However, Allah also dislikes slovenliness

as a pretentious show of one's poverty.

Moderation and simplicity is always the preferred way.

The liberated Muslim woman (and men)

Islamic dress does not degrade or oppress women.

Rather, it gives them dignity because it protects

them from exploitation as sexual objects, and

enslavement by the fashion, cosmetics, film and

advertising industries.

Dignity and protection, together with many rights

that Islam grants women (which the modern world has

recognised only in the last 60 years)

guarantees the high status of women in Islam.

The incorrect practice of Islam in many Muslim

countries does not represent TRUE ISLAM.

Regrettably, the movie industry has now begun to blatantly exploit male sexuality.

Islamic dress also preserves men's dignity.

By: Fatima Ebrahim Munshi

HOW MUSLIMS DRESS (Part 3)

How To Cover

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) admonished:

"Do not appear naked while fully clothed." [Bukhari]

Dress should not be transparent, showing the skin

or so tight-fitting that it reveals

the shape and sexual contours of the body.

Loose-fitting clothes make prayer easier to perform.

Dress should not have prints on it that offend.

Dress should not be so outlandish

or glamorous that it is provocative.

However, Muslims may be as provocatively dressed

(or undressed) as they like when they are

with their spouses in private.

Gender-Appropriate

Men are not allowed to dress (and behave) like

women, or as women. They are forbidden to wear

pure silk and gold. Muslim men must be manly!

Likewise, women should not imitate men in dress

(and behavior too). Muslim women are feminine.

Islam sets distinct and complementary roles for

men and women in harmony with the natural

disposition of goodness (fitrah) that Allah created

them with. Gender-appropriate dressing helps

men and women fulfil their roles better.

Men in white, women in black

In Islam, there are no "holy" colors.

Islam does not require women to be always

dressed in black or blue in public.

This is a cultural tradition practiced in some Muslim

countries, or a rule imposed by certain Muslims

authorities so as to enforce greater morality.

Darker colours are worn because they conceal better.

Muslim men need not always wear white.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) wore clothes of

various colours. However he recommended that white

clothes be worn on Fridays and other assemblies.

The purity and simple beauty of white befits

the honour and dignity of man [An Nasa'i]

The Prophet (pbuh) also grew a beard and often wore

a turban on his head. Muslim men, out of their

love for the Prophet, emulate him not only in

character and conduct but also in dress and grooming.

With compliments: Majlis Agama Islam WP

HOW MUSLIMS DRESS (Part 2)

When should Muslims be dressed best?

O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel

at every time and place of prayer. [7:31]

Islamic Dress: an Identity, not a uniform

Islam, being a universal religion, has not set

any particular form or style of dress.

All manner of dress is acceptable as long as

certain guidelines are followed.

These guidelines apply to both men and women.

What to cover

Islamic dress must cover the 'aurah.

'Aurah is the parts of the body

which cannot be exposed to others.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) defined 'aurah.

'Aurah is different for men and women.

A man's 'aurah extends from his navel to his knees.

Most men choose to cover more than

this minimum requirement.

A woman's 'aurah outside her home and/or in

the presence of non-mahram (not close relatives) men

is her whole body except her face, hands and feet.

Some scholars also include her feet.

The head covering or hijab is a command of Allah.

The face-veil or niqab is not a requirement,

but some Muslim women choose to wear it

for greater modesty, out of conviction that Islam

requires it, or because of cultural tradition.

Muslim women are not permitted to cover

their faces during prayer,

while performing the pilgrimage rites in Meca,

when giving legal testimony, or when

identification is crucial for security purposes.

In her home, Muslim women may uncover

their heads, arms, feet and legs below the knees.

and in privacy with her husband,

no part of her needs to be covered!.

With compliments: Baitulmal