Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

I know, I know, it’s been at least a week since I put a new post up and yes, I know, it’s not good!

So apart from the usual work, home and mosque lifestyle that I lead, what else have I been up to recently?

Well this Ramadhan has been so busy hasn’t it?  You get up for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) and after munching a bowl of porridge in a semi-sleepy stupor, make your way to the Mosque to read Fajr with congregation.  And after that the hard part – trying to fall asleep again on a full stomach and an active mind knowing full well that you’ve got to get up in a couple of hours to get to work – aaarrrggghhh!!!

And after spending a long hard day at work, all you feel like doing is going home, praying a bit of Qur’an, breaking your fast and relaxing a bit.  But no! It seems that as soon as you break your fast and have offered your Maghrib prayers, it’s time for Isha and Taraaweeh (where did the day go?) and that brings us nicely up to 11 pm (or thereabouts!) when all you’ve got left is the will to trudge back to bed knowing that you’ll be awake again in a few hours to repeat the cycle – phew!

But alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) it’s all good!! Only through Allah’s Mercy do we find not only the time, but the energy to get through this and furthermore, it’s not as if we’re not getting anything out of it – oh no!  Not only is Allah rewarding us for every single miniscule hardship that we are enduring, but also for every time our stomach rumbles, every time we feel our throats are dry, for every letter of Qur’an we pray and not to mention every single Dua (supplication) we make.

Even when we’re tired, for every single ounce of tiredness there is great reward from Him who has no limit to the Bounties He can bestow or the Mercy with which He showers us with.

Last night we had a bit of a ’sleepover’ for the youngsters in Dewsbury at Zakaria Masjid.  Alhumdulillah things went really well and it seems like the boys had a good laugh as well as learning about the Qur’an which was the topic for the night.

Mufti Abu Bakr Karolia enlightened us with his extremely informative PowerPoint presentation about the Qur’an and we were also graced with the presence of Moulana Abrar who recited a beautiful Naat about out Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and also the venerable Qari Saeed Makda who infused the night with his beautiful recitation of the Qur’an

Pizzas and snacks were provided (!) and the lads from Ansaar lightened up the night with a highly entertaining Islamic Quiz of which there is still controversey as to who were the real winners!!

So alhumdulillah it was an extremely eventful ’sleepover’ with absolutely no sleeping bags and definitely no sleeping!  My thanks go out to Mufti Abu Bakr Karolia, Qari Saeed Makda, Moulana Abrar and our Imam saheb for their esteemed presence together with Abdul Wajid, Ebrahim Jogee and Abu Bakr Fadia and the rest of the Ansaar crew for being instrumental in the execution of this event.

And last but definitely not least, my thanks to all the local lads inlcuding Hafez Shoyab, Hafez Imran, Siraj, Max, Ma-aaz, Ismail, Hafez Yasser, Haroon, Elyas bhai and Ayub bhai for their much needed help and to the youth of Dewsbury who came and made it the night it was – may Allah accept us all.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) the month of Ramadhan has really set in now as we come towards the end of the first Ashr’aa (the first 10 days).

And in this blessed month we see so many changes around us.  We see the masjids packed with worshippers morning, noon and night.  We see our womenfolk doing more acts of worship within the homes.  Yes the fasts are long, the hours of sleep few and we’re all feeling the tiredness and fatigue as we near the end of the working week, but hey, this is what it’s all about!

These little sacrifices, the extra long Taraaweeh (nightly prayers) and the increased inclination towards our One, True Allah is what this beautiful month is for.

Yet, there are some people I have met and encountered who seem to be gaining little more than an empty stomach and bags under their eyes…..

These are the people who, although they are fasting, are missing their Salaah (five daily prayers).  They do not increase in the recitation of the Qur’an.  They do not pray their Taraaweh, and worse still, indulge in all sorts of forbidden activities such as backbiting, swearing and telling lies, etc.

What we have to ask ourselves is what does Allah want us to gain from this fasting?  Is it just so that we can go hungry?  Is it so that we’re tired all week for no reason?  Can we get closer to Allah on just an empty stomach?

The answer to all three is no.  Our problem is that we think that all we have to do is fast and by that the criteria for having completed a successful Ramadhan is fulfilled – that is a complete fallacy.

What we must understand is that through a combination of our hunger, our increased recitation of the Qur’an, our long nightly prayers, by giving in charity and by refraining from evils such as backbiting and general bad character, we can attain Taqwa - piety, which Allah has described as the purpose of Ramadhan.

And if done, these acts of worship will create a certain spirituality within us and provide us with spiritual strength to go through the rigours of the day on an empty stomach.  Once a person involves him or herself in these activities then they will feel that ‘buzz’ you only get in this amazing month.  And as we all know, it’s not just about the ‘buzz’ but in reality it is about making up all that ground we have lost throught the course of the year in our race to reach the Most High, the Most Merciful, our Creator, Sustainer and Provider, Allah, and get closer to Him than ever before.

No wonder our Prophet (PBUH) used to increase his acts of worship in Ramadhan.  It is the month to better ourselves and re-establish that ailing relationship with Allah.

But if we do not do try to increase in our worship and do not try to refrain from our usual bad habits, then I’m afraid all we’ll get is an empty stomach, a parched throat and a terrible temper from the lack of food.  And this, I’m sure you’ll all agree, completely defeats the object of fasting and instead of gain, we will get nothing but loss at the end of Ramadhan.

And Allah knows best.

M’as-salaam

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

So it looks like we’ve all started the blessed month of Ramadhan together alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) and what a nice change that is!

And insha-Allah (with the Will of Allah) it will once again be the month when Allah’s special mercy descends upon the Earth and we find the men filling up the Mosques and the women spending more time in worship in the home.

Yes it is the month of Qur’an.  It is the month when the most authentic Book known to man was revealed to the best person that will ever walk the earth, Muhammad (PBUH).  And through the Qur’an, the Rope of Allah, we can get so close to Him…

Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah), we all find in Ramadhan when we open the Qur’an that special peace and solace that is without equal in this world.  And we find ourselves thinking, ‘why have I not been reading more regularly throughout the year?’ together with, ‘insha-Allah I’m going to continue this after Ramadhan…’

And the answer to the question is something we desperately need to find because it is true, throughout Ramadhan the Mosques are buzzing with the beautiful hum of recitation of the Qur’an but as soon as Ramadhan ends, the buzzing stops and the Mosques become empty again.

Yes it is true, with the combination of Allah’s mercy, the chaining up of the Shayateen (Devils) and the spirituality gained by fasting, it is easier to read the Qur’an and carry out more good deeds than throughout the rest of the year.  So how about this – let’s make this month of Ramadhan the platform, the springboard for the year ahead and use it as a means of relaunching our lives and bring Islam into our lives throughout the year – throughout our lives.

Let’s read the Qur’an everyday, let’s pray our 5 daily prayers everyday, let’s bring the qualities of piety, humility, sincerity and good character into our lives everyday.

And insha-Allah, with this intention and with the right prayers, Allah WILL take us there because remember, He always listens to what we have to say and ask – if only we asked Him….!

Anyway, Ramadhan mubarak to all my readers – may Allah give us all the Taufiq (ability) to make the most of this truly blessed month and may Allah make the rest of our year, and indeed, the rest of our lives just as good, if not better.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you

They say that all good things must come to an end…

Well on Saturday 28th September 2008 at Zakaria Masjid in Dewsbury, something great did indeed come to an end.

Yes, on Saturday night, we were blessed by Allah to experience the last instalment of the Tafsir (explanation, exegesis) of the Holy Qur’an done by Sheikh Yakub Qasmi.

It was a momentous occasion which was the culmination of 14 years of hard effort by the venerable Sheikh. And as usual it was a Tafsir which was fit for the occasion, delivered with the honesty, integrity, deep knowledge and wisdom which has become the trademark of Moulana saheb’s Tafsirs.

For the people, for us who have been listening to this – some for 2 years, some for 10 years, even some who have been here from the start – for us it was the end of something, you could even say, the end of an era.

In my very limited lifespan and knowledge, never before have I heard anyone give such a down-to-earth explanation of the high ideals set by Allah in His Book in such an easy to understand, practical manner. It bears testimony to Moulana’s knowledge and understanding of not only the Qur’an, but of life on this earth in general, that he was able to take so many points and put it in such a perspective, that all of us could relate to and take away with us each time we left one of his Tafsir sessions.

We will miss the way he recited Ta’awwuz at the beginning in his unique recitation style. We will miss the way he would recall a certain point from a certain book by a certain author consisting of x number of pages! Indeed, we will miss the way in which he recalled sayings, absolutely word to word, from the late Sheikh Yusuf Khandlavi (RA), and we will surely miss the way he ended each session in humility by re-affirming that it is only Allah alone who has All-Knowledge and is All-Wise.

So it is with a truly poignant feeling in my heart that I give my own personal thanks to the Moulana – without saying too much, only Allah knows how much of an impact the Tafsir of the Qur’an has had on my life.

But it is with a feeling of elation that I attempt to thank my Lord, Allah. For it is He who has given us His Book which will remain upon this earth until the Last Day.

It is this Book, which has not only changed my life, but transformed the whole of humanity. This is the Book, which when recited, can fill up the deepest, darkest voids and can illumine the darkest of hearts and make them shine with brilliance.

This is the Book, when recited in the dark nights of Arabia, commanded the presence of Angels who ventured down to listen. And again, when it was recited by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH), even drew the idolators of Mecca to come and secretly listen to it at night. Even during the day, when they professed their opposition to the peaceful religion of Islam, when the verses of my Lord entered their ears they were brought to prostration as a knee-jerk reaction.

This is because the Qur’an is the Book of the hearts – affecting the hearts and memorised and stored in the hearts. It always has, always will and will always continue to capture the hearts and minds of mankind – whether Muslim or non-Muslim – its Truth will always serve as a beacon of light for the true Believer and Seeker of Truth.

So may Allah keep our hearts alive with the radiance of the Qur’an, and as has been explained with such dexterity and clarity by Sheikh Yakub Qasmi, may Allah give us the Taufiq (Divine aid) to bring it practically into our lives so that we may prosper in both this world and the Akhirah (Hereafter).

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

PS: INSHA-ALLAH WE WILL BE POSTING THE MOST RECENT RECORDINGS OF THE SHEIKH’S TAFSIR RIGHT HERE ON HIDAYAH BLOG IN THE NEAR FUTURE SO PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND INFORM OTHERS – JAZAKALLAH.

It was after Fajr prayer yesterday that the Imam said that the month of Ramadhaan was like a golden opportunity for the Believer.

He was reading out of a book which equated Ramadhaan to a summer, when the weather is fine, the fruits are in full blossom and all you want to do is spend your time outside and enjoy all the benefits that summer usually brings.

Well, enough of the metaphors, but that is so true – don’t you think?

Indeed, it IS a golden opportunity – for drawing closer to Allah by reading and meditating upon His Book, by making Dua (supplication) for forgiveness, for standing in those long Taraaweeh prayers and listening to the Glorious Word of God being recited from cover to cover.

It is a chance for me, you and everybody out there, to re-think, re-jig and re-calibrate that relationship we have with our Creator to an even higher setting than before.

It is the summertime for doing good deeds – helping each other, forgiving each other’s faults, paying our Zakaat (charity) and helping the needy.

And in this summer the best fruits are only at the top of the trees.  To pick these fruits -  of patience, of Allah’s Mercy and Allah’s forgiveness, we must abstain from not only the food, but from our vain desires, selfish habits, and protect and fortify oursleves against all that Allah has ordained as evil.

So insha-Allah (with the Will of Allah),  may our Lord will give us the Taufiq (Divine aid) to reap the benefits of this summer of His Mercy and take our golden opportunity and get to Jannah (Paradise).

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

Ramadhaan Mubarak to all our readers!!

Okay, so I am a little late, but alhumdulillah (all praise belongs to Allah) we have once again found ourselves at the beginning of another special Ramadhaan.

As always, we are beginning to feel the blessings and Allah’s special mercy that this month brings and as usual the increase in the Islamic activities and events happening.

So without any further ado, here’s the posters and details for the programs happening in Masjid-e-Hidayah in Dewsbury:

Masjid Hidayah Ramadan Programmes

Ramadan Programme for Ladies (On receiver – Ladies will be able to text/email/call with questions)

Maulana Ilyaas

Friday 5^th September – After ‘Asr

Zakaat Programme for Men (Projector)

Maulana Ilyaas

Saturday 6^th September – After ‘Asr

Practical Namaaz Demonstration

Maulana Masee-ullah

Sunday 7^th September – After ‘Asr

Weekly Programmes

Thursdays after Taraweeh – 40 Durood Shareef

Saturday after Taraweeh till Late – Youth Gathering

Daily Programmes

Fajr – Remembrance of Death

Zohar – Ramadan of the Elders

Asr – Fadhaa’il of Ramadan

Half hour before Maghrib – Roohani Majlis

Few minutes before Taraweeh – Brief explanation of Qur’aan

sisters-poster1

So, I’m back from Malaysia – alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) me and my lovely wife had a relaxing yet refreshing time there and thank Allah for making our trip so easy for us.

Anyway, back to business, and although this is a bit last minute, some of you may already know about this because the posters have already been up for a week or so:

Event – An Evening with Moulana Shoaib Desai

Venue – Masjid-e-Hidayah, Caledonian Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF12 9NU

Date & Time – Saturday 30th August 2008, between Asr and Maghrib – Asr @ 7:00pm

Details – Food will be provided after the event insha-Allah (with the Will of Allah) and it is a men only event.  Sisters can listen on the receiver – Freq: 454.812

So try and make it down please, it promises to be truly inspiring taking into account the credentials of the speaker and the nearness of the blessed month of Ramadhaan.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

As there are some people who are celebrating Eid today (Friday 12th October 2007) and some who aren’t, I think it’s important for my readers to know what’s what…

The Facts

The Astronomical New Moon is on Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 5:00 GMT (i.e., 1:00 am EDT, or October 10, 10:00 pm PDT).

It will not be visible on October 11 anywhere in the world, except Southern tip of South America and Polynesian Islands in the South Pacific.

On October 12, it will be visible in New Zealand Australia, Indonesia, South Asia, Africa and Africas. In North America on October 12, it can be seen with some difficulty.

The Events

Saudis announced Eid to be on Friday, Oct 12. Of course, it is impossible to see the moon in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

All the above information was taken from www.moonsighting.com.

I leave my discerning readers to form their own conclusions…

And Allah knows best.

Ma’as-salaam

Well as we are well into the last Ash’ra (last 10 days) of Ramadhaan, people will inevitably start having the usual conversations about Laylatul-Qadr (The Night of Power)…..

When is it?

Is it on the odd nights or on the even nights?

Is it the night of the 27th?

As my knowledgeable readers will be aware, there is a plethora of Hadith (Traditions of the Prophet (PBUH)) regarding this subject, and I do not intend to go into them in detail at all!

Yes, there are Hadith which point towards the fact that it is on the odd nights and and on the even nights, and yes, some of the Fuqaha (Islamic Jurists) of the past did go by the fact that it was on the 27th night!

The fact is that only Allah Himself knows when it is, and in His Hikmah (Wisdom) He has hidden the true date of it so that we may strive that little bit more in our search for it in the last 10 days.

And this is precisely the reason why our Prophet (PBUH) used to go into I’tikaaf (seclusion) in the Masjid (Mosque) in the last 10 nights. If a person does go into I’tikaaf, then he or she will be able concentrate on worshipping Allah and making Dua (supplication) and earn a huge amount of reward. It is a Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet (PBUH) and the complete reward is that of 2 accepted Hajj and Umrah (Pilgrimage).

And as we all know, whoever finds Laylatul-Qadr will have found a night which is better than a thousand months which means that his or her Ibaadah (worship) will get so much more Ajr (reward) and will get so close to Allah.

On this blessed night, Jibra’eel (AS) (Gabriel), the leader of the Malaa’ikah (Angels) himself comes down to Earth with the Malaa’ikah, with their sole task for that night being to make Dua of forgiveness and send blessings upon any Muslim worshipping Allah, until the time of Subha-Sadiq (Astronomical Twilight). It is also narrated in some Hadith that the Malaa’ikah write down everything that is to happen in a person’s life for the next year on this night – may Allah make it one of Aafiyah (ease), Khair (good) and Barakah (abundance, blessings, there is no exact English translation of this word) – Ameen.

Furthermore, it is stated in another Hadith that whosoever worships Allah on Laylatul-Qadr with Iman (Faith, sincerity) and Ihtisab (having firm conviction that Allah will give a reward), then all the past sins of that person will be forgiven!

And of course, according to some narrations, the Qur’an was transferred to Earth into the Lawhe-Mahfooz (the Heavenly Tablet) on this night as well.

All in all, this is indeed an extra special night for the Believer, and we should try as much as we can to increase in our devotions to Allah throughout the last Ash’ra so that we may earn His forgiveness and be privy to receiving His special Mercy. And remember, as it is the last Ash’ra, in this10 days, Almighty Allah promises salvation from the fire of Hell, so please, do as much as you can…

So what should one do during Laylatul-Qadr?

Well, any form of Ibaad’ah really. Whether it is Tahajjud salaat (optional night prayer), Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), or recitation of the Qur’an, it’s all good in the eyes of Allah, but if there is any one thing that we as Muslims should be doing more on this night, it is Dua – we should make as much Dua as possible.

For ourselves, for our family, for our friends, for all the Muslims, for all the non-Muslims – we should be making Dua that Allah showers the whole of the Ummah (community of Mankind) with peace and tranquillity and that Allah gives us all Hidayah (guidance).

And Allah knows best

Ma’as-salaam

Last few days of Ramadhaan remaining- time to take stock

Just come back from Juma (Friday prayers) and the Imam did a hair raising Khutba (in English), really made you think.

The main point which he was trying to put across was that nearly half of Ramadhaan has gone and what have we done?

No really, what have we done??

We need to take stock of what we have done, things that we have not and the things that we can still do?

This is the month in which it is said so many people are released from the fire of Hell, how many of us have asked for this? This is the month where we can get closer to Allah, how many of us feel closer to Allah? This is the month of the Qur’an, how many of us have prayed the Qur’an?

With only the last Ash’ra remaining it is time to take a step back and take stock.

Ask yourself the question, have I done all that I can?

Have I wasted my time?

Just as the Imam said in Juma if we do not take from such a generous Giver, then who is the loser?

As we will have heard so many times “Allah does not look towards your faces, nor towards riches, but he looks towards the sincerity of your heart and nature of your deeds”

So we have to make sure that we make that firm intention only for the pleasure of Allah and pray to him that he makes it easy for us all.

I ask one and all to remember me in your prayers and the rest of the Ummah (community of mankind) too.

Also within such a great month Allah is giving us a great night – the night of Laylatul Qadr, so lets take this opportunity and make the most of what Allah has presented to us. How many have come and gone, may it not be that we don’t get to gain the benefits from such a month next year- Insha-Allah (with the Will of Allah) we all will.

Ma’as-salaam