Well just a quick one to say Eid Mubarak to everyone.

Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) it seems that everyone (bar a few exceptions!) is doing Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday 10 September 2010.

May Allah accept our worship in Ramadhan and may He give us all the Taufiq (ability) to continue with all the good deeds and refrain from the bad for the rest of the year.

So\Eid Mubarak guys, please remember me and the whole Ummah (community of mankind) in your prayers and enjoy your Eid!

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

So you’ve probably heard that the poison that is the English Defence League (EDL) held a ’static’ protest in Bradford yesterday.

And yes, it could have been a very volatile affair.  What with the sole intention of the EDL to provoke the Asian (and especially Muslim) community, it could have turned into a very nasty day taking into account Bradford’s history.

But no, alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah), on this day it was the people of Bradford who took a united stand against those fascist, evil, racist members who call themselves the EDL.  They showed them that we, unlike them, have the basic humanity to tolerate those who are different to us.  They showed them that we, unlike them, are grateful for what we have in this country.  They showed them that we, unlike them, are proud of the communities that we live in and are proud of the position we have made for ourselves in this country and above all they showed them that we, unlike them, can think for ourselves and that we don’t buy into the first piece of biased, controversial or factually inaccurate information that is shown to us.

So I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the people of Bradford, the members of the 13 different Police forces who helped keep the peace and to the Right Honourable Theresa May MP for banning the original planned protest by the EDL.

And now the EDL know that we will not hate for no reason like they do.  And that we do not hold prejudices for no reason like they do.  And simply, that we are not the evil, hateful, disgraceful people that each and every one of those EDL members that attended are.

It really is a shame, when people can be indoctrinated so well and unfounded hate and bias be so strong, that it actually causes a person to lose his or her humanity.  Because that is what these evil racists have lost – their humanity.

Not only is what they believe in against the principles of Islam, but it also goes against the principles of Judaism, Christianity but also against the brotherhood of mankind – it goes against humanity.

And to the uneducated nenaderthals who attended, all I have to say is this – GET A LIFE!!!

If these people put half as much energy into their lives as they did into their unfounded hate of Islam (because that’s what it is, don’t be fooled by their claim of only hating ‘militant Islam’), then they would have the lifestyle that they accuse the ‘immigrants’ of taking.  And if they put half as much of that energy into working hard and education, then they would find a path to the enlightenment they would need to understand the basic principles of what it means to be human – understanding, tolerance, freedom and justice.

So once again, big up to the people of Bradford, may Allah reward you all for your patience and understanding.  And especially as this happened during the blessed month of Ramadhan, when bellies are empty, mouths thirsty and tempers already running high, I applaud you all and say that the sacrifice that you all made yesterday in not retaliating will most definitely be rewarded by Allah – whether you are Muslim or not – because sometimes the hardest sacrifice is in holding back when you are not in the wrong.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

So as we grow older (and possibly wiser!), it is only natural that we go forth and move on with our lives.

Sometimes the move is towards things that are bigger, better and brighter and sometimes the change is a little more modest but something of an improvement from what was there previously.

I should say that I write this post at a time when the people whom I know and love are ‘movin’ on up’ as it were and I also write with a nod to my situation as well.  What I would start with is the question, isn’t it easy to forget what we left behind?

Not only with something physical like changing your place of employment or place of residence, but even when something amazing happens which changes the emotional landscape of our mind and takes you to a higher mental state of wellbeing, it is sometimes too easy to forget what we left behind – too easy to forget where we came from and what we were feeling before.

And therein lies the danger…..

It is when we forget what we came through and the difficult and humble times we experienced before, that we do a great disservice to ourselves and forget the Bounty that Allah the Most Magnificent has granted us in the here and now.  Because indeed, the progression and successes that we go through in our lives are all due to the limitless Mercy of Allah.

And surprisingly enough, an increased wage, a better job, marriage and relocation to better climes – all of which would put smiles on our faces – are actually another test from Allah to see where we turn and how we react.

Do we become proud and say that our step up is due to our amazing ability, hard work and effort?  Or do we look inward and humbly thank Allah, the Creator of all that exists, for what He has bestowed upon us?

Do we change our outlook, perspective and attitude to life and act in a haughty manner befitting our making it into the ‘big time’?  Or do we remember who we are, where we came from and do what we can to help those who are less fortunate or even those of of our peers who want to achieve the same things we have?

Whatever we do, and however we may react, one thing is for sure, and that is that Allah is constantly watching us, with His Gaze fixed on the thoughts that cross our hearts and the actions we do both openly and secretly…..

You see, it is all to easy for us to cry out in times of despair and ask Allah for help or even (and may Allah protect us from doing such a thing) cry out and ask, ‘why me?’

But it is when we’re flying high, when we are on top of the world, when everything is going our way, the way we planned it, the way we dreamed it, that we have to take a step back, take a moment and remember, that it is only through the Mercy of my Lord that I am here, and through His Will that things stand as they are and I am so happy and content.

Yes, it may be a difficult thing to do, but do we must!  That is the true test of a Mu’min (Believer) and that is the thing which pleases Allah.

So yeah, my Du’as (prayers) are with you all and may Allah give you all that is best in this world and the Akhirah (Hereafter), but through it all we’ve gotta remember who we are, where we came from and what we’ve been through to get there.  Never must we forget the times that we tried so hard and failed.  Never must we forget the pain we endured.  Never must we forget the tears that stung our faces – we must never forget, so that now, when things are better alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah), we thank Allah profusely so that we show Him that we humbly submit and acknowledge His favour and bounty upon us.

I dedicate this post to all my family and friends, to acquaintances I have left behind (but not forgotten!) and new ones that I have made along the way.  And of course, to all of my readers.

Ma’as-salaam – With Peace

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