From California on the day of `Eid-ul-fitr, renowned Muslim figure shaykh Hamza Yusuf gave the `Eid sermon (khutba) on Wednesday, 31st August, after completing 30 days of fasting in the Islamic month Ramadan. We have provided a transcript of the speech and encourage all viewers to learn, implement and share the beautiful wisdom of Allah and his Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf begins with a du`a (supplication).

"`Eid mubarak. Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, all praise belongs to Allah. Allah in the Qur'an says,

'They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, "They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj"...' (Qur'an, 2: 189)

The sighting of the new moon with the human eye has historically been the way of determining the new month, despite the fact they were quite capable of doing calculations for centuries.

We're living in a time where we have incredible technology, to monitor the the galaxy, to monitor planets. At one time we thought there were only five planets. Now we're discovering there could be up to 4 billion planets just in our own galaxy.

Th Prophet, peace be upon him, determined that the 29th day of Ramadan day is where we go out to search for the 30th moon, he called it, "The day of doubt". This is because there's no certainty whether you can sight the moon or not. According to the Naval Observatory website, it says it's not possible to sight a moon with certainty with the naked eye in the first 24 hrs of the new month. This is exactly what the Prophet's calling it. To eliminate it means there's absolutely no doubt and this still is not true. There is an uncertainty.

To those Muslims who hold onto tradition, "Sumu ri ru' ya tihi, fast when you see the moon." Here, "Ru' ya tihi" is a sight, it has to be seen with the eyes. "Wa afturili ri ru' ya tihi", the fuqaha determined that a group should see it, but not everybody has to see it. And Muslims end the month with what is called "jam`uh ghafeer", which is a majority, a large number of people confirming the new moon.

Two days ago we went out but we did not see the moon. There was one report in South America of a moon sighting; I personally did not feel comfortable, and I want to commend the SPIA for taking that same position just because if you hasten an act of worship (`ibadat) before its time, it's unacceptable. But if you delay an `ibadah for gaining certainty, you get a reward. So, by waiting an extra day to have certainty, all you can do is benefit!

Even yesterday when we went out to see the moon, it was a tiny sliver, a new moon. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "The end of time will not come until people who see a first day moon say, 'this is two days old!'"

Having said that, the people who broke their fast yesterday, insha'Allah that's valid because they were following their leadership and those who give fatwah, the accountability is on them - not everyone is responsible. I'm not saying in anyway it was invalid, I'm just saying that I certainly feel more comfortable having completed 30 days. Praise Allah.

Now at the end we learn Ramadan is a madrasah, a school to learn certain behavioral patterns to take for the rest of the year. So let us remind ourselves: The Lord of Ramdan is also the Lord of every month of the year - The Lord of Shawwal and Dhul Hijjah and Dhul Qa`da. Ramadan has ended, our behaviour needs to continue.

In Ramadan, people get closer to Allah because of the nature of Ramadan. They don't backbite (although this is prohibited outside of Ramadan). We're extra vigilant in order to train ourselves.

Imam Ghazali says, if you can control yourself with food and sexuality, then you can control all other things easier. These are two primary drives in the human being. The Eros drive, and the need for satiation, for food.

In learning to discipline the soul, we get closer to Allah. Prophet Muhammad said in a hadith placed in An-Nawawi's collection, which indicates it primacy as one of the central ahadith in Islam:

1) "At-Tahoor, shatrul 'imaan - Purification is half of faith".  (Hadith number 23, on Kalamullah)

An-Nawawi mentions in his commentary that Imam Ghazali said "at-tahoor" here means purification of the heart. Purifiying your heart is half of faith. One half is to enter into faith and the other half is tazkiya. Allah says about the soul, "He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]." - who stunts it. (Qur'an, 91:9-10). Tazkiyah is central to Islamic tradition and Ramadan is the month for tazkiyah, the purification of the heart and disciplining the soul.

Allah says, "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous." (Qur'an, 2:183)

Ramadan is so that you can learn spiritual discipline, getting closer to God, being more obedient.

Then the Prophet said, saying alhamdulillah will fill the mizaan, the scales, which according to tradition is bigger than heavens and earth. And saying Subhan'Allahi aalhamdulllahi is filling what is between the heavens and earth.

He further said, "was-salatu noorun - prayer, the salah is a light". How is it a light? In a factual (muttawatir) hadith, he said, "Give good tidings to those who go in the darkness (at night prayer, 'isha and fajr) of complete light on the day of Judgement."

On Judgement Day, when you're moving forward there are stages where it becomes completely dark. And those who did not have prayer in this world, they don't have any light to see. So prayer is a light, it will guide you.

"Inna salata tanha anan fa` sha'i wal munkar - Prayer will prevent you from doing foul and disobedient things". It increases your light. The more spiritual light you have, the more you can contribute to the elimination of darkness in the world. Darkness cannot succees because it is not a positive quality, it is a negative quality.

If you enter darkness into a room filled with light, it can't dispel the light. But if you have a room filled with darkness, one bit of light that enters the room will illuminate all the darkeness. Light is positive! And that is what we are accruing with our spiritual practice, LIGHT, in order to dispel the negativities that exist in this world.

THIS Is the role of those who believe in God. Of those who believe there's a Day of Judgement and that you're going to be taken into account.

The Prophet went on to say, "Wa-sadaqah tu burhaan - And charity is a proof."

Charity is a proof of your belief, in how you give to others. Allah says "Inna al-insana khuliqa halu`a - Indeed, mankind was created in a state of anxiety" (Qur'an, 70:19). We come into the world screaming, in a state of 'hala'. Allah says in the same verse, "When evil touches him, he's impatient," he becomes completely destablised. And "when good touches him, he withholds," he's greedy, he's covetous, he wants to keep it for himself, he doesn't want to share -"Ill'al musalleen - EXCEPT those who pray."

This is a different state of mind, these believers are connected to Allah. They are constant in their prayer, some say it's "sujud al-qalb", the prostration of the heart that is in constant prayer. The heart has a prostration like the head. These are the believers who give in their wealth - for those who ask, those who don't ask and you can still see they have a need.

At the end of Ramadan we pay zakat-ul-fitr. Zakat-ul-fitr is a dedicated "sa'a" from each person, a portion that's given to those who need. It used to be a portion of grain but now, in the Hanafi madhab (school of thought) we pay money and distribute because it faciliates it for places that need it more than we do. We give zakat at the end of Ramadan because we have just spent learning about hunger, that there are many people who are hungry.

It's inexcusalbe that we have famine today! We have a globalised system and the means to take food anywhere on the planet, and yet we have people starving in East Afrca. Completely unacceptable. And then we have people vomiting from over-eating. You can go to the store and see rows and rows of dyspeptic medicines for indigestion, for people who eat too much, who don't need that food. Really, it's a billion dollar industry in the United States, from people over-eating. We have become an obese society. People taking more calories than they need.

`Umar radhi Allah `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) once saw a large bellied man making tawaf (circumambulation of Kabah) and put his stick next to his stomach and said, "this would be better on someone else who needed it." Right?!

One of the Muritanian poets said, "I'm amazed at a religion that calls for the fraternity of mankind, and yet we see some dying from hunger and some from over-eating, from satiety." He's amazed at this, asking well, how can a religion who takes care of the needy allow this?

The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, "Nobody is a believer who goes to bed full and his neighbour is hungry". It negates your faith! And now in a globalised society, your neighbour can be a thousand miles away. Because we know about all the people now, before they had exuses of distance, today we know!

Brothers and sisters, this religion calls us to reflect on death. The Prophet peace be upon him meditated on death, not in a morbid way, but to teach us the fragility of life. We're moving through life, and we'll be confronted with a momentous ovent.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said to hold onto the rope of Allah, this Book. Everything you need is in the Qur'an as explained by Prophet Muhammad.

In conclusion, the central theme of the book of Allah is to believe in Allah and live righteously. What does this mean? When the Prophet, peace be upon him, was asked by a man for advice, he "Qul aman tu billah thum-mustaqim - say, I believe in Allah and then BE upright." And what is uprightness? All of the Qur'anic ethics can be summarised in one verse where Allah calls for us to come! Elevate yourself. When you ask someone "ta aala" it means to stand, to get up. Elevate yourselves!

And I will tell you what God says you should and should not do in the Qur'an, chapter 17, verses 22-35:

• Don't associate partners with God
• Show goodness to parents - filial piety. We're living in a time where parents are denegraded but you need to show filial piety.
• Don't kill your children - no abortions or a fear of poverty. Allah says He will provide for you and for them! So the usool (above the head) and the fur'ooa` (below), the roots and the branches, are like the parents and the children.

Each one of us is a trunk and these are the roots to our trunk; our roots are our parents and our branches are our children. You need the whole tree to be holistic. You have to have a healthy whole tree, if you cut off the roots, you kill the trunk, and if you cut off the branches, there's no fruit. This is the tree of life. And this is why we're here - because of our parents, and this is why we continue - through our children. This tree of life needs to be nurtured and that is what Allah is calling us to do, to nurture this tree.

• Don't go near fornication, do not go to theft and these other forbidden (haram) things that cause destruction to your societies. These are diseases of the heart, and diseases of society.
• Do not kill any soul that Allah has sanctified - Muslim, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, it doesn't matter, it is a sanctifed soul. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, stood up for the funeral of a Jew, it's recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, and it was at a time when there was friction between the Jews and Muslims. The Prophet stood up and the Sahaba said, "this is a Jewish man," and the Prophet said, "wa laysat nafsa? - isn't this a human soul?" He respected the soul, he stood out of respect for that soul going back to its Lord, irrespective of its creed or its colour or cast. It doesn't matter! It's a soul and we cannot judge that soul. Alalh will judge that soul. Don't kill any soul! Allah is telling you to do this in order ot behave rationally, to believe.

We've got madness in our community, just recently an idiot went into a masjid and killed 50 people thinking it was a good idea. We've got madness in these cycles of violence. The only thing tht will break this cycle is intelligent people refusing to be part of this madness and demanding that there will be a different way. Allah says, do not kill a sanctified soul. That is your religion.

• Don't go near the orphans' wealth, don't touch it.
• And be just in your economics. That's the basis of healthy society, is just economics. Look at the economic systems of other countries and look at ours. People were robbed, their houses were robbed. These banks that committed daylight, bank robbery. It used to be where you went in and robbed a bank but now the banks are robbing the people! This is how distorted it's gotten. The banks were bailed out with billions but Mr and Mrs B weren't bailed out, their house was taken. Allah says, don't consume one another's wealth with lies, with vanities. Don't do it. Allah says a balanced economy is for commercial transactions where both sides are pleased with it. Don't kill one another because when you have unjust economies you have wars. These are economic transgressions.

You wanna know about Afghanistan? Look at lithium. The trillion dollars of lithium that's in Afghanistand land - you wanna know why people are in Afghanistan? Because Afghanistan has the most important minerals for high tech industry in the world. This is the world we're living in, a world of greed. A world where politicians feed us lies, telling us it's going to better society. Zbigniew Brzezinski said there is a political awakening, making it very difficult for politiians to do what they used to do. People now see the inequities, the exploitation, they read it in the newspapers. It's not like the old days where they could hide.

Politicians need to step aside to let human beings live with dignity and justice. Really, just let them live. Because it's wrong what they're doing, it's evil. People deserve better than this. Human beings are trying to raise their children without having a fear that secret police will take their children away, or ending up in an orange suit somewhere off Cuba. A place with blindfolds and earphones to block out hearing - sensory deprivation, which a New York Times articles asked "Is torture justified?" What happened?! In my world, I grew up in an America where we had civil society, things like torture weren't even questions to be asked.

We were founded on principles of human dignity. They used to hide these things, like the syphilis studies. Yes - the very Nazis who did things to the Jews, had done on them. People are passing on these forward because some aren't seen as 'human' in South America as they are. Those things are hidden, they are nefarious deeds that were done in the past, in the dark, we can't do anything about that, but when they become OPEN: What responsibility do we have then when? When we can see what's being done in broad daylight?

Shame on us, shame on all of us. What's done in the dark is God's business, but what do we do when it's done in broad daylight (?)

Allah says, "We do not charge any soul except [with that within] its capacity. And when you testify, be just, even if it's against near relative." (Qur'an, 6:152) - Even if it's your community, your own Ummah. It doesn't matter what it is, if it's wrong we condemn that wrong. This is a high religion, a religion of ethics and community.

The Prophet peace be upon him said, a time will come when you will see darkness followed by darkenss. `Ali (ra) asked, what is the way out, and the Prophet replied,"Kitab Allah, book of God". The Qur'an has news of what went before us and what will come after, it is a judge and an arbitrator between you. Whoever leaves the Qur'an, does it out of arrogance, Allah will break his back. And if you seek guidance in other books, you will be lead astray.

The Prophet said to hold onto the strong rope of Allah, His Book. To make dhikr, the remembrance and learning the wisdoms of Allah, and this takes you to a straight path. Tongues will not be confusing if they quote the Qur'an, and he said you will not have diverse opinions if you follow the Qur'an, the ulema will never tire of it, and the pious will never grow bored or weary reciting it.

This is the book of God that even when the jinn heard it they said we've heard a wondrous book that must have a guidance.

If you judge by the Qur'an, you will be just, if you speak by the Qur'an, you will be truthful. If you act according to it, you will gain a reward, and if you call to it, you will be taken to a straight path. The Qur'an is a protection, a safety for whoever follows it."


Eid al-Fitr 2011 sermon delivered by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds in San Jose, California, on August 31, 2011.


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This exclusive message for Ramadan by Imam Zaid Shakir is packed with energy, which is exactly what is needed in these long summer days of fasting as we seek a reward from "Out of this World".

Video courtesy of Radical Middle Way.


Link to video {http://youtu.be/qHnK9lawmV0}

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Imam Zaid Shakir delivers a talk on Ramadan at the Islamic Society of Britain's Living Islam 2011 festival.

A brief transcript is included for this video.




Link to video {http://youtu.be/nzxaKLWZH9Q}

"(Du`a) As-salam`alaykum,
An American poet, Robert Frost wrote a poem,
'Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow [...]

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Indeed, I'd like to stay here with you and enjoy ourselves, but there are promises to keep, which is why I have to go immediately to Sheffield for a programme after this (conference at Living Islam).

The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an has been revealed. Qur'an is a guidance for Muslims, it is a means to prayer, to worshipping God. The significance of the month is therefore a connective between the difference elements we read about. We read about the revelation itself in the Qur'an. Elsewhere we read about taqwah (Qur'an, 2:185) - that fasting is connected to God consciousness, which translates into a willingness to fulfil His orders.

Ramadan is therefore about fasting, taqwah and Qur'an. But what is our relationship with all three? Through fasting we became more accutely aware of Allah's commands. We're voiding those things that were otherwise lawful, that which is ordinarily halal and good for us - the tayyibaat, like drinking cold water at iftar which makes us feel so good when opening the fast.

If we can for one twelfth of the year avoid what is ordinarly good for us, how easy is it to leave those filthy things that are bad for us? And this is how we increase our taqwah. This quality opens up our hearts and illuminates it.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "Taqwah is here", pointing to his heart three times.

The conditions of taqwah are to affect our heart. Our hearts become more receptive to the message. Allah says the Qur'an is a guidance for people WITH taqwah. As Ramadan is the month of Qur'an, it's asking us to increase reading, it's a connection between these elements.

The Prophet ﷺ also said, "All of the actions of people are for Allah, and good deeds are multipled up to 700x and more. Excepet fasting, that is for Him."

Fasting is exempted from those multiplied deeds. It's not limited in numerical terms of reward. Fasting involves patience. And patient people have no limit to their reward. Allah says patient people wil be given their reward without measure in Jannah. Fasting lasts an entire month, it's not a 5 minutes salat or a cheque for zakat, or a week for Hajj. That's done, quickly over with. But fasting is for an entire day, not five separate times during the day like prayer.

In England, the summer fasts are longer and will be in the coming years. Someone said to me, 'it's not fair, in Makkah they have shorter days.' Well, our days in winter were short so we're balancing things out, alhamdulillah. Even our fasts are an opportunity to purify ourselves by fasting longer! We remember the words of the Prophet that fasting is half of patience, and "Ramadan is the month of patience".

We're challenged each day in Ramadan. Some days we feel tired, other days we have a headache, cramps and pains. But we persevere. There are hard times, but there are easy times.

Ramadan is a metaphor for our entire life, like our life's journey. As we move, we have easy years, with easy money and fulfilled needs and difficult years where we struggle. We have good friends some years, and for other periods we're lonely. Sometimes our Islam is clicking and some years it's a struggle to hold on to.

The most important thing we need in life and what we need in Ramadan is: PATIENCE.

Insha'Allah we will realise at the end of our lives that we haven't struggled in vain. We didn't miss those opportunities for material gain by investing in interest or indulging in haram business. We gained something better. We passed on the haram and we stayed patient. We don't do all of that in vain without reward. We do it for Allah's pleasure."

Watch part 2 on YouTube {http://youtu.be/NLWYaCd-BGY}
Image:: flickr

The complete anarchy over the last few days and nights from mindless thugs and looters have left the citizens of the UK in a state of shock. There is no justification whatsoever for what these ignorant fools are doing – regardless of the problems in the police force – and when it leads to horrific situations such as the Mirror reported this lady having to jump for her life, or such utter destruction of one’s own neighbourhood as evidenced by pictures on the Big Picture, the wider community needs to step up and take matters into their own hands.

It’s been heartening to see pictures and reports that British Muslims from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds were stepping up to defend neighbourhoods and town high streets and main locations, whether that be the Bengalis in Whitechapel or the Turks in Dalston or the Kurds of Haringey. This is in fact the bare minimum expected from Muslims with respect to the rights that the wider community has open them, duly appreciated by many as noted by the Guardian:

“Last night the men from the local mosque were out defending the area. One shop was broken into, but thanks to them the situation was kept under control.”

Being honest, don’t doubt that we were also being sadly represented in the wrong way with a small amount of youth enjoying themselves in the carnage grabbing what they could – the argument that “the Muslims weren’t behind this cos’ we were praying Tarawih” is worth about as much as the actual Tarawih reading experience of the one who said such a statement. Read: none.

We all know that as parents line up in the front, the rest of the youth are straight out the back. There needs to be a real concerted focus from Muslim parents to ensure that neither during Tarawih prayers or at other times that their children are kept under supervision and not allowed to even get a whiff of the hormonally-pumped environment of free wii consoles and Armani jeans.

Likewise, let it be known that Muslims have an extra responsibility above and beyond what others might consider the norm. Last night was the defence. Today is the clean-up and the recovery. And that’s why we should be at the very front of the excellent efforts this morning of those who started #riotcleanup on Twitter or www.riotcleanup.co.uk and show the rest of this country what Muslims are really about.

So get out in your local area and get busy! Fasting is no excuse for sleeping more at home, rather fasting is the exact reason you should be out there and putting a graft in to be from the best of people as our Prophet ﷺ (upon whom be peace) said, “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.”






Imam Abu Eesa Niamatullah is a British-born Muslim and teacher with a unique academic ability for observational wit. Imam Abu Eesa "AE" works as an Al Maghrib tutor, runs the 1st Ethical Trust, powers the Prophetic Guidance organisation and shares research on his blog Alternative Entertainment. For more updates "like" Abu Eesa Official on Facebook.

Imam Suhaib Webb Reflects On Ramadan

As the warm breeze of Ramadan settles, we are reminded of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement, ‘Upon the arrival of Ramadan the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.’ Ramadan brings with it a host of possibilities. Look at it as a chance to enter into a garden filled with fresh fruits, luscious vegetables and beautiful flowers. Some will fill their baskets to the brim, others will fill them half way, and some will fail to fill their baskets with anything.

Those who filled their baskets will have done so with a varied harvest; some choosing the best the garden has to offer, while others simply settle for those of a lesser quality. One of the best fruits we can reap during this month is one of the most difficult to attain. Its fruit is not found on the ground having fallen from a tree, nor is it found amongst the lower branches. This fruit is found at the highest part of the tree and getting to it takes effort, patience and most importantly truthfulness with oneself. This is the fruit of repentance and reflection. ‘Repent to God, oh believers, and you will be successful.’

Success is a tough word
Success is a tough word, it haunts us at work, home and school. And like a beneficial medicine, it is not easy to swallow. The reality of success is that it is anchored in the tangible; it is not a theoretical enterprise, but, as we say in the United States, “requires one to strap on his boots”.

The Arabs understood this well, thus the word for success falah is associated with the one who farms or harvests al-falaah because the latter cannot come without diligence and hard work. So, repentance is a substantial enterprise, an effort, a struggle towards spiritual inventory. Caliph `Umar (ra) said, “Audit yourselves before you are audited by God.” Hassan, the Prophet’s ﷺ grandson also explains this concept. He said, “Those who have the easiest time in the hereafter are those who are keen to call themselves to account in this life.”

Returning to God while struggling to swim the deep seas of life is a difficult enterprise, no one likes to hear bad things about themselves. But if we are able, during this blessed month, to sit and audit ourselves, to take account of our spiritual principals; investigating our true state and relation with God, family and others, we will have reaped the fruits of a blessed harvest; setting the stage for a new course in our relationship with the Most Merciful. Once the Prophet ﷺ ascended the pulpit and at each step he was heard saying, “Ameen”. Later the companions enquired about the Prophet’s ﷺ statement upon which he responded that Gabriel came to him supplicating against three types of people, one was he who failed to repent during the month of Ramadan thereby failing to be forgiven for his sins.

Overcoming the Obstacles
There are a number of obstacles that lurk hidden for the one who seeks repentance. Perhaps the greatest is the feeling of fear and despondence. Many feel that it is simply too late to change: “I’ve done my dirt and there is simply no way to get back on track.”

Firstly, let’s understand that sinning is part of human nature. The Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him said, “Every person commits sins. And the best sinners are those who repent.” Many have claimed that the feelings of profound guilt and depression regarding their state, chain them from turning to God. This is one of the greatest tricks of the Devil; closing the door of hope to God’s mercy after sinning. Once a man came to the mosque of the Prophet complaining about his sins; the man was so overcome and saddened by his state that the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Say this: O God, your forgiveness is greater than my sins and my hope in Your mercy is greater to me than my [evil] actions.”

The man said this and the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Say it again.” The man repeated it, then the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Say it again.” The man did it and the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Arise for, indeed, God has forgiven you!”

For this reason Ibn Kathir reports that the Prophet ﷺ said about the verse, “Say [Muhammad] to My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of God’s mercy. Indeed, God forgives all sins and He is the One who forgives and is Merciful”, “It is more beloved to me than anything under the Heavens and on Earth.”

Secondly, sins should be seen as a strategy for one to turn in humility back to God. One of the early scholars said that, “A person could enter Paradise because of a sin he committed.” Upon hearing this, his student challenged him by asking, “How could that be?” The scholar responded: “The sinner persistently thinks about it, which causes him to fear it, regret it, weep over it and feel humiliated in front of his Lord due to it. He stands before God, broken-hearted, with his head lowered in humility. So this sin is more beneficial to him than doing many acts of obedience, since it caused him to have humility and humbleness – which leads to his happiness and success – to the extent that this sin prevents him from entering Paradise.”

Thirdly, rebounding from sin is one of the simple fruits related to our success. If we were to ask many people what it was that brought them back to faith, many would mention a mistake they made in the past. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Repentance is regret.” That regret is one of our greatest fears. In reality, however, it is a mercy from God which pricks at our conscience until we ultimately return to Him.

God says, “And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the point that the Earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness, and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from God except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, God is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.” (9:118) Notice the wording at the end of this verse “Then He turned to them so they could repent.” Thus, repentance doesn’t start with the sinner, but begins when God turns to him with His mercy, love and compassion; awakening his heart with guilt, gently guiding him to His forgiveness. The sinner was lost in a sea of confusion and misery and God found him, guided him and forgave him.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “God has greater joy at the repentance of one His servants when he turns towards Him than one of you would have over his mount, which, having escaped from him saddled with food and drink in the middle of the desert, so that he has despaired of finding it and gone to a tree to lie down in its shade, it suddenly appears standing by him while he is in that state, so that he takes its reins and then says out of the intensity of his joy, ‘O God, You are my slave and I am Your Lord!’ getting confused because of his intense joy.”

Fourth, I’ve done so many things in the past and failed to repent. How is it that, after all of these years, I could face God with such a blackened record? The Prophet ﷺ said, “God the Mighty and Majestic accepts the repentance of His servant as long as his death-rattle has not begun.” Thus, no matter when, as long as one turns to God seeking His forgiveness, only then can that person expect to be forgiven.

Furthermore, there is no sin greater than God’s ultimate mercy and forgiveness. The Prophet ﷺ said:”God the Almighty has said: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me, and hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds in the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I shall forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with an earthful of sins and were you then to face Me, without having associated anything with Me, I shall grant you an earthful of pardon.’”

Ibn Rajab noted that this Prophetic tradition begins with “O son of Adam” because of its context, repentance and forgiveness. Thus, when one despairs over his mistakes and shortcomings, he should recall God’s favour upon mankind, exercised upon their forefather Adam. Thus, just as Adam repented to his Lord and, as noted in the Qur’an, “He immediately forgave him,” his offspring should do the same.

The Qualities of Repentance
Scholars noted that sound repentance should be coupled with the following qualities:
1) Leaving the sin 2) Regret, and 3) Resolving never to return to the sin again.

The month of Ramadan is a time of serious reflection, increased awareness and devotion. Its beginning is mercy and its ending is marked by forgiveness and salvation. Let us take advantage of this time to set aright our affairs, rebounding from our mistakes and sins from the past. Let us turn to the Most Merciful.


Imam Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator and activist, raised in Oklahoma with Islamic education from the prestigious Al-Azhar University, Cairo. Suhaib Webb runs the blog dubbed the "Virtual Mosque" {www.suhaibwebb.com}.


Image: flickr

From emel | August 2009 | Imam Suhaib Webb

On July 27th imam Zaid Shakir, teacher at Zaytuna Institute, will attend the Darul Arqam educational organisation for a a prepared talk entitled 'Imam Mehdi'. The visit is part of an extended trip around the UK, including the 4 day Living Islam Festival in Lincolnshire (28th-31st July).

The evening session has been arranged to fundraise towards the magnificent growth of Darul Arqam: the Arqam House Project. The increase in classes and resources has created a need to expand at new premises costing £650,000. Your attendance and small fee could contribute significantly in facilitating better resources for Darul Arqam Educational Trust.

Here's how you do that. Reserve your seat now via Paypal for the Imam Zaid Shakir course.

Confirm your attendance on the Imam Mehdi Facebook events page.

Date: 27th July  |  Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Venue: Memon Centre, 7 Abbotsford Road, LE5 4DA
Leicester, United Kingdom


Payments can be made directly via this course Paypal link.



The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) said: "If a man dies, his good deeds are discontinued, except for three: a continuous charity, knowledge from which people benefit, or a good offspring praying for him." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Jazakallah khayran, may Allah reward you with good for your support.



Imam Zaid Salim Shakir is an American educator and co-founder and teacher of Zaytuna College in California. As a contemporary writer, imam Zaid Shakir is a respected scholar throughout the world and authors the website New Islamic Directions.com.





More:
See the full line up at this year's Living Islam Festival
Imam Zaid Shakir's Rebuttal to a 'Would-be Mujahid'
"The Ethics of Chivalry"
Imam Zaid Shakir's Eid Message

Philadelphia (CNN) – Listen to the FBI and you will know that violent crime dropped over almost the whole country last year [America]; murder, aggravated assault, forcible rape. Listen to people in some parts of Philadelphia and you will know that the Northeast is not part of that trend. Here the numbers keep climbing.

Violence comes to their streets as surely as sunset. Abandoned houses share corners with makeshift memorials to victims; often young men who get caught up in events they don't anticipate and can't escape.

"Around here it's not every safe to walk up the streets," one kid said. "Someone could come up to you and start shooting at you for no reason; just 'cause you're from that 'hood."

That is why Imam Suetwidien Muhammad chose this place to start hitting back.

"I came up in this neighborhood," he said sitting in the morning sun on the steps of a former plumbing supply warehouse. "This neighborhood was averaging six murders a month. There was a lot of violence, a lot of trash. We needed to bring about change."

So 10 years ago he started Masjid Muhammad of Philadelphia, a mosque in the old rundown warehouse. As he sat and explained how the mosque had grown to 500 members, workers above him pushed and slapped stucco into the three story stone facade above him. They started by fixing up the inside so people could have a safe place to come and pray.

Congregants said the place perennially smells like fresh paint because the imam is always busy fixing or improving something.

Inside the doors from what was once the plumbing supply loading dock are a small deli, a barber shop, a hair salon, a restaurant and a sprawling prayer space. But Imam Muhammad's pride and joy is upstairs, above the worship space; a boxing gym where the children of the neighborhood come every day.

"It's so unusual that we come under a lot of fire from even a lot of Muslims," he said. "Muslims will say, 'Muslims aren't supposed to engage in boxing.' They'll say, 'You are not supposed to hit a person in the face.'"

He smiles and points out that the gym is named after one of the most famous Muslims in the world: Muhammad Ali. "I don't look at it as such a violent thing, and I know the real violence is in guns and weapons and different things that happen in our community."

The young boxers are a range of ages. Some were raised Muslim, some Christian, some follow no faith, but all are welcome. The lessons are free and not just about boxing. Imam Muhammad talks endlessly about discipline, respect, education and commitment; about young people turning into responsible adults.

He knows all too well that just outside the doors others are pushing different messages, about gangs and drugs, and young boxers must run the gauntlet to come train. So he wants to get good habits established early.

"We don't have a lot of time to waste," he said. "When you come into this gym, this is where serious stuff starts. We want their commitments to be serious. We want them to be serious parents. And it all starts here."

Certainly, boxers like Jeremiah Kendrick take it seriously, if only because it gives him a safe harbor. "I'd rather be here than standing outside. You know how Philly is; the crime rate and everything. If I can avoid getting shot at and fighting I'll avoid that anytime of the day."

The snap of leather gloves on the heavy bag rings out. A steady thump from jumping rope hits the floor.

Worshippers can hear the sparring overhead as they pray their five prayers a day below, but the gym is something of a natural fit. Imam Muhammad was an amateur boxer who weathered almost a hundred fights, winning the vast majority, before hanging up his gloves. He was 88-8.

"I probably lost three times and was probably robbed five times," he said with a broad smile.

Philadelphia itself has a rich heritage of boxing that dates back well into the 1800s, producing champions such as Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier. But boxing clubs are closing. A few miles down the road, Frazier's famed gym is padlocked. On the faded concrete you can still see the outline of the letters that once hung above its door.

As he watches his young proteges jab and duck, swing and move, Imam Muhammad makes no apologies. He says he hears the critics, but he has seen too many young men walk in full of troubles and headed for more. "My hope for them is that they will immediately turn their life around."

He knows this is the fight of his life, and theirs too.


Link to video: {http://cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2011/05/27/muslim.fight.club.cnn}

Pakistan is big news. From the catastrophic floods to terror attacks, the world is watching and worried. It's easy to give into easy clichés and tabloid headlines when talking about Pakistan. We know there are challenges – big ones – but we also know there are stories of hope and resilience. Pakistan's rich spiritual heritage and culture is an inspiration for those trying to make a difference. In this exclusive conversation with one of the world's leading Muslim religious scholars, Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah explores the messages of that heritage and calls Pakistanis and Muslims the world over to action. Here is an opportunity to engage with that message and share ways in which faith can inspire change.

From Time | By Josh Sanburn

Highs: The man behind Park51 (a.k.a. the Ground Zero mosque), Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, was praised early on as a moderate Muslim leader needed in a post-Sept. 11 world — one who promoted peace and understanding between Islam and the West. In August, his center jumped over the last legal and zoning hurdles to begin construction on the modern Islamic cultural center, which would include an auditorium, a pool and a memorial to those killed on Sept. 11, as well as a mosque. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg forcefully and publicly backed the construction of the Islamic center, which is set to be built in lower Manhattan.

Lows: Imam Rauf was demonized by those on the right who believed he was building a mosque on sacred ground just two blocks from the World Trade Center site. Conservatives cherry-picked quotes that they falsely claimed demonstrated the imam's praise of the kind of Islamic extremists that attacked the U.S. on Sept. 11. He and his wife both received death threats, and the controversy triggered a nationwide conversation about the limits of religious tolerance in the United States and whether Islamophobia was on the rise. The debate also put the spotlight on Pastor Terry Jones, who threatened to hold an "International Burn a Koran Day" that was, in part, a response to the proposed Islamic Center in lower Manhattan.

— Josh Sanburn

View the full list for Time's "Person of the Year 2010"

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I Found Dawud Wharnsby in Pakistan Drinking Milk

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Purify Your Gaze Campaign: IMANcipate Your Addictions

Link Love: Illume Magazine

From New Islamic Directions | By Imam Zaid Shakir | 14th Dec 2010

Imam Zaid Shakir doesn't hold back with the truer truth.