Ramadan is a month of worship in many different forms. For many of us, Islam is a virtual experience due to a variety of reasons. However, it does not need to be this way for everyone. For those of us who have access to a Muslim community, one major aspect of Ramadan is the social aspects it encourages. We see this in different ways: Read More
Understanding Fasting Times in Islam: Clearing Misconceptions
As a new Muslim, understanding the correct timing of fasting is essential. Unfortunately there are some misconceptions due to false media coverage and lack of correct knowledge of Islamic practices. Let’s delve into the details to ensure clarity and adherence to this fundamental practice.
The Start of Fasting
- Fajr (Dawn): The beginning time for the Fajr ritual devotion (Salah) is the start of the time for fasting. Fasting begins at Fajr, which is dawn time, at the break of dawn. It’s the moment when the first light appears on the horizon, signaling the start of a new day. At this point, Muslims must stop eating, drinking, and engaging in intimate sexual activity.
● Sunrise vs. Fajr
- Misconception: Some people confuse the start of fasting with sunrise. However, they are distinct moments over an hour apart.
- Clarification: Fasting begins at Fajr, not sunrise. Fajr occurs before the sun rises, during the twilight phase. Fajr time window ends with sunrise.
- Pre-Dawn Meal (Suhur): It’s recommended to have Suhur (the pre-dawn meal) in the last half-hour before Fajr. This should sustain you throughout the day.
3. The End of Fasting
- Maghrib (Sunset): Fasting concludes at Maghrib, precisely after the sun sets. This is also the starting time for the Maghrib ritual devotion (Salah). As soon as the sun sets you can eat and drink to complete the fast for the day.
Conclusion
Understanding the correct timing for fasting is essential for practicing this pillar of Islam. Remember to set your intention, start the fast before Fajr time, and complete your fast promptly at Maghrib. May your fasting be accepted, blessed and spiritually enriching!
As a new Muslim, embarking on your spiritual journey can be both exciting and challenging. The last 10 nights of Ramadan hold immense significance, and understanding their importance can deepen your connection with Allah. Let’s explore how perseverance and gratitude can help you during this period.
- The Significance of the Last 10 Nights
The last 10 nights of Ramadan are a time of heightened spirituality and divine blessings. Among these nights lies the Night of Special Status, which is a night that is better and higher in rank than 1,000 months. (Quran 97:3). Imagine the magnitude of blessings and forgiveness available during this time!
2. Perseverance: A Steadfast Journey
What Is It?
Perseverance (Sabr in Arabic) is not merely enduring difficulties; it’s about maintaining steadfastness and trust in Allah even when faced with challenges. For New Muslims, this resilience is essential as you navigate the intricacies of Islamic practices which may at times seem daunting.
How Can New Muslims Practice Perseverance?
- Learn Gradually: Don’t overwhelm yourself. Take small steps in learning the basics of prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship. Seek guidance from well- grounded, knowledgeable individuals and reliable resources familiar with your situation.
- Embrace Imperfection: Understand that perfection isn’t the goal. Allah appreciates sincere efforts. If you stumble during prayer or forget something, know that Allah knows your genuine intention.
- Seek Support: NMA is here to support you in this journey. Reach out to us if you need help
- Build your perseverance: Use the last 10 nights of Ramadan to build up your resilience. Seeking the Night of Special Status in these last 10 nights requires a lot of dedication. If possible, set aside time each night to spend in devotional acts. Try to put in as much time as you can without exhausting yourself.
- Scale up: You could start with a lesser amount of time in the first of the 10 nights and gradually keep increasing. Perseverance will play an important role in this gradual building up of your capacity.
3. Gratitude: A Heartfelt Expression
What Is Gratitude?
Gratitude (Shukr in Arabic) is acknowledging Allah’s blessings and expressing heartfelt thanks. It’s recognizing that every breath, every moment, is a gift from Him.
How Can New Muslims Practice Gratitude?
- Start with Basics: Use these 10 nights to thank Allah for all the good things you have in life – food, shelter, and health. Thank Him for bringing you to Islam, allowing you to reach this Ramadan, and enabling you to worship Him in it.
- Reflect on Blessings: Each night, take a moment to ponder the blessings you’ve received since embracing Islam. Your faith, supportive people online or offline, and your newfound purpose in life are all gifts.
- Thank Allah for achievements: Gratitude softens the heart and strengthens faith. These last 10 nights are a good time to thank Allah for all that you have achieved in life, whether it’s on the work front, personal life, or even the worship that you have been able to do this Ramadan.
Conclusion
Dear new Muslim, embrace perseverance/resilience, and gratitude. Allah knows your struggles, and He appreciates your sincere efforts. The last 10 nights are a golden opportunity to draw closer to Him. May your journey be filled with blessings, understanding, and love.
Remember: You are not alone. Allah is with you every step of the way.
The Quran contains guidance for humankind. It covers everything that people need to find true happiness and success in this life and the next. A major part of that is the social teachings of the Quran. The foremost duty of people is to know the One True God properly and to worship Him alone according to His terms and conditions. A part of that is obedience to God and living in a way pleasing to Him. A major part of pleasing God is our social interactions. The Messenger Muhammad said that the best of people are those most beneficial to others. Read More
Zakah, or obligatory alms, is the third pillar of Islam. It is a financial act of worship, whereby Muslims give a monetary devotion for God’s sake to those who are eligible to receive it. Through obligatory alms, a Muslim purifies themselves from selfishness and greed, as well as purifying their wealth by giving some of it away. It also purifies the recipient’s heart by fostering goodwill and gratefulness between them and those who give them obligatory alms. Read More
God says in the Quran, “O children of Adam, dress beautifully in every place of worship, and eat and drink, but do not be extravagant. Truly, He does not love those who are extravagant. O children of Adam, wear clean, pure, beautiful, clothes that cover your nakedness when you perform the daily ritual devotions and when you make circumambulation of the Kaba.” [7:31]
Islam is the only valid monotheistic faith. Monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is only one God. Many religions claim to be monotheistic.. Islam is exceptional. Islam’s monotheism is radical because it does not only teach that there is only one God. There is only One True God in Islam. All other gods are considered false gods. Belief in the One True God is not sufficient for salvation. Islam is the exclusive devotion to the One True God. It is not simply an abstract belief. In Islam, God does not have any equal or partners, no children or spouse. No messenger or angel is similar to or equal to God. Islam is to submit to the commands of God and to hold onto and follow God’s laws, as revealed to His Messengers and in His divine scriptures. Read More
God states in the Quran, “The believers are brothers.” [49:10] This passage is the foundation of the concept of brotherhood in Islam. God reminds the disciples of the Messenger Muhammad of his favour upon them and how He united their hearts, “Remember the blessings of God upon you when you were enemies before Islam, fighting each other for the slightest reason, and He brought your hearts together through Islam, so that you became brothers in your faith through His grace.” [3:103] Read More
The call to prayer is the announcement made before each of the five daily ritual devotions. It signifies that the time for Salah has commenced. It is typically given in mosques to announce the start of prayer time and to invite the believers to attend the congregation. It can be given wherever a Muslim wishes to perform the obligatory Salah, not limited to the mosque. In Arabic, the word athan means “to call” or “proclaim.” Read More
In Islam, there is great emphasis on family bonds and the whole institution of the family. Family is a unit that should be founded on the principles of faith, love, and seeking God’s pleasure. Family based on faith helps a person in this life and the next. God says, “It is God who has given you spouses from amongst yourselves, and through them He has given you children and grandchildren and provided you with good things.” [17:72] The Messenger Muhammad informed us that after one dies, the prayers of righteous children continue to benefit the parents.
The family in Islam begins with marriage between a believing man and a believing woman. Muslims should only marry Muslims. The prospect should be chaste and modest. This too is from God’s favors, as He says in the Quran, “Another of His signs is that He created spouses from among yourselves for you to live with in tranquillity: He ordained love and kindness between you. There truly are signs in this for those who reflect.” [30:21] The Messenger Muhammad encouraged us to choose spouses who value their faith and want to please God.
A husband and wife who build their family upon faith in God, mutual love, and respect will have a strong unit. The Messenger Muhammad encouraged us to have children and raise them on proper faith and decent upright character. Children throughout human history were viewed as beneficial for multiple reasons. Taking care of their parents in old age and affording their parents the feeling of pride in having a progeny. . Children are also beneficial for one’s faith and spiritual journey, when one does their role in parenting responsibly. This is why good and prophetic parenting is so important. When a husband and wife both seek to please God, work hard in their different roles within the family, and raise good children, God blesses their efforts.
Muslim parents are encouraged to teach their children about God, worship, faith, and other important matters from a young age. Teaching should be through modelling proper behavior. Parents are told to introduce worship and devotion to God to their children in a gradual way to help them form good habits and manners in worship. We are required to teach our children to have good conduct and manners and to know different etiquettes that they need in personal and public life, from respecting elders to eating and drinking. If this process is conducted properly, then the parents benefit, as they receive a reward from God each time one of their children does a good deed. Children too benefit because they are part of the next generation that will one day form marital and familial bonds of their own.
God says, “As for those who believe and whose descendants follow them in faith, We will elevate their descendants to their rank, never discounting anything of the reward of their deeds. Every person will reap only what they sowed.” [52:21]
Family bonds in Islam are not restricted to parents and children, the nuclear family, but extend beyond them. God commands that we join the ties of kinship and blood relations. One of the first commands that the Messenger Muhammad gave when he arrived in the city of Medina was to join the ties of kinship. God links faith to family ties in the Quran, “It is most probable that if you turn away from having faith in Allah and following Him, you will make mischief on earth by disbelief and sins, and you will cut family ties, just as you used to do in the period of ignorance (before the Quran came down).” [47:22]
With all the above, it should be abundantly clear that the family has an important place in Islam. If the family unit pleases God and possesses good character and conduct, other families in the neighbourhood and community will be positively influenced. It’s like a ripple effect when numerous families are like this, and ultimately society benefits and reforms itself. Strong family bonds decrease anti-social behaviour and crime and create a community in which members help one another.