Hadith Qudsi: Iftar Mein Jaldi
TAG: iftar
Our Faults In Ramadan
At this point, we should ponder over our ibadah. How much importance do we attach to it in Ramadan? How many nafl do we perform? As for fardh deeds, we observe how numerous people who after having eaten sah’ri get back into bed with the result that the Fajr ‘salaah is neglected. Many perform it, but not with Jamaa’ah. It gives the impression that we give thanks to Allah for the food we had eaten for sah’ri by not performing the most important fardh or by not performing it with Jamaa’ah. Such a ‘salaah has been termed defective. Rasulullah (SAW) said that “There is no ‘salah for those near the musjid except in the musjid”.
In the Kitab ‘Mazhaahire Haq’ we find that there is no reward for the ‘salah for persons who do not perform ‘salah with Jamaa’ah without any valid reason or excuse.
Similarly, in numerous cases at the time of iftar (boeka) Maghrib ‘salah is missed, and many who do not come to the musjid miss the Takbeer at the beginning or miss the first raka’ah. Many people hasten to get over the Taraweeh ‘salah early and even perform the ‘isha’ ‘salah before the time of ‘Isha’ commences. (Some do not pay any attention to ‘salah even in Ramadan.)
That is the way we look after our very important fardh ‘salaah in Ramadan. Sometimes in the process of performing one fardh, three others are destroyed. How often do we see even the time of Zhuh-r ‘salah going by because we are asleep, while the time of A’sr goes by because we are too busy buying, selling, or cooking to prepare for iftar.
If such is the case with the faraa’idh, then we can imagine how much less importance is given to the nafl actions. One finds that because of sleep, the time of ‘salaatul Ishraaq (after sunrise) and ‘salaatul Dhuhaa (before noon) go by.
Then what about ‘salaat Awwaabeen (just after Maghrib)? Here we find ourselves busy with If’tar and when thinking about Taraweeh after about an hour this ‘salah too is wasted. Further, we find that for ‘salaatul Ta-hajjud the time is the same as that for sah’ri with the result that this too goes by. One may make a thousand excuses for not finding time for these nawafil. These are all excuses for not performing these ‘salah.
We see that there are many who do find the time to do all these ‘ibadahs during these precious moments. I personally observed my ustaaz Maulana Khalil Ahmad during many Ramadan. He was a weak sickly person and of advanced age but in spite of these drawbacks, he used to read one and a quarter juz of the Qur’an in nafl namaz after Maghrib. Thereafter he used to have meals for about half an hour. After performing all other necessities in preparation for Taraweeh ‘salah he used to stand in Taraweeh for about two and a half hours when he was in India, and when he was in Madinah Munawwarah the duration was three hours.
Thereafter he used to sleep about two or three hours (according to the season). Then he used to again recite the Qur’an in Tahajjud ‘salah until about half an hour before Fajr. Then he ate sah’ri. From that time until Fajr he remained busy with reading the Qur’an or reciting of wazifas. With the greyness of dawn, he performed Fajr ‘salah, thereafter he remained in meditation (muraa-qabah) until Ishraaq. Having performed Ishraaq he used to write his famous kitab, ‘Baziul Majhood’, commentary on Abu Dawood. Then he normally attends to letters and dictating replies up to mid-day. Then he used to rest up to Zhuh-r ‘salah. Between Zhuh-r and A’sr he used to recite the Qur’an.
From A’sr Namaaz until Maghrib he used to be busy with tasbeeh and answering the queries of those who visited him. When he completed ‘Baziul Majhood’ then part of the morning used to be spent in tilaawah and studying some monumental religious works, especially Baziul Majhood and Wafa al Wafa. This was his daily program for nafl ‘ibadah throughout the year.
In Ramadan however, he used to spend a bit more time in his ibadah, making the rak’aats longer. For the ordinary person to observe the special programs the other pious elders had for Ramadan would be difficult. Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mahmoo-dul Hasan (Rahmatullah alaihi) used to remain in nafl ‘salah from after Taraweeh until Fajr, while also listening to the Qur’an recited by various huffaazh one after the other.
Maulana Shah Abdurraheem Raipuri (d 1963) remained busy with tilaawah (recitation) of the Qur’an day and night through Ramadan. There used to be no time for attending to correspondence or meeting visitors. Only his special ones were allowed to wait on him after Taraweeh for a short period while he drank a cup of tea.
5 Things About Iftar
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims break their day-long fast at sunset with an evening meal called Iftar. This meal is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right at Maghrib (sunset) time. Here are some facts about Iftar traditions across the world:
- Iftar usually starts with consuming a date and drinking water, a tradition that goes back to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). People can then eat any number of foods, with many regions having their own traditional Iftar foods. It is common for people to eat Iftar in large groups, making the fast break into a community party, and Muslims often try to include a charity in their Iftar meal as well, feeding needy members of the community while they celebrate Iftar.
- In the Middle East, traditional local cuisine figure extensively in Iftars. Dishes include hummus, fattoush, moutabel, stuffed vine leaves, falafel, shawarmas, the filo pastry sweet baklava, and heavier meat dishes like mandi and lamb koftas. The Iftar is usually done at home in most countries with the family, but many people also break their fast in mosques or send food items as charity to their local mosque.
- In Pakistan, Iftar is usually heavy, consisting mainly of sweet and savory treats besides the staple dates and water. Amongst the Punjabi and Mohajir ethnic groups, Iftar is often, but not necessarily, followed up by a regular dinner later during the night, while people from the north of the country combine dinner and Iftar. In Bangladesh, common Iftar items hail from local cuisine and include traditional Bengali sweets as well as different types of fruits. In India, in places like Hyderabad, people break their fast with a dish called haleem because it has a rich taste and is quite filling. In Southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Muslims break their fast with nonbu kanji, a rich, filling rice dish of porridge consistency, cooked for hours with meat and vegetables.
- In Egypt, most families break the fast with a dish made from foul medames eaten with brown bread. Another Ramadan specialty is the crescent-shaped bread or khaboos Ramadan. In Iran, people have some sweet tea and Tabreezi cheese, and walnut sandwiches after the call to prayer. In Indonesia, Iftar is called “buka puasa” which means “to open the fast”. Most Iftar food items are only found easily in Ramadan.
- Iftars are important community events in western, non-muslim countries. In the US, for instance, Iftar meals are often held at mosques, and Islamic communities, to which Muslim families are invited. The United States Department of State holds an annual Iftar dinner for community leaders from US society and faith groups as well as foreign policy officials. The first President to attend an Iftar was Thomas Jefferson.
Ramadan for New Muslims And Non-Muslim Friends
Perfecting one’s Ramadan experience can be a lifetime achievement. We should not expect that we can perform the fasts perfectly or in their entirety when we have not had the benefit of many years of practice. To do so would undoubtedly be counterproductive as it would be overwhelming and cause burnout. Even those who are born Muslim and those who have been Muslim for many years struggle in perfecting the important aspects of Ramadan.
It’s for this reason that for new Muslims, scholars often agree that reverts (and those born Muslim who are rediscovering their Islamic faith) should “ease” themselves into it in whatever way possible. Allah is Most Merciful and Forgiving of our situations and does not hold it against us.
For those who are not Muslim but follow the fast in solidarity or for the experience, it is beneficial to follow the same guidelines as new Muslims. It would take a serious effort for someone not already acclimatized to perform all 30 days of Ramadan fasts perfectly from dawn to dusk and is not necessary for you to benefit from Ramadan.
There are many things to discuss about Ramadan and many more suggestions but I will try to focus on a few to get you started.
The following are some tips on preparing for Ramadan for those who are taking on the fast.
The first thing we should do to prepare for Ramadan is to bring our minds into focus. This is not a requirement of Ramadan per se but is beneficial. A week or two prior to Ramadan, it can be beneficial to place your mind at ease and train it to a peaceful state. An important aspect of Ramadan is that during the fast, you try to keep a peaceful mind and interaction with other people. Becoming angry, impatient, annoyed, etc. can break your fast if indulged to a significant degree. So, practice prior to Ramadan helps us during Ramadan itself. During the course of your day, try to be aware of the happenings around you and notice when your emotions tend to take over. When you sense this, try to refocus your mind and control your emotions and re-establish a peaceful state within yourself. This is not only a spiritual aspect to the benefits of Ramadan, but also very practical and earthly. The rewards of such are not only in this world but in the Hereafter. During your fast, you will practice this throughout the entire fast, from dawn until dusk for 30 days. You can help prepare yourself for the ritual demand of Ramadan by fasting a few days over the few weeks prior to Ramadan if you wish but it is also not necessary.
Second, an important thing is to physically prepare for Ramadan. Many of us are at home in a normal living environment, but some of us travel and otherwise have other issues going on that might hinder our ability to fast. For those at home, purchase in advance plenty of dates or other fruit for iftar (breaking the fast). After you fast each day, your body will be drained. You will be impatient, weak, and very hungry. Also, prepare healthy dinners, or if you eat out try to choose healthy foods rather than the normal foods you might eat. Your body will need proper nutrients to handle more days of fasting. Foods rich in fats and sugars will wear your body down and make it more difficult in the long run. If you have a Masjid (Mosque) or Islamic center nearby, they most likely will be running Iftar programs where you can break your fast and have dinner with the community. If you are not Muslim, you can still attend these programs. Just contact, or walk in, and tell the organizers or community leader that you are not Muslim and are practicing the fast of Ramadan and would like to breakfast with them. In all cases that I am aware of, they are very helpful and willing to have a non-Muslim guest share their experience!
For those traveling who are still going to observe the fast, carry with your dates or dried fruit and bottled water or juice.
Keep watch for the start of Ramadan. It does not necessarily start when the Gregorian calendar says. Ramadan is a lunar month in the Islamic calendar and is identified upon the first sighting of the moon and ends on the next sighting. If you have doubts about when the sighting occurred, ask people in the Muslim community and they can tell you if it has been sighted in your region. Depending on the region, the sighting can vary by one day, so while some may observe Ramadan from the sighting in their region, others may not have sighted it until the following day and will begin their observance then.
Observing Ramadan is one of the five pillars (core tenets) of Islam. In observance of this month, once a year, Muslims are asked to refrain from food, drink, and physical marital relations from before dawn until sunset during the entire month of Ramadan. Since Ramadan is a lunar month, following the Islamic calendar, it moves back eleven days throughout the year and thus is not fixed during one particular season. Due to the lunar calendar sometimes Ramadan falls in summer, sometimes in winter, with the variation in the length of the day and temperature. The fast of Ramadan is a complete fast, but it is only during the daylight hours, which vary from 12 to 16 hours in the summer.
To start the day of fasting, it is important to wake just prior to dawn and have a modest breakfast to give your body the nutrients it needs and hydrate your body. Be sure that you take in plenty of liquids! The fast is all day until sunset when you will break your fast with a small portion of fruit and drink prior to your dinner. It is good practice to give 10 or 15 minutes between breaking your fast and having your dinner as this jumpstarts your digestive system and avoids stomach aches. The stomach naturally shrinks while fasting and needs time to acclimatize to having food put back into it.
The purpose of the fast is to learn self-restraint and control and to learn a heightened appreciation for the good things we enjoy and often take for granted. During this time, Muslims are also supposed to abstain from any negative behavior, such as fighting, backbiting, etc.
Those who cannot fast, such as the elderly, sick, pregnant or nursing women, or travelers, they may make up their fast later or give charity for every day of fast they miss. Children are not required to fast until puberty but often do so in the emulation of their parents. Many children go to public school and continue there fast at school.
During the month of Ramadan, it is common to have large numbers of Muslims at homes, places of worship, and outings when they break the fast. Breaking fast happens at dusk and is a time when family and friends enjoy each other’s company and thank God for His goodness.
Giving charity to the poor during this month is a pinnacle of Ramadan. As we observe the fast we are reminded of the suffering of others and there is great reward in the act of giving.
Suggestions for your first fast
Remember, although you may be eager to perform the fasts perfectly, it is important for you to pace yourself at a healthy pace in order to get a positive experience and take away the most from the fast. Over the years of fasting, as you perfect your fast each year, Ramadan will continue to enlighten you, increase your iman (faith) and deepen your understanding and appreciation of the month of Ramadan.
For our non-Muslim friends, just the little that you do can give you a deeper understanding of the purpose of Ramadan and the Muslim experience and hopefully can benefit you in many other ways.
For your first fast, and for the reasons stated earlier in this article, I would suggest that you not try to perform it to the letter. Observe the fast for 30 days (or the duration of the Ramadan fast since sometimes it can be for 29 days) from dawn to dusk. Choose where you will start. Try abstaining from food and not drinking for the duration of the fast. Remember that Allah is Most Merciful and Most Forgiving and understands our condition. As the years pass, if you continue to fast, during Ramadan, you can increase your observance until you finally can perform the fast perfectly with regards to the ritual aspects of the fast.
Remember that your moral character is very important to fasting. It is important to abstain from all sinful acts, bickering, fighting, anger, etc. These things break your fast.
If you break you’re fast unintentionally, for example, if you accidentally eat something without thinking or if you get overly angry and realize after the fact, your fast is not broken! Continue to keep the fast. Allah is Most Merciful and Forgiving and knows that we are creatures of habit.
If your body cannot handle a complete fast or gets too weak or sick, then break your fast immediately! Allah does not require that by observing the fast you harm your body. The fast is to benefit our body and soul, but not to the degree of self-harm.
For New Muslims, you have many things you are trying to assimilate into your life. Performing prayers (salat) may not be perfect yet. Salat is important in keeping fast. However, don’t overdo yourself. If you have not reached the level of praying five times per day, even though it is paramount to keeping the fast, your fast is not broken and Allah does not hold this as a sin against you. Over time, you will acclimatize yourself to taking on the ritual aspects of Islam, but for now, concentrate on the spiritual aspects while trying to the best of your ability to assimilate the ritual aspects. Always remember, as I have said many times in this article, Allah is Most Merciful and forgiving on you. More so than any human being can ever hope to understand or be.
The most important thing about starting your fast (prayers and anything you do) is your intention (Niyyah) to fast. If you make the intention to fast, then you are fasting and Allah rewards you regardless of your ability to keep the ritual. He does this to encourage you to deepen your practice and strengthen your moral character, and faith in Islam.
Islam is a very spiritual and personal faith. The rituals only seek to deepen your spiritual and personal faith while establishing structure in religion. So, your intention is the most important starting point.
The End of Ramadan
At the end of Ramadan, I would suggest writing down your experience as a permanent record for you to refer to. What did you do in your fast and what it meant to you? How has the experience changed your life for the better? What changes did you make that you can carry on to the remaining months of the year? How has your fasting experience during Ramadan benefited the people around you? What do you intend to do for the next Ramadan?
Refer to your experience from time to time as a reminder and share your experience with others who can benefit from it as well.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims observe what we call Eid al-Fitr. This is a high holy day where most communities hold a special “Eid” prayer gathering and have dinners with family and friends. Many families share gifts and sweets or hold Quran studies and readings. It is a joyful time of appreciation for what Allah has given us.
Remember, your Ramadan experience doesn’t end here. Carry it for the rest of the year. Consider it like a New Year’s resolution. All that you learned and accumulated during Ramadan, try to emulate that throughout the year.
Insha Allah (God willing) whether you are Muslim or not, you will find the experience of Ramadan beneficial in some way.
May Allah bless you and keep you during this blessed month! Ameen!!
Sehri Aur Iftari Ki Fazeelat
Sehri Aur Iftari Ki Fazeelat
Sehri Ka Anmol Wazifa
Roza Qaza Kerne Par Waeed
Roza Iftar Karane Ki Fazeelat
10 Ideas For Ramadan At Your Workplace
If work is simply the place you earn your bread and punch in your hours, why not redefine it this Ramadan? Make your workplace the scenario for Dawa, especially in the current tension-filled atmosphere of misunderstandings about Islam and Muslims.
Here are some ideas that can help you share Ramadan with your boss and coworkers this year.
1. Begin informing people about it as soon as possible
Start telling bosses, supervisors, and coworkers about Ramadan now. Bring it up in the course of conversation casually.
In terms of when Ramadan starts and ends, just give the projected date. Don’t get non-Muslims involved in the technicalities of finding out the correct date. Do the same for Eid. You can decide for yourself which date to start and stop fasting on.
2. Post it up
On your office or department bulletin board, put up a factsheet on Ramadan, with a short introduction of yourself and which department you are from. Don’t just give the facts, but also include a few sentences about what this blessed month means to you (i.e. spiritual growth, closeness to God, being more generous, etc.).
3. Get an article printed in your local newspaper and circulate copies
This will not only be good for Dawa – it may even promote department/company pride (i.e. one of our employees is a writer too!). Post it up with the masthead of the newspaper on top.
4. Negotiate your lunch hour with the boss
This is another task that needs to be done as soon as possible. Explain that you will need a short break for prayer and then you will take a lunch break at Iftar time.
5. Talk to the office cafeteria people about your Iftar needs
If you normally buy lunch at the cafeteria, explain to the cafeteria staff that you would like to arrange to have your lunch saved for Iftar time. Ask them to keep one serving of lunch in the fridge so you can pick it up at Iftar time.
6. Create a “Ramadan corner” at your desk
If you have your own desk at work, dedicate a corner of it that is accessible to passersby the “Ramadan corner”. Put a basket of dates, sweets, written information on Ramadan, and maybe a small frame of eye-catching Islamic calligraphy on it. Post a note inviting coworkers to the free sweets and information.
7. Have a small Iftar gathering at your desk
Invite coworkers to a snack of dates and fresh fruits during Iftar time. At least once, have a more formal meal ready for everyone (check with your boss before you do this).
8. Distribute written material on Ramadan
If you’ve got a central location in your workplace where people can pick up free newspapers, get permission to stack a factsheet and pamphlets on Ramadan. You can also leave the sheets on the Ramadan corner of your desk.
9. Get a Ramadan greeting from your boss
Have your boss, commanding officer, or head of the department issue a public notification that Ramadan is coming up or is here and they and the company congratulate all Muslim employees on this occasion.
10. Put an article about Ramadan in the office newsletter
If you have a company or department newsletter, write up a personal article about why you are looking forward to Ramadan and what Ramadan is. Then arrange for them to publish it.
Ramadan: Ruet-e-Hilal
5 Things About Ramadan Traditions
It’s celebration time when Muslims around the world anxiously wait for the first moon of the ninth Lunar month to appear in the sky. Traditionally, families used to gather in their backyards, or get on the nearest hillock or climb on the top of their homes and wait for the pencil-thin moon to appear on the horizon. These days, however, most of us find out whether the moon has been sighted or not from the Internet or TV channels. Here are some Ramadan traditions that are still going strong:
1. The Ramadan Cannon is something that a lot of countries still have. It was historically implemented as a tool to announce the official daily sunset for the people too far away to hear the Adhaan Al Maghreb announce the breaking of the fast. The tradition of using artillery to announce sunset has its roots in Egypt when it was governed by the Ottoman Khosh Qadam, more than two centuries ago. The story goes that Qadam had been given a cannon as a gift, which he was testing during the Iftar of the first day of Ramadan. When he fired it, the whole of Cairo reverberated with its sound and inhabitants thought that this was a new method of announcing sunset.
2. We live in the age of digital alarm clocks. However, this was not always so and the time was when this role was performed by a man going around from house to house in a particular community or area well before Suhoor time in the morning so that people could prepare themselves for the fast and the Fajr prayer. This man, known as the Musaharati, used to dutifully wake people every night in the month of Ramadan so that they could have their Suhoor and still exists in cities like Sidon (in Lebanon), Jerusalem and Cairo.
3. Incense burners are many sought-after items in Ramadan as the burning of incense within homes is considered a form of celebration in Ramadan. The scent, mixed with other concentrated Arabic perfumes, results in a fresh yet intimate smell that can only be associated with festivities and moments of joy. For the month of Ramadan and the three-day Eid that follows, burning incense is an aromatic way to celebrate the purity of the month.
4. On the culinary side, Ramadan is a feast! Ramadan cuisine is a type in itself and Iftar, in particular, has traditionally become a community event, involving family, friends, and neighbors. A variety of dishes are prepared according to the culinary traditions of each country though dates and a dessert made of vermicelli, milk, honey, and nuts is fast becoming a universal delicacy. Also popular across the world are fried goodies, fruit salads, dairy products, and popular local desserts.
5. In many Muslim and non-Muslim countries with large Muslim populations, markets close down in the evening to enable people to perform prayers and consume Iftar. These markets then re-open and stay open for a good part of the night. Muslims can be seen shopping, eating, spending time with their friends and family during the evening hours.
Reality And Obligation In Ramadan
During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vanish into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom, and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslim communities, one realizes a wide gap between reality and our obligations.
Remember that Ramadhan is a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.” (Al-Baqarah 2:183).
This article is an attempt to present the essential causes of this gap and to some remedies. the primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environment without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.
Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deters against committing abominations and sins and assist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.
Strengthening willpower and acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan
the month of patience as it increases one’s will power to control his desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah’s commands. The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah said: “These are the limits set by Allah, so approach them not.” (Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing of everything. For this reason, Allah has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship.
Allah said in the hadith Qudsi: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundred, up to whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake..”
(Related by Muslim)
ibn al-Qayyim said: “…And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobody can find out about, and that is the essence of fasting.” (Zaad al-Ma’ad 2/29).
Relieving Muslims from life’s distractions: Eating, drinking and socializing all distract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to all types of worship Either reading the Qur’an, offering additional prayer, or making I’tikaf. For this reason, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “Fasting is a shield and a secure fortress against Hellfire”
(Related by Ahmad).
Discovering Allah’s Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.
Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.