A Special Edition About Ramadan Sept/Oct 2006

Editorial
Our Ramadan Message
MAS Syracuse sends its warmest greetings to our
Muslim community in Syracuse and to Muslims
worldwide
in recognition of the start of the holy month of
Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak!
Ramadan offers a religious and spiritual
opportunity for peace, consideration, and
acceptance for all mankind with calls on our Muslim
community to use this time to reach out in
friendship and acceptance .
We pray that Allah grant you health and strength to
complete yet another obligation and blessing from Allah,
Ramadan. Indeed, Ramadan is a time to reflect, recollect,
rejuvenate and renew our commitment to Islam. Would you like
Ramadan is such a month that allows you to cleanse your to earn more
mind, body and soul and free it from all impurities and
ugliness. Ramadan is the month of charity and is such a
hasanat
month that allows all of us the time to not just reflect upon (goodness)?
ourselves, but also upon those who are less fortunate. The Prophet (Peace Be
Through the blessings of this month, we ask Allah to grant Upon Him) said, “He
us strength, wisdom and knowledge to be able to deal who observed the fast of
with life’s challenges and with those who do not understand Ramadan and then
us. We ask Allah to grant them also the understanding of followed it with six
diversity as a sign of Allah’s greatness. We wish all of you [fasts] of Shawwal, it
the very best in the upcoming Ramadan and request you to would be as if he fasted
pray for success. perpetually.”
INSIDE THIS ISSUE (Source: Sahih Muslim)
•Grades of fasting
•Fasting and Muslim's
Characters
•LAILATUL QADR OR THE
NIGHT OF POWER
•Islam-Q&A
•HEALTHY RAMADAN
GUIDELINES
•Fasting and use of Medicine
•MAS Syracuse Upcoming
Activities s& Events
 Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to
those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.
Qur’an Surah Al Baqarah, aya 183

Fasting and Muslim's Characters

 Islam always cares for the characters of the Muslim. Worship in Islam
is aimed at developing noble characters in a Muslim to apply in his daily
life.
Fasting (called Saum in Arabic) is not just
to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual
intercourse, but also to abstain from bad
Fasting
behaviors that are rejected in Islam.
gives
way to
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
feasting
" Fasting is a shield, and a protection,
worldwid
and a covering, so [the fasting person]
e
should not engage in sexual activity,
Ramadan is a
nor behave arrogantly, and if a person comes to fight with him, month of Allah
or insult him, he should say: "I am fasting person" twice. For by Whose
the one in whose hands is my life is, the smell of a fasting beginning
is Mercy
persons mouth is more pleasant with Allah than the smell of Whose middle
musk. He leaves his eating, and his drinking, and his sexual is Forgiveness
desire for my sake. Fasting is for Me, and I reward it; and a Whose end is
Freedom From
hasanah (merit) is rewarded by ten multiples [its worth]". Fire
(Hadith No. 1761 in Saheeh Al-Bukhari)     Beside leaving food and drink
from dawn until sunset, a fasting person should abstain from having sex
with his wife while he/she is fasting. Also, a fasting person should
abstain from bad behaviors. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Whoever does not give up lying speech (false statements) and
acting on those lies and evil actions etc., Allah is not need of
his leaving his food and drink [ i.e Allah will not accept his
Saum (fasting)]." (Al-Bukhari)
LAILATUL QADR OR THE NIGHT OF POWER
• TO BE OBSERVED DURING THE LAST TEN DAYS OF RAMADAN

• TO MAXIMIZE YOUR GOOD DEEDS IN THE NIGHT OF POWER,

ONE MAY SPEND THE TIME COLLECTIVELY AND/OR INDIVIDUALLY
OBSERVING THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
g. Recitation of Our'an.
h. Prayers - Nafl after Taraweeh.
i. Remembrance of Allah or zikr
j. Supplication or Du'a for you and for others.
k. Pondering and contemplating into the universe, the creation of the Heavens
and the Earth: "...and they contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the
heaven and the earth…."(3:191)
l. Reading books of Hadeeth to enjoy the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (Sal)..

m. Reading Tafseer of Qur'an.

What Does “Fi Sabeel Allah” mean as the Seventh Category of Zakat? And
Can I Pay My Zakat to Islamic Schools?
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hanooti (Mufti of Greater Washington, Professor of Shar’iah, Member of Fiqh Council of
North America
The recipients of zakat as counted in the Qur'an are eight categories. The seventh
category is: "Fi sabeel Allah." This category, according to many scholars, such as Ar-
Razi and Al-Qaffal, (in vol. 16, page 113, indicates that sadaqah may be spent for any
purpose of the welfare of the Ummah (from building mosques to covering funeral
expenses for a deceased person. Ibn Qudamah in Al-Mughni, vol. 2, page 167, states
that Anas ibn Malik and Al-Hassan Al-Basri approved Zakat funding for building bridges
or roads . Al-Qasimi in his tasfseer, says in Vol. 7, everything spent in the cause of
Allah, is included in category seven. Rashid Ridhah, vol. 10, Taseer Al-Manar, page
585, says, that anything of the Muslims' welfare is included. Sheikh Shartout, in his
book, "Islam: A Faith and Shari'iah", page 97, says what is spent for training people to
work for Islamic causes, also falls into this category, as well as schools for
memorization of Qur'an. Sheikh Makhlouf of Egypt confirmed the preceeding
quotations in his Fatawa, vol. 2.
In conclusion, any money given for schools in North America is considered of "Sabeel
Allah". Al-Qaradawi in "Fiqh az-Zakat, vol. 2, page 635, has elaborated all details for
supporting this understanding given in this fatwa. Insha'Allah, this will serve to clarify
this
Wouldissue. May Allah
My Fasting bless youIffor
Be Accepted allTo
I Go you
thedo in His cause.
Dentist?
Dentists visits do not invalidate fasting unless it leads to swallowing water, or medicine.

If a person had his/her Suhoor late, and kept eating while the Fajr call is taking place, does
he/she have to stop eating immediately upon hearing the call or he/she can continue eating
until the end of the call?

Sheikh Qaradawi answers:

If the timing of Fajr was accurate and confirmed without any doubt by local standards, then, its
mandatory to stop eating or drinking immediately. Even if there is food or drinking in your mouth,
you are not allowed to eat it or drink it. You have to spit it out. However, it is also confirmed that if
the call is raised few minutes earlier, or even it has been raised in what is called the “doubt time”,
then you have the right to drink or eat until you make sure of the accurate timing of the Fajr.
Currently, it is easy to determine the timing through the modern methods of science and
technology, as well as the calenderers.

A person asked Ibn Abbas may Allah (SW) be pleased with him, saying “I make suhoor, if I have
doubts, I stop. Ibn Abbass said: eat what you doubted so you eliminate the doubt.” Imam Ahmad
said “if a person doubted the Fajr, he/she keep eating until he/she make sure it is Fajr time. Imam
Anawawy said “Shafi’i confirmed the issue of allowing eating in the time of doubt because Allah
(SW) allowed it in the night of fasting until the Fajr time is determined accurately. However, the
person with doubt, could not determine the time of Fajr, thus it is allowed. Allah (SW) says “and
eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread, then
complete your fast till the night appears.” 2:187

To conclude, stop eating or drinking few minutes before the Fajr is not supported by Quran or
Sunnah. In fact, it contradicts the two sources.
 HEALTHY RAMADAN GUIDELINES
EAT PLENTY OF:
Slow digesting carbohydrates at
suhoor so that the food lasts
longer making you less hungry

Bananas and dates, these are a

good source of potassium,
magnesium and carbohydrates

because
DRINK:
As much water or fruit juices as
possible between iftar and bedtime
so that your body may adjust fluid FACT
levels in time
More than
AVOID: 1.2 billion Muslims
Foods containing too much sugar,
especially at suhoor. This causes around the world will
X blood sugar levels to drop and can celebrate Ramadan this
cause headaches, dizziness and
tiredness September. One fifth of
humanity, and about six
Over-eating, especially at suhoor.
X This can cause indigestion, heart millions of them live in
burn and constipation the United States.
Fasting and use of Medicine

"Many people who fast

get nothing from their
fast except hunger and
thirst, and many people
who pray at night get
nothing from it except
wakefulness. (Which
means be mindful of
your conduct and
manners when
performing these acts)."
Narrated by Abu
Hurairah (May Allaah be
pleased with him).
 The Festival of Lights

•Muslim Pride Boys Youth Group

Program
• Strong Believers Girls Youth Group
Program
•Muslim All Stars Kids Group • Quran Contest
Program • Refugee Program Islamic
•Quran Contest (Summer 2006) Clothing Campaign
•MAS Community Picnics (May, July
• Ramadan Family Contest.
&May Allah Plentifully Reward
August) Part1
& Bless • Ramadan Family Contest.
all the brothers and sisters for Part2
their dedicated and successful • Etikaf Night
efforts to run the MAS youth, fun, • Youth-Parents Iftar
social, sports, and Educational • My Ramadan Fun Activities
Activities and campaigns in the
summer of 2006 (Kids)
May Allah reward all of them. • Ramadan Workshop (for
Ameen Parents)
•Eid Newsletter
Al Ihsan School Of Excellence •Eid Celebration Program
Invites the Muslim Community to its Annual Fundraising Iftar on Sept.
and much 30 @ISCNY
more…
Al Ihsan School Board, teachers, and
staff greets the whole Muslim
Community for the blessed month of
Ramadan, and congratulates, and
welcomes its 100+ new and
returning students and their parents
for the major renovation project and
new facilities (new outside basketball
court, new playground area, and
enlarged classrooms).

Be generous & Send your donations

or zakat to: 423 W. Onondaga Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
Fundraising Target: Visit our new website@
$120, 000 (Your donations are tax
www.ihsanschool.org
(Enjoy our Photo Gallery)
 There are Three
Grades of Fasting

Ordinary fasting. Extra-special fasting.

Special fasting. Fasting of the heart
Abstaining
Keeping one's ears, from unworthy concerns
from food,
eyes, tongue, hands and worldly thoughts,
drink and sexual
and feet-and all other in total disregard of
satisfaction.
organs-free from sin. everything but Allah.
n

•Piety: Help believers to reach piety.

•Learn self-control: especially helpful to control bad
habits like smoking and excessive eating and in the
case of a single, unmarried persons, it helps to control
sexual desire
•Feel the pain of the poor and starving people
•Feel the weakness of one’s body and the
continuous need for the support of Allah
•Bring Muslim families, and Muslims all over the
world together, when they fast then brake the
 Allah’s Messenger would break
fast saying: “Dhahaba-dhama’u
wabtallatil
`urooqu wa thabutal-ajru
insha’Allah.
(Thirst has gone, the veins are
moistened and the reward is
certain, if Allah wills).”
[Abu Dawud]

Abu Huraira related that the Prophet

(peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and
seeking his reward from Allah will have his past
sins forgiven.
Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan [Holy Quran 2:183]
with faith and seeking his reward from Allah O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to
will have his past sins forgiven.
And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer
you as it was prescribed to those before you,
with faith and seeking his reward from Allah that ye may (learn) self-restraint.
will have his past sins forgiven” (Bukhari,
Muslim)
)

Ramadan is a
month of Allah

Whose beginning
is Mercy

Whose middle is
Forgiveness

Whose end is
Freedom
From Fire

"He who provides for the breaking of the fast of another person earns the same
reward as the one who is fasting, and no reduction is made in the reward of the
latter. Narrated by Zayd bin Khalid al-Juhani (May Allaah be pleased with him). At-
Tirmidhi
 Brother Yusuf Soule went to Indonesia
• Brother Fadi Kalid Al-Khatib, one of
during the summer and got married to
our
Sister Fitria. Alhamdolillah, they arrived
high school youth, had a serious car
safely to Syracuse three weeks ago.
accident last week & did series of serious
We ask Allah the Almighty to bless
medical operations. May Allah grant him
their marriage and we welcome Sister
speed recovery and keep
Fitria to our community.
him on the straight Path of Allah.
Brother Abdelelah El- Dubaie, Le
• Dr. Abdelhamed Abdelhamed
Moyne
was blessed with a baby boy, Ziyad,
College soccer player, was seriously
three
injured
weeks ago. He is still in the hospital.
in his ankle in a soccer game in Boston
May
last week (Br. Abdelelah ran a very
Allah bless Ziyad, raise him as good
successful soccer
Muslim
program for the youth in summer 2006.
leader, and grant him fast recovery.
May Allah reward him). May Allah grant
him
Ramadan Word Search Puzzle
speed recovery. Ameen.