MR's Blog » Ramadan

Makkah 29th Night of Ramadan 1430 (2009) – Sh. Sudais Khatam-ul-Qur’an Dua

MR — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:40:41 +0000

Ameen!

Obama’s Iftar

MR — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:36:22 +0000

I wonder what the food was.

The other day President Obama issued a special message to the Muslim world for the annual Ramadan holiday. Tonight, before leaving Wednesday for the rest of his stay-cation at Camp David, the president hosts a White House banquet to celebrate the same holiday.

Invited guests include three Cabinet secretaries, numerous diplomats, five members of Congress including the first Muslim, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and the chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization mission.

Here is the list of invited guests, as provided by the White House:

Cabinet: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Deputy Cabinet secretaries: Commerce Deputy Secretary Dennis Hightower and Education Deputy Secretary Adam Miller.

Congress: Reps. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.) and Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.).

Diplomats: Ambassador Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al Hussein of Jordan; Ambassador Adel A.M. Al Jubeir of Saudi Arabia; Ambassador Husain Haqqani of Pakistan; Ambassador Erlan A. Idrissov of Kazakhstan; Ambassador His Excellency Said …

… Tayeb Jawad of Afghanistan; Ambassador Aziz Mekouar of Morocco; Ambassador Peter N.R.O. Ogego of Kenya.

Also, Ambassador Roble Olhaye of D’jibouti; Ambassador Michael Oren of Israel; Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat of Indonesia; Ambassador Klaus Scharioth of Germany; Ambassador Meera Shankar of India; Ambassador Nabi Sensoy of Turkey; Ambassador Sir Nigel Elton Sheinwald of Britain; Ambassador Sameh Hassan Shoukry of Egypt; Ambassador Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaida’ie of Iraq; and Ambassador Pierre Nicolas Vimont of France.

Also the following Chargé d’Affaires: Sheikh Mohammed Belal of Bangladesh; Ilango Karuppanan of Malaysia; Mohamed O Maiga; Angela Oi Foong Shim of Brunei; Baba Gana Wakil of Nigeria; and MaeDemocrat Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesotan Areikat, chief of mission, Palestine Liberation Organization.
Members of the public: Bilquis Abdul-Qaadir, University of Memphis; Professor Azizah Al-Hibri, University of Richmond School of Law; Reema Ali, Karamah, Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights; Hasan Chandoo, Oppenheimer & Co.; Rabbi Nathan Diament, director, Institute for Public Affairs, Orthodox Union; Imam Plemon El-Amin, Atlanta Masjid al-Islam.

Also, Wahid Hamid, PepsiCo; Dina Hammad; Lutfi Hassan; Nashala Hearn; Rosalind Hearn; Imam Yahya Hendi, chaplain, Georgetown University; pastor Joel Hunter, Northland Church; Nooman Husain; and Imad Hussain.

Additionally, Sanford Ibrahim, CEO, Radian Group; Jameel Jaffer, staff attorney, ACLU; Mrs. Elsheba Khan; Dr. Mansur Khan, UMMA Community Clinic; Farhana Khera, Muslim Advocates; Lt. Commander Abuhena Saifulislam, U.S. Marine Corps; and Kareem Salama.

Also, Imam Yusuf Saleem; Masjid Muhammad; Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president, Islamic Society of North America; Farooq Mitha; Dalia Mogahed, director, Gallup Center for Muslim Studies; Hutham Olayan, Olayan America Corp.; Eboo Patel, Interfaith Youth Corps; and Rabbi David Saperstein, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism.

Additionally, Mina Trudeau, executive director, El Fatiha Foundation; J. Saleh Williams, Congressional Muslim Staffers Assn.; and Mohamed Zakariya, Zakariya Calligraphy.

THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Thank you. Well, it is my great pleasure to host all of you here at the White House to mark this special occasion — Ramadan Kareem.

I want to say that I’m deeply honored to welcome so many members of the diplomatic corps, as well as several members of my administration and distinguished members of Congress, including the first two Muslims to serve in Congress — Keith Ellison and Andre Carson. Where are they? (Applause.)

Just a few other acknowledgements I want to make. We have Sen. Richard Lugar here, who’s our ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Where is Dick Lugar? There he is. (Applause.) Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (Applause.) Rep. Rush Holt is here. Thank you, Rush. (Applause.) Have we found you a seat, Rush? (Laughter.)

REPRESENTATIVE HOLT: I’m on my way to the train. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I got you. We also have here — Secretary of Defense Gates is here. Secretary Gates. (Applause.) Our attorney general, Eric Holder. (Applause.) And Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is here. (Applause.)

And most of all, I want to welcome all the American Muslims from many walks of life who are here. This is just one part of our effort to celebrate Ramadan, and continues a long tradition of hosting iftars here at the White House.

For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection. It’s a time of service and support for those in need. And it is also a time for family and friends to come together in a celebration of their faith, their communities, and the common humanity that all of us share. It is in that spirit that I welcome each and every one of you to the White House.

Tonight’s iftar is a ritual that is also being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states. Islam, as we know, is part of America. And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity — with families that stretch back generations and more recent immigrants; with Muslims of countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.

Indeed, the contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country. American Muslims are successful in business and entertainment; in the arts and athletics; in science and in medicine. Above all, they are successful parents, good neighbors and active citizens.

So on this occasion, we celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture — in ways both large and small. And with us here tonight, we see just a small sample of those contributions. Let me share a few stories with you briefly.

Elsheba Khan’s son, Kareem, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he lost his life in Iraq. Kareem joined the military as soon as he finished high school. He would go on to win the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, along with the admiration of his fellow soldiers. In describing her son, Elsheba said, “He always wanted to help any way that he could.”

Tonight, he’s buried alongside thousands of heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. A crescent is carved into his grave, just as others bear the Christian cross or the Jewish star. These brave Americans are joined in death as they were in life — by a common commitment to their country and the values that we hold dear.

One of those values is the freedom to practice your religion — a right that is enshrined in the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. Nashala Hearn, who joins us from Muskogee, Okla., took a stand for that right at an early age. When her school district told her that she couldn’t wear the hijab, she protested that it was a part of her religion.

The Department of Justice stood behind her, and she won her right to practice her faith. She even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress. Her words spoke to a tolerance that is far greater than mistrust — when she first wore her headscarf to school, she said, “I received compliments from the other kids.”

Another young woman who has thrived in her school is Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir. She’s not even 5′5” — where’s Bilqis? Right here. Stand up, Bilqis, just so that we — (laughter) — I want everybody to know — she’s got heels on. She’s 5′5” — Bilqis broke Rebecca Lobo’s record for the most points scored by any high school basketball player in Massachusetts history. (Applause.)

She recently told a reporter, “I’d like to really inspire a lot of young Muslim girls if they want to play basketball. Anything is possible. They can do it too.” As an honor student, as an athlete on her way to Memphis, Bilqis is an inspiration not simply to Muslim girls — she’s an inspiration to all of us.

Of course, we know that when it comes to athletes who have inspired America, any list would include the man known simply as The Greatest. And while Muhammad Ali could not join us tonight, it is worth reflecting upon his remarkable contributions, as he’s grown from an unmatched fighter in the ring to a man of quiet dignity and grace who continues to fight for what he believes — and that includes the notion that people of all faiths holds things in common.

I love this quote. A few years ago, he explained this view — and this is part of why he’s The Greatest — saying, “Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams — they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do — they all contain truths.”

They all contain truths. Among those truths are the pursuit of peace and the dignity of all human beings. That must always form the basis upon which we find common ground. And that is why I am so pleased that we are joined tonight not only by so many outstanding Muslim Americans and representatives of the diplomatic corps, but people of many faiths — Christians, Jews and Hindus — along with so many prominent Muslims.

Together, we have a responsibility to foster engagement grounded in mutual interest and mutual respect. And that’s one of my fundamental commitments as president, both at home and abroad. That is central to the new beginning that I’ve sought between the United States and Muslims around the world. And that is a commitment that we can renew once again during this holy season.

So tonight, we celebrate a great religion and its commitment to justice and progress. We honor the contributions of America’s Muslims, and the positive example that so many of them set through their own lives. And we rededicate ourselves to the work of building a better and more hopeful world.
So thanks to all of you for taking the time to be here this evening. I wish you all a very blessed Ramadan. And with that, I think we can start a feast. I don’t know what’s on the menu, but I’m sure it will be good. (Laughter.) Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.) ###

Source

Ramadan Message from Shaykh Hamza and Imam Zaid of Zaytuna College

MR — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:21:40 +0000

Shout out to Umar for showing me this.

Aman Ali’s and Bassam Tariq’s “30 Mosques in 30 Days”

MR — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:58:39 +0000

Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq are currently going to a different masjid (or mosque) in the NYC area. They are documenting their journey here.

They should also do 30 taraweeh’s. Split it up evenely, half 20s and half 8s.

Ramadan 2009 Pictures from “The Big Picture”

MR — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:32:47 +0000

Really beautiful pictures from across the Muslim World during Ramadan 2009. Click here to see them. Related posts:MR’s Online Qur’an Reading Contest Ramadan 2009/1430 Massive Construction in Makkah (2007 pictures) Ultimate Jihad and Sabr in Palestine – Picture of Israeli throwing wine on Palestinian Woman

Fredi Kanoute, “I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing”

MR — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:54:09 +0000

Fredi explains how he makes the seemingly impossible a reality during a certain month each year…

To be tremendously fit is a must for all professional footballers: a demand that leads some Muslim players to forgo the duty of fasting during Ramadan, preferring to fulfill their obligation when the football season ends. However, for Sevilla’s Freddie Kanoute, this is not the case.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes it is possible for a modern footballer to remain in peak physical condition during the holy month.

The likes of Kanoute, along with Real Madrid’s Mahamadou Diarra, Lassana Diarra, and Karim Benzema, are the talk of football world as doctors work around the clock to formulate a routine in order to keep them hydrated during the fasting process.

And as Spanish tabloids splash headlines about the fasting month and debates rage about whether players should even be allowed to fast and play during Ramadan – Kanoute insists he just wants to get on with it.

“I try to respect my faith and follow it as best I can,” Kanoute told Goal.com.

“It is sometimes harder to keep the fast because here in the south of Spain it is very hot, but I can do it, thank God.

“There are many Muslim footballers who people just do not know about in England in Spain, France and in many other leagues too. But having faith and practicing Ramadan is not something they wish to tell the world about.

“Personally, having faith helps my football and football helps me to be healthy and strengthens me. There is no conflict because people who know about Islam, they know that fasting empowers and does not weaken the Muslim.”

While Barcelona’s fans are wondering if the likes of Eric Abidal, Seydou Keita and Yaya Toure – all Muslims – will be fasting, Real Madrid fans know of the importance their Muslim players – especially Mahamadou Diarra – place in their religion and his traditions.

“Every coach has respected my decision,” says Diarra on his Real Madrid profile page.

“They are difficult days during which one needs to eat, but it only lasts one month. I have another ten to play well.”

The Sevilla and Real Madrid players stance on Ramadan is shared by eminent specialist – Doctor Yacine Zerguni, a member of the FIFA and CAF Sports Medical Committees.

Zerguni collaborated with F-marc, the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre, in a study on the effects of observing Ramadan for Muslim players: two professional football clubs in Algeria agreed to undergo biological, clinical and psychological tests before, during and after the month of Ramadan.

The study constituted a world first in this particular area and formed the foundations for scientific analysis of the potential impact of Ramadan on player performance.

“This month of physical and mental self discipline, which must also be free from any unhealthy or aggressive behaviour,” Zerguni told Goal.com, when asked if Ramadan was compatible with the practice of top-level football.

“Ramadan is intended be a period of internal purification and meditation; a period of regeneration. It is far from harmful. Indeed, the psychological study of the personality formed an integral part of our research project.

“And although many players who were tested could not adapt to playing whilst fasting, one has to remember that it is highly likely that the effects of Ramadan are also linked to the spiritual qualities and physical capabilities of each athlete.

“Therefore certain players who continuously observe Ramadan when playing: their body can adapt because they are used to it – but many players can get tired. Players will have to work on effective pre- and post-match routines that will help them conserve energy and strength.”

Both Mahamadou Diarra and Kanoute place particular emphasis on the charity work during Ramadan. They donate a large portion of their earnings to charities in Mali with the hope of building a better future for their fellow citizens.

For Kanoute, a chance to “make a difference during Ramadan” is something very close to his heart.

“During Ramadan I give my all for my club and try not to let my team-mates and the fans down,” he continued. “Everyone here has been very good to me and they understand. They also understand that during Ramadan you have a chance to reach out to those in need.

“For me, my charity is very important. I wanted to help with charity work for some time and a few years ago I went ahead with it and The Mali Children’s Village cares for orphaned and vulnerable children. There is a very big need to work with children here, especially orphans.

“My father was born a Muslim but as an orphan, he didn’t really know a lot about it, but he did try to teach me a few things. Children are our future and we should always try to ensure they are safe and have a good upbringing.”

Source

When the power goes out, only one place stays calm – The Masjid

MR — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:03:20 +0000

Alhamdulillah! I am back from my first taraweeh. What an amazing night. One of the local Muslim communities near my home, the Islamic Society of Washington Area (ISWA), opened up to the public after months of construction for the first night of taraweeh this Ramadan. I usually go to other masajid, but this time I said I’d go to ISWA as much as possible since by distance it is the closest masjid to me. (There is also Muslim Community Center not to far, but ISWA is still closer).

Anyways, during one of the rak’ah of taraweeh, the power went out and the emergency lights came on. During this whole 1 second power outage, the hafidh continued to recite the exact same way without any pause. No one moved or reacted. Everyone stayed the same. Throughout the completion of the salah, it continued on as normal with one brother relaying the takbir so those who couldn’t hear the imam could know when to continue to the next position of the prayer.

Some may say, so what. This is something really trivial. But to me personally, such a small incident like this shows the true obedience to Allah and really proves the meaning of Allah hu Akbar (God is Greater). It didn’t matter that the power was out and that the AC was off, all that mattered was that worshiping Allah continued. I can’t think of any other place where if the power goes out and there is a black out, everyone will stay calm and continue to do what they are doing. This can only happen in the house of Allah.

SubhanAllah!

Of course when the two raka’t were done, the issue was resolved.

Barack Obama – “Ramadan Kareem”

MR — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:39:16 +0000

As the new crescent moon ushers in Ramadan, the President extends his best wishes to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world.

Each Ramadan, the ninth month on the lunar calendar, Muslims fast daily from dawn to sunset for 29 or 30 days. Fasting is a tradition in many religious faiths and is meant to increase spirituality, discipline, thankfulness, and consciousness of God’s mercy. Ramadan is also a time of giving and reaching out to those less fortunate, and this summer, American Muslims have joined their fellow citizens in serving communities across the country. Over the course of the month, we will highlight the perspectives of various faiths on fasting and profile faith-based organizations making real impacts in American cities and towns.

This month is also a time of renewal and this marks the first Ramadan since the President outlined his vision for a new beginning between America and the Muslim world. As a part of that new beginning, the President emphasizes that our relationship with Muslim communities cannot be based on political and security concerns alone. True partnerships also require cooperation in all areas – particularly those that can make a positive difference in peoples’ daily lives, including education, science and technology, health, and entrepreneurship – fields in which Muslim communities have helped play a pioneering role throughout history.

The President’s message is part of an on-going dialogue with Muslim communities that began on inauguration day and has continued with his statement on Nowruz, during trips to Ankara and Cairo, and with interviews with media outlets such as Al Arabiya and Dawn TV.

As this dialogue continues and leads to concrete actions, the President extends his greetings on behalf of the American people. Ramadan Kareem.

Source

Ramadan: The Month of the Best Food of the Year!

MR — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:27:54 +0000

Ramadan is here, and our stomachs are empty. The kitchens are working extra hours this month. Many Muslims will be cooking up a feast almost every day especially the weekends. Probably the most widespread and agreed upon un-official trademark of Ramadan is that the best food of any culture or ethnic Muslim group comes out.

This month is so blessed that even the kitchens are blessed. The food is extra tasty and fulfills our desires after a long day of fasting better than eating your favorite desert outside of Ramadan. In many Muslim countries, everything shuts down during the day but at night, everything is alive, and all the restaurants are packed and dinner tables at homes are full to the max.

This is probably the greatest fitna that effects almost every single Muslim no matter where they live. This is not what Ramadan is for and it is not the way of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Many of us have heard lectures probably every Ramadan about this issue, but I haven’t heard much solutions. So based on my experience of the past Ramadans, I have come up with some ways I do to change my feasting to moderate eating.

Breaking the Fast:

Water or milk and dates. Seriously that’s it. Don’t go after the palorie, samosa, sambosa, channa, etc.

After Maghrib

There are two options:

Iftar with family/friends or at the Masjid – Delay the main course and eat 3-4 samosa/sambosa/palorie/dates/etc. Once many people are eating you go get your food. Fill half your plate up only (if it’s a normal sized plate). If it’s slightly smaller than normal than fill it 3/4.
If with just immediate family, use a smaller size plate to put your food on. If you don’t have smaller plates (or they are way too small) fill your normal sized plate with only half of it full.

After Tarweeh Snack (Optional):

This is optional and recommended for those who have high metabolism. I do not because in general I’m pretty skinny so I need to keep my weight stable. I usually have cereal, but if can also have a sandwich or 3-5 samosas/sambosas. If it’s the big samosa, then 1 is enough.

Sahur:

Cereal is pretty much what I eat, since that is what I eat normally for breakfast. Honey Bunches of Oats is highly recommended.

What are some of your ways to eat moderately but still enjoy the good stuff?

Ramadan Mubarak!

MR — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:50:14 +0000

Ramadan is here!

Here is the rundown on who’s starting when:

Those starting Ramadan on Friday, August 21, 2009:
- Europeans who follow ECFR (source)
- Turkey (source)
- Balkan Muslim States (source)
- Libya (source)
- Shia in Lebanon and Iraq (source)
Those starting Ramadan on Saturday, August 22, 2009:
- ISNA (source)
- Europeans not following ECFR
- Saudi Arabia
- Sunnis in Iraq
- Sunnis in Lebanon (source)
- Qatar
- Sudan
- Jordan (source)
- UAE (source)
- Indonesia (source)
- Egypt (source)
- South Korea (source: one of my good friends who’s there right now, mashaAllah)

I am still waiting on the moon sighting results for N. America. We all know ISNA and those who follow it use calculated methods to determine Ramadan, and they have decided it to be Sat. Aug. 22, 2009. I don’t agree with that. I am waiting for the moon sighting results, inshaAllah.

There are several organizations that are following the Sunnah in looking for the moon. Here are the websites: