Organize Your Life in Ramadan

We would like to wish you a happy and fruitful month of Ramadan 1429.

As we spiritually preparing for the month of Ramadan, I would like to suggest the following program to help everyone-including those who go to work early in the morning or to school-have an enjoyable, organized, and well-spent month.

Many people hold the perception that fasting in Ramadan demands a tremendous amount of energy, and therefore many activities should be reduced and many projects should be postponed until Ramadan is over. I would like to suggest in the following lines a simple schedule, as I was asked by some brothers and sisters on how to organize life during this blessed month.This schedule can also be applied outside Ramadan. courtesy from : Heart Softening www.islamonline.net

clipped from www.islamonline.net By Imam Hamid Slimi** 1. Sleep well If you come back from Tarawih at 10:00 every night, try to sleep at 11:00 in order to wake up for sahur (pre-dawn meal), as it was the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to eat something before Fajr. You can go back to sleep after Fajr if you wish. Otherwise, it is better to try to close your eyes even for a few minutes after Zhuhr and take a power nap even for 15 or 20 minutes during lunch time. The afternoon nap is very neglected by people although it was widely taken in the past. Any fasting person will benefit from fasting not only spiritually; but if one has a healthy and rested body, there can also be many medical and physical benefits. 2. Manage your time wisely 3. Manage your energy wisely 4. Make your rest the daily Prayer 5. Eat and drink well 6. Watch less TV 7. Complete a project

MASJID BESI

clipped from al-ahkam.net PANDANGAN hadapan Masjid Besi dari jambatan Seri Saujana pada waktu malam. Bangunan guna enam ribu tan keluli dan material telus cahaya jadi mercu tanda baru di Putrajaya BERKONSEPKAN seni bina moden kontemporari, berlatarkan Tasik Putrajaya dengan keindahan alam yang kekal tidak bersentuh di Presint 3, di situlah letaknya binaan sebuah bangunan berkerangka keluli atau digelar Masjid Besi, Putrajaya. Pembinaan masjid dengan kos RM180 juta itu bermula April 2004 dan dijangka siap sepenuhnya penghujung tahun depan. Dengan keluasannya yang sekali ganda lebih luas berbanding Masjid Putra, Putrajaya ia dijangka mampu menampung 20,000 jemaah pada satu-satu masa. MASJID Besi dedang dalam pembinaan dijangka siap hujung 2008. “Masjid yang kini 75 peratus siap dan masih belum mempunyai sebarang nama mempunyai hanya satu kubah diperbuat daripada keluli. DINDING Mihrab daripada kaca tersergam indah dengan ukiran ayat suci al-Quran yang kelihatan terapung di udara * 20,000 - Kapasiti jemaah.

A Visit Hard To Forget

A Young Muslim Woman Visits the Prophet's Mosque

" I'm here, I'm finally here,All praise to God who brought me here again."

These are usually the first words I utter as soon as my ayes fall on the minarets of Prophet Muhammad's mosque on my way from the airport to the hotel in Madinah.

Throughout my ride, I keep staring out of the window of the bus trying to catch a glimpse from a distance of Prophet Muhammad's mosque.

clipped from www.readingislam.com The Prophet's mosque at dawn. Picture courtesy: Neveen Shedid I've been visiting Madinah every Ramadan for the last fifteen years. I believe this is a great blessing from God because once your feet step on the ground there, you feel what thousands of pictures cannot tell or transfer: the spirit of Madinah, Prophet Muhammad's city. "Once your feet step on the ground there, you feel what thousands of pictures can't tell..."  And I pray: "Oh God, let my feet touch a spot Prophet Muhammad's feet once touched." "As I look at the faces of these women, I ponder at the amount of love they carry for a man they never met!"  A Garden From Paradise There are two timings for visiting Prophet's Muhammad grave for women, as the grave lies in the men's section of the mosque. As soon as the doors open for women to enter, hundreds and thousands of women rush towards the grave to try to pray in the area called Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah (the area now between Prophet Muhammad's grave and his pulpit).

Sense and Sensitivity

How to Accommodate New Converts

Aspects of the early years as a Muslim are all too often forgotten and ignored. This article may emerge as polemic outlook on Muslims' attempts to help those who have entered the fold of Islam. My aim is not to have a good moan at the Muslim community. That would be futile and only widen the gap that may already exist between us all.

I prefer to see this as one of those methods of self-development where to improve we must accept our faults, but to accept them we must first be aware of them.

clipped from www.readingislam.com Mosque near the centre of Glasgow, Scotland There are numerous articles on this site, as well as videos and books elsewhere to satiate us Muslims on the growth of Islam, giving us that ‘feel-good factor’ often needed in this Islamophobic milieu. But there is an issue that is too often ignored. What about how new Muslims, and prospective Muslims are dealt with in our communities? After people revert to Islam how do we go about advising, helping, guiding and most of all befriending them?? Is it a case of “You are on your now, you’ve said your shahada!” or, “Come to my house and meet the family, but there are a long list of does and don’ts you must follow.” As for knowledge and direction in Islam, it was delivered at a speedy rate. Probably it  was a rate that was just right for me at that time. I had been starved enough and I had a big appetite. But this was not the same for others.

The Love of Animals

clipped from www.readingislam.com Islam urges people to be respectful and merciful towards animals. The Prophet Muhammad taught mercy to all of God’s creation. There are many reports of his love for cats resulting in their historical acceptance among Muslims. Cats were very common among the people during the time of the Prophet, and he said, “They (cats) are not impure and they intermingle with you.”1 The cat is such a clean animal that according to authentic narrations one may make ablution for Prayer with the same water that a cat drank from. Yet, it is known that some people nowadays have opposed the traditions of the Prophet by taking up the evil practices of torturing and poisoning cats. In Islam, punishment for such acts is severe. Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported a hadith regarding a woman who locked up a cat, refusing to feed it and not releasing it so that it could feed itself. The Prophet Muhammad said that her punishment on the Day of Judgment will be torture and Hell.

Who Are Children of Jihad?

clipped from www.islamonline.net Question: A friend's first reaction when seeing the book cover was, "Why do you want to read something that was written by an American Jew about the Middle East?" So what do you have to say to those people? What makes your book any different than the many other books that have been written on the Middle East? Answer: People could have said the same thing to me , "As a Jewish person, why would you want to go to the Middle East?" My answer to your friend is that there are far too many stereotypes and misperceptions of different religions around the world. What I have found from my experience is that it doesn't matter what ones religion is, it doesn't matter what group they are affiliated with, I found in my travels throughout the Middle East that young people have more in common with me as a young American Jew than they do differences. This is probably the last thing that someone might expect to hear from someone with my background and this is why I think it is important.

Did You Miss Your Appointment Today?

clipped from www.islamonline.net If your best friend calls and asks to meet you in half an hour, you will hurry to meet your friend, even if you had been in the middle of something important. If you get the chance to make some money or meet an important person or go to some great place, you will organize yourself for days beforehand so that you don’t miss your chance. For one reason or another, a young person may not be in the habit of praying Fajr Prayer on time. Whatever that reason is, there is no time like the present to turn that habit around. Remember that for every step you take toward Allah, He promises to come many steps towards you. So make that first step by making up your mind that you will get up for Fajr Prayer every morning. Not realizing how important Fajr Prayer is Not yet developed a sound consciousness of Allah, so unaware of the significance of the next life Carried away with worldly pursuits Lazy Sleeps too late and so cannot get up There is no one in his house to urge him or her to get up

Hijab-Ez : Don't Bite My Back

clipped from www.islamonline.net Click here to Enlarge By  Linda Delgado , Shirley Anjum   Linda D. Delgado is a Muslim who lives in Arizona, United States. She is the mother of three and a grandmother of eight. She graduated from the University of Phoenix and is a retired state police sergeant. Also known as Widad, she is the publisher of Muslim Writers Publishing at www.MuslimWritersPublishing.com, founder of the Islamic Writers Alliance at www.islamicwritersalliance.net, the author of the award-winning Islamic Rose book series at www.widad-lld.com, and owner of the Islamic Rose store at http://www.cafepress.com/islamicrose.

I Don't Want to Wear Hijab Anymore!

clipped from www.islamonline.net Sixteen-year-old Hala sat stubbornly on her bed. She looked over at her hijab lying over the back of the chair and sighed. That small piece of cloth these days seemed to be affecting her life more than anyone could imagine. It had been some time since she and her mother had spoken — not because she did not want to speak, but because she did not know what to say. "I don't wanna wear hijab anymore." "Why?" "Because I'm not doing it for Allah. I'm just doing it to please you. I'm not getting any blessings for it." "Do you want me to agree that you disobey Allah? What do you think I should say to Allah when He asks me about you?" "I'll wear it again when it's coming sincerely from my heart." "But you can still wear it and work on your heart." "I can't do it that way." "If you did that you would be playing in Satan's hands. He will have won over you. You'd be the loser." "I'll wear it again, but not now."

Reflections- Hijab

clipped from www.islamonline.net What is the first thing that comes to your mind about hijab and the person who wears it? An extremist? A religious symbol? A bit to hard on yourself? A religion being hard on girls depriving them of their right of freedom? Hijab for me is a sign of purity and the way to preserve our beauty and purity for only one man. We wait all our lives till we find that one guy which Allah the Almighty has chosen for us. What a beautiful and refreshing feeling! Allah has made things easy for us by blessing us with the gift of hijab and by helping us follow the steps of how we can secure our inner and outer beauty which prevents us from being harassed and manipulated by society. Allah says: “He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.” (Al-Hajj: 78) “Allah wishes to lighten the burden for you; for certainly man has been created weak!” (An-Nisa’: 28) Muslim women observe hijab (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so.

The Right Step-Hijab!

Do Not Hesitate!

clipped from www.islamonline.net In today's world, we find several young women hesitating to take the "hijab" step. They think millions of times before taking this decision. Many young women say, "I can not wear it before getting married"; “I might lose my job if I wear hijab"; or “I want to wear hijab but it will prevent me from life's pleasures, such as playing my favorite sport or wearing fashionable clothes". In fact, quite a few young women feel that the hijab acts as an obstacle for reaching their aims and aspirations in life, and hinders them from enjoying their life freely. The Right Choice Enjoy Your Life Wearing Hijab In terms of her career life, she owns an advertising company and her job as a business development manager requires that she deal with several multinational companies. "The hijab never hinders my career, in fact I’m so proud to wear it,” observes El Sharkawi. Responsibility

The Messenger and Children

clipped from www.islamonline.net All of the Prophet's sons died. Ibrahim, his last son, died in infancy. The Prophet often visited his son before the latter's death, although the  Prophet was very busy. Ibrahim was looked after by a nurse. The Prophet would kiss and play with him before returning home. (Muslim) When Ibrahim took his last breaths, the eyes of the Prophet started shedding tears. `Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf said, "O Allah's Messenger, even you (weep)!" The Prophet said, "O Ibn `Auf, this is mercy." Then he wept more and said, "The eyes shed tears and the heart grieves, and we will not say except what pleases our Lord, O Ibrahim ! Indeed we are grieved by your separation." (Al-Bukhari) Whenever he returned to Madinah, he would carry children on his mount. On such occasions, the Messenger embraced not only his grandchildren but also those in his house and those nearby. He conquered their hearts through his compassion. He loved all children.

My Name is Khan

clipped from www.islamonline.net "Internationally, if you have a Muslim surname, you might be considered a terrorist," said Khan. CAIRO — Inspired by his own personal experience, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will star a new movie on discrimination against people with Muslim second names in the post 9/11 world. "My name is Khan" is directed by renowned Indian filmmaker Karan Johar and features six people with Muslim names who are viewed with suspicion and forced to endure extra security checks in international airports six years after the 9/11 attacks. A growing number of Muslims are victims of what some call "traveling while a Muslim". US rights groups say that racial profiling has been on the upswing since 9/11. More than 500 people are denied entry to the US daily because of their identity. "At London airport, every time I go, people recognize me, but they see my second name, and they give me an extra checking." "These days, I am the one who’s stopped, so it's okay, he carries my bags for me," Khan laughed.

Young Muslim's Guide to Sex Education

click www.islamonline to continue reading

clipped from www.islamonline.net Growing up, coming of age: an Islamic website using code language to talk about human sexuality? Coming of age indeed! You know what those words mean. Yes, when you have stopped giggling shyly, let's get started talking about human sexuality. You are probably wondering why Youth 4 the Future at IslamOnline.net would want to present this topic. Well, let's face it: It is impossible to escape talk about sex and sexuality these days. Even the supposedly most age appropriate movies, television shows, video games, and novels — those intended for a teenage audience — consist of themes such as fornication, adultery, and homosexuality. Non-Islamic Approach to Human Sexuality In for a Surprise Coming of Age Dating, Masturbation, and Homosexuality Natural, Enjoyable, and Worthy of Reward Final Thoughts