1. Recitation of the Qur’an with reflection and understanding of its meaning.
2. Seeking closeness to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after obligatory ones, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.
3. Remembering Allah in every situation by one’s time, heart and deeds. One’s share of that love is to the degree of one’s share with that remembrance.
4. Preferring what He loves to what you love when your desires are strong.
5. Allowing your heart to reflect on His Names and Attributes.
6. Reflecting on His many favours and blessings both the apparent ones and hidden ones, for that leads to His love.
7. Having your heart soften as it is worshipping Allah.
8. Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. To invoke Him, to recite His speech (Quran), to stand with all sincerity (in prayer) and with good manners and good submission (humility) and to end that with repentance and seeking His forgiveness.
9. Sitting with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.
10. Staying away from all that creates barriers between the heart and Allah.
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an chapter 3 verse 31]
May Allah enable us to be of those whom He loves and is pleased with, and those who practise what we preach, ya Salam, ya Rabb al alameen! Allahumma salli wasallim alaa nabiyinaa Muhammad!
What is meant by udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it obligatory or Sunnah?.
Praise be to Allaah. The word udhiyah means an animal of the ‘an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of Eid al-Adha because of the Eid and as an act of worship, intending to draw closer to Allaah thereby.
This is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims.
In the Qur’aan:
1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)”
[al-Kawthar 108:2]
2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”
[al-An’aam 6:162]
The word nusuk (translated here as sacrifice) means sacrifice; this is the view of Sa’eed ibn Jubayr. And it was said that it means all acts of worship, including sacrifice, which is more comprehensive.
3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God Allaah), so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitoon [those who obey Allaah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism]”
[al-Hajj 22:34]
In the Sunnah:
1 – It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5558) and Saheeh Muslim (1966) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two white rams speckled with black. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and put his foot on their necks.”
2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madeenah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).” Narrated by Ahmad, 4935; al-Tirmidhi, 1507; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475.
3 – It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shared out sacrificial animals amongst his companions, and ‘Uqbah got a sheep that was six months old. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I got a sheep that is six months old.” He said, “Offer it as a sacrifice.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5547.
4 – It was narrated from al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5545.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered sacrifices, as did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). And he said that sacrifice is the way of the Muslims.
Hence the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed in Islam, as was narrated by more than one of the scholars.
But they differed as to whether it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) or it is obligatory and it is not permissible to omit it.
The majority of scholars are of the view that it is Sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, Maalik and Ahmad according to his most well-known view.
Others were of the view that it is obligatory. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and one of the views narrated from Ahmad. This was also the view favoured by Ibn Taymiyah who said: “This is one of the views narrated in the madhhab of Maalik, or it appears to be the view of Maalik.”
From Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Udhiyah is Sunnah mu’akkadah for the one who is able to do it, so a person should offer the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his household.”
Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/661.
REMINDER:
If a person wants to offer an udhiyah, then it is haraam – according to the more correct view – for him to remove anything from his hair or nails until he offers his sacrifice, regardless of whether he offers his sacrifice at the beginning of the time for it, immediately after the Eid prayer, or at the end of the time, i.e., before sunset on the thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
That is because of the report narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (1977) from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has an animal to sacrifice, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah appears, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails, until he has offered his sacrifice.”
The sacred month of Dhul Qi’dah is due and we would like to remind ourselves about the importance of the four sacred months in Islam. Dhul Qi’dah is the 11th month of the Islamic calendar. The sacred months are Rajab, Dhul Qid’ah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram, the 7th, 11th, 12th and 1st month of the Islamic Hijri calander respectively. (see Surah Tawbah, Qur’an chapter 9 verse 36). We should also prepare for the Hajj season, and endeavour to perform our obligatory Hajj for the sake of Allah, as soon as we have the means/ability.
(We should be extra careful not to sin, all the time, but particularly in the sacred months, and avoid aggression)
May Allah forgive us, be merciful to us and guide us, for He is the Most Gracious the Most Merciful, The Ever-Relenting. May Allah guide and forgive us and enable us to witness and observe many Hajj and Umrah in His obedience, with sincerity and strength and excellence. May Allah unite us in jannat al firdaus. Allah bless His final messenger Muhammad ibn Abdillah in abundance. Amin
Let’s fulfil the 3rd pillar of Islam: ZAKAT, obligatory charity tax.
Zakat or Zakaah/Zakah, means purification or growth.
In Islam, it is paying 2.5% of all your wealth (if it reaches the nisaab/thresholdat which you become eligible to pay Zakat) to those who are entitled to receive Zakat, including the poor and needy, in obedience to Allah. Charity is an integral teaching in our faith.
DID YOU KNOW? Zakat is such an important pillar in our religion, Allah has mentioned it in the Qur’an multiple times, and the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him taught us about it.
There are multiple References in The Qur’an and in Sahih Hadith.
‘Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise.‘
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu`adh to Yemen and said, “Invite the people to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and I am Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), and if they obey you to do so, then teach them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers in every day and night (in twenty-four hours), and if they obey you to do so, then teach them that Allah has made it obligatory for them to pay the Zakat from their property and it is to be taken from the wealthy among them and given to the poor.” Sahih al Bukhari
How to tell if you owe Zakat? Keep a regular check of your assets, then the moment your wealth reaches the Nisab level (minimum threshold at which you have to start paying Zakat), then you calculate your Zakat each year accordingly.
Example: On 21st Ramadan 1440 (May 2019), you acquired £500 through the full lunar year (Islamic Hijir calendar). The nisab level was approximately worth £250 (based on silver weight prices). Therefore, you must pay 2.5% of £500 in charity as Zakat to fulfil your obligation to Allah. So £500×0.025= £12.50 as Zakat
Now it is 21st Ramadan 1441, (year 2020) 1 year on, and you have £700. The nisab value is around £240, you own that and more. So you will pay Zakat on this day at 2.5% of £700. so £700x 0.025= £17.50 as Zakat
And you note in your calendar next year on the 21st Ramadan 1442ah (in year 2021) you will schedule calculation and payment of Zakat again. In sha Allah
Therefore, your annual Zakat date, or Zakat anniversary is 21ST RAMADAN each year, and it’s your personal deadline by which you must calculate and pay Zakat.
If you need help calculating, lots of Muslim charity organisations can help you out, lots of charities have Zakat calculators, Islamic relief calculator, or you can try National Zakat Foundation’s (NZF) calculator, it’s UK-based and they’ve set up a wonderfully organised step-by-step calculation system on their website, have a look here: NZF Zakat calculator
Assets are not limited to money, it includes gold, silver and more if you have businesses/shares, rental income/ property and what such. You also factor in your deductible assets, consider debts and bills (check the NZF calculator link above).
If you have gold or silver jewellery, you need to weigh it and calculate the price on the current market value of gold or silver on the day.
So if you have 50g of 24carat gold, the market value today right now is £45.61 per gram. Thats 45.61GBP x 50grams = £2280.50
You pay zakat on 2.5% of £2280.50, or simply 2280.50 x 0.025= £57.03 Zakat (rounded up).
Also, it doesn’t have to be Ramadan when you’re Zakat is due, you may be paying it in another month, depending on when your wealth reached the Nisab value. To read more about Zakat, check out the links at the end of this post. **
Keep it organised in sha Allah and you can fulfil your obligation to Allah, have blessings in your wealth, be stress free and aware of your assets. By the way, everything ultimately belongs to Allah, we are just being tested with what we’ve been entrusted with!
Purify what Allah gave us and spend in His path, in sha Allah , Allah will increase us in good.
Many times we may have been falling short, so be sure to do your best to make up for any short fall as soon as possible. And if you are tested with a shortage in wealth, you only have to pay less Zakat , and by trusting Allah, making tawbah, in sha Allah we will see better days again.
Never think zakat will decrease your wealth, believe Allah will purify it and increase it.
Of us are those with poor and needy relatives, let’s not forget them in sha Allah when paying Zakat and Sadaqah.
Give and Allah will increase you. Let’s take this opportunity to give Sadaqah too, we only have a few days left of this blessed month.
Dua- Remember to say Ameen to our supplication! Alhamdulillah for everything.
May Allah, The Ever-Living, The One True God, The Rich, The Merciful, The Most Powerful, forgive all our errors and guide us to the straight path. May Allah grant us the sincerity and ability to obey Him and fulfil His commands and may He enable us to follow the perfect example of His final Messenger and Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Allah protect us from all evil and grant us all good and may Allah help us to remember Him always. May Allah not make Ramadan leave us, except that we are forgiven and guided and may Allah bless and increase us in good, Allah preserve our religion, our worldly life, our hereafter, our health, our family, our wealth, youth, ability, time, our safety, our ummah, our community, our neighbours our nation, our countries our world. Allah guide all of us to His love and mercy. May Allah unite us with the prophets peace be upon them, Allah make us pious and the inheritors of jannat al firdaus, paradise. Allah forgive us and our parents, our grandparents, our predecessors, our families , future generations our successors and all of us. Allah help us to worship Him alone, with perfect understanding of His Oneness, Tawhid, and Allah protect us from major and minor sins. Allah make us true followers of the sunnah of prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, like the companions of the prophet, may Allah be pleased with them. May Allah, The One without partners, forgive us and grant us cures and mercy and lift the calamities and bring peace to all of us. Wasallallahu alaa nabiyina Muhammad. Oh Allah accept, Amin.
Please keep us in your generous duas, today, tonight, during laylatul Qadr, on Friday, all the special times. wa jazakumullahu khairan
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We are nearly at the end of the 5th month 1443, and those of us who owe missed fasts from previous Ramadan, we really must make them up now in sha Allah!
Take advantage of the short days. Let us put our trust in Allah, and it will be alright. (Alhamdulillah) Remember Allah is Al-Qadeer (capable of all things) and He will surely help us and make it possible.
Trust Allah, that we can do it! And it’s good preparation for Ramadan in sha Allah!
Be inspired by those who have genuine difficulty/lack of resources and food, but soldier on for the sake of Allah.
Remember Allah gave us a lot more than others, so let’s drop the excuses and start showing Allah more gratitude by obeying Him as we owe Him everything, because He owns everything!!!
May Allah grant us the ability. May Allah make us sincere and make our fasting easy, rewarded and accepted and may He grant us many Ramadans in His obedience, Ya Rabb al aalameen! Allahumma Salli alaa Rasoolillah Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam!
What is meant by udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it obligatory or Sunnah?.
Praise be to Allaah. The word udhiyah means an animal of the ‘an’aam class (i.e., camel, cow, sheep or goat) that is slaughtered during the days of Eid al-Adha because of the Eid and as an act of worship, intending to draw closer to Allaah thereby.
This is one of the rituals of Islam prescribed in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and according to the consensus of the Muslims.
In the Qur’aan:
1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)”
[al-Kawthar 108:2]
2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims”
[al-An’aam 6:162]
The word nusuk (translated here as sacrifice) means sacrifice; this is the view of Sa’eed ibn Jubayr. And it was said that it means all acts of worship, including sacrifice, which is more comprehensive.
3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God Allaah), so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam). And (O Muhammad) give glad tidings to the Mukhbitoon [those who obey Allaah with humility and are humble from among the true believers of Islamic Monotheism]”
[al-Hajj 22:34]
In the Sunnah:
1 – It was narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (5558) and Saheeh Muslim (1966) that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two white rams speckled with black. He slaughtered them with his own hand, said ‘Allaahu akbar’ and put his foot on their necks.”
2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stayed in Madeenah for ten years, offering sacrifice (every year on Eid).” Narrated by Ahmad, 4935; al-Tirmidhi, 1507; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1475.
3 – It was narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) shared out sacrificial animals amongst his companions, and ‘Uqbah got a sheep that was six months old. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, I got a sheep that is six months old.” He said, “Offer it as a sacrifice.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5547.
4 – It was narrated from al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever offers a sacrifice after the prayer has completed his rituals (of Eid) and has followed the way of the Muslims.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5545.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered sacrifices, as did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). And he said that sacrifice is the way of the Muslims.
Hence the Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is prescribed in Islam, as was narrated by more than one of the scholars.
But they differed as to whether it is Sunnah mu’akkadah (a confirmed Sunnah) or it is obligatory and it is not permissible to omit it.
The majority of scholars are of the view that it is Sunnah mu’akkadah. This is the view of al-Shaafa’i, Maalik and Ahmad according to his most well-known view.
Others were of the view that it is obligatory. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and one of the views narrated from Ahmad. This was also the view favoured by Ibn Taymiyah who said: “This is one of the views narrated in the madhhab of Maalik, or it appears to be the view of Maalik.”
From Risaalat Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa’l-Dhakaah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Udhiyah is Sunnah mu’akkadah for the one who is able to do it, so a person should offer the sacrifice on behalf of himself and the members of his household.”
Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/661.
REMINDER:
If a person wants to offer an udhiyah, then it is haraam – according to the more correct view – for him to remove anything from his hair or nails until he offers his sacrifice, regardless of whether he offers his sacrifice at the beginning of the time for it, immediately after the Eid prayer, or at the end of the time, i.e., before sunset on the thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
That is because of the report narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (1977) from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has an animal to sacrifice, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah appears, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails, until he has offered his sacrifice.”
8. Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. To invoke Him, to recite His speech (Quran), to stand with all sincerity (in prayer) and with good manners and good submission (humility) and to end that with repentance and seeking His forgiveness.
Thurrock Muslim Community 