Muslim Advice

Muslim Advice

The planet earth is created by the Almighty Allah, yet some land, some places are more sacred than others. Offering prayers at Haram Sharif in Makka-e-Muazzamaa and Madina Munawara carry more virtues than offering prayers at other places.
In the same manner some months are more sacred than others. One such sacred month is the month of Rajab.
The first night of Rajab (when moon is sighted) is among the sacred nights in which the supplications are accepted. Hazrat Ibna Soolki (Allah’s Mercy be on him) pleaded to Allah that He may die on the first night of Rajab.
Paradise is the reward for the one who fasts on the Navchandi Thursday (the first Thursday that comes after moon is sighted). This is said by Allah’s Messenger and is recorded in Kitabul Barkaat.

Observe just one fast in the month of Rajab, and guess how much virtue you can get for that one fast. Allah’s Messenger says, “The one who observes one fast in rajab it is as if one has fasted for forty years.”

THE kingdom presented its shift from the Islamic to the Gregorian calendar as a leap into modernity. In April the dynamic deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman, chose to call his transformation plan Vision 2030, not Vision 1451 after the corresponding Islamic year as traditionalists might have preferred. Recently his cabinet declared that the administration is adopting a solar calendar in place of the old lunar one. Henceforth they will run the state according to a reckoning based on Jesus Christ’s birth, not on the Prophet Muhammad’s religious mission.

The holy month of Muharram is observed by all Muslims across the globe. The month is the first of the twelve months in the Islamic calendar, thereby marking the Islamic New Year. It is one of the four sanctified months wherein unlawful acts are strictly prohibited, especially the shedding of blood. Even the literal meaning of Muharram is �haram�, which means forbidden. The first ten days of the month are mourned by the Muslims to commemorate the brutal assassination of Prophet Muhammad�s grandson, Imam Husain, his family and supporters. Thus, Muharram has great religious significance behind its observance. Go through the following lines to know more about the historical importance of Muharram.

Historical Importance Of Muharram

'Rajabun Shahrullah' - 'Rajab is the month of Allah'
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ
The Prophet's Night Journey
by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

17:1: "Praise be to God Who has enraptured His servant by night from the Sacred mosque (Mecca) to the Farthest Mosque (Jerusalem)."
33:56: "Lo! God and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O ye who believe; ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation."
The Spiritual Significance of the Miraculous Night Journey & Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (s)

by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Article 24
There are five conditions in Hajj al-Tamattu’:
1- Niyyah (Intention) which is that the pilgrim should intend to perform “Hajj al-Tamattu’” for Allah, therefore if this person intends to perform some other type of Hajj or has some doubt about performing “Hajj al-Tamattu’” or other type of Hajj or he/she does not have pure intention for Hajj, then his/her Hajj is not correct.
2- Both “Umrah” and “Hajj” should be performed in months of Hajj (Shawwal, Dhu’l-Qa’dah and Dhu’l-Hijjah), therefore it is not enough that a pilgrim performs all of Umrah or a part of it before the month of Shawwal.
3- A pilgrim should perform both “Umrah al-Tamattu”’ and “its Hajj” in one year, if he/she performs one of them in this year, and the next one in another year (even in the months of Hajj), then this Hajj is not correct.

Article 23
The summary of Hajj al-Tamattu’ is as follows:
1- Umrah al-Tamattu’
Umrah al-Tamattu’ should only be performed in the months of Hajj (which are Shawwal, Dhu’l-Qa’dah and Dhu’l-Hijjah) and the following acts are obligatory in performing that:
1- Wearing Ihram from Mecca with the intention of Umrah al-Tamattu’.
2- Doing the Tawaf of Ka’ba seven times
3- Performing two Rak’ats of prayer of Tawaf behind the Maqam (station) of Ibrahim.
4- Sa’y –The shuttling between Safa and Marwah seven times
5- Taqsir which means cutting the hair and nail but pilgrim should not suffice in cutting only the nail.
When the Hajji comes out of the Ihram after performing these five acts the things and acts that had been Haraam for him/her because of Ihram, now becomes Halaal.
2- Hajj al-Tamattu’
Hajj al-Tamattu’ consists of following acts:
1- Wearing Ihram from Mecca.
2- Wuquf that means staying in Arafat from noon until sunset of the day nine of Dhu’l-Hijjah.

Article 199
Whenever a pilgrim reduces the number of Tawaf deliberately and sequence passes then Tawaf is invalidated and Tawaf should be performed again, but if he/she compensates that amount before passing the sequence then Tawaf is correct; and it is possible to stop Mustahab or obligatory Tawaf and start it again from the beginning.
Article 200
Whenever a pilgrim performs Tawaf more than seven rounds deliberately then Tawaf is invalidated, even if he/she had the intention of doing this from the beginning or makes the intention of adding something after that, and even this amount is one round or more or less, but if this added distance has been included without the intention of Tawaf, for example going the first round with crowds in order to be familiar with Tawaf and start it from al-Hajar Al-Aswad, then this act has no problem.

One of the strong affirmed Mustahab acts for people who are in Mecca is Tawaf of the house of Allah that is seven rounds like obligatory Tawaf and a two Rak’ats prayer, performed after that, but it does not include Sa’y of Safa and Marwah.
And this one best worships and it has been mentioned in a Hadith from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that: “There are 120 divine mercies around Ka’ba, out of which half of that is for the ones who perform tawaf and another forty are for those who perform prayers and other twenty are for people who looks at Ka’ba”.1
A person can perform this Tawaf on behalf of friends (dead or alive) who are not in Mecca and it is more preferred than several Umrahs that people perform with the intention of Rija’ (hoping for the goodness of the act) .
Mustahab Tawaf is similar to obligatory (Wajib) Tawaf but it differs that in the following items:

The months of Muharram and Safar offer the yearly opportunity to commemorate the martyrdom of al Husayn ibn `Ali (A), the grandson of the Prophet (S) and the third Imam of the Shiite Muslims, at Karbala' on the tenth of Muharram in the year 61. The tragedy and heroism of the event, the resistance and self sacrifice of the martyrs, are remembered during these days by the Shi`ah and the Ahl al Sunnah alike, and by the Shi`ah with a special ardour, fervour and enthusiasm.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the ardour and enthusiasm inspired by the martyrs of Karbala' is something unsurpassed in the history of religions. No individual or group in the history of the world has attracted such sustained admiration and love in the hearts of their followers as the martyrs of Karbala' and in particular the figure of al Husayn ibn `Ali (A), an admiration which has not dwindled in the course of more than thirteen and a half centuries that have elapsed since that event.

Ramadan is the most precious month in the Islamic calendar (Hijri) and it is obligatory for the Muslims to fast in the month of Ramadan. Here are some interesting and quick points that shows the importance of Ramadan in Islam.

 Allah has made fasting this month the fourth Pillar of Islam
 Allah revealed the Quran in this month
 Allah has made Laylat al-Qadr (The Night of Decree/Power) in this month, which is better than a thousand months
 Allah has made fasting Ramadan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins
 In this month, Allah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils
 Every night Allah has people whom He redeems from the Fire
 Fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, so long as one avoids major sins
 Fasting in Ramadan is equivalent to fasting ten months

In Arabic, the word ‘Umrah is derived from I‘timaar whichmeans a visit. However, ‘Umrahin Islamic terminology, meanspaying a visit to Ka’bah,performing Tawaaf(circumambulation) around it, walking between Safaa andMarwah seven times. Aperformer of ‘Umrah puts off hisIhraam by having his hair shaved or cut. ‘Umrah can beperformed along with Hajj and in other days as well.
‘Umrah can be performedduring anytime in the year, there is no fixed time for ‘Umrah.
The Pillars of `Umrah are four:
a) Ihraam: which is assumed at the Meeqaat.
b) Tawaaf: around the House.
c) Sa'y: walking between As-Safaa and Al-Marwah, which consists of sevencircuits.
d) Tahal-lul: which means coming out of the state of Ihraam; becoming lawful what was previously prohibited during Ihraam.
During ‘Umrah, pilgrims do not go to Minaa, ‘Arafaat and Muzdalifah or throw pebbles on the Jamrahs (stone pillars representing devils) or offer animal sacrifice. These rites are only performed during Hajj.

Date Weekday Holiday Name Holiday Type

Jan 1 Sunday New Year's Day
National holiday
Mar 20 Monday March equinox
Season
Apr 23 Sunday National Sovereignty and Children's Day
National holiday
May 1 Monday Labor and Solidarity Day
National holiday
May 19 Friday Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day
National holiday
Jun 21 Wednesday June Solstice
Season
Jun 24 Saturday Ramadan Feast Eve
Half Day
Jun 25 Sunday Ramadan Feast
National holiday
Jun 26 Monday Ramadan Feast Day 2
Extra Public Holiday
Jun 27 Tuesday Ramadan Feast Day 3
Common Local holidays
Jul 15 Saturday Veterans' Day
Observance
Aug 30 Wednesday Victory Day
National holiday
Aug 31 Thursday Sacrifice Feast Eve
Half Day
Sep 1 Friday Sacrifice Feast
National holiday
Sep 2 Saturday Sacrifice Feast Day 2
National holiday
Sep 3 Sunday Sacrifice Feast Day 3
National holiday
Sep 4 Monday Sacrifice Feast Day 4
Extra Public Holiday
Sep 22 Friday September equinox
Season

NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia has increased India's annual Haj quota from 1.36 lakh to 1.70 lakh, biggest such expansion in last 29 years, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday.

An agreement to this regard was inked by minister of state for minority affairs (independent charge) Naqvi with Saudi Arabia's haj and umrah minister Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten at Jeddah on Weddnesday, making the expansion effective from the current year.

The Saudi authorities had five years ago slashed quotas for foreign pilgrims coming from each country by 20 per cent in view of safety of the devotees as they undertook expansion of Grand Mosque there.

Accordingly, India's quota was brought down to 1.36 lakh from nearly 1.70 lakh in 2012.

Shaban is the 8th month in the Islamic calendar and is considered one of the meritorious months for which we find particular instructions in the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad . It is reported that Prophet Muhammad, used to fast most of the month in Shaban except the last few days of the month.

These fasts are supererogatory (nafl). Shaban is the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. The Prophet mentioned in a hadith, "Rajab is the month of Allah, Shaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of the Nation".

New Delhi: In the biggest hike in nearly three decades, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday increased India's annual Haj quota by 34,500, a move welcomed by the NDA government as a "matter of pleasure".
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Saudi Arabia's Haj and Umrah Minister Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten inked an agreement in this regard in Jeddah today, increasing the size of India's Haj quota from 1,36,020 to 1,70,520.
Representational image. AP
According to a statement issued by Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) Naqvi, it is the "biggest increase" in quota for Haj pilgrims after 1988.
The latest increase in quota will be effective from the current year. The Saudi authorities had five years ago slashed quotas for foreign pilgrims coming from each country by 20 per cent in view of safety of the devotees as they undertook expansion of Grand Mosque there.