Muslim Advice

Muslim Advice

We all know that the Prophet found his solace and comfort in the worship and remembrance of his Creator. However, when the month of Ramadan approached he intensified his efforts. Humbly supplicating to his Lord, he sought help, support, victory and guidance. It was his spiritual power that kept him strong and motivated throughout the day and night.
Why do we fall behind our religious commitments? It is because we lack spiritual power.

A Muslim’s approach: As Ramadan visits us this summer, in the Northern Hemisphere, we will have to load up extra spiritual power this year. Whenever your nafs whispers, “You are not good enough to worship,” remind yourself of the following:
Allah says, “O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous.” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 21]
In this ayah, Allah provides us the answer to becoming a Mutaqqi or righteous. The more we worship, the more God-fearing we will become.

No doubt celebrating such feasts is actually imitating disbelievers. The companion of the Prophet Abdullaah Ibn Amr Ibn al-'Aas, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: "Whoever celebrates the Persian New Year's Day or their carnival and imitates them till his death he will be resurrected with them on the Day of Judgment." The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever imitates a nation is but one of them." [Abu Daawood]

Fasting on the day of christmas has no connection with Islam. Neither does this islamic month of we muslims, i.e Muharram, has any importance of fasting on 25th of Dec.

Muharram is one of the sacred months of the year. Fasting this month is highly recommended.
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The best fasting after the month of Ramadaan is the month of Allaah, the Muharram” [Saheeh Muslim]
Allaah's Messenger called this month the month of Allaah and as we know that when this type of idaafah is
mentioned and it is related to the name of Allaah, then it means that object has greatness, honor and deserves our
respect and veneration as is prescribed in the shariah. Like baytullah, naaqatullaah, rosuulullaah….
So, we understand the great importance of this month, however fasting in this month shouldn't be done as a whole
as we know from the sunnah that the Prophet (saw) never fasted a full whole month except the month of
Ramadaan. So, what the hadith in saheeh Muslims means is to fast a lot of days in Muharram – but not the whole
month and Allaah knows best.

The Islamic lunar calendar comprises of twelve months. Each month of the Islamic calendar has its religious as well as historical significance, however, there are a few months that hold a superior stature compared to other months and because of this they are given more value and respect by the Muslims. One of such months is the month of Shaban.

In Islamic calendar, Shaban is the eighth month which precedes the Holy month of Ramadan. It is one of the most revered months for Muslims and Muslims all over the world give value to this month and have special affiliation with it. Literally, the word Shaban means branch. It can be said that Shaban branches off and leads to other good things. Shaban acts as a connection between the two blessed and sacred months of Rajab and Ramadan. Despite this, the importance of Shaban is often neglected and ignored. The lines below discuss the element of fasting in the month of Shaban under the light of different hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Fasting during the month of Ramadan (also spelled Ramadhan, Ramzan, Ramadhaan), is one of the five pillars of Submission (Islam in Arabic). In the month of Ramadan, submitters (muslims / moslems) fast from dawn to sunset (if able). While fasting (seyam / saum / sawm) during Ramadan, the individual refrains from eating and drinking and practices continence. It is a time of worship and contemplation and to fulfill God's commands and grow one's soul. A time to strengthen family and community ties, and be on our best behaviour.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. God revealed the Quran to the prophet Muhammad, on the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan (this night is also referred to as the Layl at-ul Qadr, or the Night of Destiny), 13 B.H. (before Hijrah). This corresponds to 610 AD.

Sha'ban month is the eighth month in the Islamic calender. In 8 May 2016, Sha'ban month will start and end in 5 June 2016.

The Islamic religious year is known as Hijri year. It began with the Hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Makkah to Madinah in the year 622 of the common era. The twelve-month year is based on a purely lunar cycle of 354 days. Thus Islamic dates have no fixed relation to the seasons of the 365 day solar year. Over the course of years all Islamic events may occur in spring, summer, autumn or winter.
Twelve Islamic months are as follows:

Muharram ul Haram
Safar
Rabi-ul-Awwal
Rab-ul-Akhir
Jamadi-ul-Awwal
Jamadi-ul-Akhir
Rajab
Sha’aban
Ramadhan
Shawwal
Dhul Qadah
Dhul Hijjah

Listening to Qur'an is a recommended act in Islam. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {So, when the Qur'ân is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy. [i.e. during the compulsory congregational prayers when the Imâm (of a mosque) is leading the prayer (except Sûrat Al-Fâtiha), and also when he is delivering the Friday-prayer Khutbah].}[7:204]. Al Bukhari and Muslim reported: Narrated Ibn Massoud that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said to him: "Recite some Qur'an for me (so that I can listen to it)." Ibn Massoud said: 'How? I recite it for you and it was revealed to you?' The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "I like listening to it from others." The person listening to the Qur'an does not have to be pure and does not have to make Wudu. This rule applies to the one listening directly to someone reciting Qur'an as well as from a cassette, a computer or any other device.

Yes, people can fast on Mawlid to welcome the night of the Prophet's birthday and with the intention of worship if they want.
There is nothing in the Qur’aan to say that we should celebrate the Mawlid or birthday of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do this or command anyone to do it, either during his lifetime or after his death. Indeed, he told them not to exaggerate about him as the Christians had exaggerated about Jesus (upon whom be peace). He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam. I am only a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allaah and His Messenger.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari).

1 Muharram is on the 14 October, Wednesday in 2015. Also, Ashura which is the tenth day of Muharram is on the 23 October, Friday. The month of Muharram ends on the 12 December, Thursday.

Ramadan is the name of the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It is an important month in the Islamic calendar and culture. Each day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world observe the sacred month by fasting during day light hours (from dawn to sunset), performing nightly prayers in addition to the daily obligatory prayers, and concluding each day’s fast over food with family and friends. At the end of the month is a three-day holiday that celebrates the conclusion of the month with Eid al-Fitr and prepares individuals to return to their regular daily routine.

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. “The month of Ramadan, during which the Qur’an was revealed, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance and the criterion; and whoever of you is resident, let him fast the month” (al-Qur’an, 2:185).

Muslims – there are 1.6 billion in the world – believe Ramadan is the holiest month in the year , when the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, or the Hijri calendar based on the lunar cycle, which began in AD622 when Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina.
When is Ramadan?
Depending on the sighting of the crescent moon, or hilal, the month begins this year on the evening of the Wednesday 17 June, which means Muslims will begin their first day of fasting at dawn on Thursday 18 June.
The month of fasting will end on either Friday 17 July or Saturday 18 July, as there are either 29 or 30 days in a lunar month.
As Ramadan begins about 11 days earlier each year, it sometimes falls in winter months when the fasts are short, and in summer months when the fasts are long.

Why do Muslims fast?

The 12 months of the calendar are:

Muharram
Safar
Rabi' al-awwal (Rabi' I)
Rabi' al-thani (Rabi' II)
Jumada al-awwal (Jumada I)
Jumada al-thani (Jumada II)
Rajab
Sha'ban
Ramadan
Shawwal
Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Hijjah

Introduction
With the sighting of the new moon the Islamic new year is ushered in. The first month Muharram, is a month of great reward and virtue. Muharram itself means `sacred' and is from those months which have been mentioned as sacred in the Holy Quraan.
Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quraan:
"Four of them ( Zil-Qadah, Zil-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab) are sacred."
(Surah At-Tawbah:36)
Virtues
From out of the four sacred months, Muharram has been blessed with certain specific virtues:-
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu-Alayhi-Wasallam) said:
"The best of fasts besides the month of Ramadhan is the fasting of Allah's month of Muharram."
(Muslim)

In another Hadeeth, Hazrat Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallahu-Anhu) reports: "that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu-Alayhi-Wasallam) said: "The one that keeps a fast in the month of Muharram will receive the reward of thirty fasts for each fast (in this sacred month)."
(Tabraani)

Rajab is the seventh month in the Islamic lunar calendar. This month was regarded as one of the sacred months (Al-Ashhur-al-hurum) in which battles were prohibited in the days of the Holy Prophet . It is also a prelude to the month of Ramadan, because Ramadan follows it after the intervening month of Sha'ban. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following words:

"O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)."
Yet no specific way of worship has been prescribed by the Shari'ah in this month. However, some people have invented some special rituals or practices in this month, which are not supported by reliable resources of the Shari'ah or are based on some unauthentic traditions. We would like to explain here the correct position about them.
1. Celebration of Lailatul Mi'raj