The Best Ten Days of the Year
The best ten days in the whole entire world are upon us, the most blessed days of the year: the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah (meaning “Owner of the Hajj”). It is truly the holiday season for us Muslims, as to us the special days are those in which we really have a reason to rejoice: our good deeds are being multiplied in number. Regardless of one’s situation, each has the ability to increase in the good deeds and sacrifice in one way or another to gain the blessings from these ten days, as good deeds do not necessarily require time. Fasting is something you can do with no extra time. Remembering of Allah (SWT) on your tongue through takbir, tahmeed, tahleel (reciting: Allahu Akbar, Alhamdulillah, La Ilaha Ila Allah ) is something so light on the tongue, and so heavy in the scales. A smile, a good word, a pleasant aura, a giving hand, all can be light in terms of effort, but they are truly heavy to the Most Gracious. It is by the Grace and Mercy of Allah (swt) that even the busy man, the busy woman, the student far from home, and the parents’ hands full with their children at home, can gain from these ten days, as even the smallest of good deeds are multiplied. We welcome the honored days of Dhul-Hijjah with a small reminder of the merits and practical steps we can take to increase the heaviness of our scales. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said about these first ten days: “The best days in the world are the ten days.” Righteous deeds on these days are more beloved to Allah than on any other days. Allah (SWT) swears by them in the Qur’an, indicating their importance. Some Important reminders: Making Thikr with your tongue Fasting the 9th day, the Day of Arafat Offering Sacrifice, For the Head of the Household Offering Takbir from Fajr on the day of Arafat until the last day of Eid Ul-Adha Any other good deeds: Charity, fasting in the first 9 days, extra prayers, joining ties between your families, being extra good to your parents, etc. We pray for the blessings to rain down on our community, for the increase in our good deeds, for Allah to accept our prayers, our praising of Allah, our sacrifices, and our good deeds, and gather us all with the Prophet Ibrahim (S) and His family in the Hereafter.
Hajj: Reflections on the Pilgrimage
By Shaykh Abdur Rahman Khan | Millions of Muslims from every corner of the globe will converge in Makkah at the end of this month for Hajj, the annual pilgrimage. They come to commemorate and celebrate the extraordinary sacrifices made by two of mankind’s greatest leaders – Prophets Ibrahim and Muhammad ﷺ, upon them be peace, – for the establishment of tawheed, belief in the oneness of God. The Hajjis, as they are often referred to, honor the symbols of Allah and glorify Him as they make tawaf and fulfill the other rituals of Hajj. Throughout the pilgrimage, it is ideal to engage in critical self-reflection and actively seek to improve one’s relationship with Allah. The Meaning of Hajj Linguistically Hajj is to take action towards an object of reverence, veneration, respect or honor. According to the shari’ah definition, Hajj is the journey to Makkah during the designated month of Dhul-Hijjah in which a specific set of rituals are performed as an act of worship. Allah states, “Hajj is [during] well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein [by entering the state of ihram], there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do – Allah knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah.” [Sahih Intl 2:197] The Best Time for Hajj There is no better time than the present. In the Quran, Allah says, “And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way.” [Sahih Intl 3:97] The Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him, said, “Hurry to perform Hajj as none of you knows what may happen to him.” [Bukhari] Hajj may be performed as many times as one desires. However, it is obligatory only once in a lifetime. Abu Hurairah, radi Allahu ‘anhu, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave a sermon and said: “O people, Allah has enjoined Hajj upon you so perform Hajj.” A man asked: “Is it every year, O Messenger of Allah?” He remained silent until the man had said it three times. Then he responded, “If I had said yes, it would have become a yearly obligation and you would not have been able to do it.” [Muslim] The Virtues of Hajj The reward of Hajj is Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ said: “One Umrah until the next Umrah is expiation for what is between them. And the Hajj that is accepted by Allah and performed properly has no reward other than Paradise.” [Bukhari and Muslim] Hajj is considered a jihad for women. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked by ‘Aisha, radi Allahu ‘anha, may Allah be pleased with her, whether women are required to take part in battles. He replied, “Yes, but theirs is Hajj, an accepted pilgrimage.” ‘Aisha said, “I never stopped going for Hajj after I heard that from the Messenger of Allah.” [Bukhari] Those who go for Hajj are considered to be the guests of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The one who fights for the sake of Allah and the pilgrim who goes for Hajj or ‘Umrah are all guests of Allah. He called them and they responded. They ask of Him and He will give them.” [Ibn Majah] One who performs Hajj without harming others will leave with a clean slate. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever goes for Hajj with the intention solely for the sake of Allah, and does not indulge in any indecency or immoral act, and does not commit any disobedience, he will return as though the day he was brought into this world.” [Bukhari and Muslim]. In another incident, ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, radi Allahu ‘anhu, said, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Hajj wipes out whatever (sins) came before it.” [Muslim] Hajj and Submission Hajj is ultimately about submission to Allah. Stoning the jamaraat, shaving, doing tawaaf – these are simple acts of worship yet they require energy, effort and submission. Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, alayhi musalam, and on them be peace, raised the Ka’bah in an act of worship and submission to Allah. “And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], “Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.” [Sahih Intl 2:127-128] Hajj is an active and demanding form of worship. There are numerous tests of patience that an individual must go through. We are reminded of the difficulties of Haajar and Ismail, alayhi musalam, who were left in the barren valley of Makkah with nothing. Allah blessed them because of their patience and their trust in Him. Highlights of Hajj Hajjis begin by doing tawaaf around the Ka’bah On the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah they go to Mina On the 9th day they go to Arafah then to Muzdalifah at night On the 10th day they return to Mina to pelt the shaytaan then go back to the Ka’bah On 11th and 12th/13th they return to Mina They finish at the Ka’bah Reflections on Hajj As the time for it approaches, it would be beneficial to move beyond the outward rituals and take a glimpse at the symbolism and spirituality laden in Hajj. Often Hajjis attempt to complete the rites in minute detail and neglect the spiritual underpinnings of the action. In this situation, one could return home without experiencing the blessings Hajj can offer. Hajj is a microcosm of our life. In the same way that we undertake this once in a lifetime journey to Makkah for Allah’s sake, life too is a one-time opportunity to attain Allah’s pleasure and mercy. As a person leaves behind his/her
Just Mercy: Lessons from Seerah by Dr. Mohammad Yunus | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
Unity – One Message, One Direction, One Ummah by Oussama Jammal | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
Wisdom from Surah Al Ankabut | Surah Al Ankabut | verses 19 – 25 | By Br Mansoor Syed
Register for future online Quran Study sessions at https://www.icna.org/quran Wisdom from Surah Ankabut – When the going gets tough Surah Al Ankabut (29) verses 19 to 20 For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: (855) 855-ICNA Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ Annual Convention at http://www.icnaconvention.org source
Eyewitness Account of Christchurch Tragedy by Dr. Mohsin Ansari | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
Why Me? Why Bad Things Happen to Good People? by Imam Asif Hirani | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
The Epitome of Submission: Hunafa by Ustadh Majed Mahmoud | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
Quran Recitation by Sh Ismet Akcin | ICNA-MAS Convention 2019
Register for Next Convention at https://www.icnaconvention.org/register The ICNA-MAS annual convention is one of the largest gatherings of American Muslims in the U.S. Over 23,000 Muslims attended the convention in Washington, DC, in 2019, Alhamdulillah. It featured many top scholars and activists, in addition to many special events like Meals Distribution in Downtown, Mercy Bags distribution to senior homes and Street dawah near the White House. For more information: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/icna Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/icna Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/icnatv Website: https://www.icna.org Phone: 718-658-1199 Donate at https://www.icna.org/donation/ Volunteer at https://www.icna.org/joinus/ source
