Eid ul Fitr 2021:1442 - Chand Raat

Assalam-alaikam all,

I hope this Ramadan has been truly blessed for you and that you have grown in faith and nearness to Allah (SWT) and that your store of good deeds has grown exponentially insh’Allah:

“When it is the last night [of Ramadan], they are forgiven, all of them.” So a man from the people said, “Is it the Night of Power?” And the Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  replied, “No, do you not see that if laborers work, when they finish their tasks, they are given their wages?” (Bayhaqi)

Please don’t forget, that this night preceding Eid day (Chaand raat, or the night of the new moon) is a night of ibadat (worship) full of rewards and we should try to gain a little of that reward if we can. From "Shawwal: What to Do On Eid Night, Eid Day, and During the Month" by Mufti Taqi Usmani:

The Night Preceding 'Eid-ul-Fitr'

It had been the practice of the Prophet, ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam, that he would not sleep in the night preceding the day of Eid-ul-fitr. This night has been named in a Hadith as the Night of Reward (Lailatul Jaiza). Almighty bestows his rewards on those who have spent the month of Ramadan abiding by the dictates of Shari'ah, and all their prayers in this night are accepted. Therefore, it is desirable to perform nafl prayers in this night. The Prophet, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, is reported to have said:

“Whoever stands up (in worship) in the nights preceding the two Eids expecting rewards from his Lord, his heart will not die when the other hearts will die.” (Ibn Majah)

To benefit from this opportunity, one should perform as much worship in this night as he can and should pray for all his needs and desires. Right now many of us are anguished and sore hearted at the horrific events that have unfolded in Palestine and Masjid Al-Aqsa. These are the hours to make intense dua for our brothers and sisters around the world facing oppression and hardship, may Allah (SWT) rectify their affairs, accept their sacrifices and bless them with ease insha'Allah.

The Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘There are five nights on which du`a is not rejected: the first night of Rajab, the fifteenth night of Sha’ban, Thursday night, the night before Eid al-Fitr and the night before Eid al-Nahr (al-Adha)’. (As-Suyuti)

Ibn Abbas (radhiallahu‘anh) narrated, ’When the day of Eid-ul-Fitr [begins], the angels descend on earth, where they take their positions at access points of roads, calling out with a voice that is heard by the whole creation of Allah, except men and Jin, “O Ummah of Muhammad (saw)! Come out to your most Noble and Gracious Lord, who grants much, and pardons the major sins”. When they proceed to their places of prayer, Allah, Exalted is He, says to His angels, ”O My angels! What is the reward of a worker when he has done his work?” So they say, ”Our Lord and Our Master! To receive his reward [for the work, in full]“. So He says, ”I call you to witness that, for their fasts [during Ramadan], and for their standing in prayer at night, I have made their reward My Pleasure, and my Forgiveness. Depart [from here], you are forgiven”’. (Lataif al-Ma’arif)

Ramadan 2020/1441: Ramadan Giving Day 22 – Nakba Day

Our Ramadan Giving series highlights the amazing work charities are doing and showcases their special Ramadan campaigns, giving us all the opportunity to support, donate and do a little good insh’Allah

Ramadan Giving Day 22: Nakba Day 

Today is Nakba Day, or “The Catastrophe” in Arabic, the day that marks the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians from their lands. Seventy-one years ago, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced to flee their villages and towns in historical Palestine to neighbouring countries as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. According to UN refugee agency UNRWA, more than 1.5 million Palestinians -- almost a third of the already registered Palestine refugees -- are scattered in 58 recognized refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

So on Nakba day (15^th May), I wanted to highlight the work of charities that support Palestinians and encourage you to consider donating to them:

Since 1994, Interpal has provided humanitarian and development aid to Palestinians in need. We are a specialist, non-political charity working to support the most vulnerable and support Palestinian communities.  They exist to empower Palestinians to face their challenges and hardships in our principal areas of operation: the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.

Friends of Al-Aqsa, first established in 1997, is a UK based non-profit making NGO concerned with defending the human rights of Palestinians and protecting the sacred al-Aqsa Sanctuary in Jerusalem.  The aims of the organisation include highlighting Human Rights abuses suffered by the Palestinians, bringing the Palestinian issue to the attention of those concerned with International Law, human rights and UN Resolutions and emphasising the significance and the centrality of the al-Aqsa Mosque to the Islamic faith and the Muslim identity and re-affirming the Muslim historic and religious rights to the area.

MedicalAid for Palestinians (MAP) works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees. It’s origins are in the massacres of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp when in 1982, Lebanese Phalangist militants killed and injured hundreds of unarmed Palestinian in the camps. Working in a hospital inside the camp at the time was a young orthopaedic surgeon from London, Dr Swee Chai Ang. Refusing to leave the hospital, Dr Ang worked tirelessly to save the injured and protect her patients during the massacre.On her return to London, Dr Ang joined with fellow medical professionals and humanitarians to establish Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), in order to send out doctors and nurses to work in the Palestinian refugee camps and provide front-line care. Since then, MAP has been reaching out to Palestinian communities, striving to deliver health and medical care to those worst affected by conflict, occupation and displacement.

image source 

image source: The key is a widely used symbol of the Nakba, as many Palestinians kept the keys to their homes when they were forced into exile in 1948. 

O you who have believed, spend from that which We have provided for you ~ Quran 2:254

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: “The Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was the most generous person, and he used to become more so (generous) particularly in the month of Ramadan…more generous than the fast wind in doing good” (Bukhari).

The Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

"Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned." ~ Quran 2:245

Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: "The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind." (Daraqutni)

Ramadan 2020/1441: Ramadan Giving Day 12 – Ilmfeed in Gaza

Our Ramadan Giving series highlights the amazing work charities are doing and showcases their special Ramadan campaigns, giving us all the opportunity to support, donate and do a little good insh’Allah

Ramadan Giving Day 13: Ilmfeed in Gaza

Ilmfeed are currently raising funds for intensive care equipment for Gaza. Gaza’s hospitals are under-resourced, and the Palestinian authorities have put an urgent appeal out for help. Only 20 intensive care beds and equipment are available to treat patients from a population of 1.8m people. Gaza’s health system was already under severe pressure due to a lack of medical supplies and the pandemic has only made the situation worse. As of 21st April 2020, there have been a total of 346 Coronavirus cases in Palestine and the healthcare system will collapse if the outbreak worsens.

The Palestinian authorities say they need at least 100 ICU beds and equipment for Gaza and Ilmfeed have partnered up with Islamic Relief to fund raise for 5 ICU beds and other life-saving medical equipment.

You can find out more about the project and donate here.

image source

O you who have believed, spend from that which We have provided for you ~ Quran 2:254

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas: “The Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was the most generous person, and he used to become more so (generous) particularly in the month of Ramadan…more generous than the fast wind in doing good” (Bukhari).

Palestine Expo 2017

I attended the Palestine Expo, an event organised by Friends of Al-Aqsa, this year with Shutterbug Sister, Harlequin Sister and Little Lady.  The situation in Palestine is something that affects Muslims across the Ummah (global Muslim community).  My first memory of what has happened there, as a seven or eight year old, was a news report with an accompanying video of a young Palestinian boy with curly dark hair flanked by soldiers and with blood pouring down his face.  The image haunted me and for years after and I used to wonder what happened to him.  Did he go to jail?  Did he get married and have a family? Was he still alive? 

Over the years, we have followed what has happened in Palestine (1 , 2 and 3), with the siege of Gaza leaving us feeling helpless, ineffective and devastated.  So when the opportunity came to learn more about the situation and also about the culture and heritage of Palestine, we were keen to take the opportunity.

The event took place over five floors of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre close to Parliament and included lectures, film and documentary viewings and a market place celebrating Palestinian culture.

The first lecture was from Dr Inas Abbad, a political science researcher, lecturer and a political activist from Jerusalem.  She described how the education system of the Palestinians had been dismantled following the Ottoman period during British and then Israeli rule, with decreased number of schools, changed curriculum and children coming through checkpoints to cramped and unsuitable classrooms.  Something that really stood out for me was how she described the way a rich and beautiful Palestinian culture and heritage was being wiped from history and school books to support a narrative that said that there was nothing before the Israeli’s came and that they had turned the barren and empty desert land green.

The second talk was from Ronnie Barkan, an Israeli human rights activist and conscientious objector (he refused to complete his compulsory military service in Israel).  He spoke about the political element of the struggle, with even "liberal" Israeli politicians begrudging Palestinians their rights.  

The third talk we managed to listen to was from Soheir Asad, a Palestinian activist and Human Rights lawyer.  She broke down the way the Palestinian had been discriminated against using the law, in particularly how land laws had been used in different ways to confiscate the lands they owned.

We made a few trips through the floor with stalls selling ceramics, embroidered outfits, shawls, dates and oil, perfume, calligraphy, books, charities and about half a dozen stalls laden with halal sweets.

There was an area for children's activities including storytelling on the theme of Prophets of Palestine by well-known storytellers Hassen Rasool and Elizabeth Lymer

We took a break for lunch, with the girls queuing up for ages for a falafel wrap, I didn't want to wait around, so went for the shortest queue which was for a chicken biryani.  Then we went to listen to a lecture by John Pilger, a journalist whose work I have admired since I first came across his writings online and in book form.  I didn't expect how full the lecture hall would be and he received a standing ovation.  He spoke about his experiences reporting on Palestine, moving, devastating and infuriating by turn. He also spoke about the change he was seeing with people unwilling to ignore the injustices in the world whether Palestine, Grenfell Tower or the Occupy Wall Street movement.

It was a day well spent learning and trying to understand what we can do to help.  I am very glad I took my daughter along and I would take my two sons along in future, particularly as they were so moved by what was happening during the seize of Gaza.