Saturday, September 26, 2009

Enjoying Islam with Zain & Dawud

Saturday - Kids Special of the Week


Friday, September 25, 2009

Fasting Six Days in Shawaal

Friday - Hadith of the Week

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "He who fasts Ramadan, and six of Shawwal, it will be (in terms of rewards) as if the fasted a whole year."

~ Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah

Paris Seeks to Become Capital of Islamic Finance

Thursday - Islamic Finance News of the Week


French politics might live uneasily with Islam--battling over burkas, sparring over veils--but French economists are keen to make Islamic finance a crisis buster in Paris. Finance minister Christine Lagarde is trying to attract Islamic banking, which has grown 10 to 15 percent a year since 2003 to become a global industry totaling more than $700 billion today. That's a smart move: the global economic meltdown has made Sharia-compatible finance especially attractive. Islamic banking eschews much of the risky behavior that brought conventional finance to its knees, including speculation; it also prohibits interest, helping to prevent debt spirals. And since it favors long-term investment in real estate and infrastructure, it could provide much-needed cash for France's economy. A 2008 report for lobbying group Paris Europlace argued France could become a global leader in the field, drawing $145 billion in capital by 2020 and challenging London's current dominance in the West. To create a market in France, Lagarde is working to smooth out the remaining tax and legal obstacles to full Sharia-friendliness. Insiders think her friendly signals to Muslim investors abroad will outweigh her colleagues' burka bouts.

Report By: Tracy McNicoll
Source: Newsweek

Should he start with the six days of Shawwaal before making up missed fasts, if there are not enough days left?

Is it permissible to fast the six days of Shawwaal before making up days that I did not fast in Ramadaan, if there is not enough time left in the month to do both? May Allaah reward you with good.

Praise be to Allaah.

Fasting six days of Shawwaal is dependent upon having completed the Ramadaan fast, according to the correct view. This is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted a lifetime.” Narrated by Muslim, 1164.

The conjunction thumma (then) indicates that this must be done in this order. This indicates that the fast of Ramadaan must be completed first (by observing the Ramadaan fast and making up any missed fasts), then after that one may fast the six days of Shawwaal, so as to attain the reward mentioned in the hadeeth.

The one who still owes missed Ramadaan fasts is said to have fasted part of Ramadaan; we cannot say that he has fasted Ramadaan.

But if a person has an excuse that kept him from fasting the six days of Shawwaal in Shawwaal because he had to make up missed fasts – such as a woman who was bleeding followed childbirth and spent all of Shawwaal making up for Ramadaan – then she may fast six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa’dah, because she was excused. Similarly for anyone who has an excuse it is prescribed to make up the six days of Shawwaal in Dhu’l-Qa’dah, after making up the missed Ramadaan fasts. But the one who lets the month of Shawwaal go by without fasting these days and with no excuse, will not attain this reward.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked: What if a woman owes days from Ramadaan – is it permissible for her to give precedence to fasting the six days of Shawwaal over making up the days she owes, or should she give priority to the days she owes over fasting the six days of Shawwaal?

He replied: If a woman still owes days from Ramadaan, then she should not fast the six days of Shawwaal until after she has made up what she owes, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal…” Whoever still has days to make up from Ramadaan has not fasted Ramadaan, so she will not attain the reward of fasting the six days of Shawwaal until after she has finished making up the days she owes. If we assume that this making up missed fasts lasts throughout Shawwaal, such as if a woman was bleeding following childbirth and did not fast at all in Ramadaan, then she started to make up her missed fasts in Shawaal and did not finish that until Dhu’l-Qa’dah began, then she may fast the six days, and she will have the reward of one who fasted them in Shawwaal, because she delayed it for a necessary reason, so she will have the reward.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 20/19. See also questions no. 4082 and 7863.
In addition to that, it is obligatory to make up missed fasts for the one
who had an excuse, indeed that is part of this pillar of Islam. Based on this, hastening to do it and to discharge this duty takes priority over doing actions that are mustahabb. See question no. 23429.

Source: Islam Q&A

Islamic Circle of North America

Tuesday - Islamic Institution in USA Series

http://www.icna.org/

About ICNA
Islamic Circle of North America is a leading grass roots organization which seeks to obtain the pleasure of Allah (SWT) through working for the establishment of Islam in all spheres of life. ICNA has many projects, programs, and activities which are designed to help in the process of molding the individual and reforming society at large.

Goal
The goal of ICNA shall be to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT) through the struggle of Iqamat-ud-Deen (establishment of the Islamic system of life) as spelled out in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Program

  • To invite mankind to submit to the Creator by using all means of communications.
  • To motivate Muslims to perform their duty of being witnesses unto mankind by their words and deeds.
  • To organize those who agree to work for this cause in the discipline of ICNA.
  • To offer educational and training opportunities to increase Islamic knowledge, to enhance character, and to develop skills for all those who are associated with ICNA.
  • To oppose immorality and oppression in all forms, and support efforts for civil liberties and socio-economic justice in the society.
  • To strengthen the bond of humanity by serving all those in need anywhere in the world, with special focus on our neighborhood across North America.
  • To cooperate with other organizations for the implementation of this program and unity in the ummah.

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