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Welcome to the month of Ramadhan. Fasting is the fourth pillar of
Islam. This month comes every year to spread the blessings and mercy of
Allah.
Let us all take some encouragement from the Prophet Muhammad's Sermon about Ramadan
A Sermon On The Last Friday Of Sha'ban On The Reception Of The Month of Ramadan.
"O People ! Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A
month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which with Allah is
the best of months. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of
nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites
you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near
to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your
deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered. So, ask Allah,
your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may
be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is
devoid of Allah's forgiveness during this great month. Remember the
hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgement) with your hunger
and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honour your old, show
kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood
relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not
permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden
to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people, so compassion may be
shown to your orphans. Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your
hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and
Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them
during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked ...
"O People! Indeed your souls are dependant on your deeds, free it
with Istighfar (repentance) lighten its loads by long prostrations; and
know that Allah swears by his might: That there is no punishment for
the one who prays and prostrates and he shall have no fear of the fire
on the day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds.
"O People! One who gives Iftaar to a fasting person during this
month will be like one who has freed someone and his past sins will be
forgiven. Some of the people who were there then asked the Prophet (s):
"Not all of us are able to invite those who are fasting?"
The Prophet replied: "Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar
(meal) is a drink of water." "One who has good morals (Akhlaq) during
this month will be able to pass the 'Siraat' ... on the day that feet
will slip ... "One who covers the faults of others will benefit in that
Allah will curb His anger on the day of Judgement ... "As for one who
honour an orphan; Allah will honour him on the day of judgement, "And
for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread His mercy over
him on the day of Judgement. "As for the one who cuts the ties of
relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him ... "Who so ever performs a
recommended prayer in this month Allah will keep the fire of Hell away
from him ... "Whoever performs an obligatory prayer Allah will reward
him with seventy prayers [worth] in this month. "And who so ever prays
a lot during this month will have his load lightened on the day of
measure. "He who recites one verse of the Holy Quran will be given the
rewards of reciting the whole Quran during other months. "O People!
Indeed during this month the doors of heaven are open, therefore ask
Allah not to close them for you; The doors of hell are closed, so ask
Allah to keep them closed for you. During this month Shaytan (Satan) is
imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you."
Tags: Ramadhan, allah, quran, heaven, prayer, islam.
Names help us form our identities and our personalities. A name is the first label we will ever have, the first to describe who we are. A Muslim name must do more than just sound nice; it has to have a beautiful meaning, as well. In fact, the Prophet (PBUH) would often instruct his followers to change their names to names more fitting believers. Should New Muslims Change Their Names?While it is not a requirement for new Muslims to change their names, many choose to do so. Some change their name because their original name has a negative connotation. For example, alcohol is not allowed in Islam, so a new Muslim named Margarita or Brandy would probably change her name. Some change because their name is associated with a religion other than Islam. You won't see many Muslims named Christian! Still others change to a more recognizably "Muslim" name as a sort of announcement of their new religion. With the ever growing interest in Islam comes a need for understanding of Muslim names. American Muslims also need ideas for naming their babies. Requirements for Muslim NamesMuslim names do not have to be of any particular origin or language. They simply must have a nice meaning. Still, many Muslims do have Arabic names. - Names must not imply partnership or competition with Allah.
- Names of Prophets are encouraged. Examples are Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), Ibrahim (Abraham), Nuh (Noah), Adam, and Mohammed.
- Names of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH), including Abu Bakr and Aisha, are encouraged.
- Names must be complete. For example, many people mistakenly believe that "Abu" is a Muslim name. "Abu" means "father" and is not a name. "Abu" must be combined with something else to form a complete name.
- Names should not have negative meanings. Names meaning war, rebel, or others of that sort are not allowed.
- Do not choose names that could cause ridicule or embarrassment in later life.
Choosing a Muslim name does not have to be complicated. Simply pick a name with a noble meaning and you will be fine. The next entries will give some examples of Muslim names and their meanings, en sha Allah (God willing).
Tags: muslim, islamic, muslim name
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