“Is
not He Who answereth the distressed one when he calleth Him, and removeth the
distress and maketh you the successors in the earth. Is there any god with
Allah? (Nay!) Little it is what ye reflect.” 27:62
Muslims welcome the month of Ramadan
that carries great blessings from Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta’Ala)
to them as a most joyous occasion, and strive during this month to the
commandments of Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala),
seeking His pleasure. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) made
the month of Ramadan superior over all the other months by allotting it abundant
honors and celebrated Excellencies. This is a month in which Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala) showers
His blessings generously on all obedient Muslims.
KCIK
and the editors of the AL-KUFA
Newsletter wish to congratulate all Muslims around the world for the month of
Ramadan. O' Lord, help us to observe its fasts by restraining our limbs from
disobeying Thee and employing us in that which would please Thee. O' Lord, grant
us unity, keep us together, close our ranks and reconcile our hearts, and by
that, grant us strength and honor. O' Lord, benefit us with Your most excellent
grace, and also grant the people around the world happiness and peace on these
joyous and holy occasions, Ameen.
Goodness is a human act and also purity
of thought and conduct. The merit of it lies in the spirit and the intention
underling it. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) promises
the believing men and women rewards for their good deeds.
Trust, honesty, and sincerity are very
important to health and to cordial relationships among mankind. They are the
foundation of security and comfort.
We must to report to our readers and to
bring to their attention, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to be wary of
con-artists. During the last month, the Center received calls from two
individuals who claimed that they were Muslims from Saudi Arabia, and that they
wanted to help build a Center for us. Again, a caller contacted us, claiming
that he was a Muslim from Kuwait. On both occasions they associated themselves
with large organizations in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. (For more details, please
visit our website or contact the Center.)
It is noteworthy to mention that before
this incident the Center has had correspondence only with those who follow
the path of excellence of Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)
and the commands of
Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) with
sincerity and good intention, to spread
the message of Almighty Lord for those whose hearts will turn to His true path
throughout the world, for the love, care, and brotherhood of all humanity.
May The Almighty Lord shower His
choicest blessing on those who do good with goodness, Ameen.
O’ Lord! Accept my apology. How many
of my stumblings hast Thou protected, how many of my detestable acts has Thou
averted, and how many of my undeserving praises hast Thou spread abroad! Grant
me that I should be grateful to Thee, O’ Lord! Forgive every sin that I have
committed and every error that I have erred.
O’ Lord! Forgive me my sins as would hinder my supplication. I was
deceived with vain hopes whereby I was led astray, and fate facilitated this
respect. O' Lord! Whosoever intendeth evil against me, let ill befall on him and
frustrate him who plots against me, and assign for me a place in Thy presence
with the best of Thy bondsmen, and grant me a nearer abode to Thee, for verily
that position cannot be attained except through Thy grace, and treat me
benevolently. O’ Lord, strengthen us to uphold our spirituality and protect
us, Ameen.
A large number of requests, through phone calls, letters, and in person,
have been received from those who are interested in the AL-KUFA
Newsletter, Dawah program, the Prayer
Time-Table and also from those who filled the Free Subscription /
Cancellation Form for the AL-KUFA
Newsletter. Insha'Allah, the Center will continue publishing the prayer
time-table for each month on the KCIK’s
website. If you receive more than one copy of this newsletter via a duplicate
mailing, you can help us correct this by informing us and we thank you for that.
Please share this newsletter as well as other material you receive from us,
including the Glorious Qur'an with others, Jazakum
Allah Khair.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to
all of you. Because of the large numbers of letters that AL-KUFA has received, we will acknowledge and publish only some of
these letters each time. We are unable to include references due to space
limitations. Our purpose of publishing these letters is to (a) make a certain
plea known to the public in order that they might respond for the pleasure of
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), (b) make us all aware of certain
circumstances, or (c) to share a joyous news as well as to make Dua'as and
Prayers for those who are ill or have lost a loved one, and also for the one
they have lost. NOTE: For
those who are interested in announcing the birth of a child, sponsorship of
orphan/child, graduation, wedding, death, and
for those who are have lost in contact with a loved one or to publish matrimonial or employment interests or to participate in
the Muslim Inmate Rehabilitation Fund,
please contact the Kufa Center of
Islamic Knowledge {you
must include a telephone number for matrimonial requests and please
include your full name in English as well as your complete address, telephone number,
and identification number with
picture}. Those who send
letters and e-mails, please also provide the Center with your telephone numbers.
In addition, brothers and sisters who are requesting of us various Islamic
materials and messages, please provide us with a full name, postal address,
telephone number, and e-mail address. If this is to be sent to an institution,
please ensure that the institution will accept such material(s), even if it is
just the AL-KUFA Newsletter (please
inform us in this case about the committed
name and DC number for ID). Please type your request(s) and sign the paper.
Insha'Allah, we will continue sending this newsletter to whoever wishes to
receive it. Also, we request readers to let us know their new addresses when
they relocate. Thank you brothers and sisters, and may Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta’Ala) reward
all of you. Jazakum Allah Khairan.
We can arrange (at our expense) for people
to call specific individuals, or to call a group of Muslims over a speaker
phone, at an appointed time to provide lessons or answer questions on Islam,
Insha’Allah. An Inmate called the Center and requested a visitor who will be
able to give lecture(s) about the month of Ramadan; he is in Pennsylvania’s
prison. We invite our brothers and sisters who are willing to visit any prison
to let us know, otherwise, Insha’Allah, one of our brothers might be able to
do so over a speakerphone and the Center received an official’s request from
Pennsylvania’s prison.
It is reported that Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)
had given his sermon on the last Friday of the month of
Shaban, as a reception for the month of Ramadan. The Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said:
“O People! Indeed the blessed month of Allah, the month of Ramadan, has approached you. This month is one of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which Allah regards as 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 (dua’as) are answered. So, ask Allah, your Almighty Lord, with sincere intentions and a pure heart; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite His Book (the Qur’an), for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah’s forgiveness during this great month.”
“O People! Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Resurrection (Judgment) with your hunger and thirst.
Give alms to the needy and poor, honor your elderly with respect, show kindness to the young ones. Maintain relations and visit your kin. Safeguard 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 and kindness to the orphans of others, so compassion may be shown to your orphans. Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in supplications and prayers during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours, granting their needs, and answering their pleas with which they plead Him.”
“O People! Indeed your souls are
dependent on your deeds, free them with repentance, lighten their 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 provides a meal (Iftaar)
to a fasting person during this month will receive a reward to be equal like one
who has freed someone, and his past sins will be forgiven.” He was asked,
“What if we are unable to invite those who are fasting?” The Nabiy (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) replied, “Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar
is a drink of water or half a date.”
“O People! One who among you has good
morals (Akhlaq) during this month will be able to pass on the straight path (Al
Siraat Al Mustaqeen) when the feet of many on that day will slip away. One who
covers the faults of others will benefit in that Allah will curb His anger on
the Day of Judgment. As for one who honors an orphan; Allah will honor him on
the Day of Judgment. And for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread
His mercy over him on the Day of Judgment. As for the one who cuts the ties of
relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him. Whosoever 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 whosoever prays much during this month will have his load
lightened on the day of measure. He who recites one verse of the Qur’an will
be given the reward of reciting verses of the Qur’an during other months.”
Islam has emphasized the importance of
having Islamic Scholars whose goal is education, to give the people true and
undistorted information about Islam. RasoolAllah Muhammad (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)
said, “Whoever dies, not following a Caliph/Imam of his age, dies in
ignorance.” The Glorious Qur'an says, “O’ ye who believe! obey Allah and
the RasoolAllah and those vested with authority from among you.” 4:59
Knowledge, wisdom and learning are the
gateway to success. It is reported, “Knowledge is better than money because
knowledge protects you whereas you protect money. Knowledge rules over things,
whereas money is ruled over. Money diminishes as you spend it, whereas spending
the knowledge by teaching it to others increases it.” Knowledge, has been
established very strongly in Islam through explicit texts in the Qur'an and the
hadith as well as in the writings of the scholars of Islam. Allah says in Sura (58:11),
“Rise ye up! then rise ye up, Allah will exalt (you in) ranks (unto Him), from
among those of you who believe, and those who have been granted Knowledge; and
Allah is All Aware of whatsoever ye do.” Also, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
says in Sura (39:9), “Say (O’ Our
RasoolAllah Muhammad!) ‘What! Can those who know be equal to those who do not
know? Verily only the men of understanding take the heed of warning. ”
Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)
says, “Those who have the knowledge fear Allah the most.” RasoolAllah
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said, “The merit of the true
scholar over the true worshipper is like the difference in merit between my
status and the status of the lowest Muslim.” The Glorious Qur'an says,
“Verily only those of His servants fear Allah who are endued with knowledge:
Verily, Allah is All-Mighty, Oft-Forgiving.” 35:28
Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala) warns
Muslims from taking infidels, their close friends and confidants. Loving
RasoolAllah Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) and
his household, is one of the essential parts of the Islamic faith, and Muslims
unanimously accept this as a part of their daily ritual prayers. The Glorious
Qur'an says, “And obey Allah, and obey the RasoolAllah, and be ye your guard,
but if you turn back, know ye then, that Our RasoolAllah (Muhammad) is bound
only to deliver a clear announcement (on Our behalf).” 5:92
Islam is not
to be an individualistic faith,
and Muslims have a duty to spread Islam, whether they are beginners, activists,
or leaders. Every individual responds to the call of his/her desires, but when
he/she submits to the call of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
or to Nabiy Muhammad
(Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam), his/her act of submission is due to
the coming of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) between
themselves their desires, and thus he/she is prevented from going astray on
account of the dictates of his/her vain desires, Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)
says in (8:20), “O ye who believe!
Obey Allah and His RasoolAllah (Muhammad), and turn ye not away from Him while
you hear (him).”
In fact, Muslims believe that
RasoolAllah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) is
the last (Khatam) AlAnbiya and AlRasul, and the final source of Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala)'s
word, i.e., after RasoolAllah (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi
Wasalam),
there is neither Nubuwwa nor Shari’a, and if anyone claims such a thing, then
no doubt he is a non-believer. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi
Wasalam)
said, “In my Umma, there shall be born thirty grand liars (Dajjals), each of
whom will claim to be a prophet, but I am the last Nabiy; there is no Nabiy
after me."
Throughout the history of Islam, a few
individuals, driven either by the desperate state of Muslims in their community
or a selfish pursuit of power and prestige, laid claims to be Muslim leaders,
and they divided the Muslims and perpetuated acts against Muslims if they did
not obey what they asked them to do. The claim to being Muslims hoax, and such
false claimants will appear from time to time. The Glorious Qur'an says,
“Allah will set right for you your deeds, and forgive you your faults; and
whoever obeyeth Allah and RasoolAllah, then indeed he hath achieved a great
success.” 33:71
The credit of spreading Islam should go
to those Muslims who migrated to new lands and gave their lives to teach Islam.
Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta'Ala)
will enter them in the land of eternal bliss. He says in Sura (4:13),
“These are the limits set by Allah; and those who obey Allah and His
RasoolAllah (Muhammad), Allah will admit them into gardens beneath which flow
rivers, to abide therein for ever; and this is the Great Achievement.”
Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'Ala)
highly commends and shall reward the doer of good who is a believer who not only
obeys Allah but also carries out the commands of RasoolAllah Muhammad (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam).
Any deviation from those commands would destroy all the good deeds done by the
deviator. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
says in Sura (47:33), “O ye who
believe! Obey ye Allah, and obey the RasoolAllah, and do not render null your
deeds.”
A brief history of Islam was revealed
when people were diagnosed with the genetic disease sarcoidosis. It is a disease
almost exclusively afflicting Mediterranean people with black hair, blue eyes,
and dark skin. Also, evidence suggests that Muslims from Spain, Middle East and
Africa arrived to the new Land at least five centuries before the discovery of
this new land. During the mid-tenth century, Muslim historians, geographer,
navigator, and cartographer reported in their books that Muslims sailed westward
from the Spanish port into the Ocean when they found the New World. The language
was written with old Kufic Arabic scripts, and the writings, included
arithmetic, religion, history, geography, mathematics, astronomy, and sea
navigation. Arabic and Islamic names, maps, cloths, date trees, stone ware, and
the way of Muslim’s living, etc. were found too. Many Islamic cities still
exits, but the Muslim names have been changed with time. With sincere prayers,
many Insha’Allah will revert to Islam, and return to their families. The
Glorious Qur'an says, “So ye fear Allah and set aright matter between
yourselves and obey Allah and His RasoolAllah if ye be believers.” 8:1
A genuine believer is a well-wisher of
the people, and feels strong grief when he/she sees people in any kind of
distress or suffering. He/she works hard to restore the rights of the deprived,
and give of his/her belongings to the needy, expecting no in return except Allah
(Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala)'s
pleasure.
O’ Lord, You are the possessor of
Great illumination
Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said,“Beseech Almighty Lord with certainty and hope, and requect your wants and requirements from Him.”
I
never saw a thing but saw The Almighty Lord, before, after, and with it.