“Thee (Alone) We Worship We And Of Thee (Only) We Seek Help.” 1:5
“Friendship and enmity are defined for a Muslim only on the basis of Islam, regardless of its numbers!”
The month of Ramadhan is a month that carries great blessings from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta ‘ala) to the Muslims, and is the most joyous occasion for all. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said: “If my followers realized the importance of the month of Ramadhan they would wish that the whole year was the month of Ramadhan.” The Glorious Qur'an says: “O Mankind! Worship ye only your Lord, Who created you and those before you, happily ye may guard yourselves against evil.” 2:21
KCIK and the editors of the AL-KUFA Newsletter wish to congratulate
all Muslims around the world for the month of Ramadhan. O' Lord, grant
the Muslims unity, keep them together, close their ranks and reconcile
their hearts, and by that, grant them strength and honor, and also grant
the People around the world happiness and peace on this Joyous and holy
occasions, Ameen.
[This article will be part of a book in future InshaAllah. The copyright is preserved by this Newsletter as well as upon the request of the author. We pray that he will be finish this book soon. May the Almighty Lord protect him and reward him for his goodness. He gives success and showers His mercy on whosoever of them works that righteousness, Ameen].
Our sphere of gratitude should extend from Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) and our parents to all of humanity. Indeed, obedience and gratitude toward Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) and our parents forms a basis in life for obedience toward law and authority and gratitude to all. While Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) is the ultimate Giver and Doer, and while a person who does an act of goodness towards another should expect neither rewards nor thanks, yet it is incumbent on the receiver of goodness to show gratitude. Rasul’Allah [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] said that a person cannot be grateful to Allah if he is not grateful to man. Even the doer of a good act should be grateful toward the receiver of the favor, because were it not for that person, he or she would not have had the opportunity to do good and to please Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala). When asked what is the best of wealth, Nabiy Muhammad [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] said that it is best to have a tongue that mentions Allah, a grateful heart, a righteous wife, and to assist a Mumin simply because of his faith. He also said that if anyone was ever permitted to do a sajdah to another, it would be a wife to her husband. Likewise, he said that the best of men are those who are best to their wives. In both cases, a basic sense of gratitude demands this sentiment because of the respective contributions that spouses make toward the family. There is a hadith of a slave girl of Bibi Fatima, the daughter of Nabiy Muhammad [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] whose husband used to work in the field in the hot sun all day long, and she would feel sorry for him because she was unable to help him. Out of gratitude and love, she would frequently stand in the sun on one foot, facing the field he was working in. Nabiy Muhammad [sallallahu Alaihe (Waalihi) wa salam] was watching her once with his daughter Fatima and he told Bibi Fatima that this girl would enter paradise even ahead of her. "How so?" asked Fatima. Her father replied, "You will be riding a camel when you enter paradise, and she will be holding the reins of the camel as she leads you in."
In closing, it is good to recall the words of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala)
in surah Ibrahim (14:7), “If you are grateful, I will give more, and if
you are ungrateful, My chastisement is truly severe.”
We pray to Allah (subhanu wa Ta'Ala) to make us of the obedient and
grateful ones to Him, and in the words of the Nabiy [sallallahu Alaihe
(Waalihi) wa salam], we pray, "O Allah let me be thankful to You, and remember
you much, that I may follow your counsel and uphold your commandments,
Ameen.
Islam strives toward protecting men and women against the spread of vice and a foolish and useless life. Muslim women who wear Hijab do not find it an impractical dress that interferes with their activities at any level in their walks of life.
The basic requirement of the Muslim woman’s dress applies to the Muslim man's clothing with the difference being mainly in degree. A man is to cover from navel to knee, while a woman covers her entire body except for her face, hands and feet.
For men, basic modesty requires that the area between the navel and
the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife. The clothing
of men should not be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or
provocative. A Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Note
that while women are allowed to wear gold or silk, both are forbidden for
men. [Dress embroidered with silk (for which pure silk neck ties might
be an extension) are permitted by a hadith only if the silk does not exceed
three fingers in width.]
[To Be Continued Insha'Allah]
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, the Prayer Time-Table and also from those who filled the Free Subscription / Cancellation Form for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. 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.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation are given 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. 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, graduation, wedding, death, or matrimonial interests, please contact the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge. Those who send letters, please also provide the center with your telephone numbers. In addition, brothers and sisters who are requesting of us various Islamic materials, 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 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. NOTE: We were unable to mail the Newsletter to most of our readers in the states of Texas and California as well as to our brothers and sister in prisons. Insha’Allah, we will able to do so in the future.
Segments of a letter received from William in California:
We are so happy we were able to help you. Since your parents have different addresses, they are able to obtain their request from local Islamic Institutions and/or bookstores, at a lesser expensive than the postage would pay. We mostly mail the Glorious Qur’an to those in particular need, especially in prison. Also, in the near future, we will send your parents the AL-KUFA Newsletter. Note: There are several inmates who requested the Glorious Qur’an in Arabic. We will be glad to mail this to them, but please first inform us if their institutions allow receiving a hard copy. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) guide all to follow His Word, Amen. The Glorious Qur’an says: “Our Lord is He Who gave everything its creation and then He Himself guided it.” 20:50
Segments of a letter received from brother Hasan, Islamic Center England, England:
We pray to the Almighty Lord for this newsletter to be continued. The Newsletter is very interesting. May Allah reward you for the your efforts to serve Islam and Humanity in this life and hereafter. Our prayers and Dua’as for your well-being and to grant all of you success in all your endeavours, Ameen.
Our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, who sent letters, faxes, e-mails, postcards, publications or phone calls, or came in person to the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge (KCIK), and for their support of the AL-KUFA Newsletter, the KUFA School, and the KUFA Public Library, from within the United States and abroad. The kind expressions of the readers, encouraging us to continue this Newsletter are especially appreciated. As for financial help, our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters among our generous readers for their support. Please note: you may specify the purpose of your donations(s), unless you give us permission to use your donations(s) wherever they are needed most and where your donation(s) can most effectively assist, especially for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. All donation(s) and gifts are acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt (unless otherwise requested) and we thank you for sharing your gifts from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) with us. As the fruit of this mission begins to blossom. Insha'Allah, large numbers will receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter. The Glorious Qur’an says: “(Say): We feed you only for the pleasure of Allah; we desire from you neither reward nor thanks. And they spend (benevolently) of what We have provided them with, secretly and openly, and they repel evil with good; for these is the (happy) attainment of the (Eternal) abode.” 76:9 & 13:22
We are very grateful to all sources that sent us publications, their communications about Islam, Muslim community affairs, and educational articles, and to many individuals and institutions in the United States and abroad. Masha’Allah, these publications are all excellent and those who have borrowed them have enjoyed reading them. These publications are inventoried in the KUFA Public Library and some have been mailed to our brothers and sisters in the prisons and other places.
In addition, our thanks to all brothers and sisters who took the time to write or call KCIK and to inform us about the change of their addresses or their desire to receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter. REMEMBER, it costs us to distribute this newsletter to thousands of readers, and only a few continue their support of it. Please be aware of this and send your donations to cover the cost for mailing, etc., to AL-KUFA. Please also inform us of any change in address. When a newsletter is returned to us, it costs us up to $1.60 in some cases. This is a waste of resources. Please, let us avoid this loss.
Our special thanks and appreciation to one of our brothers from Virginia who visited the center and donated several books to KUFA Public Library. He wrote that he enjoyed his visit,“Since returning home I’ve had a chance to read the books you loaned me. I also have read parts of the Holy Qur’an you loaned me. The introduction is excellent in a way that I could understand it and I now have a greater appreciation for that. What I realize more than ever is that all Muslims are one, particularly in this land we must emphasize that all Muslims are one. ‘There is no God but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah (SWT).’” He also wrote,‘I think the Kufa Center is doing great work. I hope to contribute more (Praise be to Allah).” May the Almighty Lord grant you happiness, and success in both lives, Ameen. Also, our thanks and appreciation to our brothers from New York and a sister from Illinois who respectively donated $60, $30 (Subscription to AL-Kufa); and $20 (Subscription to AL-Kufa). Blessings of Allah upon you all now and always. Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your donations and support. May the Almighty Lord reward all of you in this life and in the hereafter. The Glorious Qur’an says: “You will never attain piety unless you spend on others out of what you dearly cherish.” 3:92
Just remember that any money you pay to support KCIK, KUFA School, KUFA Public Library and AL-KUFA Newsletter is paid to strengthen the word of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) and for the sake of spreading Islam. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) bless you all, give you courage and provide you with resources to continue your support. The Glorious Qur’an says: “Say (O' Our Apostle Muhammad!)' If ye do love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you.” 3:30 Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH GOODNESS).
The Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge is entirely dependent on your financial contributions. The AL-KUFA Newsletter especially needs your support to cover its monthly costs. So, please share with us a fair contribution for this newsletter to enable it to continue. In addition, we receive a large number of requests for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. If you don't receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, it is only because we don't have enough funds to cover the costs, especially for overseas shipping including Canada. [Note to our brothers and sisters in prison: please check with your institutions if you did receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, and if you received it, then please share it with other brothers and/or sisters. We included the previous issues of the AL-KUFA Newsletter with our parcel to prison libraries.]
In addition, it is our responsibility to bring to your attention, our dear readers, that we are in desperate need for a place to teach and in need of resources {Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, and other Islamic books}. Islamic newsletters, Bulletin of Affiliation, magazines, newspapers and other Islamic materials were received from many Islamic institutions. Copies of Islamic books with English meaning and Arabic Islamic books were received from the donation of Islamic BookShop. Please Note the KCIK physical address is: 2319 10th Street; Roanoke, Virginia; USA. Any donation (s) will aid us in our Dawah program as well as benefit the KUFA Public Library. Insha'Allah, many individuals and publishers will participate in this Dawah program. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Also, we are in need for several items in order for you to receive this newsletter in time, such as a copy-machine, a typewriter (particularly, an Arabic typewriter), audiocassette duplicator, paper shredder and other items. Please donate these or the costs of these items and the cost of the access to the Internet. Also, we do not have any software to enable us to write in Arabic or computer CDs of the Qur’an, Hadith or an Arabic dictionary. Insha'Allah, you will be one of the (Mohsin) who will donate for the cause of Islam and humanity. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward you for your efforts and enable you to do good deeds in this life and bless you and your family in this world and in the hereafter. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Please contact the center, if you are planning to travel and you want to know the cost of the ticket and to rent a car.
Insha'Allah, the AL-KUFA will be distributed on the Internet (please see the editorial page for our e-mail and web page information). One of our brothers from Germany is starting the distribution of the AL-KUFA News through the Internet in Germany. Also, An Islamic Library for Dawah, is extending its distribution of the AL-KUFA News in Africa, Europe and for inmates in North America. And we request more of this from our readers. This also will help us with the cost of printing and shipping. Jazakum Allahu Khairan. The Glorious Qur’an says: “ That Allah may give them the best recompense for what they have done and increase for them, out of His grace; And Allah provideth sustenance for whomsoever He willeth without measure.” 24:38
For the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala), we therefore request you to assist us financially or materially. We particularly request you to bring this plea to the attention of your community, and encourage them to donate their Islamic charities to this cause. Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH GOODNESS).
Saum (fasting) in the month of Ramadhan has a great spiritual significance. Mere hunger and thirst do not constitute a fast. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said: “The month of Ramadhan was named so because it tends to ‘ramad’ the sins, that is, it burns them.” The Glorious Qur'an says: “O’ ye who believe! seek help with patience and prayer; Verily Allah is with the patient ones.” 2:153
Praised be the One Who ordained the month of Ramadhan, the month in which He made to descend a guidance containing clear instructions for all of mankind. It is the month of giving, and it also has innumerable hygienic, economic and social benefits, which are perceived only by those who perform it with a strong belief and sincere faith. Devoted Muslims offer extra prayers during the night, but also rest in order to be able to fulfil their responsibilities and obligations during the day. During this month, men as well as women, rich as well as poor, influential and powerful as well as the weak and downtrodden have to observe fasts. It promotes the spirit of charity and compassion towards the poor and the needy, and it reminds each believer of strengthening ties among them and bringing the whole community closer to each other as well as to their Creator.
AL-KUFA Newsletter published articles related to fasting. Please also refer to Vol. 1, No.8, July 1995; Vol. 2, Nos.2, 3 & 4, January, February and March, 1996, respectively; Vol. 3, Nos.2 & 3 , January and February, 1997, respectively; Vol. 4, No.1, December, 1997 and Vol. 4, Nos. 2, & 3, January and February, 1998, respectively. These publications can be sent to you upon request. Please also send a self addressed envelop for the same. The fasts of the month of Ramadhan should be observed from the first of the month of Ramadhan AlMubark until the end of it, in obedience to the commands of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta ‘ala), seeking His pleasure, for the entire of this month, every Lunar Year. The first of month of Ramadhan, like the first of every month, is established by sighting the crescent of the moon. It is one of the most compulsory (Fard) pillars for every Muslim adult (Baligh), for a male on the completion of his thirteenth to fifteenth years, and for a female on the completion of her ninth to thirteenth year, depending on puberty. O' Lord, let the gates of Paradise remain open in the month of Ramadhan, and we pray to You, our Lord, to admit us through them, Ameen.
Allah the Exalted said: “And if (at any time) an incitement to discord is made to you by shaytan, seek refuge in Allah, He is the One Who hears and knows all things.”
Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said: “He who is not trustworthy has no Faith, and he who does not keep his Covenant has no religion.”