Memories of Hakeem playing NBA games while fasting and drinking little come to mind... some of those performances were insane.
lol come on man hes a friend of mine. Not all Muslim are terrorists, however all terrorists are Muslim.
(these are all my own words) basically ramadan is a month of spiritual rebirth and discipline. fasting includes: refraining from food, drink, and intercourse during the daylight hours. any of those 3 would 'break your fast' but its not just simply those physical restraints. in fasting we are taught not to backbite anyone (we arent supposed to in general but its stressed more here), not to lie, not to abuse anyone, etc. any of these things will diminish the reward from your fasting. the points (or benefits) is: -develop compassion for the less fortunate. its not to say that you experience hunger in the true sense, but it puts it in perspective to see a coworker eating a nice lunch and knowing you can't have it. this is how poor people feel every day of their lives. during ramadan you find a lot of muslims donating a lot more money to charity, etc. -self discipline, it helps you discipline yourself and control your desires. (i think this is fairly obvious) -renew your relationship with God. there is a saying in Islam that God holds the reward for fasting with Himsef, meaning no one knows the reward for it but Him. and this is because when you are fasting, NO ONE knows it except you and God. so when you hold yourself to fulfill your fast the best you can, it is an act you are sincerely doing to please God. Theoretically, every other act of worship can be tainted, e.g. praying because ppl around you are, or to be seen, donating money so people think youre generous, etc etc. but fasting is something that is between you and God and no one else knows if you truly are. hope this helps.
Well, except for Timothy McVeigh, Theodore Kaczynski, John Lee Malvo and a crapload of others... and don't get me started on the IRA ;-)
What do you mean by "will diminish the reward from fasting?" Is that an earthly reward, spiritual or after-life? I imagine it is one of the latter two but again I don't know.
afterlife. in general, islam is a works based religion. and by that i mean, we are accountable for all our actions that are within our abilities. so the more good you do, the more "good deeds" or 'reward' and likewise the more sin you commit the more 'bad deeds' you incur. good=heaven, bad=hell. this is a very basic basic way of putting it. there's a lot more explanation to it. we dont have any belief like "if you accept jesus as your savior" then you simply goto heaven. our core belief is that there is no deity worthy of worship except God (Allah - which is arabic for God). and we believe that those who die believing in that will enter paradise. part of our belief though is that we do what God has commanded us to do as a manifestation of that belief. the fundamental example of this is the 5 pillars that muslims believe in. 1 - to testify your faith that there is no deity worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad is His last prophet 2- pray five times a day 3 - donate 2.5% of your savings to charity every year 4 - fast the month of ramadan 5 - make hajj (pilgrimage) to mecca at least once in your life if you are able (ie physically, financially, etc).
Ramadan Mubarak to all. I just finished the 2nd day here. Such a wonderful feeling being in Saudi during Ramadan. The whole vibe/energy is different. Everyone is super nice, and just everything is facilitated to make the fast enjoyable. I just got back from the most intense taraveeh I have ever been to in my life. Not a dry eye in the house. Only 11 rukoo, but took over 2hrs to complete. I think it's sad when folks fast to show people that they're fasting. It is something that you have to feel deep inside and devote yourself to, not just in a physical manner, but more importantly spiritually. Fasting without really going for the heart of it is just starving yourself for 13/14 hours. It's not that hard, and the end result is virtually nothing. Anyways, all the best to everyone observing ... may all your prayers find their way to fulfillment, and may God reward you all.
i tend to skip my classes during ramadan too man, i slept thru my first 3 today good resolution, imma try to imply it myself
I had milk, juice, and some nonfrosted pop tarts this morning. I remeber when i was younger i would love to play ball during ramadan just cause of dream. Ramadan Mubarak
http://www.islamic-paths.org/Home/English/Discover/Pillars/Sawm/Explaining_nonMuslims.htm Explaining Ramadan to People Belonging to Other Faiths Courtesy: Council on American-Islamic Relations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Keywords: Islam and Ramadan Warning: Books listed may not support Islam but are of value as they present a differing perspective Celebrating Ramadan Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith New $12.21! Used $0.40! Western Muslims And the ... Tariq Ramadan New $16.95! Used $15.99! Ramadan Laleh Bakhtiar New $19.95! Ramadan Suhaib Hamid Ghazi New $6.95! Used $3.52! Ramadan Susan L. Douglass New $5.95! La Vie du dernier ProphÃ... Yusuf Islam (Prices May Change) Privacy Information Commissions help to support orphaned kids. Who Must Fast? Fasting is compulsory for those who are mentally and physically fit, past the age of puberty, in a settled situation (not traveling), and are sure fasting is unlikely to cause real physical or mental injury. Exemptions from Fasting (some exemptions are optional) Children under the age of puberty (Young children are encouraged to fast as much as they are able.) People who are mentally incapacitated or not responsible for their actions The elderly The sick Travelers who are on journeys of more than about fifty miles Pregnant women and nursing mothers Women who are menstruating Those who are temporarily unable to fast must make up the missed days at another time or feed the poor. Special Events Special prayers, called taraweeh, are performed after the daily nighttime prayer. Lailat ul-Qadr ("Night of Power" or "Night of Destiny") marks the anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad first began receiving revelations from God, through the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe Lailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadhan. Traditional Practices Breaking the daily fast with a drink of water and dates Reading the entire Quran during Ramadhan Social visits are encouraged. Eid ul-Fitr ("Festival of Fast-Breaking") Prayers at the End of Ramadhan Eid begins with special morning prayers on the first day of Shawwal, the month following Ramadhan on the Islamic lunar calendar. It is forbidden to perform an optional fast during Eid because it is a time for relaxation. During Eid Muslims greet each other with the phrase "taqabbalallah ta'atakum," or "may God accept your deeds" and "Eid Mubarak" (eed-moo-bar-ak), meaning "blessed Eid." Ramadhan Q&A Q: How did the fast during Ramadhan become obligatory for Muslims? The revelations from God to the Prophet Muhammad that would eventually be compiled as the Quran began during Ramadhan in the year 610, but the fast of Ramadhan did not become a religious obligation for Muslims until the year 624. The obligation to fast is explained in the second chapter of the Quran: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint...Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting..." (Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185) Q: What do Muslims believe they gain from fasting? One of the main benefits of Ramadhan are an increased compassion for those in need of the necessities of life, a sense of self-purification and reflection and a renewed focus on spirituality. Muslims also appreciate the feeling of togetherness shared by family and friends throughout the month. Perhaps the greatest practical benefit is the yearly lesson in self-restraint and discipline that can carry forward to other aspects of a Muslim's life such as work and education. Q: Why does Ramadhan begin on a different day each year? Because Ramadhan is a lunar month, it begins about eleven days earlier each year. Throughout a Muslim's lifetime, Ramadhan will fall both during winter months, when the days are short, and summer months, when the days are long and the fast is more difficult. In this way, the difficulty of the fast is evenly distributed between Muslims living in the northern and southern hemispheres. Q: What is Lailat ul-Qadr? Lailat ul-Qadr ("Night of Power") marks the anniversary of the night on which the Prophet Muhammad first began receiving revelations from God, through the angel Gabriel. An entire chapter in the Quran deals with this night: "We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power: and what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by God's permission, on every errand. Peace!...This until the rise of morn." (Chapter 97) Muslims believe Lailat ul-Qadr is one of the last odd-numbered nights of Ramadhan. Q: Is it difficult to perform the fast in America? In many ways, fasting in American society is easier than fasting in areas where the climate is extremely hot. This year at least, the number of daylight hours will be less than when Ramadhan occurs during the spring or summer. In Muslim countries, most people are observing the fast, so there are fewer temptations such as luncheon meetings, daytime celebrations and offers of food from friends. Many American Muslims would prefer a daytime work shift during Ramadhan so that they may break the fast with their families and attend evening prayers. Q: How can non-Muslim co-workers and friends help someone who is fasting? Employers, co-workers and teachers can help by understanding the significance of Ramadhan and by showing a willingness to make minor allowances for its physical demands. Special consideration can be given to such things as requests for vacation time, the need for flexible early morning or evening work schedules and lighter homework assignments. It is also very important that Muslim workers and students be given time to attend Eid prayers at the end of Ramadhan. Eid is as important to Muslims as Christmas and Yom Kippur are to Christians and Jews. A small token such as a card (there are Eid cards available from Muslim bookstores) or baked goods given to a Muslim co-worker during Eid ul-Fitr would also be greatly appreciated. Hospital workers should be aware that injections and oral medications might break the fast. Patients should be given the opportunity to decide whether or not their condition exempts them from fasting. Q: Do people normally lose weight during Ramadhan? Some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that meals eaten during Ramadhan be light, but most people can't resist sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadhan.
This article is better http://63.175.194.25/index.php?ln=eng&ds=qa&lv=browse&QR=13480&dgn=4 Question : What is RAMADAN ?. Answer : Praise be to Allaah. Ramadaan is one of the twelve Arabic months. It is a month which is venerated in the Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the other months by a number of characteristics and virtues, including the following: 1 – Allaah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…” [al-Baqarah 2:185] and it was narrated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; establishing prayer; paying zakaah; fasting Ramadaan; and Hajj to the House (the Ka’bah).” 2 – Allaah revealed the Qur’aan in this month, as He says in the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning): “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)…” [al-Baqarah 2:185] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [al-Qadr 97:1] 3 – Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allaah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn” [al-Qadar 97:1-5] “We sent it (this Qur’aan) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship]” [al-Dukhaan 44:3] Allaah has blessed Ramadaan with Laylat al-Qadr. Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Soorat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahaadeeth which also speak of that, such as the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadaan, a blessed month which Allaah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999. And Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1910; Muslim, 760. 4 – Allaah has made fasting Ramadaan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins, as was proven in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” And al-Bukhaari (2008) and Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah (the way of the Prophet) to pray qiyaam (extra night prayers) at night in Ramadaan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying qiyaam in Ramadaan is to pray Taraweeh, i.e., one achieves what is meant by qiyaam by praying Taraaweeh. (Taraweeh prayers are the extra prayers most practicing Muslims attend each night during Ramadan) 5 – In this month, Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils, as is stated in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 1898; Muslim, 1079), from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When Ramadaan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” 6 – Every night Allaah has people whom He redeems from the Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “At every breaking of the fast, Allaah has people whom He redeems.” Al-Mundhiri said: there is nothing wrong with its isnaad; and it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 987. Al-Bazzaar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sa’eed said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has people whom He redeems every day and night – i.e., in Ramadaan – and every Muslim every day and night has a prayer that is answered.” 7 – Fasting Ramadaan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadaan, so long as one avoids major sins. It was proven in Saheeh Muslim (233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to the next and from one Ramadaan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in between, so long as you avoid major sins.” 8 – Fasting in Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten months, as is indicated by the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyoob al-Ansaari: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan then follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be like fasting for a lifetime.” Ahmad (21906) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan, a month is like ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will complete the year.” 9 – Whoever prays qiyaam (extra night prayers) in Ramadaan with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (1370) and others from the hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays qiyaam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Salaat al-Taraaweeh, p. 15 10 – ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj (pilgrimmage to Mecca and other sites, another pillar of Islam). Al-Bukhaari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a woman among the Ansaar, “What kept you from doing Hajj with us?” She said, “We only had two camels that we used for bringing water.” So her husband and son had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for bringing water.” He said, “When Ramadaan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj.” According to a report narrated by Muslim, “… is equivalent to doing Hajj with me.” 11 – It is Sunnah (the way of the prophet Muhammad swas) to observe i’tikaaf (retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadaan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadaan in i’tikaaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i’tikaaf after him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1922; Muslim, 1172. 12 – It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly recommended in Ramadaan to study the Qur’aan together and to read it a great deal. You may study the Qur’aan together by reciting it to someone else and by having someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this is mustahabb is the fact that Jibreel used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) every night in Ramadaan and study the Qur’aan with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6; Muslim, 2308. Reading Qur’aaan is mustahabb in general, but more so in Ramadaan. 13 – It is mustahabb in Ramadaan to offer iftaar to those who are fasting, because of the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting person’s reward in the slightest.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Maajah, 1746; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 647. see question no: ( 12598 ) And Allaah knows best.
The Essence of Fasting adapted from an article by Maulana Wahdiuddin Khan Fasting is prescribed for Muslims once a year, in the month of Ramadan. One fasts every day of the month, from the first light of dawn until sundown. During that time one abstains completely from food, drink and sexual intercourse. According to the Quran, there are two purposes of fasting: To make one conscious of God and the duty of righteousness (Taqwa) To make one thankful to God (Quran, 2:183,185)* (Shukr) Purpose 1: Becoming Conscious of God and the Duty of Righteousness Food and drink is man's most basic necessity. When he is hungry and thirsty, he sees how weak he really is; he realizes how much he is in need of the support of God. This experience makes him aware of his duties as God's humble servant and makes him always conscious of God. Also, throughout the day, his feeling of hunger acts as a reminder that he should be focusing on improving his character, morals, and behavior. Thus the entire month of Ramadan becomes a period of spiritual and moral training and improvement, whose lessons and habits then last the entire year until Ramadan comes around again. Purpose 2: Becoming Thankful Feeling hunger and thirst allows one to really relate to the plight of those less privileged than him.* Then in the evening, when he eats and drinks, he sees how God has made complete provision for his needs, not just in food and drink but in all other blessings he has been given, whether family, health, education, faith, hope, etc. His heart is filled with gratitude. He praises God, and offers thanks to Him and feels the desire to share his blessings and contribute positively to others lives. More about Fasting If we look at how God has setup the affairs of this world and our lives, has given us free will, has given us circumstances of hardship and of ease, has given us guidance, intellect & conscience and has promised reward, accountability and punishment - we realize that all those things are meant for us to grow to our full moral, intellectual and spiritual potential in this life. That is one of the key purposes of this life and one of the key purposes of worship of God, serving God and pleasing God. * Fasting is one such "worship" that pleases God and we see its great benefits for us. The Prophet is reported as saying that God rewards good deeds from tenfold to 700 fold. His reward for fasting, which is especially for Him, will be infinite. In another Hadith he is reported as saying, "There are many who fast and receive nothing in return, but hunger and thirst." *What is the difference between one fast and another, while in appearance both are alike? In actual fact, the appearance is not all that there is to it. The act serves only as a symbol of the inner essence of fasting. One who observes fasting in its inner essence as well as in its outward form will deserve the promised reward. On the other hand, one who attaches importance to symbols alone will have nothing to his credit when he comes before God. Fasting of the latter type will not benefit one and is of no value in the eyes of God, since the true value of something that is symbolic in its nature is always determined by the will to virtue, which it represents. * The outward form of fasting is to abstain from food and water. This abstinence symbolizes the fact that man is at God's disposal. He should, therefore, be willing, at all times, to sacrifice anything for His sake; even if it involves relinquishing such basic necessities as food and water. This will give him the self-discipline to take any difficult steps on the path to one's moral/spiritual/intellectual potential. *Obviously one who refrains from taking food and water on specific days, but does not do likewise regarding other things forbidden by God - such as telling lies; persecuting his fellowmen; perpetrating injustice and so on - mistakes the symbols for the essence, appearance for reality. Such a man cannot expect to deserve a reward from God nor to gain the moral and spiritual benefits of fasting The real fast is that of one whose whole life is cast in the same consistent mould: who applies in all his affairs, the constraints and bounds that God has laid down; who checks his tongue from abusing others; who stays his hand from persecution; who halts in his steps towards injustice. The essence of fasting thus is to eschew all evil ways throughout the year. The true fast is that from which one learns a lesson.
The IRA aren't terrorists, they fight for the freedom of the freedom loving people of Northern Ireland. On the other hand I can honestly say, the IRS are terrorists though.
My favorite non terrorist is Eric Rudolph. But I also like the Nichols brothers, Terry and John. Of course there's the non terrorist who failed at blowing up OU's stadium last Saturday.
ramadan mubarak! i didn;t fast today......feeling guilty.... Mr. Brightside its nice to see your trying to fast as well....don' think you'll last though
