Statement on the issues and findings of the Moon Sighting Controversy to mark the 1st day of Shawwal 1434 and Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations

Issued by Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed (Al-Kamil – Aleemiyah) (PhD – Univ. of Karachi)

Release Date: 14^th Shawwal, 1434 (Hijri); August 22^nd, 2013 (Gregorian)

 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

CONTEXT

On the 29^th night of Ramadan, 1434 (Wednesday August 7^th, 2013) the Muslim community upheld their duty and looked for the appearance of the new moon at dusk, the sighting of which would signal the start of the month of Shawwal and therefore the end of the month of Ramadan). Specific mention must be made of the following that set the tone and theme for this activity, viz.:

• From the advice of those University collaborators in Astronomy, it was recognised that moon sighting would be difficult given the age of the moon and its relative position and angle to our location in the western hemisphere.
• On the basis of precedent, the general practice by the Ulamaa was the acceptance of the regional sighting from countries in close general proximity, specifically Guyana and Grenada – two of our immediate neighbours in the region.
• Based on historical trends, the Ulamaa would be notified from their respective followers of any local moon sighting and they would communicate amongst themselves for a final position and agreement.
• It must be noted as well that there have been controversy in the past by some groups (those based locally and also from those international groups with or without local representation) who have advocated for Ummah-based sighting – so that when the moon is sighted in Mecca we can accept their sighting and our calendar dates would be consistent. This has generally been rejected by the local Ulamaa since the longitudinal and basis for declaration of the start of the month vary.

THE PROBLEMS THAT AROSE

On the night in question, no one locally saw the moon, but it was advised that the moon was sighted in Guyana by a small number of Muslims from various organisations. Contact was made with known Muslims in the community and those contacts were among the persons who saw the moon. They declared Shahada, and testified that they in fact saw the moon – a practice of acceptance established in Hadith.

IMMEDIATE ANNOUNCEMENTS

On the basis of this sighting, some of the Ulamaa announced that the next day – Thursday August 8^th, 2013, would be the Start of Shawwal and the observance of the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. Others adopted a more cautious stance and decided to withhold their announcement until their connections in Guyana could verify the sighting. All the while, Imams at the various Jamaats were waiting with their congregations to either declare Eid on Thursday or pray the Taraweeh salaat.

PROGRESSIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADVICE

One organisation in Guyana reportedly advised their members (and their contacts in Trinidad) that the moon sighting was not being accepted, and that they (i.e. the organisation) were observing Eid on Friday August 9^th, 2013. A prominent local Muslim organisation and Individual Ulamaa decided to accept this position and declared Eid was to be observed on Friday. They proceeded to observe the Taraweeh salaat – which derivatively meant they were in effect unavailable to their followers and other inquirers to offer their considerations. Amongst these awaiting groups included the media – seeking to advise the public and other Ulamaa seeking clarification of the position. Another Guyanese organisation advised their public that they were not accepting the moon sighting, and that Eid would be on Friday. This was also communicated to the Trinidad Ulamaa.

All of this – being imposed within the already uncertain context of acceptable moon sighting, led to further confusion within the community. Within one national Muslim organisation, some of the Ulamaa and Executive issued contrasting positions and thereby gave contradictory advice on the day of Eid.

Unavoidably, a number of issues which surfaced were identified, including, amongst others:

·        the issue of the acceptability of regional sighting

·        the confidence of various personnel in the various Ulamaa

·        the reliability of the witnesses – some members of the public, sadly, even profiling the nationality as a basis for justifying rejection of the sighting

·        the various Islamic guidance on the start and end of Ramadan and the sighting of the moon

Some of these relate to diverse positions in Fiqh based on the different schools of thought, and in this regard the overwhelming majority of persons locally and throughout the world follow the Fiqh of Abu Hanifa – by which we as members of the Ulamaa are also guided.

A FINAL POSITION

At or around 9.00 pm the Ulamaa were able to establish communication, and the justification for the non-acceptance of the sighting was stated by an individual Ulamaa – essentially brining into question the reliability of the witness accounts. The specific refutation was “perhaps they saw a star or another planet and mistook it for the moon.” The other prominent institution following the deference of Eid gave no justification, and subsequently advised they take the Guyana organisation’s stated position without question.

The Ulamaa and the Executive of the organisations involved in this matter agreed that the internal disputes in Guyana was a basis for Trinidad defining their own position, and as such were able to define the final position – The month of Ramadan had only 29 days, the moon was not sighted locally and there was controversy in Guyana as to the acceptability of the moon sighting. As such, it was decided that Eid would be observed on Friday August 9^th, a consensus agreed upon by the local Ulamaa and which was then issued by the various persons involved to their respective audiences, through the available media channels online and offline. Those who previously advised that Eid would be on Thursday retracted their statement and reissued the revised position.

SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS

The matter was further pursued by myself and it was determined that those who sighted the moon included six Muslims in one location and five Muslims in another – some of these being Imams and heads of their organisations, and known to be upstanding individuals within their territories.

This then brought into question the basis on which their sighting of the moon was rejected. The contacts within the organisations were approached, and the question was posed.

To date, the responses gave some indication of the process used to determine moon sighting, but no specific rationale for rejection of the sighting of upstanding members of the Muslim community within Guyana was given.

It was further learned that the Guyanese organisations in question were involved previously in legal contentions, which made the rejection a seemingly inter-organisational political stance and not necessarily a position based on Islamic Shariah.

Reports also surfaced on the morning following this debacle that the moon was in fact sighted in Mayaro, Trinidad, by two Muslims who failed to report the sighting to their Imam or to any person or position in authority, or media house.

In a similar vein, information in the public domain is that one organisation who initially rejected the moon sighting, reversed their position and informed their community that although they would be observing Eid on Friday August 9^th, this was being done on the second day of Shawwal, and that the moon sighting on the night of Wednesday August 7^th was accepted as valid.

CONCLUSIONS

It is my conclusion that in this instance, the persons who rejected the moon sighting on the night of Wednesday August 7^th in effect allowed themselves to be misguided, misguided their members, and by extension misguided those in Trinidad who follow their lead and evidence.

It is also my conclusion that those local scholars who are aligned to specific organisations in other countries need to revisit the Islamic Shariah that guides in this instance moon sighting – and pay particular attention to the Shariah that informs the examination of evidence and the declaration of Eid, since it would serve them and the entire Muslim community well in future.

The recurring issue of moon sighting and acceptability requires institutionalised infrastructure among the decision makers to collaborate proactively and communicate – among themselves and to the wider publics. It needs to be noted that some measures have already been initiated and have progressed to an advanced degree to provide the required institutionalised support. The public is assured that further statements on this will be forthcoming as developments unfold, Inshah Allah.

It must be noted that these aforementioned measures would only relate to those committed to a unified, integrated Muslim community in Trinidad and Tobago (and by extension the region), but unfortunately these measures would not quell the issuing of already unaccepted positions of persons intent on following minority factions in other parts of the world, or in other iterations creating mischief within the community.

Finally, this issue also surfaced the need for the members of the Muslim community to recognise and defer to the authority of the scholars in such issues, show some restraint as the collaboration progresses, and not issue their own misguided or misunderstood positions in the heat of the moment and risk the same mistakes that manifested in our regional counterparts.

WE ARE ONE UMMAH, and the way for this to be realised and sustained is the adherence to the Quran and Sunnah. This can only be achieved if the esteemed Ulamaa – who are versed in advanced study of the Islamic sciences and schools of thought, and all of whom I hold in high regard – are allowed to lead the community in the ways which are defined within Islam, and in those areas to which they committed themselves, their lives and those of their families.

May Almighty Allah continue to Guide us and have Mercy on us all.

Yours sincerely,

Maulana Waffie Mohammed

Man: A Special Unit In Creation

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Human beings are special as their origin is different from the rest of creation. First of all when Allah decided to create the universe, He gave a divine Command, “be”, and the whole of the universe began as a single cell, which grew until it burst open forming the skies and the earth. Man was not a part of what became the skies and the earth. Allah tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

Do not those who disbelieve know that the skies and the earth were a closed up mass? Then He opened them out? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30)

The skies (cosmos) and the earth were perfected in six periods called days in the Holy Qur’an, with each period varying in length of time, from 1000 years to 50,000 years of our reckoning.

When the earth was perfected, and all the plants and animals were already created, then Allah created Adam. The creation of man is therefore different from the creation of the rest of the creatures on the earth, as they were all created from water, but man from clay. He says:

(Allah is He) Who has made perfect everything that He created; and He began the creation of man from clay; then He made his progeny from an extract of despised fluid; then He fashioned him, then breathed into him his soul; and He gave you hearing, sight and hearts. (32:7-9)


The Soul: Refined Light

Man is a combination of a physical element - the body; and a non-physical element - the soul created from a very form of refined light not available in the universe. As a result it is very difficult to know much about the nature and capacity of the light of the soul.  Allah says:

 

And they will ask you (O Muhammad) about the ruh (i.e. the soul); Say: it is from the Command of the Lord, and you (O man) have been given very little knowledge about it. (17:84)

 

All other forms of light were created as part of the universe. Allah tells us about this in the following verse:

 

All praise is due to Allah Who created the skies and the earth and caused to come into existence darkness and light. (6:1)

 

Perhaps, the light of the earth began when Allah created the solar system He says:

 

Allah it is Who raised up the skies without any visible support; then He established Himself on the Throne; and He pressed the sun and moon into service; each pursuing its course, until an appointed term. (13:2)

 

Regarding the soul of man, it was only when Adam was created and perfected physically, that a special spark of refined light was created and commanded to enter into the chest of Adam. Allah tells us about this in the following verse:

 

So, when I (Allah) have fashioned him (Adam), and have breathed into him the soul which I created for him; then all of you (i.e. Angels and Jinns) acknowledge his superiority over you. (by prostrating in front of him). (15:29)

 

 

Man: Physical and Spiritual Elements.

With the entry of the soul into Adam man became a unit with two dimensions in his personality; viz. a physical and a spiritual.

 

Some people believe that the physical man cannot access the spiritual world, except through a particular channel, but Islam teaches that in every human being both the physical and spiritual are so created that they can work together for upholding the mission for which man was sent on earth. As a result there is no need for an intermediary to get to God. Allah tells us about this in the Holy Qur’an in many places. For example, He says:

 

He is with you where so ever you may be. (57:4)

 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me. (2:186)

 

The physical body is like a vehicle for the soul. It can impact upon it in a negative way, by doing what is prohibited; or in a positive way by doing what is permissible. It can keep the soul bright and shinning, or it can put stains on the soul, thereby preventing its light from penetrating the cells of the body. When the light of the soul reaches all the cells of the body, and that person dies, he or she will be resurrected on Judgment Day with a brightened countenance.

 

 

Man’s Capacity:

 

Allah has given man a tremendous capacity and capability, as His Representative on earth; and has made available for his use and benefit, all that is in the skies and the earth. He says:

 

It is Allah Who has created the skies and the earth, and sends down rain from the skies; and with it brings out fruits wherewith you are fed. It is He Who has made the ships subject to you; that you may sail through the sea by His Command; and the rivers has He made (also).  And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and the night and the day He has also made subject to you. And He gives you all that you ask for; but if you were to count the favors of Allah, never will you be able to number them. (14:32-34)

 

Regarding the spiritual dimension of the personality, if properly managed and maintained, man can ascend as a person above the skies and can have experiences of what has been described in the Holy Qur’an as the “Unseen”. Every single person can have religious experiences of the “Unseen” if he or she lives a righteous life.

 

 

Man’s Mission:

Allah appointed man as His Khalifah, (Vicegerent) on the earth. He is supposed to always keep in mind that he is a traveler here, as the earth is not his permanent abode. One needs to constantly remind himself that he is on a journey back to his Lord. Muslims says this very often. It is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse:

 

(Those who have patience) when they are affected with a calamity remind themselves that they came from Allah and to Him is the returning. (2:156)

 

While on earth, man has been given certain responsibilities. The most important is to acknowledge the fact that we are all creatures and there is only one Creator. And the creatures are not in any way like the Creator. Allah tells us about this in a very simple statement He made in the Holy Qur’an. He says:

 

and there is none like unto Him. (112:4)

 

Even though we are creatures and cannot be like the Creator, we can behave like Him in some ways. He says:

 

So set thy face steadily and truly to the Faith; the nature of Allah is the Nature He has given man, there is no change in the law of Allah, that is the Upright way, but a lot of people cannot understand. (30:30)

 

The best of the Lords representative that have passed through the earth was Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Allah tells us about this in the Holy Qur’an. He says that:

 

The Prophet (pboh) never said anything of his own desire. (53:2-3)

He had the most perfect personality. (33:21)

He is the lamp that gives light. (33:46)
He continuously invited the people to Allah (33:46)

If one should follow the example given to us by Prophet Muhammad (pboh) he or she would become a friend of the Lord and an asset in society. He will spread peace in the earth; he will demonstrate love and compassion; he will be a trustworthy, sincere person, he will not be a hypocrite; and will not harbor hate, malice, jealousy, selfishness, greed, etc. He will receive from his Lord special guidance in all his undertakings.

Muslims are specially blessed as they have the opportunity to read and recite the unadulterated Words of the Lord, in the form of the Holy Qur’an.


The Blessed Tree:

A truly successful person in this world is one who can be defined as a blessed tree; that is a person who:

(a) Is able to ascend close to the Lord

(b) Is able to provide shade to passers-by.
(c) Is able to supply juicy, delicious fruits to the hungry.

Allah tells us about such a person in the form of a parable in the Holy Qur’an. He says:

Don’t you see how Allah sets forth a parable? A goodly world is like a goodly tree, whose roots are firmly fixed (in the earth) and its branches reach the skies. It brings fruits at all times, by the leave of the Lord. (14:24-25)

Every human being should try to be a goodly tree that is capable to provide help to the weary, thirsty, hungry, tired passer-by; and at the same time observing high moral principles.


How fasting helps?

Fasting in Ramadan is one of the Institutions in Islam that is designed to nurture and cultivate the qualities that will make a person fit to stand happily in the presence of the Lord on one hand, and to become a useful, sincere and truthful member of society on the other.

 

It impacts upon the individuals through what is called Tazkiyah-e-Nafs i.e. by trimming out all the unwanted qualities and desires in the individuals; in other words by pruning our trees, so that we can grow and bear sweet juicy fruits. Tazkiya has a physical, moral and spiritual program for making the individual a true and reliable representative of the Lord here on the earth.

 

In addition it is one of the opportunities to have all of one’s past sins forgiven, and it also helps the individuals to ascend higher on the way back to the Lord.

 

Perhaps, this one of the reasons for celebrating Eid, as the believer who kept the fast and did extra worship feels elevated in the sight of Allah.

 

 

The Way Forward:

 

Allah has given us a beautiful example of how we should conduct ourselves in this life, even if the environment is harsh and oppressive. He says:

 

and Verily In cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. from what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, we produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. (16:66)

 

Let us endeavour to continue to improve our lives, through submission and worship on one hand; and by dedicated service to humanity on the other. When this is done we all will become beautiful blessed trees in this world, and very important persons in the next, as we all will enter Paradise  by a special gate called Rayyaan, reserved for all those who kept the fast sincerely for the sake of Allah.

 

And let us all this day make a firm resolution that we will keep our milk pure by doing what is good and staying away from the evil.

 

May Allah forgive us for our past mistakes and guide and protect us for the remainder of our lives.

 

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

 

2013 Eid ul Fitr Sermon

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

 

اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ ، اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اَللهُ  أَكْبَرُ ،.وَ للهِ الْحَمْدُ

 

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd

Congratulations to all those who were able to keep the fast and observed extra acts of worship during the days and nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. May Allah accept all what was done for His sake during the month.

Dear brothers and sisters, today as you have decorated your outward personalities with beautiful garments; know that your soul is now also decorated as you had your Satan chained for a whole month, because you aspired to observe righteousness during the days and night of Ramadan.  Allah tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

O ye Children of Adam! we have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, As well As to be an adornment to you. but the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. such are among the Signs of Allah, that They may receive admonition! (7:26)

 

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd

 

As Ramadan is meant to decorate and purify the body and the soul, all those who kept the fast would have wiped out all the past stains that were on their hearts, they will rise with brightened faces on the Day of Judgment, if they take the care not to soil their hearts with wrong-doing in the future.  Allah gave the good news for striving to please Him, as follows:

One Day shalt Thou see the believing men and the believing women- How their light runs forward before them and by their right hands: (Their greeting will be): "Good news for you This day! Gardens beneath which flow rivers! to dwell therein for aye! This is indeed the highest Achievement!" (57:12)

Brothers and sisters, just as you made every effort to chain your devil during the month by restraining yourselves, and showing patience, keep up the struggle, as Satan took a vow to prevent the progeny of Adam from staying on the Straight Path. He said:

"Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: nor wilt Thou find, In Most of them, gratitude (for Thy mercies)." (7:17)

Satan will appear on that day dirty and disgraced, and he wants us all to be like him, so Allah warns us to be careful. He says:

O ye Children of Adam! let not Satan seduce you, In the same manner As He got your parents out of the garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame: for He and His tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: we made the evil ones friends (only) to those without Faith (7:27)

 

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd

 

Remember all the good that you will do will be kept by your Lord and will be given to you with much more rewards. Allah says:

and whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it In Allah’s Presence (73:20)

Brothers and sisters, as you grow older you will begin to realize that all material achievements and matters are just for a time, as they are separable, and have limitations. Allah tells us so in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will and we will certainly bestow, on those who patiently persevere, their reward to the best of their actions. (16:96)

Try your best to build a big account with your Lord by giving charity, helping the poor, the needy by giving back to Allah some of the things He gave to you. He calls such charitable acts as goodly loans which He will have to repay. He says:

If ye loan to Allah, a beautiful loan, He will double it to your (credit), and He will grant you forgiveness: for Allah is Most ready to appreciate (service), Most Forbearing. (64:17)

Some people learn the hard way, that after struggling night and day for years and amassing a lot of material assets, they suddenly find that all that they worked for disappeared either by destruction or through natural disasters, etc. Others realized that they wasted their lives, as, at the time of death, they will realize that they are leaving behind all that they have acquired in the world and because they sent nothing ahead of them, they will be destitute in the next life.

Allah warns us to be careful about our focus and purpose of life. He says:

O men! Certainly, the promise of Allah is true. Let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah. (35:5)

Allah also says:

Is He, then, to whom the evil of His conduct is made alluring, so that He looks upon it As good, (equal to one who is rightly guided)? (35:8)

 

Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa lillaahi’l-hamd

 

Dear brothers and sisters Allah has given every one of us the capacity to know good from evil, and the capability to be able to choose. Ramadan assisted us to make the correct choices. Do not go back and do the things that will not be of benefit to us on the onward journey. Remember good and evil cannot mix. Allah says: 

The blind and the seeing are not alike; nor are the depths of darkness and the light; nor are the (chilly) shade and the (genial) heat of the sun: nor are alike those that are Living and those that are dead. Allah can make any that He wills to hear; but Thou canst not make those to Hear who are (buried) In graves. (35:19-22)

Now is the time to listen and take action.  Take care that you do not now soil your beautiful personalities with wrong doing, in order that you will rise with the righteous on the Day of Judgment in the Companionship of the Prophet, the Martyrs and the Righteous.

May Allah forgive us all and guide and protect us so that we will be pleased to meet Him on that day and He will be well pleased to entertain us.

EID MUBARAK

Moon Sighting for Eid ul Fitr 2013

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

"Based on the fact that the moon was not sighted in Trinidad, and the evidence that came from Guyana was disputed by some of the organizations in Guyana; and after extensive consultation with local Ulooma, we have taken the decision to complete the month of Ramadan with thirty days and celebrate Eid ul Fitr on Friday 9th August 2013.  We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to the community, and pray to Allah (swt) to forgive us for any shortcomings on our path".

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed


 

The Blessed Month

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah has created the entire universe and each segment functions according to the laws that He has prescribed for them.  For example He says;

Each (just) swims along in (its own) orbit (according to Law).  (36:40)

Allah is above all laws.  He is the One Who created the laws for the functioning of His creatures and those laws are not subject to change.  He says;

None can change His words.  (18:27)

Regarding human beings, Allah has given us a special facility and some special concessions.  For example Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said that Allah says; “if the servant draws near to Me a hand span, I draw near to him an arm’s length; and if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length.  And if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running”. (Bukhari)

Allah has given us the prerogative to choose.  And because we are humans and we do make mistakes Allah, out of His love for us, has created such occasions where we can have our wrong deeds wiped out and have our good deeds increased.  For example He says;

Allah doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth: with Him is the mother of the Book.  (13:39)

Sometimes we have the notion that whatever goes into our book of deeds remains permanent and everlasting.  However we can have the evil deeds removed if Allah so wills and we make the appropriate effort.  For example there are the traditions concerning the benefits associated with worshiping on the 15^th of Shabaan.  There are also many traditions in which Prophet Muhammad (pboh) makes mention of the benefits and rewards associated with the blessed month of Ramadhan.  One such is a Hadith Qudsi in which Prophet (pboh) reports that Allah says; “all the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me and I shall reward him for it”.

We have on the horizon this special month allocated by Allah that contains so many blessings and benefits.  Prophet Muhammad (pboh) used to tell his companions ‘the month is coming’.  

Realistically, keeping the fast is not entirely easy; it has its challenges and in the past my experience was that in Ramadhan I had more responsibilities and work.  Allah wants to test us; because, if He has to wipe out our mistakes and faults there must be a good reason for doing so.  And that reason is keeping the fast sincerely for His sake; and being prepared to undertake the trials, difficulties and the hardships that come along with it.  

This month that is approaching has so much of beauty and blessings that we should cherish the fact that we are alive to observe it, insha Allah.  Ramadhan is the only principle factor of the unification of the hearts of believers all over the world. 

In Trinidad and Tobago we are blessed because the hours of fasting in the day are not too long.  In other countries, the Muslims have to fast for sometimes 19 and 20 hours.  We should thank our Lord for His continued mercies and make the best use it.

One thing that we should try to avoid in this month is not to get upset.  This can spoil our fast and we would all like to achieve the maximum blessings attainable from our fast.  It is sacrifice and challenge but try your best to keep your composure.  We all know the Qur’anic ayat;

O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.  (2:183)

What is restraint?  When situations arise where you can take verbal or physical action; and you do otherwise, because you are reminded that you are fasting.  Try your best to bear with patience the irritable situations you will experience.

Finally, remember that Ramadhan is an institution which can help us to become a beautiful tree that can give shade and delicious fruits.  A tree doesn’t need the shade nor the fruits.  It  instead benefits  others.  Ramadhan can help us to cultivate those beautiful qualities in our personality that will makes us admirable to others. 

My dear friends, this would be our last zikir session and publication until after Ramadhan, insha Allah and I want to sincerely wish each and everyone a peaceful, successful and happy Ramadhan and may Allah bless us to experience something special; that being the visit of those special beings that He will be sending on a special night that will bring peace and tranquillity to the hearts of the true believers. 

Remember, the most effective and beneficial experience you can get is the feeling of peace and tranquillity.  We will have our trials and difficulties; in the past we had them and they are now gone.  We will experience them again maybe in a different form but it is still a trial so be prepared to do your part by showing patience and restraint. 

May Allah bless us, guide us, take care of us and enable us to observe the blessed month of Ramadhan in a manner most pleasing to Him and most beneficial to us. 

Transcript of discourse delivered by

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

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