Ramadan is the month of reflection, soul searching and refreshing our iman. It is also the month to try to save ourselves from the hellfire. One of the acts prescribed by the Prophet (SAW) for this purpose is sadaqa (charity). According to the Prophet (SAW), “Charity extinguishes the sin just as water extinguishes the fire. The man’s prayer late at night has the same effect.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “Every
“Ramadan is only a few days away and I haven’t even started preparations. What am I going to do?” Most of us have heard similar frantic self-talk before the beginning of Ramadan. Contrary to what one might assume, this anxiety is not about preparing the body and soul for Ramadan; it is about the Ramadan menu and all the iftari and sehri ideas and prep. Every year before Ramadan, I
Ramadan Mubarak! Or Ramadan Kareem! Whichever way you prefer it. Ramadan is here my brothers and sisters! Ramadan, the month of fasting, the month of piety, the month of charity, the month of forgiveness and the month of TELEVISION!!! Very few today can bear Ramadan without their faithful companion…. the cable TV! Sehri begins with guidance from a neatly trimmed beard and ends with the tick-tock of the clock on
The month of Ramadan is an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen our faith and purify our character. The spirit of Ramadan encourages all Muslims to better themselves. The Prophet (SAW) tells us: “When the month of Ramadan arrives, the gates of Heaven are opened, the gates of hell are locked, and the devils are chained.” [Sahih Muslim and Sunan al-Tirmidhi] The month of Ramadan brings with it reduced temptation to do wrong as
Alhamdullillah, Ramadan is here again! The “Shalwar Kameez” and ‘Topi’ are out, the masajid are full, you can smell pakora’s everywhere in the evening and every single person knows the time for Fajr and Maghrib prayers… down to the EXACT second! Yes, Alhamdullillah, Ramadan is here again! But is it the same Ramadan that we are used to? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t Ramadan feel bigger, shinier
The ‘Qibla’ is of utmost importance for the daily lives of Muslims. It is the direction towards the Ka’bah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and is also the direction towards which all Muslims are ordered to pray five times a day. In the Quran, Allah (SWT) says: Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s SAW) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction)
The color of the year is Emerald if the designers and current trends are to be believed. The shade is perfect for 2013 with its fresh look, earthly vibe and oh-so-strong a link to summer. The color will soon be seen ruling wardrobes in the forms of dresses, scarves, bags and more. Blue is also going to be dominating trends this year both at home and abroad as hues ranging
A wedding in Pakistan is surely the single most celebrated occasion in the lives of its citizens. The actual events may only last around 3 to 4 days most of the time but the preparations happen to start many months well in advance; and even years in the case of some zealous folks! Worries of preparing dances and perfecting the coordination, selecting the most appropriate color combinations, deciding the wedding
It was one of the golden periods of Islamic history when the Islamic empire stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to India, under the rule of the Abbasids. Baghdad was the world’s center of learning during this era. The House of Wisdom in Baghdad was the stage where a famous Muslim scholar was engaged in translating all the known Greek scientific works of the time into Arabic. He was to become
What will happen to me after I die? This is a question man has been asking ever since he became aware of the fact that life ends at some point. Why is it important to think about this ultimate reality? Everything we do in life has a specific objective and a specific outcome, the same applies to life itself. Almost all religions believe in the existence of life after death,