Eid Mubarak! & more fasting

Assalamu alaikum Brother, Eid Mubarak!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Ramadan.

Alhamdulillah for me this was one of the better Ramadans in recent memory. Much thanks to the advice I got for getting an easy schedule during Ramadan. I hope you guys benefited as well.

I brief reminder about maintaining the the practice of fasting after Ramadan.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whosoever observes fast in Ramadan and then follows up with six fasts in Shawwal, will be regarded as though he had been fasting every day." (Reported by Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)

May Allah accept our fasting and prayers and duas!

Salam,
-Safi

Stand out firmly for justice

Assalamu Alaikum brothers,

I hope you have all been able to enjoy and gain many rewards during this blessed month. Things for me have been very busy for me, but also very rewarding, alhamdulillah. As some of you already know, I won my first pro bono trial a couple of months ago. My client, Santos, is a 13 year old boy who fled El Salvador because he was being threatened by the MS-13 gang. The gang had killed Santos’ older brother and had attacked my client many times before he finally was able to get away and come to the United States. Santos had no other choice but to come here illegally, of course, and was caught at the U.S-Mexico border. Although he pleaded with the immigration officials not to send him back because he would be killed by the gang, Santos was immediately placed in deportation proceedings. Subhanallah, Santos had relatives in the Maryland area, so was moved here to be with them while the government prepared to deport him. The case came to me last September when another lawyer at my firm received an email from the National Center for Immigrant Refugee Children seeking a pro bono lawyer to take on Santos’ asylum case before the immigration court. Santos and his family could not afford to pay for a lawyer to take on his case, so we decided to help. After a very long year, I took the case to immigration court and proved, with the help and guidance of Allah SWT, that Santos’ claim for asylum was valid. Santos now never has to fear being returned to the people who promised to kill him, and will one day become a U.S. citizen, inshAllah. I am now working on the asylum cases for Santos’ mother and brother, and inshaAllah, will have a similar result. I also just found out that the Baltimore Sun may publish a feature article about Santos’ case. If they do, I’ll be sure to post a link here, inshaAllah.

Working on this case reminded me of this simple, yet powerful ayat:

"O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both...Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do..." [Quran 4:35]

Please keep Santos and his family in your duas.

Jazak Allahu Khair,

Azim

Brotherhood in Islam

Salaams all,

I keep looking at the various web albums that people have put up after
various weddings and events, and I can't wait until the next get
together with all of you. As for me, I'm in the middle of residency
applications, and as you might imagine, it's not fun haha. For all of
you that aren't going through it, it's very much like any other
application cycle, only a bit more streamlined and actually easier
from a work standpoint. But I think the stress comes from the fact
that you are (finally) picking out the one thing that you want to do
for the rest of your life, and it's very difficult to do that without
atleast some minor hesitation. It's amazing how helpful it is at
times like these to put everything aside and pray. The reminder that
Allah (SWT) is in control of everything and that He will do what is
best for everyone is a soothing thought. Also, dua would be greatly
appreciated, as I will need all the help I can get to match in
dermatology.

So after reminiscing about our time in LA not that long ago, I found a
nice hadith on brotherhood, narrated by Anas ibn Malik, and
transmitted by Muwatta:

Allah's Messenger (SAW) said "Do not be angry with each other and do
not envy each other and do not turn away from each other, and be
slaves of Allah, brothers. It is not halal for a Muslim to shun his
brother for more than three nights."

This reminded me of the small talk we had in the lobby of the LA hotel
right before we left for Bakersfield. One of the reasons why our
little blog/group is so great is that we lack a lot of the problems of
many social groups. I've never seen any backbiting, slander or envy
amongst our group members, and there is never any "drama" of someone
being angry with someone else. And that is why, even though we do not
physically see each other that often, we can still get together as the
best of friends. Inshallah we will continue to do this as we grow in
numbers.

--Zain

"Indeed, he loves Allah and His Messenger..."

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, brothers,

I pray this finds all of you in good health and at a peak of iman. Firstly, to our newly married brethren Gerald and Sameer, mabrook once again! InshaAllah, along with myself and Usman that makes 4 JHUMA couples, walhamdulillah. Brothers, we need more than 4, I expect this number to double before 2009 comes to a close, inshaAllah! =)

Alhamdulillah brothers, we've got to make sure that our families get to know each other as well inshaAllah (should a seperate JHUMA Wives mailing list be set up? just kidding, just kidding =D ). And it was really awesome to see all of you brothers at Sameer's wedding, alhamdulillah.

Besides the recent festivities, things here are going the same as usual, walhamdulillah. I still have my job, alhamdulillah, which is a huge blessing in this time (my company just 2 weeks ago let go around 60 employees from my location). Baby Maryam is doing well, alhamdulillah. Actually, my wife and the baby are out-of-town for the next 3 weeks visiting my wife's mother, so I'm living the bachelor's life for a few weeks, but alhamdulillah everything is going well. Baby Maryam says "I love you" and throws kisses at the phone when I call and talk to her, so, alhamdulillah, that tends to normally make my day =).

For the reminder, I wanted to share a beautiful story from the Prophetic Sunnah which came to my mind. It is about a companion of the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) whose name was simply recorded as 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). He was a companion who, like all men, committed sins, even major sins, namely consuming alcohol. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:

During the lifetime of the Prophet there was a man called 'Abdullah whose nickname was Donkey, and he used to make Allah's Apostle laugh. The Prophet lashed him because of drinking (alcohol). And (another) day he was brought to the Prophet on the same charge and was lashed. On that, a man among the people said, "O Allah, curse him ! How frequently he has been brought (to the Prophet on such a charge)!" The Prophet said, "Do not curse him, for by Allah, I know for he loves Allah and His Apostle."

When I reflect upon this hadeeth, subhanAllah, I am reminded that the doors to repentance and forgiveness are always open. I am reminded that Allah is arRa'uf (the One Most Full of Pity (towards his slaves)) and arRahim (the Continuously and Especially Merciful One), and if we strive to keep our hearts, tounges, and limbs pure with tawheed and love for Allah and His messenger, inshaAllah there is always a chance for us to be forgiven and be shown the vast mercy of Allah. Imagine, this companion was committing the major sin of consuming alcohol, yet, his iman was still so great that RasulAllah (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) HIMSELF testified for this man's love for Allah and His Messenger! Imagine what amazing glad tidings it would be if RasulAllah (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) had testified on behalf of our love for Allah and His Messenger. When I think about my own sinful personal state, especially in the midst of the various fitnahs of this dunya, and I reflect upon this hadeeth, subhanAllah, I am given hope and I am reminded to purify myself and focus on strengthening my iman in order to, inshaAllah, not be tempted by the trials of this world. Of course, we are not to misunderstand the hadeeth to think that we (or even the companions themselves) are excused for comitting any sin... after all, the hadeeth is quite clear that the companion himself was punished with lashing for his consumption of alcohol (which is the prescribed punishment in an Islamic state for drinking).

To illustrate just how much this man loved the Prophet, there is another story from the Sunnah mentioning that this same companion 'Abdullah used to delight in presenting the Prophet with any delicacy that came to Medina, so when any merchant caravan arrived with something like butter or honey, he would take it for him as a gift. Later, when the seller demanded payment, `Abd Allah would bring the seller to the Prophet and say: "Give this man its price." The Prophet (peace be upon him) would then say: "Didn't you give it to me as a gift?" 'Abdullah would say: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah; however I cannot afford to pay." The two of them would laugh together and then the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have the merchant paid.

A more detailed explanation of the wisdoms found in this story from the Sunnah can be found here:
http://www.islamtoday.com/showme2.cfm?cat_id=31&sub_cat_id=2007

InshaAllah I hope to see all you brothers again very soon.

Sameer, I know you must be extremely busy as a newly-wed and just starting your residency, but... you're up on the blog. =)

wassalaam,
Ahmad

Fajr Crew

Asalamu'alaikum,

Hope all of you brothers are doing well. Inshallah, I will be heading down to the ICNA convention Memorial Day weekend, so let me know if you will be there...

Alhumdulilah, I would like to share with you a sunnah that we have revived in the Masjid here in Vermont and hopefully some of you brothers can revive it in your local Masajid. Every Saturday and Sunday, we have what I call the Fajr club, where a group of ten brothers consistently come to the Masjid for fajr and talk with each other until sunrise. This brings up two related hadith that I would like to share:

1)
Al-Tirmidhi narrated that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation then sits remembering Allaah until the sun rises, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘Umrah.” He said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In full, in full, in full.”

2)
Muslim also narrated (670) that Sammaak ibn Harb said: I said to Jaabir ibn Samurah: Did you sit with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? He said: Yes, frequently. He would not get up from the place in which he had prayed Fajr until the sun had risen, and when the sun had risen he would get up. They used to chat and talk about matters of the Jaahiliyah, and they would laugh but he smiled.

-Usman

Family!

Assalamu alaikum my brothers!,

Alhamdulillah I am in the midst of my final exams for the year,
 and soon I'll be starting some serious studying for the Board Exam, insha Allah!

I want to take this time congratulate the brothers who are planning on getting married this summer.

If Allah blesses us with the wonderful opportunity of attending your wedding, then as a reminder:

It was narrated that the Prophet(SAS) said the following to the newlywed

"بارك الله لك وبارك عليك وجمع بينكما في خير"

 

"May Allah's grant his blessings for you and blessing upon you. May you be joined together in goodness."

[ This dua is mentioned in a Hadith of the prophet (SAS) recorded in "Sunan ibn Majah" ]

The Muslim marriage is the first step in establishing a Muslim Family, and in that there is both great blessing and responsibility:

and Allah commands us in the Qur'an in Surah 66(Tahrim):

6:

Sahih International: O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, ...

On the topic of Muslim families, I'd like to share a  video that shares some interesting world population statistics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU
[Warning this video seems like it was made by Christian evangelists, but I think you'll enjoy it]

May Allah increase his blessings upon us , forgive us our sins, and grant us patience!

-Safi Shareef

Importance of Marriage

Salams all,

Since all of us on this blog are either already married, engaged or still “working on it” (I fall under the latter category, for now inshAllah), I thought now would be a good time to discuss the benefits of marriage, and how marriage is an act of Iman. There are many verses in the Quran and several hadith discussing these virtues of marriage, among them:

“Among His signs is that He created for you spouses of your own kind in order that you may repose to them in tranquility and He instilled in your hearts love and affection for one another; verily, in these are signs for those who reflect (on the nature of the reality).” (Ar-Rum 30: 21)

“And Allah hath given you wives of your own kind, and hath given you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and hath made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?)” (An-Nahl 16: 72)

The Prophet (pbuh) spoke of marriage saying, “It spares one looking at what one should not, or lapsing in adultery.” The Prophet (pbuh) also said, “If Allah grants a Muslim a righteous wife, this helps him preserve half of his religion (faith). He should, therefore, fear Allah as regards the other half.” (Reported by At-Tabarani and Al-Hakim and Al-Mundhri).

Imam Muslim reports that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “The whole world is pleasure, and the best pleasure of the world is the righteous woman.” ‏The Prophet (pbuh) is also reported to have said: “Four things bring one joy: a righteous wife, a spacious house, a pious neighbor and a comfortable riding animal.” (Reported by Al-Hakim, Abu-Nu`aym and Al-Bayhaqi).

InshAllah, those of us who are already married are enjoying their marriage and have increased their Iman because of it and, inshAllah, those of us still looking will be blessed with righteous wives.

Azim

Real power

Salaams all,

Hope you all are doing well. I've just recently started my fourth
year of medicine at UVA (we have a weird schedule and really long
fourth year). Right now I'm about 90% certain I will be applying for
a residency in dermatology. Please make dua for me. Other than
school, there is not much new in my life other than looking forward to
my sister's wedding this fall inshallah. My niece Lena is two years
old now and my nephew Humza is about 10 months. The rest of my family
is good alhamdulillah.

O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully):
Verily! those on whom you call besides Allâh, cannot create (even) a
fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly
snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it
from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought. (22:73)

I chose the following verse because I thought it showed the real power
of Allah (SWT) when compared to us. Mashallah humankind has
progressed so much in the fields of technology and many things are
capable now that were not even fathomable in the past. However, try
as we may, we will never come close to creating even the most simplest
of Allah's (SWT) creations.

--Zain

Trust in Allah

Asalamu'alaikum,

Unfortunately I was not able to make it to meet up with you guys in Texas. Inshallah I look forward to seeing all of you sometime soon. I had an excellent vacation in Chicagoland with my in-laws and other extended family. We also did some skiing up in Wisconsin...

My advice this post is in regards to the present state of the Ummah and what the only solution for change is. The following MuslimMatters.org post is the full message of what I would like to share: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/12/31/double-feature-revive-a-sunnah-action-alert-for-the-gaza-massacre/. The most important part of this message is that we as an ummah need to put all of our trust in Allah alone, so the following ayah is most relevant:

And put your trust (O Muhammad SAW) in the Ever Living One Who dies not, and glorify His Praises, and Sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His slaves
[25:58]

Allah (swt) is the only one that can provide us support and grant us success in this life and the next. Therefore, the only way to be successful is to strive to be the best servant of Allah that one can be.

May Allah enable us to be successful in this life and the next...

Wa'salaam,

Usman

We Need Brotherhood

Assalamu alaikum my JHUMA brothers!

Alhamdulillah, I'm half way done with my 2nd year of Med School.

I really wanted to come to Houston to come chill with you brothers, but subhan Allah things didn't work out...

Good news though, Alhamdulillah Allah has blessed me with an excellent opportunity to spend some time this week with a Quran recitation expert, Brother Wisam with the Bayyinah Arabic Institute. So insha Allah, I pray Allah blesses me with some benefit of this time.

I just read an excellent translation, done by one of Ahmad (Sam)'s freinds on the issue of Brotherhood. (Check it out at the end of the e-mail)

This advice is EXCELLENT, and is a great reminder to keep our ties of brotherhood.

So I hope you guys are doin well, please keep me in your duas. :)

Salam,

-Saf

-------

"…Allah Said: {"Indeed, the believers are brothers…"} [al-Hujurat; 10]

Brotherhood is from the most beautiful topics that a person can talk about! It is so pure and pleasant like light! It is so rich and beloved to the heart…

However, what is the brotherhood that is referred to in the Book of Allah?

Two people can walk down a wide road as brothers in safety and relaxation with each putting his arm on the shoulders of the other out of brotherly love. However, look at them when the road becomes narrower and is only wide enough for one of them to walk behind the other - who should I give preference to? Should I walk ahead? Or should I follow my brother and let him walk ahead of me?

Then look at the road when it becomes even narrower, leaving room for only one of them to walk on it! There is only one opportunity: either me or my brother. Who will I give preference to? Do I say that this is my opportunity and he can go look for his own? Or do I say to my brother 'Take this opportunity for yourself, and I will find my own'?

This is the test.

Brotherhood in times of safety and ease is one thing, as it does not go against the desires of the self. In fact, it is itself one of those desires that a person seeks to obtain in order to achieve the sense of relaxation that comes along with it.

As for situations of hardship or personal gain, this is where true brotherhood is tested, where the distinction is made between the love for others and the love for oneself which can become hidden during times of ease and safety, causing one to assume that he is a true 'brother' who is fulfilling the implications of brotherhood!

How many gatherings, how many lectures, how many admonishments, how many advices does a person or a group need to establish this concept in their minds, such that it does not simply become a theoretical concept that doesn't go past this level? It should become present in the heart, deeply entrenched in the heart until it gives birth to physical manifestations such as is mentioned in the Book of Allah:

{"And those who before them had homes and had adopted faith, love those who emigrate to them and have no jealousy in their hearts for that which they have been given, and give them preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful."} [al-Hashr; 9]

It was examples like this that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would work for when he was mentoring his Companions for thirteen years in Makkah and the years spent afterwards in Madinah. However, he never told himself while he was in Makkah: 'Until when will we keep teaching these concepts without doing something?' He never said this because he knew for sure that this was from the fundamental requirements of establishing the base of believers that he was working towards, and that this brotherhood - in addition to being necessary for establishing a base of believers that would serve as the seed for the Muslim nation - was also a part of the fulfillment of the behavioral aspects of لا إله إلا الله, because this statement is not simply a deep belief held in the heart. Rather, it means that one should physically adhere to what Allah has revealed and everything that has come from Him. So, adhering to this brotherhood is from the implications of this statement, and Allah Loves this brotherhood and has praised it and obligated it upon the believers in Him, and He revealed many verses regarding it, the most famous of which is:

{"O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, as it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor let women scoff at other women, as it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one's brother after having faith! And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed are the wrongdoers. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, as indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Merciful."} [al-Hujurat; 11-12]

With the Qur'an…with friendship…by living with each other…by constant mentoring…with the leadership found in the noble personality of the Messenger…with the love that gushed to them from his big heart…with attention and care for each one of them as if nobody else mattered but that one person…by the active manifestation of the emotions of faith within the jama'ah…

Through these combined methods, the Messenger of Allah nurtured this brotherly group that accomplished wonders with its brotherhood, and he built this sturdy, interconnected structure whose individual parts each supported and backed up the others.

In this new strangeness in which Islam finds itself, we need exactly what was needed in its first strangeness. If we cannot achieve the same level of what they achieved, at least we should try to come close because the jahiliyyah has caused every relationship that cannot withstand all of its pressures and stay strong despite these pressures to crumble away and disintegrate.

How long will this take, and how much effort is required? I have no idea. However, I know for sure that it is absolutely necessary, and that the base from which this jahiliyyah will be faced with all its plots needs to fulfill in its physical behavior this characteristic from the characteristics of لا إله إلا الله so that it becomes worthy of the protection of Allah…"

[ Original Article: http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/we-need-brotherhood/ ]

Helping those in need

Salaams all -

For the many poor and homeless people that live on our city streets, the winter months can be very trying. As difficult as it is to try to get by without food, water or shelter, it is just that much harder during the cold winter months. With the economy in recession, I've noticed more and more people on the streets of Baltimore asking for money or food. With this is in mind, I would like to share some hadith about the importance of giving food and charity to the needy.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick and set free the captives." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 552. "(The righteous are those) who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of God, saying: 'We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.'" - (Quran, 76:8-9).

'Uthman an-Nahdi reported that 'Abdurrahman ibn Abi Bakr as-Siddiq informed him that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "He who has enough food for two, let him invite a third, and he who has food for four, let him invite a fifth or a sixth."

It is related from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "He whose holdings exceed his needs, let him support the one whose holdings do not, and he whose food exceeds his needs, let him share it with him who does not have food."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri says: "Then he mentioned so many kinds of property that we thought no one of us had the right to have anything surplus with us." Concerning this tradition, it is reported on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari that the Prophet (pbuh), said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and ransom the prisoner."

'Umar says: "If I were to live again the past which I have already lived, I would take the surplus from the rich and distribute it among the poor immigrants (mujhajirun)."

'Ali said: "Allah, the Exalted One, has placed a due upon the properties of the rich to meet the needs of the poor. Thus, if the poor go hungry or naked or struggle because of the neglect of the rich, then Allah will hold them [the rich] accountable on the Day of Judgment and will punish them."

It is related from 'Aishah (the mother of the believers), al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, Ibn 'Umar that all of them replied to those who had asked them: "If you are asked for help in cases of blood money, heavy debt, or desperate poverty, then it is a must for you to give them from your holdings."

InshaAllah, we will remember these hadith the next time we cross someone in need.

Wa-Salaams,
Azim

Giving thanks

Salaams Bros,

Sorry I'm a bit late on my blog posting, I've been out of town with
family for break. I hope everyone had a good time getting together in
New York this past weekend, it's too bad I couldn't make it. Life is
the same as always, trying to survive through third year of medical
school and figure out what specialty of medicine I should pursue.
I've gotten some great advice from other JHUMA alumni on which
specialties they chose. It makes me very grateful to have connections
to so many people in various fields (in medicine and outside of
medicine) that are also young and Muslim. On that note, and since the
holiday of Thanksgiving just passed, I thought I would share some
Quranic verses on giving thanks to Allah (SWT):

O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for
you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship. [Surah
Al-Baqarah, 172]

What can Allah gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you
believe? Indeed, it is Allah who recognizes all good, and knows all
things. [Surah An-Nisa, 147]

We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his
mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of
the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length,
when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he
says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favor which
Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may
work righteousness such as Thou may approve; and be gracious to me in
my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to You) in
Islam." [Surah Al-Ahqaf, 15]

Wa-Salaams,
Zain