12th Month in the Islamic Calendar : Dhul Hijjah

The month of Dhul-Hijjah is indeed a month of tremendous virtues and
blessings. The First Ten Days of this month are especially significant
andare among the most magnificent days in the Islamic calendar.
It is reported from HadratIbn Abbas (Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu) that
Sayyadina Rasulullah (Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhiwa Sallam) said: "
There is no day wherein any good action is more beloved to Allah
(Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) than these ten days (the first ten days of Dhul
Hijjah)". The Sahabah (Radi Allahu ta'ala anhum) enquired: " Not even
Jihaad in the path of Allah ? "(i.e. are actions performed in these
days more beloved than even the act of Jihad)". " Not even Jihad in
the path of Allah," replied Sayyadina Rasulullah (Salla Allahu Ta'ala
'alayhi wa Sallam) , " with the exception of that person who left
withhis life and wealth (in thepath of Allah) and did notreturn with
any of it (i.e. he is martyred)". (Bukhari, Tabrani)
It is also narrated from Hadrat Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu)
that Sayyadina Rasulullah (Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhiwa Sallam) said:
" No days are as weighty with Allah and so liked by Him for good deeds
than the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah ". Therefore in these days
increasinglyrecite: " La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar,
Al-Hamdu-lillah, Sub-hanallah. " (Tabrani)
Fasts in the First 10 Days
Hadrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu) narrates that Sayyadina
Rasulullah (Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "There are no
days more dearer to Allah, in which to perform His Ibadat, than the
first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. The fast of one of those days is
equivalent to one year's fasting; and the ibadat of one night during
this period is equal to the ibadat of Laylat al-Qadr."(Ibne Maja,
Tirmidhi).
Other Acts to undertake in these days :
1. The best deed in these ten days is to perform Hajj and Umrah.
According to the Hadith,"From one Umrah to the next Umrah there is
atonement of sins in between, and for Haj which is accomplished
sincerely, the reward is nothing but Paradise."
2. There is great virtue in fasting in these first nine days, or some
of them, especially on the Day of Arafat. There is no doubt that
fasting is one of the best deeds which Allah has chosen. It is related
in by Qatadah (Radi Allahu anhu) that the Beloved Muhammad (Salla
Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhiwa Sallam) said,"Whoever fasts on the Day of
Arafat, Allah may forgive his/her sins of the previous year and of the
coming year." Note: This does refer to major or intentional sins; only
to those of omission or forgetfulness. (Sahih Muslim)
3. Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar) and dhikr (remembering Allah often)
during these days is highly recommended. As Allah tells us, (Quran
2:203): "And remember Allah in days appointed." which refers to these
ten days. It is related by Hadrat Ibn Umar (Radi Allahu anhu) ,
"Increase in these days, Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar), Tahleel (saying
la ilaha ilallah) and Tahmeed (saying al-hamdulillah)," as already
explained. (Ahmad)
In Sahih al-Bukhari, related by Hadrat Ibn Umar (Radi Allahu anhu) and
Hadrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu) that they used to walk in
the markets glorifying and magnifying Allah. The people used to join
them. They used to say inthese ten days: 'Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,
la ilaha ilallah, wa Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillah il-hamd .'
This takbirdoes not need to be collective, each person individually
glorifies Allah alone, and as in all Dhikr and Dua, one may do
whatever is easy for him/her.
4. One should make Taubah (sincere repentance) and avoid disobedience
and the rest of sins. Disobedienceis the reason for our being far
removed from Allah. On the other hand, obedience is what bringsus
closer to Allah and is the way of earning the love of Allah. In the
hadith related by Hadrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu) ,
Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Indeed
Allah has dignity, and His dignity demands that man should not come to
Him with deeds that may be forbidden." (Agreed upon)
5. We should do as many voluntary good deeds (nawafil) e.g. Salaat,
Saddaqa, recitation of the Qur'an al-kareem, feeding the poor, and the
encouragement of good deeds and the prevention of bad deeds or evil
within our society;These voluntary deeds are awarded twice the amount
for those done inany other days.
6. Do in these days individual takbir, in all the events of the day
andthe night, till the Salaat-al-Eid, and collective takbir which is
recited after every Prayer (Salaat) in congregation. It begins for
non-Hajis, i.e.those not performing Haj, from Salaat-al Fajr on the
Day of Arafat.
The 9th day of Dhul Hijjah
The 9th day of Dhulhijjahis called 'Yawmul -"Arafah' (The Day of
'Arafah). This is the date when the Hujjaj ( pilgrims) assemble on
theplain of 'Arafat, six miles away from Makkah al-Mukarramah, where
they perform the most essential part of the prescribed duties of hajj,
namely, the 'Wuqoof of'Arafat (the stay in 'Arafat)'.
The Fast of Yawmul 'Arafah
The fast of 'Yawmul 'Arafah' has been emphasized by the Most Beloved
Prophet (Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) as a mustahabb
(desirable) act. Accordingto a Hadith, the fast of this day becomes a
cause,hopefully so, of forgiveness for sins committed in one year.
Abu Qatadah (Radi Allahu anhu) reported that Sayyadina Rasullullah
(Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhiwa Sallam) said: " I have hope in Allah
Ta'ala that the fast of Arafah will be an atonement for the sins of
the past and the forthcoming year." (Muslim & Tirmidhi)
Takbir-ut-tashriq
Beginning from the Fajr of the 9th Dhulhijjah up to the 'Asr prayer of
the 13th, it is obligatory on each Muslim to recite the Takbir of
Tashriq after every fard prayer in the following words.
" Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu
Akbar wa lillahilhamd ."
(There is no god but Allahand Allah is the greatest, Allah is the
greatest and to Allah belongs all praise.)
According to authentic Islamic sources, it is obligatory on each
Muslim, to recite this Takbir after every fard Salaah. Whether one is
performing salah with Jama'ah (collectively) or on one's own
(individually) makes no difference. One must recite the Takbir.
However, male Muslims should recite it in a loud voice, while females
should recite it in a low voice.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Story - I, the other woman

Hi all known and unknown friends! I wanted to write my storyhere for a
long time. It is really trivial thing to readon the net I have an
affair with a married man.
I know that many of you are going to call me names and tell me who
terrible is that I'm destroying a family but I am also sure that many
ofyou will support me. We met in the most trivial way via the
Internet. It turned out that we had so many things in common, hobbies,
interests, personality...
To clarify we both lived in the same city, but we are born in small
towns. Ididn't intentionally seduce him, we didn't plan all of this it
just happened. Later on he told me he had never cheated on his wife
for the 10 in years in which they were married. And now he assures me
that he wanted to divorce herand marry me. I am 29 years old, divorced
with no children and he has 2.
He is very kind and considerate, but I'm afraid of all the possible
consequences. I want to be with him but I do not want his children to
live without a father. I'm afraid that I will not meethis expectations
and he will someday leave me. We see each other almostevery day, our
work is linked.
I do not know what to do. Everything is great between us, but on the
other hand there are his marriage, his wife, his children. Early in
our relationship he said that he would get a divorce but still he does
nothing. It seems to me that I'm not insistent enough.
Tell me your opinion and what you think is best forall of us.

Story - I think I am going to die...

Hello,
I want to tell you what happened to me and how this story turned my
life upside down, and I am not the same person any more......
It was during last year's summer. I used to live in a small town near
the capital, I studied and lived there. I had a steadyboyfriend for
almost 2 years; we loved and respected each other. He studied in the
same university I did. We would see each other every day, take a walk
together, we took pleasure in the love that filled us, we were more
than happy, but…as you know all good things come to an end.
Problems started when after my last annual examI decided to go to the
seaside with my friends from the town where my parents live. My
boyfriend didn't come cause he didn't have the opportunity ( he had
work in the town). So one morning my friends and I left for the
seaside. We arrived somewhere around 1 am at night. Wewent to the
hotel to check in, took a quick shower and went to bed, cause we were
all dead tired. On the next morning we went to the beach. The first
thing I noticed was the most amazing man I have ever seen, a handsome
man sitting alone on the beach, obviously waiting for someone. I told
my friends to go and I will catch them later.
I approached him and with some cheek I sat on the sand next to him, I
looked at him and smiled. He immediately gave me his hand as if hehad
been waiting for thisall day long. So we introduced each other and
chatted for over an hour, he told me a lot about himself, and I
basically told him everything. And suddenly, when we both paused
talking and as if we were enjoying one another, he said that obviously
the friend he was waiting for, won't be coming. He invited mefor a
coffee and I accepted, of course. I wasso happy and pleased with him,
it was a long time since I had so much fun. He was treating me (
someone he didn't know)so well, making me laugh, I felt so good….I
didn't want this moment to end. So we went for a coffee and we chatted
for almost 2 hours. He told me how much he loved the sea, and I
supported him fully in this. We liked each other so much, we felt
we've know each other forever.
When I was leaving for the seaside, despite my good mood, I thought I
would not stop thinking of "my man" and would not have good time, but
while I was with Mario ( that was the name of the boy I met at the
beach) I did not think of Steve ( my friend in the town) not even
once. I was so happy and enjoying the moment.......
After that I started going out with Mario, and not with my friends,
day after day. Days would pass and I kept feeling amazing………. but then
the day I had to leave came. I felt terrible. Mariowas from other city
and the distance was so huge…I think I loved him.. He also felt bad
thatwe I had to leave, but that's life. We promised to write and to
see each other next summer.
I left for my home town, and he remained at the sea, we were so far
from each other.........
After a long and boring trip I came back home and when I arrived my
parents called me to see if I was all right. After that Steve called,
my God,I had totally forgotten about him, but fate reminded me where I
was....
A couple of hours after I arrived I met Steve and you know what……my
heart beat faster. SO my "previous love" for him burst out again after
20 days absence??? We spent 2 hours together and he kept asking how
Ispent at the seaside and Iwas forced to think of something, I wasn't
ready to tell him the truth. After all I was cheating on him the whole
time...
Everything was back to normal, but I wasn't the same. In my thoughts
he was " my prince Mario". God, you should hear my heart beating when
I think of him, my heart was filled with love.
A couple of days later Steve and I went to my parents' place. We
thought of spending some time with them. One day as I was sitting and
having lunch with Steve and my parents, I felt sick. My mother said
she would come with me to the doctor. I was told I was pregnant. My
God, I stood shocked, we had sex the previous night with Steve, but it
was notpossible that I got pregnant. I was certain, the child was
Mario's. How would I tell my parents, they would certainly drive me
away, they loved Steve so much.So I kept it all to myself and
everybody was happy. I was most happy cause I would give birth to a
child from my loved one. ..
In the meantime I kept receiving letters from Mario almost every week
and was so happy. One day in one of my letters I shared that I was
pregnant from him; I thought he would be happy and that he wouldwant
to see me, but alas….......after this letter he stopped writing and I
never got an answer from him.
I was tempted to look forhim, to find out what he was doing and
thinking, but I realized he left the address he was living on.
Now, months after this, I am pregnant, married to Steve and unhappy.
Where is the love of my life? So his I- love-you's were all lies?
Maybe I am to blame, cause I cheatedon the man who loved me and was
truthful to me? What is wrong with me? Why do I keep lovingthe one
from the sea who hurt me so much?
I live with my parents with Steve now, he loves me dearly and I
pretend. I don't know how much I would stand this.
My parents want to buy us a house, for me, my husband and the innocent
baby that is going to be born.
How do I live with this lie? The child will remind me of my big,
seaside love…….and it is not guilty, it has the right to live, and I
would need to keep living with Steve and pretend I am happy…What if in
the meantime I die of sadness for my beloved one???

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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The Power of Dua

The Power of Dua
The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most
potent weapon of a believer.
By Khalid Baig
POSTED: 14 RABI-UL-AWWAL 1423, 27 MAY 2002
Once Prophet Muhammad(sal-Allahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) passed by a people
who were suffering from some affliction. "Why don't they make dua
(prayer) toAllah for protection?" he said. With all the suffering and
disasters Muslims are facing in various parts of the world, the
question can be directed to all of us today.
It is not that we have forgotten dua completely; we refer to it
regularly. But our ideas and practice regarding dua have become
distorted. Often it is reduced to the level of a ritual. Generally it
is considered when all our efforts have failed — an act of last
resort. It is belittled through actions and sometimes even withwords.
Is it any wonder that today mostly a mention of dua is meant to
indicate the hopelessness of a situation?
What a tragedy, for dua is the most potent weapon of a believer. It
can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. It is the essence
of ibadah or worship. With it we can never fail; without it we can
never succeed. In the proper scheme of things, dua should be the first
and the last resort of the believer, with all his plans and actions
comingin between.
The most empowering conversation
Dua is conversation with Allah, out Creator, our Lord and Master, the
All Knowing, the All Powerful. This act in itselfis of extraordinary
significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating,empowering, and
transforming conversation a person can ever have. We turn toHim
because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our
problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our
Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the All
Mighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most
Merciful. We get a new commitment to follow Hispath for that is the
only path for success. We feel blessed with each such commitment.
Our first and last action
In every difficulty our first action is dua, as is our last. We ask
Allah to show us the way to handle that difficulty; we seek His help
in followingthe path He shows to us; we seek His aid in making our
efforts successful. When we fall sick, we know that we cannot find the
right doctor without His Will; that the best doctor may not be able to
diagnose our condition without HisCommand; that the best treatment
plan will not succeed without His Permission. We make duafor all of
these. We make dua before we seek medical help, while we are receiving
it and after it has been delivered.
The essence of worship
Dua is the essence of ibadah. A person engaged in dua affirms his
belief in Tawheed (monotheism) and shuns belief in all false gods.
With each dua his belief in Allah grows. He beseeches Him, affirming
his own powerlessness. A person seriously and sincerely engaged in dua
understands exactly the relationship between himself and the Creator
and affirms it through hisactions. That is the essence of worship!
Additionally, such a person can never becomearrogant or proud, a
logical result of true worship.
Our most potent weapon
Dua is our most potent weapon in all struggles of life as well as in
jihad in the battlefield. During the battle of Badr, the Prophet
Muhammad stood up all night in prayer seeking Allah's help in the
battle between unequal armies that would follow the next day. In the
decisive battles against the crusaders, Sultan Salatuddin Ayyubi was
busy day and night. His days were devoted to Jihad. His nights were
spent making dua, crying, seeking Allah's help. This has been the
practice of all true mujahideen.
Big and small
We should make it a point to make dua for all things big and small. It
is the beginning of wisdomto realize that big and small are arbitrary
labels that are totally irrelevant in this context. Nothing istoo big
for Whom we areasking from; nothing is too small for the one who is
asking. That is why we have been taught to ask Allah when we need
something as small as shoelaces. We should ask as a beggar, as a
destitute person, for that is what we in reality are in relationship
to Allah. At the same time we should ask with greathope and conviction
that we shall be granted our prayers. We should remember the Hadith:
"There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making dua to
Him." On the other hand, a prayer lacking concentration and conviction
is no prayer atall.
All times and all needs
We should make dua at all times, not only during times of distress.
The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whosoever desires that Allah answers his
duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful
dua in days of ease and comfort." Also he said: "The person who does
not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry with him."
We should ask for all of our needs: those related to this world as
well as those related to the Hereafter. Those who only concentrate on
the former are, in effect, announcing that they don't care for their
life inthe permanent abode. They should blame nobody but themselves
for the total ruin in that world that Qur'an assuresus awaits them.
Those who only concentrate on the later are also showing lack of
balance, for we need Allah's help to lead a good life here as well.
All people
We should make dua not only for ourselves but also for our parents,
brothers and sisters, spouses and children, relatives and friends,
teachers and other benefactors, and destitute and struggling Muslims
everywhere. We should pray for them for the good in this world as well
as in the Hereafter. The Prophet said: "The dua of a Muslim for his
brother (in Islam) in his absence is readily accepted. An angel is
appointed to his side. Whenever he makes a beneficial dua for his
brother the appointed angel says, 'Aameen. And may you also be blessed
with the same.'" [Sahih Muslim]
In the dark ages that we are living in today, everyday brings fresh
news about atrocities committed against our brothers in Palestine,
Kashmir, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, and the list goes on. And
what do wedo? We can continue to just feel frustrated and depressed.
We can petition the determined perpetrators or a fictional
"International Community". We can just forget all this and move on to
some other subject.Or we can stand up before Allah and pray for His
help, who alone can help. The dua can changeour life, our outlook, and
our fate. It is the most potent weapon. But it works only for those
whotry sincerely and seriously to use it.