Biographies - Mufti Hussain Kamani

Mufti Hussain Kamaniwasborn to a Hindu revert-to- Islamand
Muslimfather in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. With the blessings and du'a
(supplications) of hisparents,Mufti Hussain Kamaniunderwent a journey
of a lifetime in pursuit of sacred Islamic knowledge. He began
hispursuit of the Islamic sciences at the young ageof six to memorize
the entire Quran at the acclaimed Darul Uloom Madania in Buffalo, New
York. By the blessings of Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, he was able to
complete this momentous task in 1999.
Mufti Hussain Kamani'sIslamic Education
Having the growing thirst to quench more knowledge, Mufti
HussainKamani then traveled across the world to the United Kingdom to
attainmore advanced formal Islamic authorizations in the field of
Islamic theology. He studied at Darul Uloom Bury, the renowned
seminary of the great revivalist and scholar of Hadith,
Shaykh-ul-Hadith Zakariyya Kandhlawi (Rahmatullahi Alayh). Mufti
Kamani completed the traditional six-year curriculum covering the
Arabic language, Arabic morphology, Islamic jurisprudence, Tafseer
(exegis) of the Holy Qur'an, Hadith (PropheticSciences), philosophy,
and Aqeedah (Islamic Creed) under the guidance of some of the pioneer
scholars in England, including Shaykh Yusuf Motala, Shaykh Hashim,
Shaykh Bilal and Shaykh Abdur Raheem bin Dawood amongst others.
Upon graduationMufti Hussain Kamaniwas then was specially selected to
enter a post-graduate level course in Islamic Law and Legal Verdicts
(Fatwa). He completed this course in two years and received formal
authorization in it as well.
Following his graduation with top honors, Mufti Hussain Kamani went on
to earn his post-graduatedegree in Business Management & Strategy at
the University of Coventry (RDI).
Mufti Hussain Kamani at present
Currently, Mufti Hussain Kamani is the Imam of the Islamic Center of
Chicago. With the help of Allah, he is constantly working on projects
and programs to cater towards the needs of the Muslim youth and the
greater-Chicago community. This includes conducting numerous weekly
lecture series, holding after-school Quran classes, counseling youth,
couples, and adults in general, teaching new Muslims, giving da'wah to
non-Muslims, and being asenior advocate of Halal awareness and
integrity.
Mufti Hussain Kamani is also an instructor in the Sacred Learning
programheaded by Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattarand is a favorite at Darul
Hikmah's Weekend Islamic Sciences Academy.He is also part of the
Shariah Board of America's Fatwa Department staff. He is one of the
scholars that accompany a Hajj group led by Sacred Hajj.
Many of Mufti Hussain Kamani's talks and lessons on Seerahcan be found
at the Audible Wisdomsite.

Biographies - Hazrat Maryam

Hazrat Maryam`s (Alayhas-Salam) respectable parents are Hazrat Emraan
and HazratHannah. In her old age, Hazrat Hannah (Alayhas-Salam) was
expecting a child. With the birth of a son in mind, she made anoath
to Allahthat the child to be born would be freed from all worldly
affairs and specially dedicated to Allah's service. Almighty Allah
blessed her with a daughter, who was to be the mother of Hazrat Isa
(Peace Be Upon Him),Hazrat Maryam(Alayhas-Salam), the chosen one among
the women.
The Holy Quraan says:
Behold! When the wife ofImraan said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto
Thee what is in my womb for Thy service. So accept thisof me; for thou
Hearest and Knowest all things." When she delivered, she said: "O my
Lord! Behold!I am delivered of a female child!" (Surah
Ale-Emraan:35-36)
Hazrat Maryam's (Alayhas-Salam) Childhood
ThusHazrat Maryam(Alayhas-Salam) was born. She could not be devoted to
temple service as her mother had intended, due to being a female. This
was under the Mosaic Law at the time. However, as thenew born was
marked out for a special destiny to be the mother of the miracle-child
Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon Him, she was accepted for the service of
Almighty Allah.
Hazrat Maryam's (Alayhas-Salam) Miracle
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam) grew up under Allah's special
protection.Her sustenance came from Allah, and her upbringing was
indeed apure one.
The Holy Quraan, most beautifully testifies this childhood miracle of
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam):
"Right graciously did her Lord accept her, He madeher grow in purity
and beauty, to the care of Zakariyya (Alayhis-Salaam) was she
assigned, every time he (Zakariyya) entered (her) chamber to see her,
he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam! Whence
(comes)this to you?" She said: "From Allah. For Allah provides
sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." (Surah Ale-Emraan:37)
Hazrat Zakariyya Peace Be Upon Him looked afterHazrat Maryam
(Alayhas-Salam) whilst she was in the service of Allah.
Birth of Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon Him
So Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam) grew up in a very pious religious
environment, always remaining busy in the worship of her Creator
Almighty Allah. Then followed the miraculous birth of Hazrat Isa Peace
Be Upon Him.
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam), the mother of Hazrat Isa Peace Be Upon
Him was unique, in that she gave birth to a son bya special miracle,
withoutthe intervention of the customary physical means. This of
course does not mean that she was more than human, any more than her
son was more than inhuman. She had as much need to pray to Almighty
Allah as anyone else.
May Almighty Allah give us all the true and properunderstanding of
Hazrat Maryam (Alayhas-Salam).

Ramadan Articles - Ramadan: A School of Piety - IV

Ash-Shaafi'isaid,"I recommend people to be excessively generous in the
month of Ramadan, following the example of the Messenger of Allaah.
Furthermore, people have a need for such charity since many of them
are too busy with fasting and praying to earn their livelihood in that
month."
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Maryam narrated that hisShaykhs)teachers( used to
say,"When the month of Ramadan begins, spend generously for the virtue
of spending is multiplied in it in much the same way as the spending
in the cause of Allaah The Almighty; and glorifying Allaah The
Almighty once in it is better than a thousand times in other months."
Zayd ibn Khaalidnarrated that the Prophet,, said:"Whoever gives food
to a fasting person to break his fast will have a reward like his,
without that detracting from the reward of the one who fasted."]Ahmad
and others[
Once, one of our righteous predecessors was asked about the wisdom
behind legislating fasting, and he replied,"It is to make the rich
taste hunger so that he does not forget the one who is hungry."
Ibn Rajabsaid,"Whoever cannot reach the rank of giving preference to
others overhimself, he should not fail to reach the rank of those who
give comfort or sympathy."
Ibn 'Umarused to fast and never break his fast except with the poor.
If his wife prevented him from doing that, he would not have dinner
that night.
One of the righteous people liked to eat a specific kind of food while
he was fasting. However, when it )this food( was placed before him at
the time of breaking his fast, he heard someone saying,"Who will lend
to the King, the most Sincere, the ever Rich?"He said,"His slave who
is devoid of rewards."So he got up, took the plate and gave it to him
and slept on an empty stomach.
A poor man came to Imaam Ahmadand asked for something, so he gave him
two loaves which he prepared for breaking his fast. Then he slept
while he was hungry and woke up fasting.
Performing'Umrah)minor pilgrimage( inRamadanalso has special merit; it
was narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that Ibn 'Abbaassaid,"The
Messenger of Allaahasked an Ansaari woman:"What preventedyou from
performing Hajjwith us?"She replied, 'We have a camel and thefather of
so-and-so and his son )referring to her husband and son( rode itand
left one camel for us to use for irrigation.' Hesaid )to
her(:"Perform'Umrah when Ramadan comes, for 'Umrah in Ramadan is equal
to Hajj)in reward(,"or said something similar."
We have to learn from this month to have patience in abstaining from
matters prohibited by Allaah The Almighty such as backbiting, ill
speech, evil deeds, hearing and looking at evil. The Messenger of
Allaah,, said:"Whoever does not give up false speech and false conduct
and acting upon intolerance, Allaah is not in need of his leaving his
food and drink )i.e. Allaah will not accept his
fasting.(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Actually, the true meaning of fasting is not merely to abstain from
eating and drinking but it is a school where the soul learns to stay
away from lawful things, until one get used to doing so.Thus, staying
away from evils and sins would be much easier to handle. There is a
well-known saying that reads,"Fasting is not to abstain from eating
and drinkingbut it is to abstain from ill and obscene
speech."Al-Haafith Abu Moosa Al-Madeeni said: It )thisHadeeth( meets
the conditions set by Imaam Muslim.
Some of our pious predecessors said,"The easiest form of fasting is to
abstain from drinking and eating."
Jaabirsaid,"If you fast, then let your ears, eyes and tongue abstain
from lying and all other evil matters."
Ibn Rajabsaid,"The secret behind this is that seeking the pleasure of
Allaah The Almighty through abstaining from lawful things cannot be
perfected except by seeking His pleasure through abstaining from
prohibited things. Therefore, it was mentioned and Allaah knows best
in the Noble Quran the prohibition of eating up one another's property
unjustly )in any illegal way, e.g., stealing, robbing, deceiving(
aftermentioning the prohibition of drinking and eating for the fasting
person during theday in Ramadan."
Showing patience while abstaining from certain physical needs, such as
drinking, eating, sexual intercourse and other things, during the days
ofRamadanand throughout the whole month, will cultivate patience in
you – the patience needed to abstain from what Allaah The Almighty has
prohibited and to remainobedient to Him throughout your life.
Additionally, once we learn patience concerning fulfilling the orders
of Allaah The Almighty from that month and patience concerning
abstaining from what Allaah The Almighty has prohibited, we will
attain piety that Allaah The Almighty wanted for us from ordaining
fasting for us. Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}O you who have
believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those
before you that you may become righteous.{]Quran 2: 183[
Therefore, the issue of fasting is not concerning merely hunger or
thirst; rather, it is a training course for performing the acts of
worship and fulfilling the commands of Allaah The Almighty.
The injunction of hastening in breaking the fast and delaying
theSuhoor)pre-dawn meal( and encouraging others in doing so is indeed
a reminder for the one who has a sound heart and is heedful. Imaam
Ahmadnarrated from Abu Tharrthat the Messenger of Allaah,, said:"My
nation will always retain goodness as long as they hasten in breaking
the fast and delay the Suhoor."

Ramadan Articles - Ramadan: A School of Piety - III

Ramadanthe month of the Quran, repentance and returning to Allaah The
Almighty, has come to you.
Let us make it a starting point for returning to Allaah The Almighty
with sincere repentance so that it may erase our sins and remove our
offences and evil deeds.
The devils are chained in the month ofRamadan, the heat of lusts dies
down, desires are restrained, and the bodies come under the control of
minds. Therefore, the evildoer isleft with no excuse to persist in his
evil deeds.
It is a time when the sinful people stand up ontheir feet in prayer in
thelate hours of the night and seek forgiveness, saying )what
means(:}"O 'Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we
have come with goods poor inquality, but give us full measure and be
charitable to us."{]Quran12: 88[ they would receive the answer:}"No
blame will there be uponyou today. Allaah will forgive you; and He is
themost merciful of the merciful."{]Quran 12:92[
If someone does not repent inRamadan, when will he repent?
If someone does not return to Allaah The Almighty inRamadan, when will
he return?
If someone does not perform the obligatory prayer regularly inRamadan,
when will he do so?
If someone does not giveup committing sins and doing evil actions
inRamadan, when will he do so?
Time is running out, daysare passing, and death comes in the twinkling
ofan eye, when it is least expected.
So hasten to return to Allaah The Almighty with repentance and ask Him
for forgiveness, for this isRamadanthe month of repentance and
forgiveness.
One of our pious predecessors once said,"The most beneficial
forgiveness is that accompanied by repentance. It is the untying of
the knot of persistence in committing sins. So whoever asks for
forgiveness and his heartstill persists in committing sins and is
determined to return to do evil again after the month is over, then
his fasting is in vain and the door of acceptance is locked in his
face."
Ka'bsaid,"Whoever fasts Ramadan and intends to disobey his Lord when
he breaks his fast after Ramadan, then his fasting will be of no
avail."
AMutawwif)pilgrim( used to say in his invocations,"O Allaah! Be
pleased with us. If You are not pleased with us, then forgive
us."Indeed, he was truthful, for the one who perceives his sins to be
enormous doesnot dare to ask for the pleasure of Allaah The Almighty,
but his sublime aim is to receive forgiveness. In fact, he who knows
himself well, and cannot see himself except in this position.
This is the month of the reform of the sinful, the neglectful and the
transgressors.
O Muslims, do you not contemplate the warning? Do you not take heed of
the reminders? Putting the verse in which Allaah TheAlmighty Says
)what means(:}And when My servants ask you, ]O Muhammad[, concerning
Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant
when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me ]by obedience[ and
believe in Me that they may be]rightly[ guided.{]Quran 2: 186[ between
the verses of fasting is a warning for the sinners and a reminder for
those who take heed. It is also an indication of the virtues of good
deeds. Invocations in such an honorable month are more likely to be
answered and one is more likely to be pardoned and forgiven.
It was reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the Messenger of
Allaah,, said:"Three persons will not have their supplication
rejected: thejust ruler, the fasting person until breaking thefast,
and the supplicationof the oppressed person."]Al-Musnad,As-Sunanof
At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa'i and Ibn Maajah[
It was narrated that 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amrsaid,"I heard the Messenger of
Allaahsaying:"For the fasting person is an accepted invocation at the
time hebreaks his fasting."]Abu Daawood[
'Ubaidullaah ibn Abi Mulaykah said,"I heard 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr
saying, 'O Allaah! I ask You by Your mercy, that encompasses all
things toforgive me.'"
Our pious predecessors understood the words of the Lord of creation
and were well aware of the value of time and the sanctity of these
days. Therefore, they set examples that are unmatched in history, and
which are difficultfor laypersons to emulate.
Ash-Shaafi'iused to complete the recitation of the Noble Quran sixty
times inRamadan. Az-Zuhriused to say whenRamadanbegins,"It is for
reciting Quran and giving food."MaalikwhenRamadanbegan, used to stop
studyingHadeeths and attending the sessions of scholars to dedicate
himself to the recitation of the Noble Quran from theMus-haf)copy of
the Quran(.
Has not the time come yet for us to comprehendthis wisdom as they
comprehended it, to do good deeds as they did, and to attain the
status that they attained?
Let us then regard the month ofRamadanas a school for learning
patience, asRamadanis the month of patience, and it was narrated that
the Prophet,, said:"Fasting is one half of patience."]Abu Daawoodand
At-Tirmithi[
Let us learn inRamadanto have patience concerning the acts of
worshipping Allaah The Almighty such as fasting, praying, standing in
night prayers, recitation of Quran and charity. TheProphet of
theUmmah,, gave us a practical example in his life. He used to stand
at night in prayers duringRamadanand recite the Quran slowly. He did
not reach any verse that mentionedmercy except that he paused and
asked for mercy, and he did not reach any verse that mentioned
punishment but he paused and sought refuge from punishment. So he used
to combine praying, recitation, invocation and contemplation over the
verses. This is the best and most perfect actof worship.
Giving charity inRamadanwas a significant act in the life of the
Messenger of Allaah,.
It was reported by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim that Ibn 'Abbaassaid,
"The Prophetwas the most generous amongst the people, and he used to
be more so in the month of Ramadan whenJibreel )Gabriel(visited him,
and Jibreelused to meet him on every night of Ramadan till the end of
the month. The Prophetused to recite the Noble Quran toJibreeland when
Jibreelmet him, he used to be more generous than the blowing wind. The
Prophetwas asked about the best charity and he replied:"Charity in
Ramadan."]At-Tirmithi[