We were truly humbled that they were selected among the top 40 under 40 influential people.

Once again, we are humbled that Muslimmatters got yet another opportunity to have their staff nominated for another MBMuslima magazine competition.

Continuing MuslimMatters' writers recognition, now one of our founders, Amad Shaikh, and his wife, Umm Reem, a specialist are up for nomination in MBMuslima's “Extraordinary Muslim Couple Awards”. All nominations can be seen here.

The nomination letter is written by Haleh Banani:
“It gives me great pleasure to recommend a very exceptional and masha'Allah inspiring couple: Amad Shaikh and Umm Reem. My husband and I have known them for over 20 years. As early as the college years, while many people were just starting to search for their religious identities, Amad and Umm Reem were masha'Allah in full gear leading their peers by being the president of the male and female sides of the Muslim Student Association at the University of Houston…” You can continue reading the rest of the letter here.

If you believe, like we do, that this MM couple should receive your vote, then please join us in voting here before June 15th.

Last Saturday, we gave you a hint about today's special MKM post and here it is! Guess what? Summer's just got way more exciting with the announcement of our…

Excited? We sure are! :)

Ramadan is just a couple of weeks away and we know you're all looking forward to it… which is perfect timing, Insha'Allah, for you to participate in the competition. As with any contest though, the aim is to have fun, learn something from each other along the way… and then, yep, there's some prizes you may win too, Insha'Allah. :)

So here's what you need to know about the contest…

What's the theme?

You've got to send in a short essay on the title “Ramadan in my family”.

What is it supposed to be like?

Tell us how your family spends Ramadan and what makes the month so much more special to you. Here are some ideas to think about:

• What do your parents guide you to do (such as ibadah, acts of goodness) in this month?
• How are the Suhoor and Iftaar planned in your home?
• Do you arrange any special activities at home to learn more about Islam and the Holy month of Ramadan?
• Any special foods you'd like to share?
• If you go for Taraweeh, how is your experience?

Who can take part in the contest?

Age group: 7-14 years

How short and how long can the essay be?

You can write from 300 to 500 words.

How can entries be sent to MuslimKidsMatter?

You can email your entry with your full name, date of birth, father's/mother's/guardian's name, postal address and contact number to muslimkidsmatter@muslimmatters.org.

How soon can the essay be sent in?

The contest opens on 9th July.

When's the last day to be able to send in the essay?

Last date of submission is 15th August, 2011.

Can more than one essay be entered by a kid?

We'd like one entry from each kid so be sure to send in the best one you have! :)

Who's going to decide the winners?

Members of the MM staff will be glad to read your essays and decide the top ones, Insha'Allah. :)

And… what's the prize?!

We know that's the question that's on the top of your mind so here's the answer… the top 3 essays will be published on Eid Day- Insha'Allah. Each winner will be awarded the Share the Deen's fabulous “Islamic Match Game” (read more about the game below). Children from all over the world can send in their entries, however, please note that the games can only be posted to a US postal address.

Review | Share the Deen's “Islamic Match Game” | An awesome way to spend your summer (and Ramadan)!

Muslim Matters is happy to bring to you our review of a cool new family game that's similar to the popular card game, Memory. “Share the Deen“, Dr Dona Vassall-Fall's venture, is a family-run business that aims to make quality Islamic educational games available for Muslims of all ages. The game we've reviewed below, the “Islamic Match Game”, has been described in Dr Dona's own words…

The game is played like a traditional memory game, but instead of matching pictures, players match questions and answers related to Islam. This edition has Q&A about Allah's Prophets. It is designed for ages 8 and over. It has the added advantage of a 'cheat sheet' so that those who don't know the answers can take a peek. Then they only have to remember where they saw the answer that matches the upturned question card. So it's good for your Deen and sharpens your memory too!

The game artwork was done by Make Me Believe, a really creative group of designers based in London. The quality of the game itself is also excellent. People who have played the game enjoy the fact that it is easy to play, doesn't take long and that players learn about the Deen while having lots of fun.

Muslimmatters had a group of full-time hifdh students from AlKauther Academy play Share the Deen game against a group of their summer school children. 

These are some of their reviews and reactions.

“Questions are basic “-Abdullah full-time hifdh student

“Questions are sooo hard but I learned so much”- a summer school student 

“Amazing, it looks good and is fun to play”- Musab – a summer school student

“I would like it as a gift” Hamzah- a full-time hifdh

“The questions are easy!” Jawwad- a full-time hifdh student

“The package is nice and small. It looks like a 'pro' game. Nice pictures on the cover. It is hard to play this game on the floor because it says Allah's name on the cards. When can we play it again?” Zaeem- a full-time hifdh student

“It is an easy game but hard too because if you don't know the answers you waste your turn or if you can't remember where the answer is placed” Saad – a summer school student

The boys had a great time and can't wait for the next time they play.

Ramadan is for collecting food for the poor by Zahrah Age 7

Jazakallah Khair to all the kids who sent in their submissions- hope you are having a wonderful Eid where ever you are on Allah's Earth. If our readers enjoy this selection of  Mini Muslims' creativity, please leave them  a note of encouragement- MashaAllah, they were all so inspiring. May Allah grant all of you kids, much success in this dunya and in akhirah.  Please remember us in your duas and don't forget to say alhamdulillah! EID MUBARAK!

Ramadan Story by Nur Kose  Age: 12  State: DE

Nur glanced at the clock.  It read 7:34.

“One minute!” she announced.  Just then, the clock ticked the next minute.  Her brother Yusuf began saying the Adhan.  Nur passed dates to her parents.  After everyone broke their fasts, they prayed Maghrib and then sat down to eat.

After they were done eating, everyone sat down on the sofas to rest before going to Tarawih.

“I want to stay up for Laylatul Qadr this year,” Yusuf said.

“Me too,” Nur agreed.  The two brothers and sister had been looking forward to staying up all night during Laylatul Qadr all Ramadan.  Last year, they had both fallen asleep two hours before Fajr.  This time, they were convinced that they could stay up the whole night. It would only be an extra four hours, anyway. Usually, they slept at 12 after Tarawih prayers at the masjid and woke up at 4 to eat Suhur.

“Yusuf,” Baba said, “you and I can go to the Masjid tomorrow night.”

“Nur and I can stay at home,” Mama said, “and Huda and her mom can join us.”

“Yes!” Nur said.  She couldn’t wait to spend one of the last ten nights of Ramadan with her best friend.

“Can Furkan come with us?” Yusuf asked.  He was referring to Huda’s brother, who was Yusuf’s friend.

“Sure,” Baba said.  “But make sure you two take a nap during the day, so you don’t get too tired.”

Nur and Yusuf excitedly talked about the next night until it was time to go to the Masjid for Tarawih prayers.

During the four rakat break, Nur met Huda in the Masjid.  She told Huda about what her parents had said about staying up.

“That’s great,” Huda exclaimed. “I can’t wait until tomorrow!”

“Me neither,” Nur said.  “You’re coming for Iftar tomorrow, right?”

“Inshallah,” Huda said.  “So, after that, we can stay at your house until Fajr.”

“And the boys will go to the Masjid,” Nur added.  Just then, they heard the Imam say, “Allahuakbar!”  The two girls quickly went to stand in line to pray.

The next day, Nur was in her room, sorting her things and planning out the night.  There was a pile of blankets and pillows leaning against the wall.  She would take that down to the living room later on.  Next to the blankets were some Qurans, hadith books, dua books, and Islamic story books.  She had gotten those from the prayer room.  She had also gotten a small basket of tasbihs for doing dhikr.

As Nur checked off her list, she didn’t hear her little sister Meryem come into the room.

“What are you doing?” Meryem asked.  “Are we moving to another house?”

“No,” Nur laughed. “I’m just taking these things downstairs because Huda and her mom are coming over tonight and we are staying up.”

“You are not going to sleep?” Meryem asked wide-eyed.

“No, we want to stay up in these special nights so we get good deeds,” Nur explained.

“Why is it special?” Meryem asked.  She sat down on the blanket pile and looked at her elder sister intently.

“Because this is the time when the Quran was revealed,” Nur said.

“I thought the Quran was revealed a long time ago,” Meryem said, confused.  Nur laughed.

“You’re right, Meryem, but this is the same time it was revealed many years ago.” Nur thought for a moment, trying to think how she was going to explain this to her sister.

“You remember when you had your birthday a few months ago?” Nur asked.  “Does that mean you were born a few months ago?”

“No,” Meryem said.

“Right,” Nur said, “so Laylatul Qadr is kind of like the birthday of the Quran being revealed.”

“Oh,” Meryem said.  She was quiet for a moment. “Can I stay up, too?” she asked.

“Well,” Nur said hesitantly, “I guess you can try.”

“Yay!” Meryem squealed. “I am going to stay up the whole night! I am going to stay up the whole night!”  She ran out of the room to announce this new bit of news to the rest of the family.

At Iftar time, Huda and her family came over.  Afterwards, the boys went to the Masjid.  After the boys left, Huda and Nur set up the blankets and pillows in the living room.  Then they neatly stacked the books on a small table.

Then, they prayed Isha together.  They also prayed four rakats of Tarawih, taking turns leading the prayer.  Both tried to say the long surahs they knew.

After praying and doing dhikr, Nur said, “Let’s study the Tafsir of one of the surahs in the last Juz.”

“Okay,” Huda said. “Which surah?”

“How about Surah Asr?” Nur suggested.  “I’ve been listening to the Tafsir of Surah Asr by Nouman Ali Khan, so I understand some of it now.  Let’s study my notes.”  Nur got out her notebook and began reading the meaning of the surah.

“By time, Surely human beings are immersed in loss, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds and tell the truth and have patience.”

“That’s short,” Huda said.

“Yeah, but Nouman Ali Khan talks for more than five hours about it,” Nur said.

“Wow!” Huda said.

“Yeah,” Nur agreed.  She started reading her notes that she had taken from Noman Ali’s speech.  “So, Allah is swearing by time.  Then, He says that humans are in loss.  He didn’t say the disbelievers are in loss, He said that all people are in loss.  Then He gives an exception: except those who believe, do righteous deeds, tell the truth, and are patient.  Usually, Allah just says those who believe and do righteous deeds, but here He gave four.  And, if someone just has one or two of the exceptions, it isn’t enough.  To avoid being in loss, you have to have all four of the exceptions.”

Nur turned a few pages of her notes.

“Time is running out,” Nur read.

“So,” Huda said, “It’s important to not waste time and use our time wisely.”

“Yup,” Nur said.  The two read some more about the surah and the tafsir and how it was important to do good deeds together.  Then, they did some dhikr.

Nur yawned.  “I’m really tired,” she said. “And it’s only 12.  I don’t think I can stay up for the rest of the night.  Maybe we should take a break.”

“But remember,” Huda said. “Don’t waste time.  Time is running out.  These are special nights and we should do good things together.”

“You’re right,” Nur said. “Let’s pray Tarawih again.”

“Okay,” Huda said.  Just then, Meryem ran into the room.

“I want to pray, too!  I want to stay awake all night!” she exclaimed.

“Meryem!” Nur groaned.  She had told Meryem that she could stay awake if she wanted to but she hadn’t expected Meryem to take her seriously.  She hadn’t thought Meryem could stay awake.  But here was Meryem, more awake than she was, demanding their attention.

“Meryem, go to Mama,” Nur said.  “You can’t stay awake with us.  You’re too little.”

“No,” Meryem said.  She stuck out her lower lip and folded her arms.

Nur threw her hands up in frustration.  “Meryem!” she groaned again.

“Nur, you’re supposed to be patient,” Huda said.  “Remember the four exceptions?  Believe, do righteous deeds, tell the truth, and be patient.  You don’t want to be in loss, right?”

Nur took a deep breath.  “I guess you’re right.  Come on, let’s pray Tarawih.”

The night went by and Nur and Huda read Quran, prayed Tarawih, read Islamic books, did dhikr, read Hadiths, and made duas.   When they got tired, they encouraged each other to stay awake. At around 4, they ate suhur and then prayed Fajr.  The boys came home and they talked excitedly to each other about the night before and everything that they did.

“I can’t believe we stayed up the whole night,” Yusuf said.

“Me neither,” Furkan said.

Sleepy, but happy inside, the four kids went to sleep, thinking about the great time they had had this Laylatul Qadr.

The End

Ramadan Poster By Maryam

Artwork by Yusuf Kose Age: 8  State:  DE

Materials:  scissor, tape, foam, 8/11″ paper, three circles, and notecards.

Steps to Make Poster:

First, get your 8/11″ paper and tape the three circles on the paper.

Then you make a sofa for the person who is reading Quran.  Draw a sofa on the piece of foam and cut it out and tape it on one circle.

Then get a notecard. Cut out a shape of a person sitting. Cut it out and tape it on the sofa.

Then get another notecard and on it write what the person is doing.  Now you're done with one of the circles.

So now we are on the praying circle.  Get a notecard.  Cut out two people who are the ones that are praying.

And then get a piece of foam for the prayer rug. Then cut it out and tape it under the people.

Then get a note card and write what the person is doing again and tape it on top of the circle.

Now we are on the last circle which is giving zakat.  Cut the person that's giving zakat out, and draw a small box and cut it out and tape it.

Then draw a table for the box to be on and cut it out and tape it under the box.

Then, the last step is to get a note card and write what the person is doing and tape it on the paper.

You are done with the poster about “How I Spend My Ramadan”.

Poem: What To Do in Ramadan  By Huda Kose, Age 6 State: DE

In Ramadan, we shouldn’t eat food,

And shouldn’t be rude.

In Ramadan, we fast all day.

And when it’s Iftar time, we get to eat from food on a tray.

In Ramadan we break our fast with a date,

And, inshallah, we will go through one of Jannah’s gates.

In Ramadan, we fast all day,

And we got to Taraweeh to pray.

In Ramadan, we pray Taraweeh and end with witr,

So, inshallah it will be fun in Eid ul-Fitr.

In Ramadan, we read lots of Quran,

So, we will get good deeds in Ramadan.

In Ramadan, we help the poor,

So, inshallah, we can go through one of Jannah’s doors.

In Ramadan, we help the poor,

And we should help others some more.

In Ramadan, we shouldn’t eat food,

And shouldn’t be rude.

Ideas for Eid by Reem Shaikh from Qatar

Ever think what you should do on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr? It’s only once in the whole year, and you don’t want to spend it in boredom! Well, I’ve got some ideas for you what to do on Eid or ideas for the preparation for Eid. Here are the preparation ideas:

Gather up your allowance or pocket money or just ask your parents for some money, and go to the store with them, and buy gifts for some friends and family.

Decorate your house! I always find that loads of fun. You can make your own home made streamers (below), and blow up balloons and stick them on the wall. Just don’t make too much of a mess!

Make goody bags to give out to little kids at the masjid! We did that 2 years ago, and that was fun. And sometimes little kids bother their parents at Eid prayer, so when you give them the goody bags, the parents get happy, and you’ll get reward from Allah, InshAllah.

Ask your parents to buy you some new and fancy Eid clothes if you don’t have them. Girls can always get some jewelry! Its loads of fun to dress up on Eid.

Hold a party! Maybe, just maybe your parents will agree to let you have an Eid party for your friends. But if they don’t want to, then don’t bug them! It’s always a big hassle to hold a party!

Of course, sleep early the night before Eid. You’re going to have to wake up early for Eid prayer, and you don’t want to have dark circles on your eyes on Eid day! Also, try and have a good dinner, because you probably won’t eat breakfast until after the Salah.

Of course, you’re going to get up, wear your nice and new Eid clothes, and go to Salatul-Eid first, right? Remember to try and give some money to the Sadaqah! Then you’re going to probably come home and eat some breakfast, and your family might give you some gifts, or what we call Eidi which means Eid money. But then what?

We all usually go visit family, or we’re invited to some people’s houses, and that’s always fun, plus it most likely means more gifts!

You could politely ask your parents to take you somewhere fun, like the arcade, an amusement park, a skating rink, or something like that. But if they don’t agree, then don’t bother them, because if you do, they’ll probably get happy and take you somewhere anyways.

Go and give the gifts you bought for everyone (if you did buy them).

Usually we have family over on Eid. So ask your parents if you guys could all go to a nice restaurant to eat. But you’d better behave over there, or that’s probably the last time you’re going!

Do some games at home, and invite just a few friends over to play. But be sure to prepare the games before!

I hope you guys enjoyed all my idea, and InshAllah; you’ll have a blessed and a fun Eid this year.

♥Reem♥

*How to make homemade streamers:

You’ll need:

~A bunch of colored papers~A stapler with plenty of staples in it~ScissorsStep 1: Put all the colored paper together, and cut them in 4-5 long strips. You’ll have a bunch of the strips now, but be sure to cut it together so it’s even. Don’t worry about being too straight.Step 2: This is quite tricky to explain, but it’s easy to do. Just take each end of the first strip, and put them together, a little overlapping, and staple it.Step 3: Then take the next strip (you can do any color order, or any random colors) and put it through the first one, and staple the ends again.Step 4: Just keep repeating step 3, except put the new strip through the newest circle, until it’s as big as you want it to be.

Ramadan Word Search By Reem Shaikh

Poem: Ramadan By Furkan Kose

This poem is about the month of the Quran

Which is the blessed month of Ramadan

Before Fajr I eat a meal called suhoor,

And it gives me the feeling of the hungry poor.

At Maghrib time we eat iftar,

And break our fast with dates from a jar.

We should give more to others,

especially to my poor Muslim sisters and brothers.

In Ramadan, our prophet gave more,

Especially to the weak and hungry poor.

We pray extra salah,

For only one reason which is for Allah.

Extra prayers help you get closer to Allah you see,

And one of these is a prayer after Isha called Taraweeh.

In Ramadan you shouldn’t be mean or do anything bad,

And should not lose your temper and get mad.

Eating is not the only thing that can break your fasting,

It can be broken by saying a bad word or by hitting or shouting.

In Ramadan, you should give to the ones in need ,

Because if you do that, you will get so many good deeds.

In the last ten nights of Ramadan there is Layla tul qadr,

Which is a blessed night that is better than any other.

Now that this poem is over I just want to say,

That you should do the good things you do in Ramadan everyday.

Ramadan Duas-a story by Zaynub Siddiqui Age 9 from CA

“Javairia! Clean up the pantry, clean up every single bedroom, bathrooms, and the grand halls floor,” shrieked Yasmine. “Yes, beautiful grand sister,” said Javairia calmly. “Javairia! Help me get dressed and pick out my shalwar kamees.” “Coming,” said Javairia.

Javairia was a Muslim, a Muslim girl who was bossed around and tortured by her step sisters, even in the month of Ramadan. So that meant she could not eat or drink. Did you now that her mean sisters even shoved food in her face while she was fasting.  Today was the first day of Ramadan. You must not think that ' at least Javairia got food for suhoor' but she did not. All she got were crumbs. (That is why we should be thankful and say alhumdulilah.)

Week after week, Javairia was bossed  around and tortured.  One day an invitation came from the masjid for iftar. In the invitation, it said there was going to be a competition for the best qirat. There would give out a prize!

The two stepsisters talked and talked about the competition until the day was finally here. Of course, the two lazy sisters did not practice but Javairia did. She practiced her favorite Surah- Surah Qadr.

The two sisters left poor Javairia at home. She cried and made dua to Allah (swt). There was a knock on her door, Aunti Zayna was standing at the door.” Do you want a ride the masjid?” Allah (swt) had accepted her dua!

Now the three sisters were at the masjid. They met up with their friends. Then the Imam called for the two sisters to recite. While they were doing it, they made a lot of mistakes. The imam said,” you can’t do qirat you made to many mistakes.”

Then he called for Javairia to do it.  Everybody ohhhed and ahhed and said mashaAllah. Then the Imam said “You win, you get 2 musallahs, 1 Quran and  2 tasbeehs.”

After the contest Javairia was thankful and proud of herself. Her sisters realized that they should not treat her like a servant.  They learnt a lesson in  Ramadan.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! Check them our here!

Alhumdulillah, the finals are finally here! The wait must have been incredibly long for some, especially those who participated in the contest with their entries. We've been through five groups of semifinalists', with voting done for each group to narrow it done for the finals. All voting for semifinalists is now closed.

Before we go on to the actual finalists, it's important to let you know how much we valued each and every entry. It was humanly impossible to do justice to the beautiful poems mailed to us! Some were better than others in terms of creativity or the varied messages they carried… but really, all were heartwarming as they were about Ramadan, the best month of the year.

For the finals then, we've taken the top two most-voted poems from each semifinalists' group through to the finals. Please note:

1. You're now voting to decide the winner and two runners up (you have to cast just one vote though, to make that clear!)

2. Voting will be open for three days. Polls will close on 0000 hrs Pacific Standard Time on 8th September.

3. The winner and runners up will be announced on Eid day.

4. If you've missed reading the poems earlier or wish to recap, the finalists can be found below and also on their respective semifinalists' pages here:  Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

__________________________________________________________________________

Take Our Poll

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A Journey to Ramadan
By: Simeitsa Stamoulas (Maryam Noor Stamoulas)

A Month of Mercy
is upon us.
And I remembered back
when I was young
about how I felt being able
to fast the whole month.
I thought, “How wonderful!
All the reward is in my grasp!”
I realized I should
plan for this blessed month.
So, I went in my room.
And I wrote a list.

I wrote,
I will pray my soul to rest.
I will fast with strength greater
than the one who wrestles men
down.
My remembrance will
only be of Allah.
And can't forget the coming Eid
outfits…

I just kept on thinking how
I can just soak up this month
of reward.
And as I wrote, my father
entered my room.
“Oh Baba! I am preparing my
list for Ramadan. Come see
what I have written.”
My father examined every detail.
And when he looked up he smiled
then said, “Ya bunayyati (O my daughter),
these are all great things you have listed,
but I think you are missing something.”
I said, “Missing something? What do
you mean?”
He stopped for a while,
and asked me to come with him.

My father took my hand.
And we traveled into the city.
It is not something I experienced often.
And I observed the status of its condition.
I saw walks of life with no homes.
Children in rags that had seen better days
on some other child that had thrown them away.
I saw a dinner plate between a mother
and her four starve stricken children.
A plate only consisting of two
decomposed dates found
and split into four halves.

And then we stopped.
I looked at my father with tears saying,
“Where are we Baba?”
He held me close and wiped my trickles.
“Bunayatti, when I saw your list indeed I was
pleased, but Ramadan is not only
about you or I. It is about the people
around you who need you the most.
It is a second chance. It's a reminder to mankind
that forgiveness is near.
It's about self reflection, and unity.”

From then on I learned that Ramadan
was not about how many prayers I did.
The clothes I bought.
Or even the strength that
I had to fast.
It wasn't what was sitting on the dinner
table, but who was sitting around it.
It was about us all gathering together
and crying out, “Ya Rabbana!
Your Mercy is as the river flows.
And Your Bounty has no limits!
Make this the month of great
treasures for them!”

It was the peace on their faces
after telling reciting the verse to them
“Verily, with every difficulty there is relief”(94:6).
It was Allah letting them know
He had never forgotten them
Nor had He left them not
even for a blink of an eye.

I say to you,
Ya ayyuhal Mu'minun(O you Believers)!
Don't be missing something this Ramadan.

_______________________________________________________________

We are the Heirs

By: Mariam Arif

How beautiful the scent it brings,
A wave of calmness, an air of peace,
Our hearts are driven to the King of kings,
Our chances of paradise will increase.

It’s time to read His mighty words,
A single letter is ten times more,
I crave the prize, I reap rewards,
I need that heaven we all adore.

Refraining from food and drink is one,
To refrain from sin is greater still,
To teach us patience, to discipline,
Let’s see who has the greatest will.

And don’t forget Al-Qadr night,
When souls seek guidance and purify,
The winners pray and long recite,
For they were chosen by the All-High.

I raise my hands and close my eyes,
May God accept our fast and prayers,
By the end of this I want the prize,
Which God has promised, we are the heirs.

_____________________________________________________________

Qiyam Poem

By: Emad Hamdeh

In the day I struggle and sin while You watch me
Forgetting what I promised Thee
That I won't do it again
I have come to realize that being far from You is disgrace
Now being near to You is the only place
I wish to be, please grant me my wish by Your Grace
All others closed their doors
You are The Most Generous, please open up Yours
Allah allow me to wake up at night
I have sinned much in the daylight
Please my heart needs to come to you in flight
My desire of sleep I shall fight
To prostrate to You in the nights peak
Complaining about my heart being so weak
Bless me and let that tear leak
Down this sinful mans cheek
Let my tongue ask for forgiveness, for all the evil it did speak
Let my arrogant nose
Go on the floor where peoples feet and toes
Walk, where it belongs my forehead goes
Let my prostration be lengthy and my tears plenty
My back is getting weak, as the sins on my shoulders are so hefty
Please Oh Allah let me be among those who are awake while others sleep

I carry heavy sins and the road to You is steep
They are holding me down and making me slip and fall
But Your name I will always call
Allow me to prostrate to You in the dark
As sins have left on my heart a great black mark
Allah I beg You not to leave me to myself
For clearly I cannot see
My sins have left me roaming blindly
Guide me to Your Light
I miss prostrating to You at night
Now I tear, because I fear
Not tasting the sweetness of being alone with You and so near
Oh Allah I haven’t prayed Qiyam in so long
Since the last time, I have done so much wrong
Oh Allah without You I can’t be strong
Being away from You I can no longer take
From the chains and yokes of my sins I want to break
Oh Allah grant me this request
Though of your servants I am so far from the best
Oh Allah I am so sinful compared to the rest
Please let me pass this test
Oh Allah don’t deprive me of standing between Your Hands
A place a sinner like me never stands
My sins are enough to cover the lands
Let me be pleased with Your decree
Whatever happened was meant to be
Whatever I missed was not meant for me
My only strength and courage is through Thee
Accept from me my prayer
Oh Allah my heart aches
Being alone with You brings back great memories
Remembering those days takes
My heart into different states
Oh Allah my heart misses You so much that it is about to fall and break
The thought of how much I disobeyed You makes me quiver and shake
Oh my Lord, please give me my wish and inspire
Me to do good so I may be saved from the fire
Oh Allah I can no longer speak
My heart misses You so much it has become weak
Oh Allah How Revered You are
You are so near, but I chose to be far
Allow me another chance to be close to You
To drop another tear while prostrating before You
My sins covered my heart with a dark thick layer

Remove it with Your Light
Allow me to come back and stand before You at night
Return to my heart its sight
For it is weak and losing the fight
Help me as You are my only Power and Might
La Hawla wala Quwata illa Billah

______________________________________________________________

A Mother’s Last Words
By: Hadiyah Stephens
Compare, if you will, two flowers the same
Except one is vibrant and fresh, the other crumpled and plain
They lay in my hand, one in each palm
And looking at them, I experience a strange calm

My mind goes back in time, I begin to reflect
And I realise I have a lot to correct
I ask myself, ‘when was the last time you prayed?’
'And when was the last time you freely gave aid?’

I sit down then, right there on the grass
I start crying, the tears come fast
I don’t know what made me feel this way
So sad, so helpless, so full of dismay

I stare down bleakly at my balled-up fist
I feel confused, surely there’s something I’ve missed
Something is wrong, there’s something I should know
I struggle to remember, my confusion grows

I grow frustrated, I clutch at the flowers
Then breaking through my rage, a sound that empowers
I hear my mother’s gentle voice, so near, so treasured
And my tears run freely as her last words, I remember

She died in the month of Ramadan, the very last night
And even though she was in pain, her face was lit with light
She clasped my hand and brought me near
And whispered to me, her voice frail, yet clear

She told me of Ramadan, her favourite month of the year
And of how everyday she would spread hope and cheer
I remembered vaguely of her always being away from home
Always in Ramadan, she would go out alone

She told me of what Ramadan brings
Peace, Forgiveness, Happiness, Blessings
She told me to make sure others know
She grasped my hand tight and begged me to go

She told me to continue on after her death
She was staring at me as she drew her last breath
Then she died with the Shahadah echoing on her pale lips
And in her features I could see the toll of many hardships

I didn’t carry on her work
I refused to acknowledge her last words
I closed myself off from the whole of Islam
I had left the straight path for the path of harm

And as I stood there with the flowers in my hands
I recalled a story my mother had taught me from our homeland
Three dates she gave me after Iftar
She asked me to identify their differences, I thought it bizarre

I did as she asked, I examined all three
And when I was finished she asked for my decree
I told her the truth, one was fresh, one dried
And the last was cracked, brittle and split down the side

She smiled as if pleased and gathered me close
She then asked me how the rest of the lesson goes
I look up at her, uncomprehending, confused
She smiled again, picked up some dates, just two

One was the fresh one, the other was the dried
I gave no response to my mothers wide questioning eyes
The fresh date represents a true Muslim’
‘The dry one is a disbeliever, instead’

She pauses before picking up the last date; she waited for a reaction
Then she holds up the last date, the one which was hardened
She waits for a little longer then she slowly tells me
This one represents a Kuffar and a hypocrite, do you see?

I didn’t get it then but I sure get it now
I finally understand and will now make a vow
I called myself a Muslim while doing nothing at all
And now I will save myself from this head-long fall

Because that lesson my mum taught me so long ago
Was not just a lesson but a life echo
What she showed me using just three dates
Is really what we are all trying to create

With this simple lesson we can learn
What is the key we are all trying to earn
The key to Paradise is simple to get
Just try to be the fresh date in each set

I cradled the flowers as I ducked indoors
I have to apply what I learnt to my life and more
I filled up a vase and placed the flowers inside
And ran to make wudo with Allah as my guide

That prayer was a first for a very long time
I had just started my prayer when the clock began to chime
I was full of thankfulness, cheer and more too
I’d realised I was free of the wrong I’d been going through

When I sat and studied Islam that night
I felt like a new person, full of radiant light
I looked out of the window out of pure chance
And when I saw what I saw I felt like doing a dance

For hanging up there in the heavens, was an inspiring sight
Glimmering softly against the blackness of night
Moving slowly across the sky, slim and new
Was the brand new beautiful Ramadan Moon

Since my mother had died I hadn’t fasted a day
But the present was different, before I had been astray
But now I didn’t fear Ramadan like I had in the past
Now I gladly went around preparing for my fast

That night long ago, when my mother breathed her last
She had told me the secret to the blessed month of the fast
I had nodded, pretending to comprehend
I hadn’t, and now I must make my amends

I am proud to be a Muslim, let everyone know
The lesson taught to me by my Mum so long ago
Stay away from harms way, try to do right
Especially in Ramadan, the blessed month of light

A mother’s last words everyone should heed
Often a little advice is all that you need
Follow my mother’s lesson and pave your way clear
Build your Iman and make it sincere

Ramadan is not to be dreaded and feared
As many different things its not what it appears
Sure it’s about fasting all day
But it’s also about who you obey

Do good in Ramadan, be your best
As we all know, life’s only a test
Be a good Muslim, keep up the good deeds
And maybe one day, we shall all succeed

Peace, Sincerity, Forgiveness and more
This is what Ramadan brings to every Muslim’s door
Do what my Mum told me all those years past
“Treat every Ramadan as if it’s your last”
_____________________________________________________________

Welcome Ramadan
By: Syed Muneeb Shere

I wonder how you welcome Ramadan
Do you wait for it with open arms?
And when it comes, give it a welcome warm?
Or do you grumble and believe that harm
Is hunger to health or is thirst too hard?
And it fascinates me how you treat your fast
Do you wake up grumbling before dawn?
To eat a morsel, on your face a frown?
And then do you pray, with a sleepy brain
Your morning prayer, before the time is gone?

And do you sleep, through out the day?
Or does your fast get in your way
When you are told to do some work
Other than chatting, or gossiping, or play?
Does your fast stop when you lie?
Or does the fast pass as every normal day?
In entertainment, untruths and useless bray?
Is that how you treat Ramadan?

Or when fast is broken, do you eat your feed?
Without caring about those in need?
Is a day’s hunger not sufficient to make you heed
Or your heart yearns not towards a good deed?
Or does it not pain you, your every bad deed?
Is not Ramadan, enough to take lead?
Of your misguided selfish deeds?
Is that how you treat Ramadan?

And in the mosque, at the time of night
When is recited, the book of light
Do you spend the time in flight?
From your Lord and in useless fights?
Does not your conscience bite?
Your heart or is it too much still
To make you stir for the path which is right
Is that how you treat Ramadan?

Beware the month of forgiveness and mercy
Do you not take from the hell fright?
Or do you not wish to be pure and white
To rush towards your Lord and the guiding light?
Return before you reach the height
When time is over and your insight
Becomes frightfully clear and bright
O Man waste not your Ramadan
_______________________________________________________________

Iftar Table Musings
By: Sohaib Baig

The medjool dates are ready, so is my glass of water
I sit with my watch
a million thoughts slide by
as quietly as the distant, setting sun
the day’s struggles
the thirst
the hunger
the tedious incomplete work
the forthcoming night
my eyes close, but my mind stays awake
my stomach growls, counting the time
as if it can be counted

What is time, but a hideous distraction
An anchor pulling us back to this gargantuan world,
cutting it into small, edible bits
but there really is no time – only timelessness
for this is not really a world – only an evanescing phase
our souls are on an eternal journey,
created from long before, headed for something much greater
we have to weave our way
maneuver past this world’s tight fist
stamp out our cold, befuddled shivers
open our eyes for the first time, truly
then bask in the tranquil openness, and warmness
inside rivers with no banks and valleys with no peaks
under a sun with endless streams of light
and gaze at our Lord
freely, peacefully, unendingly
and all alone.

we all have been marauding around
like uninvited guests, though we were invited
eating the forbidden fruit, hiding behind leaves
few, if ever, see through the deftly-woven branches
and notice the rays of light and Mercy
streaming, encompassing our nomadic worlds
giving life to our automated lives
He offers us forgiveness
all these Ramadans, all these Prayers
all this Qur’an, all these Qiyams
but we deftly press the snooze button

how far we are from Him,
yet how close He is to us.

_____________________________________________________________________

Untitled Poem
By: Hind El-Ayoubi

It's the feeling I can't explain

The way that it made me forget my pain

With every breath that I take

Never in my life have I ever been more awake

The way it made its presence known

Sent a chill down to my bone

As I look up and ask God to witness this miraculous time of the year

Reassurance accompanied me with tears

Ramadan how I've counted down the days

Until you came and cleared up the haze

The month of mercy and forgiveness it is

Puts me in an unworldly state of bliss

The Quran which was revealed on this day

To understand it all and live by it for this I pray

________________________________________________________________

The Maghreb Moment: A Ramadan Poem
By: Adem Carroll

It is within you. And it comes again

Between us—

The sweet, mysterious breath of

Springtime rain;

The inner heat of secret light

Like the green within the flame.

No fear, no paperwork or mountaintop,

No borders stop this Ramadan;

Witness the heart’s uncertain trek towards waking

Through seasons, sands– small wandering child with drum.

Come home, my heart, this evening

As loved ones gather in the kitchen warm with steam;

Our loving mother is the cook

And God is He who sent the Book to wake us from this dream.

In need we find the treasure:

Beyond consuming or consumed,

We may drink the green life here

Before we are entombed.

In the desert, “ain,” the word for eye, oasis is the same—

But as one will empty one will fill.

Yet now these evenings out of the darkness comes

All life to share the source in peace…

And the drums are still.

________________________________________________________________________

Ramadan Oh Ramadan
By: Zuha Mirza

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I miss thee

You come for one month and leave us for an 11 month spree

You bring us both blessings and control from the shaytaan,

But eventually leave us, anticipating next year’s Ramadan.

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I miss thee

Waking up with tired eyes for suhoor and some tea

Frying samosas and filling up our plates in time for iftaar with glee

The sweet and savory taste of the kajoor

Keeps me filled from iftar to suhoor

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I miss thee

Taraweeh and ibadaah, I perform with Allah’s decree

I make dua with immense faith and concentration

Hoping this Ramadan’s fasts will be accepted without any hesitation

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I miss thee

I hope to meet you this year, so I can welcome you contently

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I miss thee

I hope I can meet you the next year, so I can keep fasts in honor of HE

Ramadan oh Ramadan how I LOVE thee

That I keep missing you, even when you’re not here with me

_______________________________________________________________________

Where hope lies
By: Miriam Islam

Engulfed in the blackness of despair, drowning with deeds beyond repair

The sinner walks a lonely path

A desperate effort to heal the wounded aftermath

Chased by the demons of desire

The dunya led him closer to the fire

The glitter of pleasures and death never pending

Threw him into sins never ending.

So great is the shame, marred with emotions unnamed

How can he dare to call upon his lord again?

With a heavy heart and eyes downcast

Dreams of carefree days go past

A time when it was so easy to raise up hands and freely request

Innocent pleas and simple decisions, praying Allah would ease the rest.

Requesting from his Lord most high, most bountiful

Who made all good things seem possible, and the evil unthinkable.

So when did the light of goodness fade into darkness?

Was it through the extinguish of the conscience

Or did it diminish with the weak voice of reason

When overshadowed by the shout of Satan?

So the sinner walks a lonely path,

No longer seeking wrong or right, only hoping for a ray of light.

A light of purpose, a light of redemption

A lamp of guidance, leading to the road of salvation.

A way to repent for the time unspent

For the obligations unfulfilled and the book unread

The deeds which rendered the weak heart dead.

So what can revive the stricken heart?

Allah set a month apart.

A time of healing, a time of hope

A time when everyone can grasp a lifeline boat.

Drifting to Allah’s mercy, escaping to the plains of tranquillity

Wherein lies a night, better than a thousand nights.

Containing beauty and power concealed from sight.

A time to walk through a new door and emerge with vows of “no more”

And so the sinner walks a lonely path

Towards renewal and amendments for the past.

Through doors of repentance and levels of submission

Allah’s mercy leads him to the doors of admission

The promise of two gardens for taqwa for a lord unseen

In the prevention of a fearful deed.

For O son of Adam if your sins reached the sky

But you called on your lord just one time

You would be forgiven as if you had never turned to transgression.

So never despair of the mercy of Ar Rahman, turn the key in Ramadan.

Reignite the former glory of Eemaan.

_______________________________________________________________________

Missed out on all the action? Check out: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 |The Finals

Make sure you send in pictures of the finished craft with directions.

For puzzles- send us the answers too.

Give us some background about your photograph ie why you think it is special, what camera did you use?

Here is a nasheed for inspiration.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We will vote for the best post in each category and the winners will have their posts published on Muslim Matters.

Last day for sending in your submission will be September 5^th, inshaAllah. We realize there isn't that much time left, but the same goes for the month of Ramadan : ) .  This contest is open to all Muslim kids  under the age of 14, all over the world (MM staffers' families are encouraged to participate too).

EMAIL entries to art[@]muslimmatters.org

The Ramadan Poetry Contest closes at 1800 GMT TODAY (21st August, 2010 – 10th of Ramadan in many places!). Due to the overwhelming number of entries we've received, masha'Allah, we will be quite strict about the deadline. So please make sure your entry is in by the stated time! JazakumAllah khair.

***

Welcome to the another edition of MuslimMatters.org’s regular Islamic Art feature. If you want to see your work on MM, then either email us your images to art[@]muslimmatters[.]org or submit them to our Flickr group.

Click on the images below to view the original.

The best, by Fouad EA. Calligraphy Tuluth style.

Freedom, by SameePanda. Aerosol Paints on MDF. The mural was designed to represent Spiritual Freedom/Freedom of the Heart and Soul, hence the quote of Ibn Taymiyyah to add emphasis on what Freedom means from an Islamic perspective.

Khayrul Waaritheen, Best of Inheritors, by Zayd Depaor.

Istanbul, by Nushmia Khan. Studying abroad in Istanbul for me was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had. I was able to understand the true essence of my religion, as put by the Prophet Muhammad (s) - Nothing will help you on the day of judgment except a sound heart.

Islamic Center of North Virginia, by Saad Malik. Beautiful Masjid in Virginia.

Humaira, by Aznin Taridi.

Ramadan 2010, by Swamibu.

Visit the MuslimMatters Flickr group to view the other entries…

—
Note: all the images presented in our Islamic Art feature are copyrighted to the original producers. Do not reproduce them without seeking their prior consent.

***

It has been two years since our last Ramadan competition. In 2008, we were blessed to receive many wonderful short stories written by our talented readers. This time, we'd like the inspiration to flow in the form of poetry.

• Theme: The beautiful month of Ramadan – and all the precious things associated with it, i.e., Qur'an, fasting, self-sacrifice, charity, the Nights of Power, and much, much more.
• Style: Traditional, abstract, rhyming, non-rhyming, spoken word, haiku, iambic pentameter… anything goes. As long as it's poetic and inspirational.
• Format: Poems may be submitted as either standard text, imagery (i.e., a poem on an image background), or as a video (max. duration: 3 minutes).
• Submission details: Entries should be submitted to art[@]muslimmatters.org with the subject: “Ramadan Poetry Contest”, between the 1st and 10th day of Ramadan, inclusive (according to the MM calendar). Videos entries should be first uploaded to YouTube, and the link emailed to the above address. The video description should include the line: “Submission to MuslimMatters.org's Ramadan 2010 Poetry Contest: http://art.muslimmatters.org”, and “MuslimMatters Ramadan Poetry Contest” as a tag.
• Voting: Submissions that conform with MM rules will be published on MuslimMatters between 11th-20th Ramadan, where readers will be allowed to vote for their favourite entries. The winners will then be picked from the 'favourited' pool by a panel of MM judges.
• Prizes:  A cash prize (USD) will be given to the winner, and the same amount donated in their name to charity; a reward for dunya, and a reward for akhira:
  • 1st place: $250 to winner, and $250 to charity.
  • 2nd place: $100 to winner, and $100 to charity.
  • 3rd place: $50 to winner, and $50 to charity.
• Winners will be announced on Eid-ul-Fitr, insha'Allah.

Please make sure to read and comply with the following terms and conditions:

• One submission allowed per entrant.
• The poem must be original, and not previously published.
• Entrants must have permission to use the text, images and/or sounds (as relevant) included in their submission. For example, no ripping off nasheed artists, or stealing pictures from Google images! Please respect the work of others.
• By entering the contest, the entrant gives MuslimMatters.org permission to reproduce their submission.
• All material should be suitable for “family-viewing”; offensive or obscene content will obviously not be permitted.
• In the case of imagery, any featured male and/or female subjects should be covered according to proper Islamic guidelines.
• The video soundtrack must not include musical instrumentation. Voice-only please.
• MuslimMatters reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, and to change any aspect of the contest at any time, at our own discretion.

Now you've read the rules, get working on your poem! We look forward to your submissions. Make sure to spread the word.

JazakumAllah khair to all those who put the site forward during the nomination round. Please now visit the site to submit your votes. Polls close end of day Friday, November 27, 2009 – 9 pm (Fri) PST, 12 am (Sat) EST, 5 am (Sat) GMT.