Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

People are coming in large numbers to watch, they’re congregating in lines after lines. Standing on both sides of the road, they are cheering for you, waving their hands and calling your name. Confetti is filling the air, flying all over the place and balloons are ready to rise high in the sky. You’re almost there, you’re out of breath, out of energy and almost loosing heart, perhaps this race has taking too long, you’re telling yourself. And now you can see it, you can see the banner, the banner of the finish line. Congratulations, Eid is almost there.

Ramadan is just like a marathon, a race where, at the start, thousands of people participate, some of whom are professional athletes, others are amateurs, some are coming for a good cause and some others are participating just for the heck of it. In Ramadan, there are the professional worshipers, the masjid goers, there is the on and off crowd, the new comers and those who fast “just because”.

At the beginning of the marathon people are so excited, they run happily and they run full force, or maybe those who are not so experienced do that, but then as the race progresses, the crowd starts to space out and one group after the other starts trickling out of the race. The group that stays the course and continues until the end will cross the finish line and win the prize.
Even though winning a medal is enjoyable and something to look up to in a race, there is nothing like winning the prize of satisfaction for making it to the end. Those athletes are the great sportsmen and women, the grand achievers.

In the first few days of Ramadan, the masajid are full with every Ahmad, Arshad and Abdullah, and don’t forget Aisha, Fatima and Sumayyah. They are very excited for the new experience and ready to go. Soon after the launch of the race, they start falling behind and then leaving the race. At the end of the month, only the most dedicated stay the course and cross the finish line, the rest will be just spectators and wish they have been there with them at this glorious moment of victory.

The end of the month of Ramadan is like the Day of Judgment, everybody will be remorseful. The wrongdoer for not doing good and the good doer for not doing good enough. In a regular race, those who cross the finish line  are supposed to be winners, but the truth is that they will still be remorseful. Those who come late will wish if they have come earlier, those who were not among the front runners would wish they had been so and those who ended front runners would wish they had come first place. And even the one who comes in first place will wish he did better in order to be able to break the record, and the one who just broke the record will wish he had done much more to secure his record for the future. See what I mean?Everybody, at the end of Ramadan, will be remorseful. Although they will be enjoying a degree of happiness, hidden underneath is the subtle feeling of grief, sorrow and regret.

So what is the solution then? What can I do to rectify my situation? For sure I cannot reverse the time and there isn’t much left to do anyways. Well, yes there is. Not much work, but still the most essential, al-Istighfaar, seeking Allah’s forgiveness.

Istighfaar استغفار means to solicit or seek forgiveness. Just like in any other Arabic word that begins with alif, seen and taa’ استـ this very simple prefix means the solicitation of something which is understood from the word annexed to the prefix. In our case its gha, fa and ra غفر which literally means to cover and conceal. So saying Istighfaar or seeking forgiveness means the solicitation of concealment and covering. But the question here is, concealing and covering what? Didn’t we just finish a marathon of good deeds? In one month, perhaps you have done variety of good deeds, such as reading the Qur’an, fasting, salat and giving to charity more than what you would do in one year if not even more. So what are we asking forgiveness for then?

You see, the perception in the minds of so many people is that you only ask to be pardoned or forgiven when you make a mistake or when you fall into the sin. But thats not what Allah asks of his servants. In the Qur’an Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala commands us to seek forgiveness after many righteous achievements. Take Hajj for an example.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says:

ثُمَّ أَفِيضُوا مِنْ حَيْثُ أَفَاضَ النَّاسُ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“Then depart from the place from where [all] the people depart and ask forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful..” Al-Baqara 2:199

Now this place the ayah speaks about is Arafa, and the most important part of Hajj is to witness the day of Arafa. For those who attended Hajj they will understand the concept. Its a whole day of sole and solo worship. You spend your time, every hour and every minute, if possible, in Ibadah until you drop, and at the end you are still required to seek forgiveness?!

In Qiyamul layl, the night prayer, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَىٰ مِنْ ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ عَلِمَ أَنْ لَنْ تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَلِمَ أَنْ سَيَكُونُ مِنْكُمْ مَرْضَىٰ وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah.

So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful..” Al-Muz’zammil 73:20

Just right before the revelation of this ayah, the companions of the Messenger of Allah, who were only handful back then, were ordered to pray Qiyam – the night prayer – for a whole year and then this ayah came down to relieve them of this duty. Still, after spending an entire year in worshiping throughout most of the night, they were commanded to seek Allah’s forgiveness.

And after performing the Fard, the obligatory salat, we start our post-salah dhikr by saying istighfaar… that’s right after finishing your obligatory devotional offerings. What do you seek istighfaar for if you have just finished an act of devotion?!

In Sahih Muslim, Thouban, the servant of the Messenger of Allah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “When the Messenger of Allah used to finish his Salat, he would seek Allah’s forgiveness three times.” Imam al-Awzaa’ee rahimahullah, a sub narrator explained the way one seeks forgiveness by saying أستغفر الله astaghfirullah, (I seek Allah’s Forgiveness).

Even at the end of the great life of the Messenger of Allah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, with all its glorious achievements, he was commanded to seek Allah’s forgiveness. A life  full with an amazing devotion and dedication to Allah and to the service of His message had to end with a solicitation of forgiveness.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says:

إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ
“When comes the Help of Allah, and Victory,

وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا
And thou dost see the people enter Allah’s Religion in crowds,

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
Celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and pray for His Forgiveness: For He is Oft-Returning (in Grace and Mercy).” An-Nasr 110:1-3

Why do we ask to be pardoned at the end of our offerings and at the end of our good deeds? Why do we seek forgiveness after we are done from doing what is supposed to be an act of righteousness? That is because, regardless how much we do and how much we offer we will always fall short fulfilling Allah’s rights upon us, therefore we seek his forgiveness. This way we ask Allah to conceal our shortcomings in that Ibaadah and cover our mistakes therein. Thats what istighfaar is all about.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

وَآتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ

“And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favours of Allah, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.” Ibrahim 14:34

Even though we are mostly ungrateful to Allah, He is still the Most Merciful and Oft-Forgiving for our short comings and our insufficient show of gratitude. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“If ye would count up the favours of Allah, never would ye be able to number them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” An-Nahl 16:18

It is for this reason we are asking Allah to forgive us at the end of this marathon of good deeds. We ask Allah to forgive us for not doing enough when we could do more, to forgive us for not doing it as great as it should be and to forgive us for not doing at all what we were supposed to do during this blessed month of Ramadan.

Moreover, seeking forgiveness is an act of worship that follows immediately another act of worship. And following an act of worship with another is a sign of Tawfeeq, Divine guidance, that Allah wills good for the worshiper. Just as bad it is to follow a sin with a bad deed, it is a sign of goodness to be continuous in the state of worship to Allah Almighty.

In addition to that, seeking forgiveness is the attitude of the most righteous of all people, the anbiyaa’ and the messengers of Allah.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala narrates to us the statements of these great men in the Qur’an:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًا

“O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men and believing women: and to the wrong-doers grant Thou no increase but in perdition!” Nuh 71:28

Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

By Meena Malik

It was the first Ramadan that she felt like she was finally in a good place, a place that felt wholesome and clean.  It was the qiyam at the local masjid, the masjid that she recently discovered with her sisters…the place she wished had come into her life a few years earlier.

The qari sat there ready to fill the musallah with the Best Words, the Words of Allah.  He said he was reading Suratul Luqman, the chapter of the Holy Quran that tells the story of the wise man named Luqman.  She hurriedly fumbled in her bag for her tattered Quran and opened up to the surah, in order to read the translation of the verses he was reading.  It was really starting to get to her, she couldn’t bear the fact that she didn’t understand the Words of Allah when they were being recited.  It took the worst toll on her when she would stand in prayer during tarawih, the worst of the worst of it came when it was time for the du’a at the end of the prayer.  There were people weeping to her left and to her right, but all she could think was What is he saying?  What are we asking for from Allah?  When will I understand? The tears would start to come down her own face, maybe a great portion of it coming from the desperate anguish that she felt because she could not understand.  There was a barrier, a distance, a hollow gap, and it was filled with nothing.  She felt like a stranger to these Words.

So she sat there, as the qari’s voice swelled up, past the chandelier and into the dome soaring towards the heavens, and as it swooped back down into the deepest parts of the earth passing through the hearts of those listening.  The Words swerved left and right and filled all the empty space of the musallah.  It felt like the large room was her heart and that somewhere deep inside, there was a small place emitting a glowing light.  It felt like there was a small piece of flesh calling out to Allah, filling her whole empty heart with a warmth that stung in the most pleasant way.

As he came to verse 27, she read the meaning of those Words and broke apart.  It felt like her body melted and that she was reduced to a puddle, soaking in the turquoise and gold carpet.‎

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

If all the trees on earth were pens, and the ocean were ink…the writing of Allah’s Words (His signs and creations) would not be exhausted; surely, Allah is the Mighty, the Wise. [31:27]

Finally, there were words that really spoke to her.  She was overcome with a fuzzy feeling that rose up from the tips of her toes and made her head swim. This feeling was a familiar one.  She had felt it before whenever she was out in nature.   She realized then, sitting there in that musallah, that this was the feeling of knowing Allah and understanding His Words.  Even though she had neglected Him for all of those years and never really given a care about trying to please Him and live by His rules, she realized that He was always there, the whole time…trying to catch her attention.  It was as if she had been blind, enjoying what He had made for her, but never thanking Him for it.  All those times she stood out in the open and felt the wind whip her hair and the sun kiss her face, the times she would tilt her head back and watch the sun paint the clouds as it set, the times she would follow the birds as they flew through the sky, the times she felt the raindrops hit her as they pattered down from the darkened sky.  All of those times she enjoyed nature was described in the most perfect way-that this was a mark, an ayaa, of Allah, that these were the many marks of Allah.

As the last sounds of the surah faded from the musallah, she felt a dull heat settle inside of her.  Something was smoldering, not yet having caught flame.  Even though the Words had stopped vibrating from the walls, they stayed closed within her heart, not the Words themselves, but everything that they meant and everything that they stood for.  That feeling of finally understanding, truly understanding, what the Words of Allah really meant was one that she hadn’t felt before.  It was like an embrace, a feeling of encompassing comfort that she didn’t want to lose.
‎

وَكَأَيِّن مِّنْ آيَةٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ عَنْهَا مُعْرِضُونَ

And how many Signs in the heavens and the earth do they pass by? Yet they turn (their faces) away from them! [12:105]

Allah has saturated every part of the world with His Signs so that we would acknowledge His Existence and send our thanks and glory to Him. Yet, sadly, some of us fail to see, truly see, Who is behind it all.

Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

Muslim jurists differed on this issue and have four opinions:

Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

Ramadan Around the Globe Series:

Bosnia 2010 | Qatar 2010, 2009 | Saudi (Makkah) 2010 | Sweden 2010

BOSNIA 2010

The prism of Ramadan, or how to use your fast – sharpened senses to distinguish different shades of the Muslim problem with Islam (Ramadan experiences and customs in Bosnia)

By Mostapha S.

Ramadan (Ramazan in Bosnian) is arguably the most interesting and most contested time of the year in Bosnia. It is one of few axial points in time for the people, even non – Muslims. Events and activities are talked about as being before and after Ramadan; vacations are planned according to it, working hours are adjusted to it, and at least two days off are given for Eid. Experience-wise, the one month period of time that is Ramadan is actually many months in one: when it begins, what to do once it begins, when it ends; as is the case elsewhere in the Muslim world, at this time differences between various Muslim groups assume their distinctive Ramadani shapes and forms, and tensions resulting from them may even intensify. There are, however, some things that would make anyone accidentally finding themselves in Bosnia during Ramadan recognize what time of year it is, or at least give them a hunch that something different is under way.

Everything slows down. The fast, of course, begins with suhur, and the sight of Sarajevo at suhur is heart-softening; lights in houses and apartments appear suddenly and strikingly, contrasting the surrounding darkness like stars do with the darkness of the cosmos when they appear. Other than light bulbs, ovens and microwaves, one electric device that gets disturbed from its night’s rest is the phone. People call to check up on each other, and if a complete stranger would pass through a tightly-knit neighborhood at this time, with its lights on and phones ringing, he’d might think that the sun is on the wrong side of the planet. In the old times, the task of waking people up was up to a telal, a man who would go through the streets and repeatedly announce in a loud voice that it’s time to rise and eat (his other duties included making important announcements on the town square in a similar, i.e. loud, fashion). But suhur times (astonishingly, for me) are for some, the most difficult part of fasting; to be more precise, getting up for suhur is the hardest part. Many people prefer to sleep through suhur, drinking perhaps only a glass of water to keep their backs straight through the day. Unfortunately, many miss fajr that way, and even more unfortunately, many do so intentionally.

Those who do get up for suhur will probably not miss eating a piece of pastry called somun, one famous folkloric feature of Ramadans here. Roundly shaped, spiced and decorated with some blackseed, and smelling wonderfully when freshly baked, it’s something that the fasting and the non-fasting people look forward to in Ramadan. Customs and habits surrounding it are among the signposts of the month; for example, since everyone wants their somun fresh and warm, most wait until the last hour (or less) before iftar to buy it (although it is eaten for suhur as well, iftar is its prime time). That can create an interesting image on the streets of Sarajevo; long droves of people in front of bakeries with baskets, slabs or sheets for their pastry chatting, arguing, watching the time, looking and acting nervous, and sometimes even slowing the traffic a bit. It can be an additional test of patience during the month of self-restraint; there’s usually no place to sit, the waiting can be long, and people there do not necessarily follow the rules of shariah with regards to gender mixing and good manners. Also, on more than a few occasions during the month someone will try to look smart and buy his somun before his turn even comes (usually by asking a familiar person, who is closer to the bakery, to buy it for him), which can lead one to be submitted to a round of verbal lynching by the righteously angered, hungered masses.

Another culinary feature of Ramadan is an appetizer called topa. Made of cheese (sometimes with several different types of cheese), butter and possibly eggs and some additional diary products, like somun, it is considered an almost obligatory part of iftar; while it can be eaten with a spoon, the traditional way of consuming involves a skillful manual use of a piece of somun, which is dipped into topa and used to pick up some amount of it,  which is then brought to the mouth, preferably without anything falling somewhere outside of the target location (and with your hands clean, fingertips not included). This particular meal is considered by some to be one of the main culprits for the weight gain that many people experience during Ramadan; it’s considered an appetizer, but it’s so powerful that it makes any subsequent main meal superfluous; the problem, of course, is that the main meal is never missed. As for dates, they make their annual comeback during Ramadan and as far as I can tell, more and more people are making sure that they have and eat dates during Ramadan, at least for iftar.

The aforementioned customary features of the month of fasting are rarely a cause of friction between people, unless you’re specific about your food and happen to be breaking your fast in a home run by a zealous housewife who won’t allow for any differences of opinion with regards to the details of the Ramadan menu; if anything, they could provide an unscrupulous observer with an impression that there is a unified way in which Bosnians go through and experience Ramadan. Under the surface, however, there’s much turmoil, and some historical background should be outlined before presenting concrete examples.

The madhhab of the Ottoman conquerors, who brought Islam to Bosnia in 1463, was Hanafi, and throughout Ottoman rule that remained almost the only interpretation of the religion that its adherents ever practiced (and in many cases, witnessed). All religious practices and experiences have thus been quite monochromatic and have changed little over time, including the customs related to Ramadan and fasting in general, and they have formed the backbone and the background around or against which everything else developed later on. However, major changes in the way Bosnian Muslims understood their religion began to take occur some time after the beginning of the Austro-Hungarian occupation in 1878. That process consisted mostly of attempts to accommodate the new political reality in which a majority Muslim population was ruled by a non-Muslim ruler and to provide and an Islamic understanding/explanation for the ever more evident reality of worldwide Muslim decline. Considering that throughout the Muslim world, the Islamic discourse was starting to become penetrated by modernist thinkers who, more or less, rejected the traditional hermeneutical framework that Bosnian Muslims had first witnessed and the defeat of what is today dubbed “traditional Islam,” and that they were slowly becoming a target, not only of physical assaults and political pressures, but of relentless intellectual criticism of their non-Muslim surrounding which used every opportunity to mock their weakness, defenselessness and “backwardness.” The modernist stream slowly but surely began to exert a significant influence on the Bosnian ulama, fortunately never managing to completely convert them to its heresy. This disfiguring process reached its peak during the Communist rule of Bosnia, when some leading Islamic scholars in Bosnia seemed to profess the Mu’tezilite beliefs and combined them with liberal fiqhi positions, while failing to completely stamp out some of the unfounded and superstitious practices from the “tradional” era. Finally, the third major interpretational force that appeared in Bosnia at the beginning of the war of aggression was Salafism, which came with the (mostly Arab) Mujahideen; however, the lead in Salafi da’wah was soon taken by domestic sholars, and most Salafi du’aat are currently Bosniaks. Thus, the post-war Bosnia has witnessed a clash of (at least) three ways of understanding and practicing Islam: folklorized “traditionalism,” modernism, and Salafiyya, a pattern which has appeared in almost every Muslim community around the world at some point in their more recent history.

What sort of landscape emerged once the dust began to settle? And what are its Ramadan specifics? The sight is colorful, but not always pretty. Salafi influences have been resisted by the other two factions, at times vehemently, but some Salafi positions took root among the masses at an amazing speed, so much so that the official institutions were forced to accommodate them, but, unfortunately, for the wrong reasons. Case in point: per Hanafi madhhab, we should pray 20 rakat in taraweeh; despite the general suspicion towards Salafis, a suprising number of people rushed to accept their opinion that it’s okay, if not even better, to pray only 8 rakahs. In the beginning, the objections to this “innovation” were raised loudly, but now the official muezzin recites surah al-ikhlas three times, or the salawat upon the Prophet, s.a.w.s., after the eight rakahs are finished, to give time to those who will not pray the remaining rakahs to leave the masjid. You could call it direct democracy in action; instead of opting to follow the sunnah and adjust its beliefs and practices accordingly, the “traditionalist” officials try not to anger and alienate the masses and carefully plan their moves by giving more importance to their opinions and moods than is warranted (which is an approach they also take in some other activities not related to the subject of this article).

Perhaps I should have first mentioned the seemingly unresolvable dispute about determining the beginning and the end of Ramadan, but since Muslims around the world grapple with this issue I don’t think I would bring any new insights by mentioning it. I should point out though that, except among the Salafis, the practice of moonsighting is almost non-existent here, although the more orthodox Hanafi scholars who advocated it and spoke of its importance passed away not that long ago. The entire calendar is calculated in advance, and when Ramadan starts, everyone gets at least one vaktija, a monthly chart with calculated prayer times and reminders of important dates. This issue is a perfect model for highlighting the way the inferiority complex, shrouded in naïve modernist rhetoric, has some Muslims here firmly gripped. For example, when this debate began to resurface some fifteen years ago, due to growing Salafi influences, other groups felt threatened, even cornered, when confronted with evidence challenging their positions. So they reached for the(ir) trump card: if we don’t astronomically calculate our calendar and determine the beginning of Ramadan in the same way, we Muslims will be different from the modern peoples of the world!

Unthinkable! Something along those lines I heard one senior Imam here saying some years ago. The old guard also uses another crushing argument when cornered with proofs: this is not Saudi Arabia! This line of unreasoning has been used by them when people who wanted to revive the almost extinct practice of i’tikaf emerged. Alhamdulillah, as time passes, i’tikaf is becoming a non-issue for most and is making a comeback. My masjid has many people in i’tikaf this year, with even children spending some nights and days with their fathers in seclusion.

Another example: if a practicing Muslim went to fajr prayer after suhur, he would quite likely enter upon people sitting, sometimes in circles, sometimes in half-circles, sometimes in (almost) straight lines, reciting Qur’an, each man designated to recite a page or two. The practice is called muqabala (no idea why it’s called that), and it consists of trying to recite the entire Qur’an during Ramadan by reciting a certain number of pages after and/or before some of the daily congregational prayers; after which prayers this muqabala is done, and who the main reciters would be is decided each year by the authorities of the Islamic community of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because the practice seems to be without basis in sunnah, it is not conducted in the “independent” masajid maintained by some Salafi-leaning brothers. It is another way to distinguish between the older and more recent generations of practicing Muslims, though there hasn’t been much debate about it, and so far it hasn’t been a cause of any serious confrontation. Speaking of independent masajid, there seems to be an increase in their number now. It is something that is condemned by most local Salafi scholars, since their goal is not to divide Muslims, but to rectify and correct their beliefs and practices. While I stick to that opinion, I am tempted to change it from time to time, especially when I don’t break a sweat due to praying the taraweeh behind one of the super fast “institutional” imams.

Despite the shallowness, discord and outright disobedience that may occur during Ramadan, the most tragic events, which prove that for many people this month is simply a matter of custom and tradition, are yet to happen on the blessed day of Eid. Witnessing them makes me wonder why some Muslims insist on celebrating the “Islamic New Year” when Eid can be abused to such an extent that it can easily surpass any New Year’s celebration in the lavishness of spending and amount of sin that is committed, thus accomplishing their unspoken goal of being like the non-Muslims. Unfortunately, for many people here who call themselves Muslims, instead of being a celebration of a month long of ibadah, Eid is just another chance to indulge in sin and it is awaited and celebrated for exactly that reason.

My late grandmother (my mom’s mom) used to cry when she sensed that the end of Ramadan was approaching. She explained that it was because she didn’t know whether she would live long enough to witness another one. If I would cry now, I think it would be because of the fact that so many have wasted another wonderful opportunity to, essentially, become happy; that many have, essentially, spit on the huge blessing provided for them by the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and thus possibly conferred upon them His righteous wrath; and that, essentially, few things will be different when the next Ramadan comes knocking on our doors. InshaAllah, I will be proven very, very wrong.

Link to videos by clicking on button below (new videos will have this tag)

The Ramadan Tafseer Series: Concluding Remarks By Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda

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Last year, I wrote about my move to the “Persian” Gulf, and reported on how work in Ramadan was so much “cooler” (=slower) than in USA. The cat’s (mostly) out of the bag since then, and the mystery of where I moved is more like an open secret, yes indeed I am currently on work assignment in Doha, Qatar.

There’s a lot to say about how awesome Ramadan is in Muslim lands, and I speak out of my experience in Qatar, so perhaps I should be more specific to it, but I suspect the reasons for this land probably transcend Qatar to most Muslim lands. The shorter work hours, the respect given to Ramadan, our guest, the reduced fitna on the street (read between the lines), and last, but definitely not the least, the amazing selection of qiraat and styles for tarawih prayers.

Near where I live, we have about 5 choices for tarawih prayers within walking distance (though no one really walks here with temperatures of 100-115F night-day): starting from what I refer to the “lazy Masjid”, where tarawih prayers last only about 30 minutes (reading is not at hyper-speed, rather just short rakah), to a notch above, all the way to the Masjid near the “Fruit & Vegetable Market”, where a famous Somali Imam (so I have been told) leads prayers lasting over 3 hours! Despite totally having intentions to try it at least once, unfortunately I haven’t made it there. I have heard from “normal”, average Muslims who have gone there, even though they don’t understand Arabic, that time just breezes by behind this Imam, whose voice makes the 3 hours feel like 30 minutes. Insha’Allah next year!

Away from the Airport, towards the oil & gas complex at Mesaaid, we have the suburb of Wakra, a place that is full of Masajid at every corner. Towards the opposite side of the Airport, there is Masjid Abu Bakr, where the Imam reads in Warsh and has a soft, melodious voice.

Then there is my “regular” masjid, Masjid Sa’ad near the “Aramex Roundabout”, where the Imam’s beautiful recitation packs probably more than a 1000 strong congregation. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Imam was Bakistani (as he refers to Bakistan in his du’a). The surprise due to his command of Arabic language (and accent) and a voice that just didn’t sound Bakistani at all, whatever that means!

Last year, I was more regular at Masjid Omar (Shaykh Qaradawi’s mosque), near Landmark mall, where tons of folks prayed behind Shaykh al-Areefi every night. Shaykh al-Areefi was not in Qatar for the entire Ramadan this time, but did grace us for the last few nights, and I was fortunate to catch prayers behind him on the 27th night at Masjid Omar, where his du’a was the highlight of Ramadan for me. The Shaykh was crying for a good portion of it, along with many praying behind him. As soon as he is done, people crowd around him, and it is almost impossible to even shake his hands. But this 27th night, my car was parked right near his, and I talked to him, gave him salaam from my friend and shaykh in Houston, Sh. Waleed, who I believe was his class-mate in Imam university in Riyadh. He was happy to hear that and sent the salaam back, which has been duly delivered : ). Somehow I understand Sh. Areefi’s Arabic more than anyone else’s and was able to carry out a few minutes of “almost-Arabic” conversation!

Like most Masajid, in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, the Imams stop praying witr after the Isha-associated tarawih, leaving it for Qiyaam. Qiyaam begins usually at 11:30PM in many Masajid, and at around 1:00AM in some. The qiyaam prayers  (8 rakah) is followed by the witr with amazing dua qunoot usually.

So, let the dua’ & recitation speak for themselves.

• Imam at Masjid Saad: Recitation in 2 rakah

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• Imam at Masjid Saad: Du’a in Witr

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• Shaykh al-Areefi at Masjid Omar: Du’a in Witr

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I pass by it every time I go shopping to the fashion district in downtown Los Angeles, you cannot avoid it. Right past the diamond district and the wholesale flower market in the richest country in the world, in one of the richest state’s richest counties, under the shadow of Hollywood actors’ condos is the human stain that is Skid Row. You forget that you are in the US when you enter the urine-drenched, graffiti covered streets of the homeless capital of the world. There is nothing like this anywhere in the country: complete desolation for 50 blocks. Ten of thousands of homeless individuals on the streets, shopping carts full of their only possessions. Signs etched in the parking meters demark territories, while blue tarps cover makeshift cardboard box condos. Trash is strewn on every corner. They come here waiting to die, the addicts, the mentally ill, war veterans but many are there crippled by financial crisis or foreclosures. Some can’t get a job even if they want to because they do not have an address; it is a vicious cycle that they may get trapped into for years. Other have jobs but cannot afford housing.

The guilt of speeding past them, ignoring them, scared to look lest one of them caught my eye, haunted me.  Back in Pakistan you would just feed someone who was so obviously hungry.  “They have a right over you, you live in this country,” whispered my soul. I started volunteering at our local homeless shelter. “Not in our backyard” signs cropped up, funding dried up and they shut it down after the worst of winter was over. What now?

Then I found out about Humanitarian Day – an event that allows me to put my Islamic beliefs of charity into practice, one the organizers choose to hold in the month of Divine Rahmah, Ramadan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

From the press release: “The Los Angeles Muslim Community under the banner “Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity (CPHD)” successfully reflect true Islamic principles around social/ civic duties by engaging in America’s domestic problems. Collectively organizing supporting resources; both intra and interfaith organizations for effective collaborations that serve the homeless with “Dignity, Love and Respect.”

The founding organization ILM Foundation has organized events serving the needy, where line items are distributed such as; hygiene kits, warm meals, clothing and medical services by the UMMA Community Clinic; all are administered and given free of charge.

Humanitarian Day  is hosted in Oakland, CA; Santa Ana, the Inland Empire, Long Beach, Baltimore, MD,  20 other cities in US and internationally in Ghana and Indonesia this Ramadan. A Humanitarian Day event is “Faith in Action” counteracting negative stereotypes of Muslims in America.”

Those kids cheering and greeting the homeless in the beginning of this clip are my ‘girls’- MYSCV. Our youth group boys were manning the canned food stand. We go there every year, alhamdulillah it has become a Ramadan tradition – these iPhone-toting, overprivileged kids see for themselves how the have-nots in this country live. They fundraise their contribution through bake sales and experience the bliss of actual giving. See, kids who grow up in the ‘third world’ see poverty on the streets everyday but here in the US, we are surrounded by the false security of Wal-Marts and Pizza Huts on our suburban street corners. So we forget to remember our blessings, to feed the hungry and clothe the poor.

On Humanitarian Day, every homeless person is greeted, handed a bag and escorted through the line. Booths of hot food, socks, blankets, are lined with balloons, manned by Muslim vlounteers. As many as 2000 are checked by volunteer doctors, given medication, eye exams.  The atmosphere is festive, a huge celebration, a party in an otherwise miserable life. ” You are so nice, I feel like a human today,” smiled a lady as she tucked newly acquired undergarments into her bag.

“We are fasting and want to share our joy for fasting by feeding the people, loving people, immigrants, indigenous Muslims, universal Muslims, together.” I sat down with Imam Sadiq, the retired Imam of Masjid Ibaadilllah and one of the founders of HD. He, along with Naim Shah Sr. affectionately known as Papa Shah, started feeding the homeless during Ramadan but were urged by the World Trade Center bombings to coordinate a united effort to solve domestic issues. “We don’t want to proselytize, we are just concerned about humanity.”

Every year, the dynamics of the homeless change – last year there were many more middle class homeless individuals who had lost their homes due to the recession.  A gentle, proud man, with searing blue eyes, his milk chocolate skin giving away his Caucasian and African heritage, walked up, a polo shirt neatly tucked into his khakis. His wife urged him to take a pair of socks from the booth, “I can’t” he said, shoulders slumped in defeat. As he walked away, I saw his laptop carrier slung on his shoulder – Kuwait Oil Co. embroidered in a corner. She reached out, her wedding ring glistened in the sun, “Lord bless you, may I take two?” she asked pragmatically.

There are some familiar faces too, the crack addict whose nails are always done, the old man with coke bottle glasses and a sweet smile. They are friendly and very concerned about each other. I see babies grow up to become children. This is not a place for children. We have billions of dollars to spend on wars across the world, while children sleep on the street and we turn the other way. Omar Ricci, a police officer,  has helped provide security detail for the past ten years. A Muslim, he comes back every year because “this well-planned event shows an alternative image other than the mainstream narrative  of Muslims.”

What would you say to Muslim Americans today, I asked Imam Sadiq, who is also the founder of Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, “We need to stay positive, look past the grievances…the most important thing is to keep being Muslim. People are tired of words, we need not be more vocal but be more active. Actions speak for words.”  Islamophobia was on my mind, as I spoke to the Mormon partners of the coalition, Steve Gilliland and his wife, Judy. They are from the Church of Latter Day Saints’ Southern California Public Affairs Council and have supplied the lovingly hand packed school and hygiene kits for HD for seven years. “We have more in common with Muslims, socially, culturally, in areas of health, community service, family values, I could go on for a long time,” the Mormon clergyman advised us to “not let the hate intimidate (us), let people know who Muslims are, to know Muslims is to love them.”

Sister Taswiyah Matazz is the director of food programs for ILM. “A lot of us are a paycheck away from being on the other side of that line;”  as tears formed in her compassionate eyes, she recounts countless stories of the challenges women and children face on these streets. This was the first year, I heard so many reports of homeless Muslims, men and women, too ashamed to walk into a masjid, without access to a place where their faith can help them recover.

This isn’t just a feel good once a year event – these people live near here, they are here every other Sunday with homecooked and sack lunches, sponsored by Muslims communities across Southern California. However, HD 2010 brings demands for a permanent Muslim mission on Skid Row. General Jeff, “the mayor of skid row,“ pleaded on behalf of his community. ” That center near close to ground zero – no disrespect to the victims but 9/11 was a one day disaster, skid row is a lifetime disaster.” “If they are caught sleeping on a bench, they get a ticket, enough tickets earn a warrant, [which] lands them in jail,” stressed Naim Shah, Jr. the Excecutive Director of ILM Foundation. “What we do right now is direct service, now the coalition needs to move and work on policy, find the systamatic cause of why those people are in that line and help change the way people, children, and the elderly are treated. Muslims do not have anything substantial to show about everyday American issues.”

They are dream of a place with a soup kitchen, a mussallah, life assistance programs, where people can take showers, and a shelter for women and children – open 24 hours. A place that breaks the status quo – most missions here are single-room occupancy and do not accept anyone after a ‘certain time at night’ and make the homeless leave every morning. May their dream become reality. Ameen.

My girls learn face-to-face how to treat every human with dignity, whether Muslim or not, rich or poor. They didn’t just hand out Qurans but follow the mighty example of the Prophet (SAW), who showcased Islam with his blessed behavior, not just words. As I drive the girls back to our cushy homes – they are unusually quiet, thankful, energies well-spent, their fasts finally kicking in.

If you want to start Humanitarian Day in your city – call Imam Sadiq at 626-398-3900 or Naim Shah at 626-644-8291. The Coalition to Preserve Human Dignity will supply you with guidelines, send a crew to show you how to set up the event and train your organization in working with the homeless. Their email address is info@humanitarianday.com

Link to videos by clicking on button below (new videos will have this tag)

The Ramadan Tafseer Series: Foundation of the Masjid By Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda

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Link to all Ramadan 2010 posts

Ramadan Around the Globe Series:

Bosnia 2010 | Qatar 2010, 2009 | Saudi (Makkah) 2010 | Sweden 2010

SAUDI (MAKKAH) 2010

There is no better place for I’tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadan than the Haram in Makkah. I truly miss those days. What better place do you need more than the hometown of Islam where the Qur’an was first revealed? The emotions and ecstasy experienced there are indescribable. It is one of those beautiful feelings which you cannot describe with words, you have to live it in order to see it and feel it. Although, I have done many I’tikaafs, alhamdulillah, in many different masajid in different places in the world, including the masjid of my beloved Rasulullah, salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam in Madinah, but there were none like the experience of al-Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Masjid in Makkah, may Allah preserve it and protect it. The ambience there is just amazingly sensational.

As a student of the Islamic University of Madinah back in the early 1990′s, my colleagues and I were privileged to live in the city of Rasulullah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam for a number of years. We were also privileged to only be four hours away from Makkah. Alhamdulillah, consequently we were able to visit Makkah for Umrah frequently and enjoy the sight of the Ka’bah every chance we could catch out of school days. I can never forget the sight of the beautiful sacred house, the Ka’bah and the enormous number of people of all colors and all walks of life going in circles around it. It was breathtaking.

One of the privileges we had back then was to take the last ten days of Ramadan off, and with an extra few days for the Eid we ended up with almost two weeks off. I remember how we used to start our planning ahead of time, because we knew that we would be leaving Madinah to go to Makkah. We used to spend most of the Ramadan hours, days and nights in the Masjid of Rasulullah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. Just thinking of who used to walk around in this same area 1400 years ago, and who used to spend his time in this place was electrifying.

When the last day of school was over, we rushed straight to Makkah for Umrah in order to make sure that we entered the Haram and our I’tikaaf before sunset. If you want your I’tikaaf of the last ten days of Ramadan to be counted for you, then you should be in the masjid right before the first night of the last ten nights start. That means just before sunset on the 20th day of Ramadan.

Regulations in the Haram in Makkah prohibit keeping any kind of luggage, suitcases, clothes or anything of the sort a traveler might need during his stay in the Masjid for I’tikaaf. You have to keep everything outside. This prohibition put limit on what we could really carry with us for the I’tikaaf. So we carried just two or three thoubs, the traditional Arab garb, shimagh or head cover which we also used as an eye cover so that we could get the feeling of dark night, one casual short sleeved thoub for the daily activities which also served as our pajamas, few number of underwear and t-shirts, general hygiene stuff and of course books to read. In the I’tikaaf in Makkah, you need to forget about the luxury of pillows and blankets, let alone a mattress or bed. You use the carpet as your bed and the ceiling as your cover. Well, we still used the stuff we had with us, we would pile them up to make a pillow, and then use the Ihram, the two white sheets, one for a mattress or a mat to be precise and one for a blanket.

With no lockers anywhere to keep your belongings safe and with millions of people, commuters and travelers from all over the world who come to visit for Umrah, keeping our stuff outside in the open was impossible for us, as there would be no way to keep all of your things for the duration of the I’tikaaf without losing them. So we had to smuggle them in, yes, smuggle them.

We first go back to the Haram right after we are done with our Umrah, as early as possible, to look around for a prime location. The Haram during the I’tikaaf season would be divided, unofficially of course, into small lots the size of a twin mattress each, just enough for you to lay down and get some sleep.  A prime location meant a place in the corner far away from the traffic. Getting close to the balcony so you could overlook the beautiful sight of the Ka’bah and the Tawaf court, was nice in the beginning, but then as people start jumping all over you to enjoy watching the sight themselves, the location was no longer so prime.

If you couldn’t get a corner location, which was almost impossible, how many corners are there in a masjid, anyways, then you would look for the wall. Taking a wall site is good because it traps your items by the wall so they won’t go anywhere, and it also limits the traffic in that area. The third in the line of favorite locations was the side of one of the main and humongous pillars of the masjid. Although you would be surrounded by others all around you, but having one side of the cubic shaped pillars gives you the base of one side all for you. If you were unable to get any of these spots then you risk ending up in the middle of the crowd and that was never a good place to be during a long I’tikaaf.

It was like a ‘urf or common law among the dwellers of the Haram, that once you settle and unload your stuff in one location that it becomes yours until the end of the I’tikaaf or unless you abandon it and take your things out of that location. Everybody respected that. Well, almost because some visitors as they looked for a place to get their nap, acted like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”  They just didn’t care and would go ahead and violate the rule. They would find themselves a comfy place that did not belong to them and go to sleep. It was not that big of a deal to us but overall, people still honored the rule and respected the privacy of others.

One more thing about prime locations at the Haram is that it’s better to stay on the first floor than the ground floor where most of the heavy traffic exists. You should also stay away from the escalators and the stairways which feed the area with more visitors. And last but not least, stay in a location where you can easily have an access to the bathrooms outside, believe me its one of the most important criteria of your search. It’s not easy to remember your location when the Haram looks all symmetrical and sometimes confusing, but after getting lost a few times, you’ll get there. GPS won’t work there either, therefore you have to rely on your photographic memory, if you have one of course.

Now, how did we get our stuff in? Well, we used to take turns in getting our things through the doors. One would be outside keeping all our stuff with him, another would stay at the location to make sure it is reserved and then the third would be making trips going back and forth to get his things carried in. We would stuff the small things in our pockets, clothes under the books and look for a diversion by going through the most crowded doors. And even if you get caught with your clothes hidden between the books, you could still look for another gate and get through. The funny part was carrying the thoubs in. Some of us used to put them on one on top of another and then take them off as we entered the Haram.

Of course, we do understand why the authorities didn’t allow clothes and luggage to be brought into the masjid because if this was allowed people would abuse the system. Nevertheless, during the last ten days of Ramadan there should be some tolerance because this is temporary and for I’tikaaf purposes only. These items are very important to help those who are in I’tikaaf to stay in good health and good shape. Before we left our spot, we would make sure to fold up our stuff and squeeze them towards the wall so that they would not get messed up while people were praying Taraweeh.

After we have taken care of our accommodations, we began searching around to locate two things. First, where the scholars would be giving their daily and evening classes, and second, where the food spreads were over which some scholars and students of knowledge, especially coming from other countries, would be breaking their fast. We later learned that most of these food spreads were located on the top level of the Haram facing the gutter of the Ka’bah known as “al-Mizaab.” Every time you go there, you will be blessed with one or two or even more scholars coming from different places around the world. On these food spreads, I had the opportunity to meet scholars from Egypt, ash-Sham, India, N. Africa and other areas as well.

On the sunset of the first night of the I’tikaaf, we would already be on the top level asking around to find out who was coming and where they would be breaking their fast. If we received the news about some scholars coming over, we would make sure the others got to know about it as well.

Iftar is usually made of the magnificent, lightly roasted Arabic coffee cooked with cardamom and some other flavors, served with fresh “rutab,” the moist and early stage of the dates. Dates come in different shapes and tastes and it would be a blessing if you were served some of the most expensive Qaseemi dates that grows in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, such as sukkari, maktoomi and khalas. With that comes yogurt and freshly baked bread. Now, Bismillah.

After Maghrib prayer, we go back to congregate around the shuyukh and scholars, to listen, learn, take notes and drink a fresh cup of tea made with ‘hasawi’ mint. That tea used to give the session a whole different flavor, literally.

Later on, we would start getting ready for Isha prayer and Taraweeh afterwards. The prayer in the Tawaf court would have been the best place to stand in salat. However, since we loved to attend the sessions of Sh. al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah after Taraweeh, we had to stay on the top floor and pray right next to his official seat. If you wanted to benefit from the Ilm of the sheikh, you would need to sit as close to him as possible. Thousands attended his sessions and coming after salat to look for a space meant that you would be sitting at least a hundred yards away from him. The place would be crowded with waves of people. I have seen some very dedicated students who would preserve their spot from Asr time, and I really admire them for their devotion to the knowledge.

In the early years, the sheikh used to start right after Taraweeh and finish when they start the Tahajjud at night, that was more than four hours. SubhanaAllah, I have no idea how he was able to keep his energy level  during this time for the entire ten nights. In the later years, the sessions where cut short and lasted until one hour before the Tahajjud, and even then, it was still a very long session.

The sheikh used to start by commenting on some of the ayat recited in Salat at-Taraweeh that night for about 20-25 minutes and then the session would be opened to Q & A. SubhanaAllah, the amount of Ilm one was exposed to in such a short time was amazing. Even today, I still have some of the original notes that I’d taken over the years from these sessions.

When we finished the session, we would go out to get some food for our main Iftar meal. You know the custom there was to delay the main course until after Taraweeh, which I love and enjoy. The initial Iftar was nutritious, easy and not overwhelming so that you can survive during  Salat at-Taraweeh, and once you’ve finished your salat, you get to eat your main meal.

Right after that, we used to start our own personal night activities which included reading and reviewing the Qur’an, praying more qiyam, reading books using this time for devotion and meditation and the best of all doing Tawaf, as many times as we were able, around the Ka’bah. There was no way you would get bored at the Haram because every second the scene changes and the experience is different.

We stayed up during the night waiting for Salat at-Tahajjud where eight more rak’as would be performed at a slower pace than the Taraweeh, until it was finished about an hour or so before Fajr time. After that, we would go to eat our modest suhoor which we had purchased earlier when we had our Iftaar and then we prepared ourselves for Fajr prayer.

Right after Fajr, Sheikh al-Uthaymeen rahimahullah used to have another session on the ground level for almost two hours. I sometimes felt extremely tired and very sleepy, but subhanaAllah, seeing the energy of the sheikh who was at my grandfather’s age doing what he doing would empower me again to stay until the end of the session.

Thereafter, we used to get back to our hiding places, our sleeping spots, and drop down like dead bodies. We stayed asleep for the rest of the morning until Dhuhr time when we awoke for Salat. We stayed up for a while and then went back to sleep taking a power nap so that we can stay up all night again. After all, there wouldn’t be much going on during that time, anyway. Even the halaqat and sessions of knowledge are scarce and they don’t start until after Asr. Sometimes we seized the opportunity to make a relatively easier Tawaf before we head to bed.

Once Asr time starts, our day officially starts with it. We joined the few halaqat scattered around and then it would be time to get ready for Maghrib. Sometimes, we did Tawaf  before we went to the top level and other times, we just went into seclusion for reading and reviewing the Qur’an. As the time of Iftar approaches, our preparation for the night increased. Once the adhan for Maghrib is announced, a new evening begins.

The program continues the same for the rest of the month except for some occasional changes based on rising opportunities such as receiving guests or family and sometimes meeting new people and old friends. Subhana’Allah, even though the space in the Haram is so huge, and the number of people is so great, but it is still a small world. You always meet some old acquaintance, as if they fell from the sky. One year, I even met my own mother who decided at the last minute to come for Umrah with my father! We didn’t have cell phones back then and there was no way to send me a message about their arrival. It was a friend of mine who met my father and sent me to him.

Although, the entire season is special but two nights were the most special nights in the entire month of Ramadan, the night of the 27th and the 29th. At least that’s how people behaved on these two nights. The 27th is regarded as Laylatul Qadr, and the 29th is the night of Khatmul Qur’an, the completion of the recitation of the Qur’an. I remember when Sheikh as-Sudays used to pray the witr after finishing the Taraweeh and then he would pray the witr again after the Tahajjud, but then it was announced that the witr in the last ten nights would be performed only once after Tahajjud. And even this, was later changed to only after Taraweeh. Another year, the sheikh did not pray the Tahajjud and it was left for other shuyukh to lead but without praying witr at the end.

One of the most dramatic changes that I witnessed during those years of I’tikaaf was moving the Khatmul Qur’an to the night of the 27th. The Imam of al-Haram, announced using the loud speakers, which was unusual, that in order to receive the blessings of that night in particular they wanted to join the Khatmul Qur’an with what is regarded as Laylatul Qadr.  Another reason for this change, was in order to help people, and the visitors in particular, to attend the completion of the Qur’an and then get a chance to travel back home and attend Eid day with their families.

This change created a very dangerous and hazardous situation in the Haram. After the change was announced, people came from all over the country and from the surrounding countries as well, just to witness that night. It was within driving distance for the most of them. The Haram, as huge as it appears, was overpopulated to the extent where people started praying on top of the walls on the top level exposing themselves to an extremely perilous situation. People filled every space you can think of and spaces you cannot even think of. The escalators crashed and the stairways were closed because people were trying to get to the upper levels as the gates to the lower levels were closed. The authorities tried to keep people out but visitors would push their way through. It was a very dangerous situation. In addition to this, once the Imam finished, people were trying to leave as early as possible and the situation almost caused stampedes all over the area of the Haram. The Imams of the Haram, realizing the danger, announced the following night that this combining of events would not happen again next year and that the Khatmul Qur’an would be restored back to the night of the 29th.

That year, when they moved the Khatmul Qur’an to the night of the 27th, the following two or three nights left of the month of Ramadan were the most peaceful nights of the month. Most of the visitors left and the Haram became almost empty. Overall, it was a one-of-a-kind experience that I was able to attend and witness.

I still remember one night when I had to leave quickly with a guest, a friend who was visiting with his mother for Umrah, and we had to go after Maghrib to get ourselves and his mother some food, it was impossible. People were like in a disaster zone, they were all trying to buy food. We didn’t know why it was so different that night but it appeared that they were getting ready for their journey after the Salat. We couldn’t get anything neither for his mother nor for ourselves, and when we tried to get back to the Haram the guards were already closing the doors to the upper levels and the escalators were all closed. I had to take him to some unknown paths, at least unknown to the common visitors, and then find our way up. To our surprise, there was no space at all. We had to wait until the Iqama was called and struggle to squeeze ourselves into the line even if we were standing somewhat sideways. It was an amazing and unforgettable night, which not too many people have had the good fortune to experience.

The blessings of the I’tikaaf are so many, and some of the lessons Imam Ibnul Qayyim, rahimahullah, suggested  we learn from this experience are:

1. It is a form of ‘Khalwa’ that is living in seclusion – to a certain extent – where you can focus on your nafs and personal Ibadah and worship.
2. It is a chance to connect with the Divine subhanahu wa ta’ala because your focus is solely on pleasing Him and Him alone.
3. It is a spiritual rehab and escape from the pressure of this life. You live a stress-free life for few days only for the sake of Allah.
4. You learn to limit your interaction with people and increase your interaction with your own self. It is like a moment of ‘muhasaba’ were you review your ‘amal -work- and check and balance your book of deeds.
5. It is a chance to explore your potential and an opportunity to see how much you can really bear of the different acts of Ibadah you expose yourself to in such a very short time.

The last part of this experience for us was witnessing the Eid day. During the last night of Ramadan, everyone is in a high level of excitement in anticipation for the Eid announcement. If the next day was still Ramadan, then alhamdulillah, we would get to pray one more night of Taraweeh and Tahajjud and if Eid was the next day, then there would be an important thing to do before anything else. You had to run to your sleeping space and pick everything up with you, otherwise it would be swept out with everything on the floor. You see, during the last ten nights of Ramadan, other than the vacuum cleaners, the janitorial work would stop temporarily until the night of Eid. So right after Isha, in preparation for the Eid salat, the workers would start to take everything off the floor. Literally, everything. They sweep and wash and mop the floor of the entire Grand Masjid and then they place new carpet. Whatever is left down there will be piled up in one corner and you would be blessed if you can find anything of your own belongings.

SubhanaAllah, that night was one of the most depressing nights for us. After living for ten nights in the Haram, when it was full with people and full with duroos and activities, suddenly the hustle and bustle is gone and you are back to the reality of life. The place would be empty, absolutely empty. A temporary feeling of void would fill your heart and you would suddenly break into tears. At the end, you realize that you’re once again back on your own.

Once Salatul Eid is performed in a majestic ambience and atmosphere, in the Grand Masjid in Makkah, we headed straight to the bus station. We took a bus ride back to Madinah and returned with some unforgettable memories of I’tikaaf.

Yaser Birjas

Ramadan 26, 1431 H.

September 5, 2010

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The Ramadan Tafseer Series: Revival By Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda

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