Click the link below to download a free Hajj Activity Book by Small Steps to Allah!
“Indeed, those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah!’ and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them (saying), ‘Do not fear, nor be grieved! Receive the good news of the paradise, which you have been promised.” (Qurān 41:30)
Ramaḍān is a month in which we upgrade ourselves. We spend the month challenging our normal ability to worship. We amaze ourselves by doing acts of ‘ibādah (worship) that we never thought we could ordinarily do. When Ramaḍān ends, we have greats plans to carry on these actions throughout the year and meet the next Ramaḍān ready and prepared. Read more
Approaching the day of ‘Eid, there should be mixed emotions for Muslims divided between the sorrow of the departing of Ramadhan and the happiness of welcoming the Islamic celebration of ‘Eid notwithstanding the obvious “lockdown”
Ramadhan is a blessed month that brings about the best in our worship, good actions, spending and taqwa.
The celebration of Eid is due to religious achievement. Therefore, with recharged spiritual batteries, we now have the determination to optimise our performance and celebrate the blessed day in the method shown to us in the Sunnah.
Here are some Sunnah practices and guidelines that will be rewarding to us in particular to the day: Read more
What is Lillāh, Zakāh and Ṣadaqah?
Have you heard these words before, referring to a donation or charity and you were left perplexed? As Muslims, there are a few terminologies that are used and need to be understood whilst doing monetary contributions to the many worthy causes. The most common ones are briefly explained below:
Zakāh– This charity is generally spent directly on Muslims who are destitute or indebted, not on projects such as; construction, hospitals and salaries etc. Zakah money cannot be used for the running cost of institutions (e.g. madāris, masājid, Islamic institutions and schools), rather it is given to those individuals who are deserving of Zakāh from the stipulated eight categories mentioned in the Qur’ān. Mostly, it is given to the poor and the destitute, and can even be used to help persons who are in debt and cannot find relief after genuine efforts are made to pay off their loans. Zakāh is paid yearly by those who hold the niṣāb (specific amount of savings) at the beginning and end of their financial lunar year.
The formula is 2.5% x (productive wealth – current expenses)
This entails identifying your productive wealth, like; cash, savings, bonds, worth of all items for resale, receivables etc. When this is done, identify and minus current expenses, for example; rent, personal loans for that year, and bills that are due. Now, 2.5% of that is paid for Zakāh at the closing of each financial year (remember that Zakāh is calculated not estimated, so consult an Islamic scholar for more information, we can contact us also for guidance).
Lillāh – This literally means ‘for Allah’. It comprises any form of charity given in the cause of Allah on a purely voluntary basis. This charitable giving is not like Zakāh which one is obliged to give, rather it is given for the betterment of others, be it Muslims or people of other faiths.
For instance, many charitable organisations collect Lillāh for relief aid, the building of wells, masājid, running costs of madāris and many other humanitarian needs. These contributions are made through the goodwill of Muslims who give solely for the pleasure of Allah. In our local slang, it is referred to as the general name ‘Ṣadaqah’, and when people are questioned a little more, they say it is Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (continuous charity) which some also term as “waqfy/ waqf funding”.
“When a man passes away, his good deeds will also come to an end except for three: Ṣadaqah Jāriyah (continual charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or a virtuous descendant who prays for him (for the deceased)” Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Sāḥīḥ Muslim).
Ṣadaqah – Lastly, Ṣadaqah is a general word and can refer to all of the categories. i.e. Zakāh, Lillāh, humanitarian work etc. However, the generality of the word Ṣadaqah, if misused, can potentially lead to the misdirection of funds intended for other areas. However, it is noteworthy that, other parts of the Muslim world have termed the usage of the word Ṣadaqah as the self-imposed compulsory charity given for the pleasure of Allah ta’āla and intended solely for the relief of the poor.
Ṣadaqatul Fiṭr – Also called Zakātul Fiṭr, this must be paid on behalf of all Muslims who can afford it, male or female, young or old, enslaved or free. It is a charity that is given to the poor so that they can have the means to enjoy the day of Eid. It is the amount of one ṣa’ of grain, or one ṣa’ of cheese or one ṣa’ of raisins. The monetary value of these items can also be given as that may be more beneficial to the poor. If you are the head of the household then you must pay Ṣadaqatul Fiṭr for the minors and your wife if she does not possess the wealth. The payment must be made before people go out to the Eid prayer on Eidul Fitr, however, earlier is better. Ṣadaqatul Fiṭr is a purification from idle talk and vulgarity committed during fasting and its benefit should not be taken for granted.
Fidyah – If you are ill and unable to fast, you are liable to make up your fast at a later time. However, if the illness is such that it is unlikely that you will recover for the period of time required to make up the fast, then Fidyah is paid. The compensation for each day’s fast is the same as Ṣadaqatul Fiṭr, which is 1.6 kg of wheat or its market-related value.
The formula is the number of missed fast x value of 1.6 kg of wheat
While Zakāh is a form of charity stipulated in the Qur’ān to be given to specified persons, Lillāh is voluntarily given and can be used in a variety of ways. Ṣadaqah is a general term that encompasses both types of charities. Fidyah is paid as compensation for missed fast. Ṣadaqatul Fiṭr is a compulsory payment to the poor on Eid day.
These terminologies should be clearly defined because confusion may arise at the time of distribution, concerning who the correct recipients are, as each type of charity has distinct conditions to be met. For example, Ṣadaqah and Zakāh cannot be used for projects and the upkeep of institutions, rather it must be given to the less fortunate. Lillāh funds, however, can be used for poor persons as well as projects, institutions etc. Hence there is a need to increase the usage of the Lillāh category to gain commonplace locally.
Nevertheless, as Muslims, we wholeheartedly believe that our wealth is a gift given to us and its good usage earns the pleasure of our Lord. Therein He returns the wealth spent in manifolds as a profitable return in this world and the hereafter.
So next time you decide you want to give a donation or charity, you know all the terminologies to clearly define your intent!
Written with Trinidad & Tobago’s local context in mind
By Abraar Alli
The Month of Muharram
Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the four sacred months mentioned in the Glorious Qur’ān,
Lo! The number of the months with Allāh is twelve months by Allāh’s Ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them… (9:36)
The specification of these four sacred months is stated in a hadīth narrated by Abū Bakrah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu that Rasūlullāh sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said,
Did you delay Hajj?
Delaying Hajj
By Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh
Hajj is one of the fundamental pillars of Islām, and obligatory upon every Muslim male or female who meets its requirements and who has been granted the capability to carry it out by Allāh ta’ālā. If there are no Shar’ī excuses to prevent you from fulfilling the obligation of hajj, you should not delay.
Shaytān’s Ploy
Every year, however, Shaytān whispers the following thought in the minds of those who are under an obligation to go for hajj: “I have some important reasons preventing me from going this year, but I will definitely go next year, no matter what happens, and I will absolve myself of this obligation.” In this way Shaytān secures a year’s grace for himself. The following year, just before hajj, he will play the same trick again and secure yet another year. Shaytān leads people on in this manner right up to their graves.
The religion of Islam being a natural way of life is promotes many simple, yet essential values to our existence. Islam lays a lot of importance to respect, etiquette and moral conduct which can be found throughout the Quran and Sunnah.
An example of this is found where Allah Ta’ala has honoured and revered the Masajid, This entails that everyone else also follows in this order. Allah Ta’ala associates the respect shown to the symbols of Islam (here the Masjid) with the grand quality of Taqwa:
وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ
Those who show respect to the signs of Allah Ta’ala for this is from the Taqwa of the heart (Surah Hajj)
The Masajid are the houses of Allah from which the radiance of Iman emanates. Read more
The Women’s Mosque of America has started operations in Los Angeles. It is not a mosque per se, but the name of a non-profit organization. It began with holding female only Jumuah prayers, in an old synagogue with Stars of David etched on the stained glass windows. The decision to use this venue was made to “promote peace.”
Creating a separate space for Muslim women is a noble idea. Unfortunately the organizers chose the one event for this project for which it has no basis in the Shariah. Muslim women are not required to offer Jumuah. Read more
Du’ã is asking Allah for help or for the fulfilment of a particular need. It expresses a slave’s helplessness and dependence on Allah, the All-Powerful and Merciful. It is the channel through which one gets directly in touch with one’s Creator.
The purpose of man’s creation is worship and according to a Hadeeth, ‘Du’ã is the essence of worship’. (Tirmizi) And according to another Hadeeth, ‘Du’ã is the worship’. (Tirmizi)
Read more
By Shaykh Mawlana Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah
Indeed, We have sent down the Dhikr [the Qur‘ān], and indeed We are its guardian. (15:9)
In this verse Allāh ta‘ālā proclaims that it is He, and He alone, who has revealed the Glorious Qur’ān to mankind, which means it is His Word. This claim is followed by a proof to validate it: that Allāh ta‘ālā Himself is its guardian and protector. When Allāh ta‘ālā protects something, nothing and no one can ever interfere with it, so the continual preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that it is the Word of Allāh ta‘ālā. There are many other proofs of the Divine origin of the Qur’ān, including its i‘jāz (inimitability) – the challenge to mankind to invent even a single verse to match the Qur’ān in its perfection. However, the preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that even a child can understand.