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Name
Host
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Profession
Question
Can you share with some of the inner dimensions of the fast that can highlight the real significance of fasting?
Answer
Ramadan is meant to enhance the feeling of the immense blessing of this month that we wait for year after year. The greatest of such blessing is to draw near Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, re-affirm faith in Him, to constantly remember Him and to express our positive and willing submission to Him and love of Him through obedience and voluntary abstinence.
In fact, it is that feeling of direct and close relationship with Allah that qualifies it with the special mention in Qudsi Hadeeth that it is specially and directly rewarded by Allah on account of expressing the love of Allah through sacrifice of our appetites and desires for His sake. We need to realize that, like other acts of pure worship, the real beneficiary of obedience to Him.
Name
zaman
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Profession
Question
Every Ramadan I think of change, but I get distracted and I don’t really focus so I miss the most of Ramadan, wake up at the end of it to see that I only have little days left to do so many. What do you think is the problem and how can I plan better for this Ramadan. I really need to change, but I need some practical steps.
Answer
Many of us have that feeling too in some degree or the other. However, one of the main objectives of fasting is to strenthen our resolve and learn self-descipline. That require some effort and concentration on our part. Perhaps a helpful hint is to think that this Ramadan may be your last on earth. Next Ramadan if Allah gives us the opportunity, we need to start preparing and anticicipating Ramadan before it starts. practically, you need to disrngage from unneeded activities which can happen only if you keep thinking about what may be oone'a last Ramadan on earth.
Name
Samia Abdi
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Profession
Question
How did the Prophet, peace be upon him, used Ramadan with his family? I need to know some stuff he used to do, with family, on iftar, suhur, tahajud, family visits, etc.
Answer
The Prpohet,peace be upon him,underlined the importance of kindness to family in several Ahadeeth. We know for sure that his words were always manifested in actions. He is the best role model for balancing one's obligations toward Allah, self, family, community and other entities. Several Ahadeeth show that he showed affection to his wives while fasting in Ramadan as he did in other moinths within what is permissible in fasting. He visited and was visited by relatives and friends. He taught to break the fast as soon as possible after sunset, pray Maghrib and have a meal. Also to delay suhur(pre-dawn meal)closer to fajr time.While he constantly made tahajud year round, he did sore more intensly in Ramadan so as to partake of its blessings.
Name
Omar
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Profession
Question
How can you strike a balance between focusing on reciting the Qur'an and seeking knowledge in Ramadan. Some people tend to advise me not to read much in Ramadan and rather spend more time in reading the Qur'an. They said to me that imam Malik used to stop the halaqat during Ramadan and it is said that he used to finish the Qur'an 60 times.
Answer
Some narrations about the pious predecessors need to be authenticated so as to avoid unjustified exaggeration.
Seeking knowledge is an act of worship in itself if the person has the right intention. However, the Qur'an itself is the ultimate source of knowledge. Furthermore, Ramadan has a special connection with the Qur'an; it is in fact the month of the Qur'an par excellence. Please refer to verse 185 in surat al-Baqarah that describes this connection.
Therefore, there is no imbalance in more attention being given to the recitation of the Qur'an especially in taraweeh. Recitation, however, should be done with reflection, concentration and understanding.
Name
nadia
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Profession
Question
salam in my family each of us pray sometime at the same moment but in differents rooms of the house. is the reward the same of a group prayer?
Answer
It is always better to pray in congregation. Its reward is multiplied manifolds. Togetherness of the family should not be limited to eating together or going out together but more importantly praying together.
Name
shameeza
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Profession
Question
Can I attend taraweeh while in period without praying; just to listen to the Qur'an, meet the sisters and listen to reflections?
Answer
Some scholars are of the opinion that a woman in her period may go to the Islamic center, even to the masjid, if she sits in a separate area other than the area commonly designated for prayer on daily basis (for example, by designating row of chairs just behind the ladies prayer area for sisters to wish to listen to the Qur'an or other lessons whether in Ramadan or other months as well. It is well-known that the Prophet, peace be upon him, encouraged women, even those who are in their period, to go out on Eid day to participate in the joy of celebrating Eid. He only asked them to avoid the musallah. The term musallah in an open air gathering simply meant the area that is occupied by those who are praying. Likewise in typical Islamic centers today, there are areas specifically designated for prayers on a daily basis and other areas adjacent to that which are only used to accommodate the jumu'ah overflow such as libraries, classrooms, etc. or visitors' accommodation behind the prayer area.
Name
Faithful
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Profession
Question
Salamu Alaikum dear scholar, I love Ramadan and try to pray and read Quran and make duaa as much as I possibly can. The only thing about it is that I become obssessive with wudu and ghusl to the extent where my skin starts to get affected and I have to buy treatment and creams for it. My questions are when is ghusl required. I know it is after a wet dream, but I have never had a wet dream and am unsure what a wet dream is. For example if your just kissing someone in your dream would that require ghusl when u wake up even tho there is no wetness?
My other question is: If I find dark yellow discharge with brown discharge at the time my period is due, sometimes two days before the actual blood comes, shd I consider that discharge to be part of my period and so stop praying and fasting?
Also I have read on this website two opinions of the normal discharge women and girls always get. One opinion is that it does not invalidate the wudu and the other is that it does. Which do u think is more likely to be close to the truth. If this discharge was really something that invalidated the wudu, wouldnt the Prophet (P) have said a hadith about it b.c I am sure women in those days also got it.
JazakAllahu Khairan dear scholar - may all ur good deeds be accepted. amen
Answer
Ghusl is required after intimate matrimonial relationship, also after "wet dream", which means a dream of a sexual nature resulting in ejaculation of semen for males or apparent wetness for females. It is also required after the cessation of menstruation. Also after the post-partum bleeding. Other than that ghusl is either commended or simply permissible but without obsession.
Likewise, wudu' is required if broken, and again there is no need for obsession.
It should be remembered that women constantly have light and perfectly normal discharge that does not break wudu'.
Dark, yellow discharge with brown discharge before or after the regular period does not require ghusl but simply change of underwear and making fresh wudu' before prayer.
Name
Hamdi
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Profession
Question
Can you tell us some ways to make the itikaf more attractive and useful?
Answer
1. First, to have the intention of worship.
2. Secondly, it is useful to have a group 'itikaf so as to encourage one another.
3.Also to learn from one another.
4. Make sure that there is enough food provision brought to participants so as that they may concentrate on prayer, recitation of the Qur'an and learning hadith and other useful knowledge.
5. Set a realistic goal for 'itikaf that suits the circumstances of at least most participants. To include inspiring talks as part of the 'itikaf program.
Name
Mohammed
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Profession
Question
Assalaamalaikum Sheikh Badawi
Ramadan Kareem
I feel disturbed in my concentration for prayers and taraweeh and unable to focus; also how do I manage to read the entire Quran and also reflect on the Tafseer. Please help and advise.
Answer
There are various reasons for loss of concentration in prayers, including exhaustion, hunger, or the need to go to the bathroom and failure to exert enough effort to concentrate and to feel that you are standing. However, as imperfect women we may never be able to achieve % 100 concentration. Therefore we should work as hard as possible to partake of the blessings of prayer. Reciting the entire Qur'an is in itself an act of worship and is highly recommended especially in Ramadan. However, the study of tafsir may not be achieved easily in a month, year or even years. So we have to be patient in understanding the Qur'an more fully.
Name
Rawya
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Profession
Question
I always read the Qur'an but I never cried, however I cry when hearing a powerful du'a'. I heard from a sheikh that this is not normal and it shows hardness in the heart as it does not move by the words of Allah and it moves with the words of the human while making du'a'. I feel very bad but I don't know the problem.
Answer
Many of the beautiful and moving du'a' are actually verses or parts of verses from the Qur'an. When we listen to the Qur'an or read it, it is helpful to have the strong sense that Allah is speaking directly to us and that we are reciting, reading or listening to His verbatim word. Try to think of that and insha'Allah it will have effect on you.
I can't imagine a Muslim who reads the Qur'an and is moved by du'a' to be hard hearted. I am sure that you heart is soft alhamdullilah and will be softer when you read the Qur'an and reflect on its meaning. It will be even softer when you try to implement ist teachings in the real life.
Name
Guilty Muslim
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Profession
Question
I am an addicted smoker. The feeling of guilt when I smoke right after iftar kills me, but I am weak and I can't help it. I hear about good stories of those who gave up smoking during Ramadan, but I find it very difficult for me. I am looking for some thoughts to think of that can help me. I really feel very ashamed in ramadan.
Answer
I commend you first for feeling bad about smoking, which is at least highly detestable and even haram in the opinion of some jurists based on the available scientific knowledge about its immense harms to body, pockets and environment. Since you are able to give up smoking while fasting, it is the opportune month to control your craving to smoking after fast breaking. If you find it too difficult, the least you could is to considerably reduce smoking. Going to Isha’ and taraweeh can help divert your attention from smoking to something which is “cooler”, heart-warming and spiritually inspiring. Try harder and Allah is with you and you will be in our prayer.
Name
nadia
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Profession
Question
salam aalikoum
my father says thats the end of souhour is till we can make difference between black and white thread. so our fajr time is at 4.50am. my father and my mother too, eat till 5.30 or later. is he right? i stop eating at the limit of souhour, till the adhan of fajr.am i right?
jazak allah khairan
Answer
The criterion of beginning the fast in the Qur’an is the very beginning of the daylight that is not necessarily the distinction between the white and the black thread as the Qur’an uses this similitude in connection with dawn (min-al-fajr). So it is always cautious to stop eating and drinking at the time of fajr in the readily available Islamic calendar. Some calendars propose a stopping eating about twenty minutes before fajr time, and they call it imsak. This is done only as an extra precaution, however evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah show that it is permissible to eat and drink until fajr time, not imsak time.
Name
Talha
- Australia
Profession
Student
Question
Asalam Walaikum,
I would like to know what is 'Imsak' and what is its use in Ramadhan.
Also, I am confused between two thoughts one is the one which i have been practicing which is stop eating before Fajr Azan.
The other thoughts which i see is people say we dont have to stop eating till Fajr Azan and they quote from The Holy Quran
'and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)' [al-Baqarah 2:187]
And also a hadith:
And the Prophet (pbuh) said: '….eat and drink until you hear the adhaan of Ibn Umm Maktoom, for he does not give the adhaan until dawn comes.'
So which is it, wait for 'The white thread of dawn' or stop eating 10-20 minutes before Fajr Azan. Also please provide any Quranic verse or hadith in support of stopping at Imsak or before Fajr Azan.
Thank you.
Answer
Your questions have been answered early in the program; please check previous answers.
Name
Host
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Profession
Question
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Answer
Finally, we would like to thank our guest for speaking to Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
