Tag: Imam

Ramadan-2023 Message

Posted on | by Ammar Bhutta
Message From Imam Sawadogo

As-salamu Alaykum

I pray that you and your loved ones remain safe and are in the best state of health and faith. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Muslim community on the upcoming spiritual journey of Ramadan. The Holy Quran highlights the importance of fasting during Ramadan and speaks about its goals in the following terms:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَعَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ (183)﴾ البقرة

“O you who believe! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you so that you might remain conscious of God” (2:183)

Ramadan is not only about abstaining from food and drink or intimate relation, but it is also about reflecting on our spiritual relationship with Allah and with those around us. It aims to instill in us empathy towards our fellow human beings, in addition to a sense of mindfulness, and self-control. By fasting and avoiding wrongdoing, we learn to control our actions, thoughts, and desires.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encapsulated the significance of Ramadan for Muslims when he congratulated his companions, saying:

“أَتَاكُمْ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ، تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ، وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ، لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ”

“Ramadan has come to you, it is a blessed month which Allah has ordained for you to fast. During it, the gates of heaven are opened, while the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious Shaytans are chained. Within it, there is a night for Allah which is better than a thousand months, whoever is deprived of its blessings is indeed deprived.”

Ramadan is a month of compassion; it reminds us of the discomfort of hunger and compels us to feel some of the plights of those who around us do not have enough to satisfy their hunger. With the arrival of Ramadan, let us race toward goodness and compassion toward others.

There are numerous doors to goodness, as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, such as removing harm from the middle of the road, helping those in need, maintaining family ties, and checking on family and friends. Even a simple smile carries the weight of a good deed.

Finally, let us be mindful that Ramadan is not only about improving our relationship with Allah, but also about improving our relationships with our fellow human beings. So, let us strive, this year, to achieve a level of fasting that is higher than just abstaining from food, drink, and intimate relations. Let us focus our thoughts on Allah and try our best to keep our ears, eyes, tongue, hands, and feet away from wrongdoings during the days and nights of Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem and as-salamu alaykum.

Imam Ousmane

Ramadan-2022 Message

Posted on | by Ammar Bhutta
Message From Imam Sawadogo
“O’ you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be God-conscious. [Fasting] for a fixed number of days.  But if any one of you is sick or on a journey, then [let him fast] an equal number of other days. For those who can fast [with extreme difficulty], compensation should be made by feeding a needy person [for every day not fasted]. Whoever volunteers to do good, that is better for him. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew” (Quran 2:183-184).

As-salamu Alaykum

I pray that you all and your families are staying safe and are in the best state of health and faith. I would like to congratulate the Muslim community on the spiritual journey they are all about to embark on with the coming of Ramadan. Allah says in the Holy Quran about the journey of fasting Ramadan:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ (183)﴾ البقرة
“O you who believe! Fasting is ordained for you as it was ordained for those before you so that you might remain conscious of God” (2:183)

Ramadan is not only a month for fasting, but it is also, an important time for deep reflection on our spiritual connection with Allah and with the people around us. It is meant to cultivate in us a quality of God-consciousness and compassion towards our fellow human beings. Through fasting and avoiding sinful deeds and thoughts, we train ourselves to gain control not only over our actions but also gain control over our thoughts and our desires.

The significance of Ramadan to Muslims was summarized by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when he said, congratulating his companions for the coming of Ramadan:
“أَتَاكُمْ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ، تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ، وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ، لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ”
“The month of Ramadan has come to you, a blessed month which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it, the gates of the heavens are opened, whereas the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious Shaytans are chained. In it, there is a night better than a thousand months. Whosoever is deprived of its blessings is indeed deprived.”

Imam Al-Ghazali categorizes fasting into three levels
1- Layperson’s fastingصوم العوام : This is the beginners’ level and the easiest fasting. It consists of abstaining from food, drink, and intimate relation during the days of Ramadan.
2- Professionals’ fastingصوم الخواص : This is the intermediate level and it is relatively harder than the previous level. It consists of keeping one’s ears, eyes, tongue, hands, and feet free from sin during the days and nights of Ramadan.
3- Experts’ fastingصوم خواص الخواص : This is the advanced level and the most difficult fasting. It consists of focusing on nothing but Allah and fasting with the heart and mind by abstaining from worldly thoughts and concerns during the nights and days of Ramadan.

Let us all try this year to rise above the layperson’s fasting and aim at achieving the professional’s fasting. Let us also remember that Ramadan forces us to experience hunger so that we can put ourselves in the shoes of those who are in need. So, with the coming of Ramadan let us all race towards goodness and compassion towards others.

The doors to goodness are numerous as Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said.
Removing harm from the middle of the road, assisting a person who is in need, maintaining the ties of kinship, and checking on family members and friends. Even smiling at others is regarded as a good deed and carries the same weight as giving to charity.

Finally, let us be mindful that Ramadan is not only about improving the relationship between Allah and man, but it is also about improving the relationship between human beings and their fellow human beings.

Ramadan Kareem and as-salamu alaykum

Ramadan-2021 Message

Posted on | by Ammar Bhutta
Message From Imam Sawadogo
“O’ you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be God-conscious. [Fasting] for a fixed number of days.  But if any one of you is sick or on a journey, then [let him fast] an equal number of other days. For those who can fast [with extreme difficulty], compensation should be made by feeding a needy person [for every day not fasted]. Whoever volunteers to do good, that is better for him. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew” (Quran 2:183-184).

As-salamu Alaykum
I pray that you all and your families are staying safe and are in the best state of health and Iman.
Ramadan is a month meant to develop in us a quality of righteousness, God-consciousness, and self-restraint. Through fasting and avoiding sinful deeds and thoughts we train ourselves to gain control over our actions, our thoughts, and our desires. Ramadan also compels us to experience hunger and taste the feeling of those who do not have enough food to live a healthy and active life.
The significance of Ramadan to Muslims was summarized by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when he said, congratulating his companions for the coming of Ramadan:
“أَتَاكُمْ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ صِيَامَهُ، تُفْتَحُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَتُغْلَقُ فِيهِ أَبْوَابُ الْجَحِيمِ، وَتُغَلُّ فِيهِ مرَدَةُ الشَّيَاطِينِ، لِلَّهِ فِيهِ لَيْلَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ مَنْ حُرِمَ خَيْرَهَا فَقَدْ حُرِمَ”
“The month of Ramadan has come to you, a blessed month which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it, the gates of the heavens are opened, whereas the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious Shaytans are chained. In it, there is a night better than a thousand months. Whosoever is deprived of its blessings is indeed deprived.”
The whole world is still going through a difficult time due to the spread of Covid-19. Though many signs of progress in fighting the pandemic can be seen, caution must still be exercised as the light at the end of the tunnel is yet to be seen. Consequently, the Masjid activities are still limited. Tarawih prayers inside the masjid will be limited to one hundred congregants and the length of the prayers will be shorter than normal. For these reasons, community members are encouraged to pray Tarawih in their homes, with their own families.
Although the spiritual impact of this limitation on the community is heartbreaking, the life-threatening nature of the Novel Coronavirus is a painful reality that must be acknowledged. The limited Tarawih in the Masjid, at a time when we need it most, may stir up some spiritual emotions and questions in us about the alternative.
Our religion is flexible and always has alternatives and solutions. The Prophet peace be upon him said to a group of his companions who were waiting to join him to pray the Ramadan sunnah prayer (Tarawih), “I have seen and understood what you did. You should pray in your houses, for the best prayer of a person is that which he prays in his house except for the compulsory prayers.” (Bukhari and Muslim).
CIMIC has made arrangements for Tarawih in the Masjid to be viewed online. The link to view Tarawih on YouTube or Facebook directly or CIMIC Live Events Page
The current situation is an opportunity for us to bring more prayers and Quran to our homes and turn our houses into masjids.
O Allah! Make us among those who are blessed with your forgiveness and those who are freed from Hell Fire in this Ramadan. Amin
Have a Blessed Ramadan!