IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL!
The blessed Month of Ramadhan has reached us once again.  It is the Mercy of the Almighty Allah that has made us welcome His Month, the Month of Ramadhan.  It is our intention that The changes brought about in the last Ramadhan are to be improved upon this Ramadhan.  Almost  all our Brothers and Sisters have already made great plans to honour this Month with zeal, fervour and great joy.  However, it is unfortunate to see that those who have taken great pains to receive blessings are doing things to receive the curses instead.  Just to quote an example :
The sahar Programme organized by the administrators of the Muslim Service of the SLBC is also a blessing indeed.  It helps us in not missing the Sahr, which is in itself a great blessing and also helps us to be immersed in an atmosphere of great feeling of piety.  How many of us make this blessing a curse by being a nuisance to others!  We disturb the peace and quiet of our neighbours who are not muslims.  We increase the volume in our radio receivers so as to disturb the whole neighbourhood.  We cause great concern and pain of mind to our neighbours who are not of our faith.  And any of them protests, God forbid, he gets a severe tongue lashing by our so called faithfuls, who are hell bent on receiving the Blessings of Allah.  Is that all? No.  HOW about the trips to and from the mosque?  The faithful believers create such a din on their return from the Mosque which really puts to shame a pack of wolves.  When they get up for the Sahar Meal, the clamour, the sounds and noises that are heard, really puts to shame a blacksmith.  These people are totally unconcerned about the feelings of others, who are not Muslims. Totally unconcerned about the neighbours and the discomfort they are causing them.  Let us take a break and look at the true traditions of our Holy Prophet (s):
1. OUR HOLY PROPHET MUHUMMED (S) SAID: “A MUSLIM CANNOT BE A MUSLIM IF HIS NEIGHBOUR IS NOT SAFE FROM HIS HANDS AND TONGUE.”
2. THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH (S): A PERSON WHO DOES NOT TREAT OTHERS     MERCIFULLY WILL NOT BE TREATED MERCIFULLY.
3. THE PROPHET OF ALLAH (S) SAID: “BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! (THREE TIMES). THEN HE WAS ASKED: WHO IS THAT O APOSTLE OF ALLAH?
RASOOLULLAH REPLIED: “THAT NEIGHBOUR WHO DOES NOT FEEL SAFE FROM HIS EVIL.”
These injunctions are very clear -  It is made clearer with the following Hadeeth:  “THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH SAID: HOW MANY A FASTING MAN THERE ARE FOR WHOM THERE IS NO FAST BUT ONLY HUNGER AND THIRST AND HOW MANY MEN PRAY AT NIGHT FOR WHOM THERE IS NO PRAYER ONLY SLEEPLESSNESS.”
Yes my dear brothers and sisters Ramadhan is sacrifice – sacrificing yourself, your time, your sleep, your hunger, your thirst, your leisure, all for the sake of Allah. Do not nullify it by causing concern, pain of mind to those brothers and sisters in humanity who are not of our faith; and do not make this month of Ramadhan distasteful to your neighbours.  Let the parents and elders discipline their families.  Let the mosques take this task upon them to discipline the community.
MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALL ALONG THE RIGHT PATH. .
ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAATHUHU !

RAMADHAN – THE MONTH OF THE QURAN – M.Z.M.NAZIM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL
Muslims are the only people in the world today fortunate enough to possess the word of Allah preserved in its original form, free from all distortions, and precisely in the wording in which it was sent down upon the Prophet (S).  Strangely we Muslims suffer the misfortune of being denied the countless belssings and benefits which the word of Allah gives to those who believe in it.  The Quran was sent to us to read it, understand it, act upon it. The Quran came to grant us dignity and power.  It came to make us the true vicegerents of Allah on earth.  And history shows that whenever the Muslims acted according to its guidance, it did make them the leaders of the world.  But now the Quran’s usefulness, for many Muslims, comsists only in keeping it in their houses to drive away Jinns and ghosts, in writing its verses on amulets to hang round their necks or washing those amulets with water and then drinking it, or in reading its contents without comprehending their meaning in the hope of receiving some reward.  No longer do they seek guidance from it for their lives.  No longer do they ask it to tell them what should be their beliefs, morals and actions, nor how they should conduct transactions, what principles they should observe while dealing with enemies and friends, what the rights are of their fellow beings and of their own selves.  Nor do they turn to it to find what is true and what is false, whom they should obey and whom disobey, who their friends are and who their enemies, where honour, well-being and benefit are to be found and where disgrace, failure and loss.
We Muslims have given up looking for answers to these important questions in the Holy Quran. Instead, we now ask Kafirs, idolators, misguided, selfish people, even our own ego and desires and follow what they advise.  We are reaping only what we have sown everywhere in the world.
The Holy Quran is the source of every good;  If you seek from it such trivial, frivolous and spurious things as how to scare away jinns and ghosts, how to cure coughs and fevers, how to succeed in litigation and find a job – then you may get them, but only them.  If you receive only a few drops from the ocean, do not blame the Holy Quran, blame yourselves.  For the whole ocean lies there waiting for him who knows how to take it.
Tell me what would you say if somebody got a doctor’s prescription and hung it round his neck after wrapping it in a piece of cloth or washed it in water and drank it?  Would you not laugh at him and call him a fool?  Yet this is the very treatment being given before your eyes to the matchless prescription written by the greatest of all doctors to provide a cure for all your ailments – and nobody laughs.  No one even reflects that a prescription is not meant to be hung round the neck nor are its words to be washed in water and drunk.  Tell me what would you think if someone who was ill, picked up a book on medicine and began to read it, believing, thinking that this would cure him?  Would you not say that he was deranged? Yet this is how we treat the Book which the Supreme Healer has sent for the cure of our diseases.  Are we not in the same situation as the man who considers that reading a book on medicine will cure his illness?
Let us therefore reflect for a while and your hearts will tell you that the greatest possible injustice is being done to the Book of Allah.
MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALONG THE RIGHT PATH.
ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAA THUHU!

RAMADHAN REFLECTIONS       – BY M. Z. M. NAZIM
We are once again commemorating this Holy Month of Ramadhan – Year after year, this Holy Month comes and goes.  We speak of its excellence, we speak of its blessings; we speak of the immeasurable kindness, generosity, Mercy and Compassion Allah Almighty heaps on humanity.  We speaking of the excellence of Lailathul Qadr, the night of power, the I’thikaf. We speak of the fact that One Sunnah Prayer is equal to one Fardh and one Fardh is equal to 70 such Fardhs. We speak of the importance of honesty, integrity, truhfulness, simplicity, benevolence and Justice and a host of other innumerable things that transformed humanity and laying emphasis to do good and forbid evil.
Since the previous Ramadhann in Hijri 1415 to the present Ramadhan Hijri 1416, we must ask ourselves – have we made any attempt to emulate such character and conduct that we had heard and spoken of?  Have we done anything for the welfare of the Muslim Community locally and internationally? Or are we just talking, talking and talking without any action?
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Quran in ch.62 vs. 2 & 3.
O! YOU WHO BELIEVE! WHY DO YOU SAY THINGS WHICH YOU DO NOT MEAN.  MOST ODIOUS IT IS, THE WORST THING THAT ANY ONE CAN EVER DO, IS WHAT YOU SAY THAT WHICH YOU DO NOT MEAN.”
It is very clear that you cannot say something and mean something else.  You cannot talk good things and you do evil in life.
HAVE WE AT LEAST, ATTEMPTED TO MOVE AWAY FROM EVEN A FEW OF OUR EVIL HABITS, SINCE THE LAST Ramadhan?  If the answer is “NO” then what are we  doing?  This now brings us to the question of what type of people are we expected to be or become.  The Holy Quran says: “YOU ARE THE BEST OF PEOPLE EVOLVED FOR MANKIND.  WHY?  YOU ENJOIN WHAT IS GOOD (AND YOU YOURSELVES DO GOOD) AND FORBID WHAT IS EVIL (AND YOU YOURSELVES ABSTAIN FROM EVIL) AND YOU BELIEVE IN ALLAH.” 3:110.  Yes, how do you attain this state of Khair Ummah? Look at the Hadeeth of our Holy Prophet (S): AL-KHAIRU ITHTHIBA’AL QUR’AN WA SUNNATHEE. This state of Khair or reaching the state of the Best of People (THE SUPREME UNIFIED SOCIETY)can only be fulfilled by following the Quran and My sunnah, says our Holy Prophet Muhummed (S).  “Again, Let us look into the Holy Quran. Let us look at Chapter 2 Verse 143 – it says: “AND THUS, WE HAVE MADE YOU INTO A MIDDLE NATION, A NATION JUSTLY BALANCED, SO THAT YOU CAN BE WITNESSES UNTO MANKIND IN THE SAME WAY THE APOSTLE WAS A WITNESS UNTO YOU.”  (A slight digression, You will see this verse  talks of a Middle Nation.  If you see Surah Baqarah, you will find that it has 286 Verses. And this verse that talks of a Middle Nation, is right in the Middle of Surah Baqarah. Verse 143.  Just an observation.) Are we a reflection of what our Holy Prophet (S) was to us by way of behaviour, attitude, character, morality and justice? Are we?  I know, we are all far, far from it.  You will find a group of people among us asking us “how can we be as perfect as the prophet (S), we are just ordinary men, not prophets.”  Oh yes, we agree; but let us look at Holy Quran. The Holy Quran Says :”QUL INNAMAA ANA BASHAR” – “SAY (O PROPHET) I AM ALSO A MAN LIKE YOU” (2 : 110).  It means you can at least attempt to be like the Prophet. Prophet (S) is certainly not a person like you and I.  What are we?  In our present state, we are nothing but a bunch of people who speak lies, we backbite, we slander, we break promises, we betray our trusts, we are wholly and totally unjust in situations affecting us!! We are proud and haughty. Is the Prophet (S) a man like us?  No Certainly not. How can we explain this situation?  Let us take an example.  Take Charcoal, for instance.  What is the chemical composition of Charcoal?  Any student of science, will say it is “CARBON”. Again, if I ask the same student, what is the Chemical composition of Diamond – again he will say CARBON.  So charcoal is Carbon; Diamond is also Carbon.  What is the value of a ton of charcoal – may be a few hundred rupees.  What is the value of a few grammes or a few carats of diamond?  It is priceless.  You can fetch millions of rupees.  You see the connection – Rasoolullah is also Bashar – Man – Carbon. and We are also Bashar – Man – Carbon. Yes, but remember that Rasoolullah (S) is the Priceless Diamond and we the worthless CHARCOAL.  So, let us therefore, pull ourselves up, be alert to the needs of the community, the Muslim Ummah as a whole and let us charcoals strive with our heart and soul to achieve the status of diamond.
MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALL ALONG THE RIGHT PATH. .
ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM WA RAHMATHULLAAHI WA BARAKAATHUHU.

RAMADHAN – A REMINISCENCE -  BY M.Z.M.NAZIM
Now that the Holy Month of Ramadhan is over, are we now ready to sit back and take stock of us as an individual?  One month of solid training in self-control, kindness, sympathy, love and affection together with the spiritual training in prayer, supplication and adherance to the Quranic Laws -  What has it done to us?  Are we now better than what we were before the commencement of the Holy Month of Ramadhan?  Or are we still the same people who have totally forgotten the training received in Ramadhan and gone back to square one?.  Are we back again to our usual haunts of evil, both in mind and body?  If we have not changed our evil ways then Ramadhan has done nothing for us; Fasting has done nothing for us;  Our night prayers have done nothing for us; Our recitals and rituals have done nothing for us, except for the fact that we have remained only in hunger and thirst and keeping awake said our Holy Prophet Muhummed (s).
Again, to what extent did we control our lusts and desires during this Holy Month of Ramadhan?  How many of the indigent, the hungry, the needy did we feed?  Did we manage to relieve even one man from his debts?  Did we contribute our Zakat – the Poor Right, as per the instructions in the Holy Quran?  Have we lent our ears to vain speech – listening to lies, backbiting and slander?  Have we directed our eyes to any evil amusements?  Have we stretched our hands towards anything forbidden?  Have we filled our bellies with unlawful gains?  Have prayed, fasted and gave alms, just for show – the same showing off loved by the ostentatious and notoriety desired by seekers of fame? If so, we have not performed our duty to Allah; but only to fame.  We have taken name and fame as our Lord and not Allah.  Only to please the people and not Allah.  Only to seek the pleasure of the people and not the pleasure of Allah.  Allah sees not anything worthy in our abstaining from eating and drinking and keeping awake, if we have not done our duty to mankind.
Let us see why do people disobey Allah and go astray?  According to the Holy Quran, there are three main reasons.
The first is love of one’s own desires: The Holy Quran says in 28:50 – “And who is more astray than he who follows his own likes and dislikes without any guidance from Allah.  Surely Allah guides not the wrongdoers”
Thus, more than anything, it is man’s own wishes and desires which lead him astray.  For, the one who becomes a slave to his own desires can never become a true slave of Allah.  He will always have only one consideration before him: ‘what will bring him more worldly profit, what will bring him fame and honour, what will give him pleasure and gratification, and what will provide him with comfort and ease.  He will therefore do whatever is necessary to achieve his ends, irrespective of whether Allah has forbidden the kind of thing he is doing OR NOT.  And he will never do anything which will not help achieve these ends, even though Allah may have ordered him to do so.  The god of such a person is his own self – NAFS – or his own desire, his likes and dislikes – HAWA – and not Allah.  How then can he benefit from Allah’s guidance, asks the Holy Quran.  To be a slave of one’s desires is worse than being a beast of the field.  No animal will overstep the limits set by Allah.  Every animal eats what has been fixed by Allah for it; it performs only those functions which are allotted to it.  But such an animal is man that when he allows his desires to take over, he commits acts that would make Shaithan himself shudder.
The second reason for going astray is following blindly the customs and practices, beliefs and notions, rites and ceremonies of society and regarding them as superior to Allah’s guidance.  such a person, when reminded of Allah’s commandments, insists that he should follow only what society approves and continue the traditions of his family or country.  How can one who is suffering from such a disease be a servant of Allah?  His gods are society, family and nation.  What right has he to claim that he is a Muslim?  The Quran warns him thus: “AND WHEN IT IS SAID TO THEM, ‘FOLLOW WHAT ALLAH HAS SENT DOWN’, THEY SAY, “NO, WE WILL FOLLOW (ONLY) WHAT WE FOUND OUR FATHERS DOING.” WHAT! EVEN IF THEIR FATHERS DID NOT USE THEIR REASON AT ALL, NOR WERE GUIIDED? 2:170.  In every age, the people who refused to follow the Truth have been suffering from this disease.  Always it has prevented them from accepting the guidance brought by the Messengers of Allah.  When Musa (AS) invited people to submit to Allah’s law, they said: “HAVE YOU COME TO US TO TURN US FROM WHAT WE FOUND OUR FATHER’S PRACTISING?” (10:79).  When Ibrahim (AS) tried to dissuade his fellow citizens from associating gods with Allah, they said:”WE FOUND OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPING THEM”  21:53.  People have, in all ages, made this same excuse to every prophet, “What you say is contrary to the practice of our forefathers and this is why we cannot accept it.”  Allah tells people that they can either follow their forefathers, their society and culture, or His commandments.  They cannot do both.  If you want to be Muslims, you must give up all things apart from Allah and obey what He has commanded.
The third reason is obeying other human beings in preference to Allah.  How does this happen?  When we mistakenly believe that the person concerned is a great thinker whose word must be true.  When we imagine that he controls our livelihood, having the power to withhold it from us or give us whatever he desires.  When we think that he has the authority over us to do as he wishes.  Or, when we subscribe to the notion that he can ruin us by laying his curse upon us or take us to Paradise with him if he is obeyed.  Or, when we conclude that we must folow the ways of certain nations because they are progressive and modern and have made great advances in the world.  If we behave in any of these manners, the door of Divine guidance is closed.  The Holy Quran says: “IF YOU OBEY MOST OF THOSE ON EARTH, THEY WILL LEAD YOU ASTRAY FROM THE PATH OF ALLAH.” 6:116.
We can be on the right path only when we have faith in one Allah, and follow His guidance only.  How can we find that Path when we have invented numerous gods, sometimes obeying this one and sometimes that one.
The three main causes of going astray are now before you: self-worship or unrestrained gratification of one’s desires;  social conformity or blind following of the customs of society, family and nation;  servitude to human beings in general, especially rulers of the time, employers, rich and false religious thinkers.  If you want to become true Muslims you must first break these three formidable idols who claim to be your gods.  For with these three idols in your hearts  you cannot become slaves of Allah.  Merely by offering prayers many times a day, by ostentatiously observing Fasts, and by putting on the outward face of Muslims, you may deceive your fellow beings as well as yourselves – But you will never be able to deceive Allah.
MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALL ALONG THE RIGHT PATH A.

How to make Ramadhan a Blessing – by M.Z.M.NAZIM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL!
The blessed Month of Ramadhan has reached us once again.  It is the Mercy of the Almighty Allah that has made us welcome His Month, the Month of Ramadhan.  It is our intention that The changes brought about in the last Ramadhan are to be improved upon this Ramadhan.  Almost  all our Brothers and Sisters have already made great plans to honour this Month with zeal, fervour and great joy.
All acts of worship include some outward physical movement, but not Fasting.  In the Prayer you stand, sit, bow down and prostrate yourselves; all these acts are visible to everybody.  In Hajj you undertake a long journey and travel with thousands of people.  Zakah, Charity (The Poor right) too is known to at least two persons, the giver and the receiver.  None of these acts can remain concealed; if you perform them, other people will come to know about them.  But the Fasting is a form of Ibadah, or worship which is entirely private.  You are required to take food before dawn and abstaining from eating and drinking anything till the time to breakfast. But if you secretly eat and drink in between nobody except God will know about it.  The private nature of the Fasting ensures that you have strong faith in Allah as the One who knows everything .  You will keep your fasts for over 400 Hours for one full month only because of your profound belief in the reward and punishment of the Hereafter.  Had you the slightest doubt in that you have to meet your Maker, you would not complete such a fast.  With doubts in hearts, no such resolves can be fulfilled.  Yes, the Month of Ramadhan suffuses the whole environment with a spirit of righteousness, virtue and piety.  Let us not nullify the goodness of this month by senseless behaviour.  To emerge successful in this trial there are further attendant things that you should observe.  Whilst
you are involved in good works, feeding and clothing the poor,
helping those in distress, to participate in any good work being done anywhere and to prevent evil and while enjoining good and forbidding wrong, we are also instructed to be very conscious of our neighbours who are not of our faith.  Whatever our actions be, it should not cause concern and pain of mind to our neighbours.
When we wake up for our pre-dawn meal, it must be borne in mind that the brothers and sisters in humanity, our neighbours who are not of our faith are sleeping at that time.  We must be extra careful that any inconvenience that we may cause them may cause extreme pain of mind to them.  They will grin and bear with us because we are fasting; but it is up to us to see they are not disturbed.  Our Holy Prophet has said:
“BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! BY ALLAH HE DOES NOT BELIEVE! (THREE TIMES). THEN HE WAS ASKED: WHO IS THAT O APOSTLE OF ALLAH?
RASOOLULLAH REPLIED: “THAT NEIGHBOUR WHO DOES NOT FEEL SAFE FROM HIS EVIL.”
He also said:”HOW MANY A FASTING MAN THERE ARE FOR WHOM THERE IS NO FAST BUT ONLY HUNGER AND THIRST AND HOW MANY MEN PRAY AT NIGHT FOR WHOM THERE IS NO PRAYER ONLY SLEEPLESSNESS.”
Let us therefore, make this sacrifice a real blessing.
MAY ALLAH IN HIS MERCY GUIDE US ALL ALONG THE RIGHT PATH. .
ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM…………………

THE SPIRIT OF FASTING : M. Z. M. NAZIM
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL
The Holy Quran says : FASTING HAS BEEN MADE OBLIGATORY ON YOU AS HAD BEEN MADE OBLIGATORY TO THOSE BEFORE YOU SO THAT YOU MAY ATTAIN GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS – PIETY”. 2:183
My dear listeners, please that there is no guarantee that you will definitely become God-conscious and righteous.  Only someone who recognizes the purpose of fasting and strives to achieve it will receive its blessings; some one who does not, cannot hope to gain anything from it.
The Prophet, (May Peace and Blessings be upon him), has in various ways pointed out the real spirit of fasting and has explained that to go hungry and thirsty while ignoring the spirit carries no value in the sight of Allah.
Abstention from Falsehood, slander and backbiting.
He said: If one does not give up speaking falsehood and acting by it and if he does not give slandering and backbiting. Allah does require him to give up eating and drinking.”
The lessons are clear and unequivocal: merely being hungry and thirsty is not by itself worship, but a means for performing real worship.  Real worship means desisting from violating the law of God out of this fear and this love of God, pursuing activities that Please Him, and refraining from the indiscriminate satisfaction of physical desires.  If you fast while ignoring th is essence of Fasting, you are simply causing unnecessary inconvenience to your stomach.
Faith and self scrutiny:  Our Holy Prophet Muhummed (PBUH) draws attention to another aim of fasting. He said:”Whoever observes the Fast, believing and counting, has all his past sins forgiven.”  Believing means that faith in God should remain alive in the consciousness of a Muslim.  Counting means that you should seek only Allah’s pleasure, constantly watching over your thougfhts and actions to make sure you are doing nothing contrary to His pleasure, and tusting and expecting the re wards promised by Alah and the Messenger.  Observing these two principles brings the rich reward of all your past sins being forgiven.  The reason is obvious: even if you were once disobedient, you will have now turned, fully repentant to your Master.

Shield against Sins: On another occasion, the Holy Prophet (May Peace and Blessings be upon him) said:  “The Fast is like a shield (for protection from Satan’s attack).  Therefore when one observes theFast he should [use this shield and] abstain from quarrelling.  If any body abuses him or starts a quarrel with him, he should simply say: I am fasting.  [i.e do not expect me to indulge in similar conduct.]
The Apostle of Allah (PBUH) once directed – that a man, while fasting, ought to do more good works than usual and ardently desire to perform acts of kindness.  Compassion and sympathy for his fellow human-beings should intensify in his heart because, being himself in the throes of hunger and thirst, he will all the more be able to realize the misery of other servants of God who are destitute.
Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas tells that the Prophet, (pbuh) used to become unusually kind and generous during Ramadhan.  No beggar lin that period went empty-handed from his door.
May this Ramadhan guide us to be honest, truthful, sincere, magnanimous and kind to our fellow-beings.  .
ASSALAAMU ALAIKUM………………..

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