ummtaalib

The Israeli occupation forces withdraw from Al Aqsa mosque after raiding it after Fajir (Dawn) prayer, today. 29.4.2022 www.instagram.com/p/Cc7BJouFwQx/

Worshippers at Al-Aqsa under attack again today 29.4.2022 The Israeli occupation forces besiege worshippers inside Al Qibli prayer hall and break its windows to fire tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets at them. www.instagram.com/p/Cc64nTeIkeU/ The Israeli occupation forces block the gates of Al Qibli Prayer Hall which chains while besieging dozens of worshippers inside it. 29.4.2022 www.instagram.com/p/Cc6-029F-QD/ The Israeli occupation forces shoot rubber coated steel bullets at worshippers after raiding Al Aqsa mosque. 29.4.2022 www.instagram.com/p/Cc66Q_bod0l/

27th April 2022 - night of 26th Ramadan

Arround 250,000 worshippers mark Laylat al Qadr at Al Aqsa mosque Video here showing Al-Aqsa packed with worshippers www.instagram.com/p/Cc3wUnClGfx/ Palestinian youth climb the Israeli apartheid wall to reach Al Aqsa mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem. www.instagram.com/p/Cc3twACNt3F/

The trial date of Ahmed Manasra has been set on 26-6-2022

Question: If you see menstrual blood after Maghrib, and aren’t sure when it started, is your fast valid? Answer: Bismi Llahir Rahmanir Rahim Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuhu If menstruation occurs at any time during the fasting day – namely from the entrance of Fajr to the entrance of Maghrib – the fast is not valid. This is the ruling even if menstruation starts one minute before Maghrib enters. As for the question at hand, there are two possible scenarios. First Scenario – Unsure When Blood Exited If you honestly do not know when the bloody discharge exited, then the principle is that menstruation starts when you actually see the blood. For example, Aisha is fasting during Ramadan. Maghrib enters at 6 pm. She goes to the bathroom at 6:15 pm and sees blood on her pantyliner. She does not know when the bleeding exited. In this case, she assumes that the blood exited when she saw it at 6:15 pm. Therefore, her fast is valid because her menstruation started after Maghrib. Second Scenario – Reasonably Sure When It Exited However, if she feels the wetness exit her vagina before she uses the bathroom, and she is reasonably certain that it is menstrual blood, then she should consider that her menses started when she felt the wetness. For example, Hina is fasting during Ramadan. Maghrib enters at 6 pm. She is expecting her period to start soon. At 5:50 pm, she feels discharge exit her vagina. She does not make it to the bathroom until 6:15 pm. She sees blood on her pantyliner, and knowing her body, she is reasonably sure that the bleeding exited when she felt it at 5:50 pm. Thus, her menstruation started at 5:50 PM and her fast is invalid. She must make it up after Ramadan finishes in a time when she is not menstruating. For more details about the rulings of menstruation related to Ramadan, please refer to this article: Menstruation Rulings Related To Ramadan. Jazak Allah khayran Naielah Ackbarali

Taraweeh - Case Closed! Reply to Dr. Zakir Naik

"Successful indeed is the one who purifies their soul, and doomed is the one who corrupts it!” (91:9-10). Why do you fast? Is it because everyone around you does? Is it because it’s one of the five pillars? Have you ever wondered why it is one of the five pillars? Although we strive to learn about the legal rulings of fasting, we often miss out on reflecting upon and attaining the spiritual elements of fasting. An insightful new PDF that explains how fasting is connected to the actions of the heart and how fasting purifies the soul and helps us attain taqwā, ikhlāṣ, ṣabr and shukr. This FREE PDF includes: Fasting & The Purification of The Soul Taqwā: The Purpose of Fasting Fasting & Ṣabr: A Training Programme to Stop Sinning Fasting & Shukr: The Blessing of Ifṭhār and Suḥūr Fasting & Ikhlāṣ Download, read, print and share with family and friends HERE May Allah al-Quddūs (The Pure) make our hunger and thirst a means of purifying our hearts this Ramadhan.

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ “And your Lord said: ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’” (40:60) Duʿā’ is the essence of worship. It is every moment, minute and hour in which we pour our hearts out to Allah, praise Him, seek His forgiveness and beg Him. Through duʿā’, we express our humility, dire state of poverty and utmost need of our Lord. Through duʿā’, we affirm our complete submission to Allah and express our ʿubudiyyah (servitude) to Him. Duʿā’ is a whispering conversation with Allah, our Creator, Lord and Sustainer. We ask Him because only He can give. He has power over everything, whilst we have none. His knowledge encompasses everything, whilst we know little. He is the Lord and we are His slaves. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There is nothing more honourable to Allah than duʿā’.” Whilst our fellow humans tire of our persistent questioning and begging, Allah, our Generous Lord, does not stop giving and is angered when we don’t ask from Him! Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah is angry with those who do not make duʿā’ to Him” (Tirmidhī). ‘I Am Near’ ‘Interposed among the verses dealing with fasting comes a verse reflecting a profound insight into human nature. It reaches to the deepest recesses of the human psyche, offering solace and ample rewards for keeping the fast in response to God’s commands: “If My servants ask you about Me, well, I am near; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me. Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may follow the right way.” (2:186) How kind and compassionate God truly is! Any hardship encountered in keeping the fast fades in comparison with this friendly and gentle reassurance. The choice of words creates an atmosphere of intimacy and accessibility, with God Himself stating a direct contact between Him and His servants. He does not give instructions to His Messenger, the Prophet Muḥammad on how to answer believers’ questions about Him. He gives the answer Himself: “I am near.” His closeness is not only to listen but also for immediate response: “I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me.” This verse fills a believer’s heart with love, confidence and utter reassurance. In this atmosphere of friendliness and compassion, God, who has no need for anyone, directs believers to respond to Him and believe in Him, in the hope that this will guide them to wisdom and righteousness. “Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may follow the right way.” By earning God’s generosity and guidance, believers end up winners on all counts.’ (Fī Ẓilāl al-Qur’ān) The Secret of Duʿā’ The secret to making duʿāʿ is to display one’s utter need of Allah, with utmost humility, desperation and dependence. We see a beautiful illustration of this in the life of Prophet Musa (ʿalayhis-salām), whilst he is fleeing one of history’s greatest tyrants. He is forced into exile to Madyan where he is left penniless, scared, hungry and alone; a foreigner in a strange land. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, we see his chivalry as he helps two young women to water their animals. He then withdraws into the shade and turns to the One Free of all need and begs: “My Lord, I am in dire need of whatever good thing You may send me” (28:24). Breaking down in utter desperation and begging Allah (ʿazza wa jall) is how we should make duʿā’ on a daily basis, as though our lives depended on it and we could not survive without it. We are weak and in need of Allah (ʿazza wa jall) for everything. We cannot do without Him for the blink of an eye. If we beg Him whole-heartedly and sincerely, we will witness the gifts from Allah al-Wahhāb (The Ever Giving) shower into our lives. In the Steps of the Prophets The secret of worship lies in the duʿās of the Prophets. Each duʿā’ is an embodiment of their courtesy (adab), shyness and humility. Each duʿā’ is a testimony to their awareness of and deep intimacy with their Lord. Rather than rushing to make their requests, they praised Allah, glorified Him, and asked through His Most Perfect Names. It is this aspect of duʿā’ which we often skip out and neglect. Praising Allah and intimately conversing with Him (munājāt) is a powerful way to taste the sweetness of worship, especially in qiyām whilst prostrating. How Can We Praise Allah? 1. We praise Him as He has praised Himself. This is the best way to praise Allah. This can be learnt by reciting the Qur’an, reflecting upon it and forming a strong bond with it, since it is replete with the Allah praising Himself. 2. Praise Him as our beloved Messenger ﷺ praised Him. Of Allah’s creation, none surpassed him in knowing Him and appreciating Him as He ought to be. 3. Praise Him with words used by the companions (radiy Allāhū ʿanhum) and the pious predecessors. 4. Praise Him with one’s own words emanating from the heart, so long as it does not contradict sound beliefs. 5. One of the best ways of praising Allah is through His Beautiful Names. Key Times To Make Duʿā’ in Ramaḍān Ramaḍān is duʿā’ prime-time. The beauty of duʿā’ is that it can be done at any time and in any language. In Ramaḍān however, there a few special moments which we should carve out in our daily schedules to make duʿā’. a) Throughout the fast. Our beloved Messenger ﷺ said, “There are three whose duʿā’ is not rejected: the fasting person until he opens his fast, the just leader, and the supplication of the oppressed person…” (Tirmidhī). Imām al-Munāwī (raḥimahullāh) said that this refers to the person who fasts comprehensively, and protects his body parts from disobeying Allah. Thus, his duʿā’ is accepted due to the purity of his body, resulting from the person disobeying his own whims and desires. Another possible reason for why the duʿā’ of the fasting person is accepted is because he is in a state of weakness. When he feels hunger, he is more likely to humble himself, and feel his need for Allah. Similarly, spending the day and night in worship, in a season where Allah’s mercy descends and wherein one sins less, makes it more likely for one’s duʿā’ to be accepted. b) At the time of ifṭār. Our beloved Messenger ﷺ said, “Indeed, the fasting person has a supplication at the time of his iftār which is not rejected” (Ibn Mājah). c) In the last third of the night, in sujūd. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Our Lord – Glorified and Exalted is He – descends every night to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains and says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’” (Bukhārī) He ﷺ also said, “As for sujūd, go to great lengths in making duʿā’ in it, as it is likely that your duʿā’ shall be answered” (Muslim). The Optimal Guide For Making Duʿā’ 1. Make your heart present and completely focus on Allah. 2. Choose a time in which duʿā’ is readily accepted. 3. Perform wuḍū, face the qiblah and raise your hands. 4. Humble yourself and submit to Allah. 5. Start by praising Allah. 6. Send ṣalawāt upon the Prophet ﷺ. 7. Repent for your sins and ask for forgiveness. 8. Ask with persistence, love and fear. 9. Ask Allah through His Oneness and Names. 10. Give ṣadaqah before making duʿā’. (Adapted from Ibn al-Qayyim’s al-Jawāb al-Kāfī) For a detailed guide to making duʿā’, please refer to ‘I Am Near’ by Life With Allah or the Dhikr & Dua App. Source

After the attack Worshippers clean the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque after the withdrawal of occupation forces from the mosque. www.instagram.com/p/CcpKh3NlLkK/

For the 7th day since last Friday, Palestinian worshippers were brutally attacked by Israeli Occupation Forces at Masjid Al-AqsaThis morning, as the last 10 days of Ramadan start, Israeli forces stormed the compound with heavier versions of rubber bullets and deliberately hit the upper bodies of Palestinians. Sound grenades were fired to disorient worshippers hearing.These attacks resulted with a tree up in flames. Every inch of the compound is sacred.A total of roughly 250 Palestinians have been injured as a result.🟡 Call on your MP to condemn these attacks and to sanction Israel Friends Of Al-Aqsa (@friendsofalaqsa) • Instagram photos and videos

Dismayed by the evil and immorality around him, he finds himself drifting away from his kinsmen, wishing more and more to be alone. Ascending the mountains around his town, he retreats to a small cave. From here, he is still able to see his beloved Kaʿbah, built by his grandfather, the imām of tawḥīd: Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām). He takes food along with him, and spends several days in this cave in isolation: reflecting, pondering, and worshipping. And then one night, everything changes. The stillness and silence of the night is interrupted by one word: “Read!” The greatest of men – unbeknown to him at the time- has just experienced his first encounter with the greatest of all angels. It marks the beginning of Allah’s greatest gift to mankind: His very own words. Words of eternal guidance, instructing man how to live and prosper. A blueprint to attain eternal bliss. This night will change the entire course of history. The world will never be the same again. More than a thousand years later, we commemorate this incredible night. It is the mother of all nights, a night of blessings and forgiveness, a night of closeness and intimacy with one’s Creator. From His deep love and generosity, Allah al-Akram (The Most Generous) named this night for us (‘Laylat al-Qadr’), and revealed a sūrah dedicated to it. This is so that we do not ever forget the greatness of this Night, the greatness of this gift (the Qur’ān), the greatness of the angel (Jibrīl) responsible for its transmission, the greatness of the man (Muḥammad ﷺ) upon whose heart the book was revealed, and ultimately the greatness of the Greatest: Allah, Magnificent and Exalted is He! Step Up In The Last 10 Days ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would combine both prayer and sleep (at night) during the first 20 (days of Ramaḍān). But when the last ten days arrived, he would exert himself in worship and stay away from his wives” (Aḥmad). The last ten days of Ramaḍān are for intense worship. Just as the Messenger ﷺ used to cut himself off from people and perform iʿtikāf in the masjid, we too should try to do the same. We should take off as many days as possible from work and use this time to connect deeply with Allah (ʿazza wa jall). We should avoid wasting this precious time with Eid preparations, and switch off from social media. Along with ourselves, we should have a deep concern for the spiritual well-being and upliftment of our families. The atmosphere in the home during these days, and especially the nights, should be different. ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) said, “When the last ten days of Ramaḍān arrived, the Prophet ﷺ would tighten his waist belt (stay away from his wives/strive hard), spend the night in worship, and awaken his family” (Bukhārī). 10 Tips For The Last 10 Nights of Ramadan Switch off social media and don’t surf the internet. Don’t waste time with Eid preparations. Give sadaqah (charity) every day. Push yourself to worship Allah. Perform Iʿtikāf. Perform at least ʿIshā and Fajr (at the minimum) in congregation. Perform qiyām in the night. Constantly ask Allah for forgiveness and freedom from the Hellfire. Strive in every potential night and recite the Sunnah duʿā. Bathe, apply perfume and adorn yourself for this great night. What is Laylat al-Qadr? There is an entire sūrah in the Qur’ān dedicated to this one night. This shows its great importance and virtue. Allah, al-ʿAẓīm (The Magnificent), says: إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ﴿1﴾ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ﴿2﴾ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ﴿3﴾ تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ ﴿4﴾ سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ “Indeed, We sent this (Qur’ān) down on the Night of Qadr. And what will make you realise what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit (Jibrīl) descend in it, by the permission of their Lord, for every matter. It is Peace — until the rising of the dawn” (97:1-5). Let us reflect on this sūrah to help us understand the significance of this incredible night: Ayah 1 إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ Indeed, We sent this (Qur’ān) down on the Night of Qadr. This Night is special as it marks one of the most magnificent events in history: the first revelation of the Qur’ān. Even if we worshipped Allah for a thousand years, it would not be enough to appreciate and thank Him for this favour. Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said that the Qur’ān was revealed in its entirety from the highest heaven to the lowest heaven, and was subsequently revealed to Muḥammad ﷺ over the span of twenty-three years. Qadr could refer to: 1) Honour and nobility. It is a noble night as the Qur’ān descended in it, Allah’s noble angels descend in it, and the mercy of Allah descends on the entire earth. A noble angel (Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām)) was chosen to descend with a Noble Book – the words of the Entirely Noble- upon the heart of the most noble man. Allah states, “Indeed, We sent it down on a blessed night…” (44:3). Likewise, the one who worships Allah on this night is noble and honoured by His Lord. 2) Decree. The angels descend with the allotted decree of each person for the next year. Allah says, “On that night every matter of wisdom is ordained” (44:4). 3) Constraint and congestion. This could refer to the earth becoming restricted as angels fill up the earth, and there is no room for any evil. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Indeed there are more angels on the earth on that night than the number of pebbles (on the earth)” (Ibn Khuzaymah). It could also allude to the specific identity of this night being unknown (‘constrained’). There is a significance of the Qur’ān being revealed at ‘night’, as opposed to the day. Elsewhere in the Qur’ān, Allah says, – “Limitless in His glory is He who transported His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah] to the Aqṣā Mosque [in Jerusalem] (17:1); – And pray during a part of the night, offering additional prayers, so your Lord may raise you to a station of praise (17:79); – Indeed, rising by night (for prayer) makes for a stronger impression (on the soul), and is best for the recitation (of Allah’s words) (73:6).” These verses indicate a strong connection between worship at night and enjoying a lofty rank in the sight of Allah. At night, when one sacrifices the comfort of their sleep and company of their spouse, and instead turns towards His Creator, his heart brimming with His love and trembling from His fear, he is closer to receiving the exclusive outpourings of Allah’s mercy and light. In the stillness of the night, the heart is calmer, distractions are limited, and one is able to absorb the weighty message of the Lord of Majesty and Nobility. Allah descends to the lowest heaven every night when one-third of the night remains and says, “Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” (Bukhārī). Ayah 2 وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ And what will make you realise what the Night of Qadr is? ‘Mā adrāka (what will make you realise)’ is a powerful rhetorical question which draws our attention to the importance of this night. We can never fully appreciate the greatness of this night. It is something which we should not take for granted. Ayah 3 لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ The Night of Qadr is better than a thousand months. Worshipping Allah in this one night is not just equivalent to a thousand months (more than 83 years), but even better than that. Allāhu Akbar! Look at the kindness of Allah! We struggle to worship Him for more than few hours, let alone spend a major portion of our lives in worshipping Him – and yet, from His immense generosity, He gifts us with Laylat al-Qadr. Not once in our lifetime, but once every year throughout our time on this earth. According to a narration in Muwaṭṭa’, “The Messenger ﷺ was shown the lifespans of the people before him, or what Allah willed of that; and it was as if he thought that the lifespan of his ummah was short, and they would be unable to reach the level of deeds as others before them had due to their long lives. Thus, Allah gave him Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.” The average lifespan of this ummah is between 60 and 70 years. Despite such short lives however, Allah blessed us that we are able to gain the rewards of worshipping Him for many lifetimes. Just as every deed is potentially multiplied by ten, this one night brings with it immeasurable rewards, blessings and goodness. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “In it, Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived!” (Nasā’ī). Juwaybir said: “I asked Ḍaḥḥāk, ‘Do women experiencing post-natal bleeding and menstruation, those travelling, and those asleep (due to illness) have a share of Laylat al-Qadr?’ He replied, ‘Yes. Whoever’s deeds Allah accepts, He will give them their share of Laylat al-Qadr.’” Ayah 4 تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ The angels and the Spirit (Jibrīl) descend in it, by the permission of their Lord, for every matter. Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) wrote, “The angels descend in abundance during this night due to its abundant blessings. The angels descend with blessings and mercy, just as they descend when the Qur’ān is recited and surround the gatherings of dhikr.” Allah announces the decree of the upcoming year to His angels on this Night, as they will be carrying out His commandments. This includes births, deaths, provisions and calamities. The earth is full of goodness and blessings on this night, as there are a huge number of angels filling up the entire earth. The ‘spirit’ refers to Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām), the greatest of all angels, the link between the heavens and the earth, the angel tasked with the most prestigious job: conveying the message of the Creator to His creation. This is the only time of the year in which he ascends to the earth. We can only imagine how blessed this night is. It is difficult to appreciate the spiritual and physical greatness of Jibrīl. He has 600 wings. If he was to unroll a pair of them, it would fill the space between the sky and the earth. Allah describes him as an angel of ‘mighty power, and great perfection’ (53:5-6). Ayah 5 سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ It is Peace — until the rising of the dawn. ‘Salām’ (Peace) could mean that this night is full of peace. All of it is good and there is safety from all harm and evil until dawn. As the earth is full of angels, there is goodness and peace throughout the earth. It has also been said that angels greet (say salām to) the believers. They pray for the protection, and the removal of evil and harm, for every slave who is worshipping Allah. When is Laylat al-Qadr? The Prophet ﷺ said, “Seek out Laylat al-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten (days) of Ramaḍān” (Bukhārī). Abū Bakrah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said regarding Laylat al-Qadr, “I am not searching for it except in the last ten nights only after something which I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say. He ﷺ said: ‘Search for it (Laylat al-Qadr) in the last ten nights: the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or the last night’” (Aḥmad). There are various opinions as to what date exactly is Laylat al-Qadr, and whether it changes every year. A wisdom of the date being unspecified is that we strive hard to seek it and worship Allah wholeheartedly in many of the nights, instead of limiting our worship to one night. This is similar to how the hour of acceptance on Jumuʿah has been left unspecified, to encourage us to fill the day with duʿā’. Best Deed For Laylat al-Qadr: Qiyam The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Whoever stands in prayer at night (qiyām) in Laylat al-Qadr with īmān and hoping for reward (iḥtisāb), all his previous sins will be forgiven” (Bukhārī). The best deed a person can perform on Laylat al-Qadr is qiyām. We should perform it with: (1) īmān i.e. with a firm belief that Allah has asked us to do this, loves this deed and will reward us; (2) iḥtisāb i.e. seek reward only from Allah, perform it sincerely for Him alone, and not for any other motive. Qiyām (night prayer) is one of the best acts of worship. In ṣalāh, we combine reciting and reflecting on the Qur’ān, praising and remembering Allah, duʿā’, and turning to Him in repentance. It is an act wherein we worship Allah with the tongue, body and heart simultaneously. The duration of the night is short. However, the blessing of this short time can be multiplied by infusing quality into our ʿibādah. We should renew our intention, and humble our hearts before Allah. We should perform qiyām with full khushūʿ (humility and full focus), lengthening each posture, and crying to Allah in sujūd. Click here to read about how to perform qiyām. At the bare minimum, we should perform ʿIshā’ and Fajr at the masjid. ʿAbdurraḥmān b. Abī ʿAmrah said: ʿUthmān b. ʿAffan (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) entered the Masjid after the Maghrib prayer, and sat down by himself. So, I went and sat by him, and he said, “O my nephew, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, ‘Whoever performs ʿIshā’ in congregation, then it is as though he has stood half the night (in prayer). And whoever performs Fajr in congregation, then it is as though he has prayed the entire night’” (Muslim). 5 things to do in Laylat al-Qadr The night begins at sunset. Do not miss out on the time between Maghrib and ʿIshā’. Pray Maghrib, ʿIshā’ and Fajr in congregation, and be there before the first takbīr. Pray qiyām (night prayer) for as long as you can. Recite Qur’ān and do dhikr. Make abundant duʿā’, especially in sajdah. Make sincere repentance & conclude the night with istighfār. On this night, we should take time out to reflect on the enormity of what occurred on this Night over a thousand years ago. Let us feel humbled that Allah chose us to be amongst the ummah of Muḥammad ﷺ, and the recipients of His magnificent words; that He granted us the incredible gift of the Qur’ān. Let us feel regret on our neglect of the Qur’ān: our failure to recite it, understand it, reflect on it and ‘live’ it. Let us realise the damage we have caused our souls, and our societies, by failing to establish its guidance. Let us ask Allah to help us build a strong relationship with the Qur’ān from this Night onwards. Let us beg Allah to make us from His chosen people: the People of the Qur’ān. Duʿa’ for Laylat al-Qadr ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “If I know which night is the Night of Qadr, what do you think I should say during it?” He ﷺ replied, اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّيْ O Allah, You are the Ever-Pardoning, the Generous; You love to pardon so pardon me (Tirmidhī). Forgiving us is more beloved to Allah than punishing us. This duʿā’ fits beautifully here, as this night is the night of forgiveness. Moreover, after many days of intense worship, this duʿā’ is a reminder to not become deceived with our (few) good deeds. Rather, we are sinful, have many shortcomings, and desperately need Allah to forgive us. Yāhyā b. Muʿādh (raḥimahullāh) said, “The one whose deepest hope from Allah is not forgiveness, does not truly know Allah.” We ask Allah in this duʿā with His Beautiful Name, Al-ʿAfuww. Al-ʿAfuww is the one who wipes away sins and forgives our shortcomings. Whilst Allah’s Name ‘al-Ghafūr’ also means The Forgiving, al-ʿAfuww is more than that. Al-ʿAfuww is the one who completely removes all traces and consequences of our sins. He wipes them away from the records of the angels: He will not hold us to account for them on the Day of Judgement, nor will He remind us of them to make us feel guilty. This is why we ask Him in this duʿā’ with His Name ‘al-ʿAfuww’ to forgive us and fully wipe our slates clean. Laylat al-Qadr is a night of forgiveness. Just as Allah loves to forgive and pardon us, He also loves for us to forgive each other. Sometimes we may think we have forgiven someone, but the negativity in our hearts linger and resurfaces in a passive-aggressive manner. Allah says, “…Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love to be forgiven by Allah? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (24:22). Beg Allah For Freedom From The Hell-fire Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed Allah has freed slaves (from Hell) every day and night (in Ramaḍān), and every servant amongst them has a supplication which is answered” (Aḥmad). Throughout these nights, we should pour our hearts out and cry to Allah in sajdah. We should beg Allah to free us from the Hell-fire: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْتِقْ رِقَابَنَا مِنَ النَّارِ O Allah, free us from the Hell-fire. Bathe, apply perfume & wear nice clothes for this great night. Many of our predecessors went out of their way to adorn and prepare themselves for these amazing nights. Ibrāhīm al-Nakhaʿī (raḥimahullāh) would bathe in each of the ten nights. In the night in which he’d hoped it was Laylat al-Qadr, Thābit al-Bunānī (raḥimahullāh) would wear his best clothes, apply perfume and use fragrance in the masjid. Imām Mālik (raḥimahullāh) used to bathe, apply perfume and would wear a special outfit for this blessed night. In the morning, he would fold them away, and not wear them till the following year. Just as we should adorn ourselves for Allah externally, we should adorn ourselves internally through repentance. We should keep seeking forgiveness to wipe away the dirt of our sins. Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) reminds us that on this night, we should adorn ourselves externally through our clothes, and internally through taqwā. As the best night of the year comes to an end, let us end it in the best way: by humbling ourselves and seeking forgiveness, as Allah describes the pious, وَبِٱلْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ‏ “And they would seek forgiveness before dawn” (51:18). Source

Violation of Masjid Al-Aqsa continues Yesterday 20th April 2022: For the FIFTH time since Friday, Israeli Occupation Forces violated Masjid Al-Aqsa.This morning, they fired rubber-coated bullets at worshippers and assaulted others, forcing them out of the compound to make way for Israeli settlers. Today: Israeli forces fire tear gas at worshippers inside Musallah Al Qibly. This is the 6th attack on Masjid Al Aqsa since last Friday Friends Of Al-Aqsa (@friendsofalaqsa) • Instagram photos and videos

Now that we have arrived in the middle of this sacred month, let us reflect on how the first half of this month has passed. Let us ask ourselves: Have I lost momentum? Have I controlled my tongue? How is the state of my heart? Am I meeting my Qur’ān target? Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) says in the Noble Qur’ān, ‏ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا اتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ وَاتَّقُوا۟ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِىْرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ “Believers! Be mindful of Allah and let every soul carefully consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah: certainly, Allah is All-Aware of what you do” (59:18). This āyah teaches us that if we are to be worthy of ‘īmān’, we have to adorn ourselves with taqwā, in private and public. Similarly, we have to hold ourselves accountable of what we do in this world, and what consequences our actions will have in the hereafter. This āyah also teaches us that we should live our lives with a focus on the hereafter. This world is a bridge to the hereafter, our real home. Everything we do in this world should be so that tomorrow, when we stand in front of Allah, He is happy with us. We are happy to meet Him, and He is happy to receive us. ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “Hold yourselves to account (in the world) before you are held to account (in the hereafter). Evaluate your actions (today) before you are evaluated (tomorrow), for the Reckoning will be easier upon you tomorrow if you hold yourselves accountable today.” Muḥasābah, an action of the heart, is to evaluate one’s actions and behaviour of the nafs (inner self); and then rectifying the mistakes, and continuing the good deeds. When we evaluate our daily, weekly, and monthly actions, we should identify our sins and repent sincerely. We should ask Allah to forgive us, and make a firm resolve to stay away from that sin in the future. We should identify the root causes of the sin, and plan how we can stay away from what causes us to fall into that particular sin. Similarly, we should identify where we are falling short in terms of fulfilling the rights of Allah. Doing this will mean we do not become deceived with our ʿibādah. Instead, we will put our hope and trust in Allah, and not our own paltry actions. This should be followed by asking Allah to help us worship Him with excellence. Whilst we are reflecting on our shortcomings, we should contrast this with the immense blessings of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) upon us. This should fill our hearts with ḥayā (shyness). How much He blesses us, and how little we thank Him! How much He does for us, and yet we disobey Him. How often we disregard His commands, yet He does not deprive us! If we fail to hold ourselves accountable and do not live a life of taqwā, we will become like the people who Allah describes as: وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَأَنسَىٰهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ الْفَٰسِقُونَ “And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. It is they who are defiantly disobedient” (59:19). If we are heedless of Allah, and we fail to remember Him and uphold His rights, Allah will cause us to forget that which is actually beneficial for our souls. In effect, it is we who lose out, when we move far away from our Creator, and surrender to the whims and desires of our souls. The Prophet ﷺ would seek the protection of Allah from ‘the evils’ of the nafs. If our nafs is left to its own devices, and we allow it to lead us, instead of leading it, it will lead us to sin and evil. How To Treat Your Nafs It has been said that the nafs is like a treacherous business partner. If you do not hold him accountable, he will run away with your money. Similarly, if we do not hold our nafs accountable, it will run away with our success and land us in the pit of destruction. We often go easy on our nafs, but this is exactly what it wants! Fasting trains us to gain mastery over it and teaches us not give in to its every whim. We should not let our nafs fool us by thinking, ‘This is only a minor sin’ or, ‘There is a difference of opinion anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.’ We should treat our nafs as though it is another person and remain very strict with it. When the nafs slips and errs, we should reprimand it; and when we find it leaning itself to the obedience of Allah, we should push it in that direction. ʿĀmir b. ʿAbd Qays (raḥimahullāh) said, “I saw a number of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and I accompanied them. They informed us that those who were the most stringent in taking their inner selves to account in the world, will be the ones with the purest īmān on the Day of Judgement.” Muḥāsabah is not just for ordinary Muslims. It is actually more important for those involved in seeking and spreading knowledge, and calling others to Allah. Theoretical knowledge alone will not protect the heart and nafs. Actively working on one’s nafs is essential to avoid envy, pride, hatred, and backbiting. We should allocate time every single day and evaluate our actions on a daily basis. At night before we go to sleep, we should ask Allah to forgive us for our day’s shortcomings and sins. We should free our hearts from hatred and malice, and forgive all those who may have wronged us. We should sincerely repent, as we do not know if we will wake up the next day. Self-Reflection Questions Did I do it sincerely for the sake of Allah alone? What were my deficiencies in the act of worship I did (e.g. Did I miss out on khushūʿ in ṣalāh? Did I ruin my fast by backbiting?) Did I perform a good deed which was of lesser importance, and justified it to myself by thinking that I was ‘still doing something good’? Did I use my intention to transform an ordinary deed into an act of worship? How much of my ‘screen time’ is spent on what spiritually and mentally nourishes me? The Order of Accountability Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explains that we can evaluate ourselves in the following way: 1. Obligatory (farḍ) deeds. Firstly, we should reflect on whether we fulfilled those deeds which are obligatory upon us, and then expiate for them. E.g if ṣalāh was missed, then immediately perform qaḍā or if it was rushed and deficient then make amends by praying additional voluntary (nafl) prayers. 2. Forbidden acts. Then, we should reflect on our sins. We should sincerely repent by regretting what we did and resolve to not repeat such a sin. Where possible, we should also make amends e.g. if we insulted someone, then we should apologise to them and make duʿā’ for them. 3. Heedlessness/moments of distraction. The next step is to evaluate moments where we are not doing ḥarām, but are indulging in activities which are not conducive to our purpose in life (worshipping Allah). In an era of distraction, we are bombarded with various forms of entertainment and notifications leading us to wasting precious time. We should make amends for this by increasing our remembrance of Allah (dhikr, ṣalāh, Qur’ān etc.). 4. Intentions. This is vital, as we may perform an amazing deed, but ruin it due to riyā’ (showing off) and not do it for the sake of Allah. Or we may have done something ordinary in the day, but this could become a great act of worship if we intended to do it for the sake of Allah. For e.g. we may have a mind-numbing job, but we could intend every day before we leave the house that we are doing it to earn a ḥalāl living, provide for our families, give charity through it etc. Or we may feel like cooking for our families is a chore, but this could become an act of worship if we intend with it to feed nutritious ḥalāl food to our loved ones, so they can become strong believers and serve the dīn of Allah. May Allah al-Bāṭin (The Intimate) make us mindful of our outer and inner deeds, and allow us to prepare for meeting Him. Source

Various peices of news from eye.on.palestine From the old city of Jerusalem where the Israeli occupation forces close the gate of Al Aqsa mosque and prevent worshippers from entering it, while hundreds of settlers are breaking into the mosque. The Israeli occupation forces close the gates of the Dome of the at Al Aqsa mosque, dozens of women are besieged there. Worshippers, who are besieged inside Al Qibli prayer hall, use the loudspeakers to ask people to defend Al Aqsa mosque from the raid of the occupation forces and Israeli settlers. According to the Islamic Awqaf : 545 Israeli settlers broke into Al Aqsa mosque, since the early morning

What is happeningin Al-Aqsa? At dawn (April 15th), thousands of worshippers in Al-Aqsa mosque thwarted repetitive aggressive attacks by the Occupation Forces, storming Al-Qibli Mosque, injuring 150 Palestinians, and detaining over 400, in an escalating level of violence. This attack precedes the Jewish Passover holiday (15th- 22nd of April) which settlers have been crowding for months to offer its sacrifice inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, promising incentives for those who succeed to offer the Passover sacrifice inside the mosque. Starting from today, settlers might implement their plan at any moment, and their announced intrusions into Al-Aqsa are expected to start on Sunday morning (April 17th) and continue for four days. Israeli attempts to offer the sacrifice of the holiday in Al-Aqsa Mosque is a step on the path of solidifying the Occupation’s control over the Mosque. Realizing this danger, Palestinians (Murabiteen) have been guarding Al-Aqsa with their presence and confronting the Israeli Occupation Forces’ intrusions and brutal attacks, regardless of hundreds of Israeli arrests aiming to quell their resistance. www.instagram.com/p/CcX4HS8NdEU/

Press reports of Al-Qibly Masjid storming Outright lies on Sky news: Al-Aqsa mosque: 'More than 150' injured as Israeli police clash with Palestinians The violence broke out shortly after morning prayers, with Israel saying dozens of masked men carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags had marched to the compound.

The damage in Al-Qibli Masjid Eye On Palestine (@eye.on.palestine) • Instagram photos and videos

Al-Qibli Masjid stormed by Occupation forces The Israeli occupation forces stormed Al Qibli mosque at Al Aqsa mosque. The Israeli occupation forces stormed Al Qibli mosque, assaulted worshippers and detained dozens of Palestinian youth. www.instagram.com/p/CcXMFXNlcOi/