In the name of most Gracious most Merciful antry Ibn ‘Abbas RD narrates: The Messenger (Allah bless him Islamic Center Of Long Island and give him peace) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days” Summer Newsletter 2021 (i.e the first ten days of Dhul al-Hijjah). (Bukhari). Jabir RD narrates: The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “There are no days more virtuous Ten Blessed Days of Dhul Hijjah to Allah than the ten days of Dhul al-Hijjah”. (Ibn Hibban) Mufti Mohammad Farhan What to do on the first 10 days of Dhul al-Hijjah? Executive Director, Islamic Center Of Long Island These are precious days where a believer can certainly be In the Noble Qur’an, Allah SWT takes oaths by numerous forgiven and improved as well as achieve the closeness of things to emphasize their significance. From amongst these Allah SWT. things, one by which He SWT takes an oath is time. Time Some of the actions one can perform are: is one of the greatest blessings of Allah SWT bestowed 1. Fasting the first nine days or as many as one can keep. upon humanity. Hunaydah ibn Khalid narrated upon the authority of his wife Time is a big gift. However, from amongst the twelve who said, “Some of the wives of the Messenger of Allah Islamic months of the year, Allah SWT has made some (Allah bless him and give him peace) told me that the higher than others. Explaining this are the following verses Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) where Allah SWT which precisely makes mention of used to fast the Day of ‘Ashurah, the first nine days of Dhul- certain important periods in the : Hijjah, and three days out of every month”. (, Nasa’i)

Allah SWT says: 2. (the remembrance of Allah). “Among them are four sacred months…”. (al-Tawbah: This can be done by saying the (Allahu akbar), V26) the tahmid (al-hamdu li-Allah), the (subhana al- And he says: “The is known months”. (al-Baqarah: Allah) and the (la ilaha illa al-Allah). V197) Allah says, “…and recite Allah’s name in specified days” In these virtuous days Allah SWT grants and bestows extra (al-Hajj: V28). compassion from His mercy. The blessed is a person who The specified days refer to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. improves himself in these virtuous days, months and By remembering Allah in these days, one will be directly hours, by using them to attain the nearness of Allah SWT. following the recommendation in this verse. There are specific times, days, and months where the rewards of righteous deeds are multiplied and achieving 3. Repentance. the Rehmanh (mercy) in these days becomes easier. From During these blessed days there is a great opportunity to amongst these days are the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, benefit from the extra generosity shown from Allah, the last month of the Islamic calendar. therefore; one should set side time to repent for all sins- minor and major. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing be upon him) Dhul-Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar. said, “The one who repents from sins is like he who has no Literally, it means "hajj." Clearly, this name of the month sin”. (Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi) suggests that the great annual worship of "hajj" is performed in this month, which gives it unique 4. Refraining from sins. importance. It is important that each Muslim acknowledges that in order The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah are among the most to gain the maximum benefit from righteous actions, it is glorious days in Islamic calendar. essential to abstain from sins. Even if a person cannot In the Qur’an, Allah SWT takes an oath: perform any excess acts, the least one should do is refrain “And the 10 nights” (Al-Fajr: V 2) from sin. One must be mindful of every type of sin, from the Ibn ‘Abbas RD and many of the great scholars state that violation of the rights of Allah, to the rights of the creation the ten nights mentioned in this verse refer to the first ten of Allah, including sins of the physical body and sins of the days of Dhul al-Hijjah. tongue. The ten nights by which Allah takes an oath are full of virtues. 5. Recitation of the Qur’an. Islamic Center Of Long Island - Salaam Group Often after the month of the one loses the habit of reciting the Qur’an regularly. Use these days to increase On behalf of the Salaam Group Committee, I would like to in the recitation of the beautiful words of Allah to re- establish daily recitation. take this time to briefly outline some of the accomplishments of the committee this quarter,

6. Maintain ties. . When one becomes busy with work or studying, I. To date, the Salaam Group committee has been working maintaining good relationships with family, neighbors and collaboratively with the administration of ICLI to friends becomes difficult. These days are a prime time to maintain good ties. personally contact by email and phone our list of 80-100 new on ICLI’s contact list dating back to 2013 to 7. Praying (Duaa) to Allah SWT. provide any support they may need. This is a believer’s link to conversing with Allah. One II. The committee has provided a sense of community should use these days to express one’s gratitude and ask amongst the group by sponsoring social gatherings such for one’s lawful worldly needs as well as in the hereafter. as: 1. Virtual iftaar May 5th with over 20 people joining in. 8. Giving in charity. May Allah SWT grant us all the strength and ability to 2. Post Eid get together after Eid at Br. Moizuddin appreciate the virtue of these blessed days and the ability and Sr. Hala's house. to do righteous deeds. Ameen Ya Rabb. 3. Post Eid Picnic at Eisenhower Park where over 60 people from the community came together for great food, company, and games such as football, frisbee and cornhole in which the whole family enjoyed, Alhamdulillah. III. We are planning a summer open house for Muslim and non-Muslims, so stay tuned! IV. We are also partnering with other organizations such as, ICNA to set up dawah tables in our local area to invite the local community to get to know us and our faith. Attached for your review are some photos of our events. The Salaam Group is here to support the new Muslim community; therefore, please feel free to circulate committee team member’s emails to anyone who would like to reach out to our group for guidance and support. I pray Allah swt puts in this work and accepts it, Insha’Allah. Best regards, ICLI Salaam Committee: Br. Arif, and Br. Sohail, Co-Chairs Sr. Hala, Br. Moizuddin EC Liaison, Br. Nasir, Sr. Zaiba, Sr. Zainab

July 2021 / Dhul Hijjah 1442 most important and foundational program to increase the literacy of Quranic recitation. Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh! Stay Engaged: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful ICLI is Now on WhatsApp:

Dear Respected Brothers and Sisters, “ICLI Announcements” WhatsApp is a messaging Group Alhamdulillah! ICLI is back to Normal Operations! created by ICLI. This group was created to keep the membership and community informed about ICLI’s alerts, With over 75% of Nassau County Adults having had at updates, latest events, and activities. It is a direct and least 1 vaccination as of June 2021, ICLI initiated the re- effective messaging service that keeps the community normalization process of getting back to pre-covid informed and engaged in all ICLI programs and activities. operations through a phased in approach. Alhamdulillah, as of July 6, 2021, we have allowed for mask wearing and Monthly Programs Calendar: the utilization of a personal rug to be optional for all On a monthly basis, ICLI publishes the list of all activities congregants as we restarted the prophetic of and programs scheduled for the month. It is an intuitive resuming shoulder to shoulder during salah. calendar with links to all the flyers and details of the events. Khairan to the entire community’s cooperation and Please download the monthly Programs Calendar and keep assistance in following through with all the safety practices connected and engaged to the center’s robust activities. over the past year in making the center a place of solace Your participation and contributions grant each of these and comfort for all. However, we continue to encourage programs the success needed to continue the nourishment all congregants and participants of ICLI programs and of spiritual growth. activities to maintain a level of caution for the safety of all. If you have travelled outside of the country, are not Coming Soon: vaccinated and/or your immunity is compromised, we 7th Annual Summer Family Dinner Event: encourage you to please wear a face mask and continue to th bring your own . May Allah SWT grant us Join us on Sunday, July 25 at 6 PM , at ICLI as and the entire ummah and humanity success against the we Celebrate the Legacy of Past Leadership of ICLI. implications of this virus. Based on the research completed by Dr. Bagby in his report of the US Survey 2020, ICLI stands as Highlighted ICLI Summer Programs: a leader on many fronts of which includes the Summer Camp: establishment and implementation of its Constitution and Bylaws and elections every three years to a body of Board After not having Summer Camp at ICLI last year due to of Trustees and an Executive Committee. The past COVID, ICLI resumed Summer Camp programs on July leadership of ICLI’s BOT and EC has allowed ICLI to 6th thanks in large part to the volunteer Summer Camp blossom to one of the most vibrant and robust Islamic Committee in organizing and facilitating the program Centers, by the Grace of Allah (Swt). Inshallah join us to activities. Alhamdullilah, we have over 120 of our honor our past leaders. community students from kindergarten thru 8th grade attending an assortment of activities that are academic, ICLI Full Time Hifz Program / ICLI Weekend School / IC engaging, fun and most importantly that reconnects our Kids: young generation to the masjid. September 2021 is only a month and half away. As we Summer : prepare for our 2021 – 2022 School year, please take the time to re-evaluate your Child’s connection to his/her faith, the Our Summer Quran program which runs concurrently with masjid (The House of Allah SWT) and to friendships that will our Summer Camp schedule focuses on immersing our foster positive outcomes, Inshallah. younger generation and all interested in learning the fundamentals and or improving their tajweed in the Full Time Hifz Program: The Islamic Center of Long Island offers recitation and/or memorization of the Holy Quran. a Full-Time Hifz program that caters to a small, dedicated Alhamdulillah, ICLI has over 40 students engaged in this group of students for the passionate focus of memorizing the Holy Quran. ICLI Weekend School: The Vision of the ICLI weekend school is to create and maintain a secure and engaging learning environment while promoting the Islamic Development of our youth and aid in transmission of Islamic knowledge, and to help our children develop as upright American-Muslims of high moral character. The Weekend School is offered on both Saturdays or Sundays as an option for both parents and students. IC Kids Preschool: A learning experience for 3-5 year old toddlers meant to promote children in getting ready for Kindergarten. A fun and creative learning environment that also instills Islamic teachings and principles.

Have a Question or Need Help: questions and/or concerns: Contact Mufti Farhan at (516) 333 – 3495 “option 5” or email: [email protected] Financial Help: In need of or Sadaqa Contact the ICLI Office at (516) 333-3495 or email: [email protected] Zakat application available online at http://icliny.org/services/zakat/ If you are not an ICLI Member or your membership has expired, please fill out a Membership Application. At the minimum, please make sure that your contact information is on file at ICLI so to receive the latest alerts, updates, and program and activity notifications via email or WhatsApp Text Messaging. On behalf of the Executive Committee, we pray that Allah (swt) showers the community and ICLI with the blessings of this awarding month, Dhul- Hijjah, which include the best days of the year. We wish everyone a joyous and celebratory Eid-ul-Adha.

Jazakum Allah Khairan, Amin Khwaja

President, ICLI

ICLI SUMMER CAMP Started in full swing.

th th ICLI’s Summer Camp 2021 July 6 - Aug 12

Hall Rentals Available at ICLI for Weddings, Walima, Aqiqah….

For more information, please contact ICLI Office at 516-333-3495

Dear Brothers and Sisters in , Assalamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Weekend School Graduation Held at ICLI on Jun-26-2021

Membership Committee Of ICLI: The Membership Committee meets regularly and come up with new suggestion/ideas on how to increase the members of ICLI. Alhamdulillah 50 new members were signed up during the Ramadan.

It is important to know that there are a of benefits in becoming the member of ICLI. Few of those benefits are below. - Discounts on Weekend School tuition fee (Non-members = $500/year, Members = $450/year) - Discounts on IC Kids tuition fee (Non-members = $450/month, Members = $400/month) - Discounts on grave plot purchase (Non-members = $1200, Members = $1000 - Access to general Membership meetings to discuss goals and plans for the masjid. - Discounts on the Sports Program Registration fee (for example – Basketball League). - Yearly Calendars and Newsletters sent to your home. - Enables you to participate in ICLI standing committees (Weekend Seminars, Health, , Newsletter, Shura, Volunteers, Sports and Funeral Committee). Any ideas or feedback is welcome. Email Committee Chair: Seema Rahman [email protected]

Zakat Committee OF ICLI: Alhamdulillah Zakat Committee meets every month. We now have a new Zakat application. Individuals can submit applications online, fax/phone or submit by hand to ICLI office. Each month the committee reviews on average 50-100 applications.

Pantry Committee OF ICLI: Alhamdulillah, The Pantry Committee is working very hard to keep up with the demand. Pantry committee has been distributing lots of grocery bags to the families in need in the tri state area. In the month of May and June more than 250+ families were served.

ICLI Food Pantry Volunteers Distributing groceries in the Community.

Islamic Center of Long Island's Beautification Service in the Westbury Community

It is with honor and pride that the Islamic Center of Long Island helps to maintain the Westbury community.

The center's beautification service is conducted by volunteers under the botanical leadership of Br. Habeeb Ahmed.

The volunteers, including Br. Habeeb, Board Chair and our Resident Ahmad, meticulously plant and maintain eye-catching flowers on Turnpike and Powells Lane for the Village of Westbury.

This annual initiative helps to bring joy and accentuate the beauty of the entire community.

What a beautiful sight!

“

From Left: Sajid Shah(ICLI Board Member), Crescent School's Graduation held at ICLI on June Habeeb Ahmed (ICLI Board OF Trustees Co-Chair) 14, 2021. at the Crescent School Graduation Ceremony Kevin Thomas, member of the State Senate from the 6th district, shown above was the Keynote Speaker.

Ongoing Events & Programs at ICLI

Blanket Drives: Every winter ICLI donates Ramadan Iftar: Services organized for the more than blankets and warm clothing for the needy local community every evening during the month of in NY metropolitan Area. Ramadan.

Funeral Arrangements for Islamic Burial: At ICLI we value a proper Islamic burial and Dawah: Distribution of literature on Islam and the needs for the grieving family and we will do our Muslims. Masjid open house best to serve your rights. Our services include full burial, washing of body, Kafan, Janaza prayer and grave plot. ICLI also provides funeral services IC PASS: To make it convenient for our through Saint James Funeral Home. community and well-wishers to donate funds, ICLI has initiated this Auto Donation Program. Please call the office for a copy of the form. Quran Program: We offer a Full time Maktab program (Mon-Fri: 4-7:30 pm) and Part time Hifz program (Mon-Fri:4-7:30 pm) and Full New Muslims (Shahadah) Program: time Hifz program (Mon-Fri: 8 am-12:30 pm). To provide a strong support system and a welcoming environment to facilitate the transition of new Muslims and their families to the Islam. “IC” Kids Preschool: Designed to meet the needs of a growing number of parents who are looking for a head start in the English curriculum as well as an Islamic education for their child. The Event Booking: One of the services offered teacher provides structured, well-planned and fun by the Islamic Center of Long Island is Space rental activities in a safe and caring environment. Available services. The Community can rent the facility for their for children between the ages 3 and 5. family and athletic events.

General Events: General events such as Weekend Seminars: Lectures and Nikah, Aqeeqah etc. can be held at the Masjid/Lower presentations on various Islamic topics together with level which can accommodate a maximum capacity the Ahadeeth sessions are offered every Sunday of 175 people. The courtyard (open air) throughout the year, 11-1 pm. accommodates 200 people approximately. The Basketball court accommodates 250 people maximum. Athletic Events: Youth can rent the space in the Programs with Mufti Farhan: evenings for the Basketball game with hourly charges. - Weekly Ahadeeth session on Sundays at 12 pm -1 pm - Riyadul Saliheen Reflections after isha, Mon- Food Drives and Disaster Relief Wed. Support: Provides non- perishable foods to Reflections, Every Sunday after Zuhr. community food shelters and more than 3,000lbs of - “qurbani” meat following Eid-ul-Adha to local soup kitchens.

comprehensive religious knowledge to all its student body, from age 4 to high school age. The curriculum Marriage Services: The Islamic Center of is designed to balance all aspects of Islamic learning Long Island offers Nikah Services for the including language and Qur’anic recitation. Community. If you are interested in inquiring about our Nikah services, we welcome you to call the ICLI Summer Camp: The camp runs main office at (516) 333-3495. from July 6 through August 12 for children from Kindergarten through 8th grade. The children are given a healthy balance of Quranic instruction and Marriage Counselling: ICLI offers secure recitation, academic instruction and support, arts and and confidential counseling services. Executive crafts and structured sports activities. Lunch, snack, Director Mufti Farhan conducts Marriage fruit, & juice are provided. Members-$575, Counselling by appointments. nonmembers $625 and Sibling Discount Available.

Summer Quran Program: Starting from Jummah Services: Based on the tradition July 6 to Aug 12, Mon to Thursday- 9 am to 2 pm of Prophet (peace be upon him), the and Friday- 9 am to 12 pm. this program aims at weekly congregational for Muslims are held developing the skills required to recite and on Fridays. ICLI welcomes visitors- memorize the Quran. Registration - $225 per child, women/men/school children-to observe the services, lunch is included. Program includes Nazirah, which include a khutbah (sermon) in English Tajweed, Hifz. followed by prayers, which are always in Arabic.

ICLI Sports Program: ICLI is currently offering Spring Basketball league for 7-9th Grade and ICLI Cub & Girl Scouts: In accordance 10th-12th Grade. with the Nassau County Girls & Boys Scouts of Long Island, we build girls & boys of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Call the office for time and location of Salaam Group Sisters Halaqa: Establish an organized and efficient system that provides the meetings. educational, intellectual, social and moral support in the transition of those accepting Islam, Every Sunday 10 am-12 pm. Zakat: The collection and distribution of compulsory donations from able individuals to the needy. Sisters Halaqa: A forum for sisters to learn the Qur’an, and issues related to day to day life in Urdu, every Monday 10-1pm. English

Halaqa- Every Thursday 11-1pm.

Weekend School: Education is one of the key components of ICLI’s overall mission to strengthen and nurture our present as well as future generation. Its mission is to provide a well-rounded,