Annual Iftar Invitation to Jama Masjid

Ramadan In Islam, Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer. Fasting is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam. Each day during Ramadan, followers of Islam, known as Muslims, do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. They are also supposed to avoid impure thoughts and bad behavior. Muslims break their daily fasts by sharing meals with family and friends. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day festival known as Id al-Fitr that is considered one of Islam’s major holidays.  Ninth Month of the Islamic Calendar during which Allah brought down the Qur’an to the lowest Heaven. Lasts 29-30 days depending on the sightings of the moon.  Each Year during Ramadan, Muhammad recited what had been revealed to him that year and he recited it twice the last year of his life.  Ramadan is derived from “ramd”, to burn. It is said that the deeds of this month burn away our sins.  Iftar Fast usually broken in communities with dates, water supplication, prayer and the fast breaking meal. This is often shared with neighbors and friends or in a community masjid.

Excellent Video Overview from History.com http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/ramadan

Hosts Jama Masjid, Imam Tariq Rasheed http://www.icorlando.org/ Facilitated by: Islamic Society Leading American Muslims with Imam Abdurrahman Sykes

Logistics  Arrive at the Jama Masjid on 11551 Ruby Lake Road and go to the Muslim Academy of Greater Orlando at 7:45 p.m –the school to the left of the Masjid  Sunset: 8:00 p.m. with the Adhan Call – Eat appetizers (dates and water)  Sunset Prayer  Please join us for prayers if you wish o No talking when Qur’an is being recited o No shoes in the Masjid for the prayer time o Ladies cover head in Masjid  Everyone dress modestly. While the focus is often on how Muslim women dress, all practicing Muslims usually dress modestly (covering arms and legs with long sleeves and long pants). Please do not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts out of respect.

Appropriate Greetings Ramadan “Ramadan Kareem”—Generous Ramadan “Ramadan Mubarak”-- May God give you a blessed month

Anytime “As-salamu Alaykum”—Peace Be Upon You

Fasting Surah Al Baqarah 2:183 – 184 “O You who believe fasting is prescribed ordained for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may achieve Taqwa (God Consciousness)  The Intention  Abstinence from food, drink and conjugal relations from dawn till sunset  Duration (dawn till sunset)  Abstaining from acts that break the fast (arguing, gossiping, fighting, intentional eating or drinking, impatience) “Whoever doesn’t give up speaking falsely, and acting on those lies and evil actions, Allah does not care for his abstaining from eating and drinking (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting).” (Al-Bukhari)  Fasting is not just abstaining from eating and drinking, but fasting is also refraining from vain speech and foul language. If one is being verbally abused or annoyed they should say: ‘I am fasting.’  Wednesday June 29th the fast will begin at 5:15 a.m.  You are allowed to get up and drink water or eat something prior to that time.  Nothing orally from 5:15 a.m. until 8:27 p.m. (15 hours and 12 minutes)

Connection to Fasting with the Judeo-Christian Tradition  Judges 20:26 Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went back to Bethel and wept, sitting there before the Lord; they fasted that day until evening. Then they offered burnt offerings and sacrifices of well-being before the Lord.  1 Samuel 7:6 So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. They fasted that day, and said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.  Daniel 9:3 Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.  Matthew 4:1-3 Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving. The tempter came to him and said, “Since you are God’s Son, command these stones to become bread.  Matthew 6:16 And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting.  Luke 2:37 Then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.  Acts 13:2-3 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Prayer Times for Islam

Fajr Sunrise Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Dawn Morning Noon Late Afternoon Evening Night

Between the Shurooq is the Between the Immediately Soon after the Night, after the very beginning time of sunrise, declining of the after the last sunset disappearance of of the time when sun & Asr time limit of until the twilight until dawn and the upper limb (when the Dhuhr until (just disappearance of midnight sunrise of the sun just shadow of before) the the twilight starts to appear something is sunset above the twice its own horizon. This length) marks the end time for Fajr (morning) prayer. 3:49 a.m. 5:15 a.m.-6:30 1:29 p.m. 5:01 p.m. 8:27 p.m. 9:43 p.m. until a.m. midnight