Page 3 Agenda Item 8

RAMADAN and SIYAAM ( Fasting ) is in RUKU ( Section ) 23 of Surah BAQARAH ( 2 : 183 – 188 )

َﮩُۡ رَََنَ MONTH OF SHAHRU RAMADAAN SATURDAY 22 AUG - SATURDAY 19 SEPT 2009

BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHIIM

IN THE NAME OF MOST KIND MOST MERCIFUL

RAMADAN is the month of FASTING ( SIYAAM ) RAMADAN is also the blessed month in which ALLAH revealed the Noble QUR'AN as Guidance and Mercy to the mankind.

MUSLIMS receive RAMADAN with Joy . beseech ALLAH during Holy RAMADAN by pursuing TAQWA ( ALLAH-CONSCIOUS Righteousness ) for His Forgiveness and Mercy .

RAMADAN was regarded, long before , by the Arabs as a holy month of spiritual stocktaking. ISLAM dedicated RAMADAN to the pursuits of ( TAQWA ) ) PIETY ( RIGHTEOUSNESS ) through prayer , , love , charity , humbleness and self-restraint .

Muslim adults must fast every day in the month of RAMADAN . The sick and those on journey can defer the Fast of RAMADAN to make it up on a later date.

RAMADAN IS THE MONTH IN WHICH THE QUR'AN َﮩُۡ رَََنَ ٱِىٓ أُِلَ ِِ ٱُۡۡءَانُ .Final Book of Guidance ) WAS ( FIRST ) REVEALED ) Surah BAQARAH ( 2:185 ) SHAHRU RAMADAAN-AL-LAZII UNZ ILA FIIHIL QUR'AAN

SO ANY ( MUSLIM ADULT ) WHO IS PRESENT ََ َﮩَِ ُُِ ٱﮩَۡ ََُُۡۡۖ DURING THIS MONTH LET HIM / HER SPEND IT

IN FASTING ( SIYAAM ) : Surah BAQARAH ( 2:185 ) FAMAN SHAHIDA MIN-KUMUS SHAHRA FAL YASUMHU

1 : SIYAAM ( FASTING )

FASTING is an old religious c ustom. It was practised by Hindus, Jews, Christians and by many others, often for the purpose of self-preparation for communication with divinity.

SIYAAM is the rigorous ISLAMIC FAST which requires total abstinence from foo d, drink and sex from dawn to sunset every day during RAMADAN , 9th Islamic ( lunar ) month.

َـََٰٓ ٱَِ ءَاَُاْ آَُِ ََُُۡ ٱَمُ آََ آَُِ ََ O YOU WHO BELIEVE ! ( SIYAAM ) FASTING IS ٱَِ ِ َُِۡۡ ََُۡ َُنَ PRESCRIBED FOR YOU, AS IT WAS PR ESCRIBED FOR THOSE BEFORE YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY YAAA-AYYU-HAL- LAZIINA AMANUU KUTIBA ALAYKUMUS UPHOLD TAQWA ( ALLAH-CONSCIOUS NESS ) : SIYAAMU KAMA KUTIBA ALAL-LAZIINA MIN QABLIKUM Surah BAQARAH ( 2:183 ) LA'AL-LAKUM TAT-TAQUUN

وََ َنَ ًَِ أَوۡ ََٰ ٍََ۟ َِةٌ۟ ۡ أَمٍ أََُ AND ANYONE OF YOU WHO IS SICK OR ON

JOURNEY ( DURING RAM ADAN ) FAST THE SAME WA MAN KAANA MARIIDAN ‘AW ‘ALAA NUMBER OF DAYS LATER ON : Surah BAQARAH ( 2:185 ) SAFARIN FIDDATUM MIN AYYAMIN ‘UKHAR

ISLAM assigned two purposes to SIYAAM - self-discipline and compassion - to care for the deprived. ISLAM seeks to cultivate the qualities of patience, forbearance, steadfastness in suffering and deprivation through THE FAST OF RAMADAN . It teaches self-restraint against comfort, greed, pride, anger, arrogance, temptation, envy, jealousy, suspicion etc.

SIYAAM was prescribed as One of the to seek TAQWA ( Righteousness ).

SIYAAM makes us taste and experience pangs of hunger ( the empty stomach ) and thirst .

SIYAAM means 1: Total abstinence from food, drink and sex during hours of dawn to sunset.

SIYAAM means 2: Turning mind and heart away from all worldly thoughts except that of Allah.

SIYAAM means 3: Upholding TAQWA ( Allah-Consciousness ) to keep safe from all the harms of

SHAITAAN through Righteousness. The Righteous Muslims are known as MUTTAQIIN .

Agenda Item 8 Page 4 2 : ( SPECIAL PRAYER )

TARAWIH - A Special Prayer is performed in congregation every night in the Blessed Month of RAMADAN - reciting the successive parts of the whole QUR’AN during 29/30 nights of RAMADAN . Individuals can perform 8, 16 or 20 RAKAH TARAWIH even at home.

3 : SEHRI ( MEAL BEFORE DAWN )

SEHRI - A Meal Before Dawn is taken in RAMADAN to cope with the rigours of fasting.

4 : IFTAR ( FAST BREAKING )

IFTAR - Breaking of the Fast takes place at Sunset. Fasting Muslims wait with food and drink to Break the Fast at day’s end - thanking ALLAH for their provisions and strength.

5 : LAYLAT-UL-QADR ( NIGHT OF POWER )

LAYLAT-UL-QADR - Night Of Power is the Blessed Night in which was revealed the first verses of Noble QUR’AN to Prophet ( PBUH ). Allah said in Surah QADR (97:1-3)

“ LO ! WE (ALLAH) REVEALED IT ( THE QUR’AN ) ON THE NIGHT OF POWER. WHAT WILL CONVEY TO YOU WHAT THE NIGHT OF POWER IS ? THE NIGHT OF POWER IS BETTER THAN ONE THOUSAND MONTHS ! ”

LAYLAT-UL-QADR can be either on 19 th , 21 st , 23 rd , 25 th , 27 th or 29 th Night of RAMADAN . Muslims beseech ALLAH with extra prayers on the Blessed Night for Forgiveness and Mercy.

6 : ZAKAAH ( WEALTH PURIFICATION DUES )

ZAKAAH - Wealth Purification Dues is One of the Five Pillars of Islam . Most Muslims pay , to ordained sectors, obligatory dues of 2.5% on their yearly surplus of over approx. £700 (cash, savings, jewellery and merchandise-in-trade etc) preferably during RAMADAN .

ZAKAAH is neither a Tax nor a Charity. It is an obligatory payment on surplus accumulation. It provides the Rich opportunity to share their prosperity with the needy. All wealth belongs to ALLAH. The Rich do perform IBADAH (SERVICE) through ZAKAAH .

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said : FASTING ( SIYAAM ) is Gateway to Worship . FASTING is a Shield ; so when one of you is fasting he / she should not use foul speech . If someone attacks or insults anyone, let him / her say " I am fasting ! I am fasting ! """ :

7 : EID-UL-FITR : ( CELEBRATION ON COMPLETION OF FAST )

EID-UL-FITR ( Rejoicing On Completion Of Fasting ) is the Happiest Day in the MUSLIM calendar. If the FASTING of this RAMADAN ends on Saturday 19 th September , then th st th EID will be on Sunday 20 September 2009 - 1 of SHAWWAL ( 10 lunar month ) 1429 HIIJRA .

On the Happy Day of EID all Muslims celebrate rejoicing and thanking ALLAH who enabled them to complete their SIYAAM ( FASTING ) and many other Benevolent Services ( IBADAH ) during the Blessed Month of Ramadan, to please ALLAH, for their well-being and safety.

Each Muslim will first pay SADAQAT-UL-FITR around £3 to £4 charity on Fast Completion to enable their needy brothers and sisters to join in the celebration of the Happy EID.

Then the Muslims gather to perform their SALAAT-UL-EID ( The Prayer Of Rejoicing ) on EID DAY morning in the and in many other venues. Traditionally the ladies and the children also attend EID congregations, and in Muslim Countries EID DAY is a Holiday .

Children in Muslim households put on beautiful dresses to join in EID DAY Celebration . On their Happiest Day Muslims visit as many friends, neighbours and relatives as possible - exchanging joyous felicitations and tasting delicious food and sweet offered on EID DAY . The best feature of the Happy EID DAY is the Hearty Islamic Welcome with the Greeting :

" EID MUBARAK ASASAS-AS ---SALAAMSALAAM “““ ( BLESSED BE THE REJOICING ,,, GREETING BE THE PEAPEACECECECE ))) !

th EID in London will INSHAA ’A LLAAH be on Sunday 20 2009 > Subject to New Moon <

Brother Shafi Chowdhury : AL-MUTTAQIIN 62 West Avenue Wallington Surrey SM6 8PH