President s Message By Dr. Mohammad Saleem

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86 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I 1435 AH Volume 23, Issue 3 I ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF KINGSTON 1477 SYDENHAM ROAD Kingston, ON K7L 4V4 O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you,

1 86 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I 1435 AH Volume 23, Issue 3 I ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF KINGSTON 1477 SYDENHAM ROAD Kingston, ON K7L 4V4 O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous. [He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him]. (Qur an> Al-Baqara 21-22) KEEPING THE KINGSTON MUSLIM COMMUNITY TOGETHER President s Message By Dr. Mohammad Saleem Assalam-o-alaikum Brothers and Sisters in Islam, item has been included in the agenda of the ISK in this meeting. There are other items in the agenda of this meeting which will be discussed and Insha Allah, decided. When important projects such as the extension of the ICK are under deliberation of the community, it also may come under discussion and can provide an opportunity to collect different opinions on this project. Listing the jurisdiction of the General Assembly of the Islamic Society of Kingston, the ISK constitution sates that this body elects the Executive Committee of the Society, it delegates responsibilities to the Executive Committee, it approves the operating expenses of the Society and the borrowing of money, it approves the schedule membership fees, and it alone has the power to amend the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society. Considering that the overall objective of the ISK is to render services for Islam and the Muslims, constitution puts heavy responsibilities on the general assembly of ISK to achieve this objective. Election of an appropriate executive committee, proper usage of ISK finances and adjusting membership dues, and approval of the fundamental structure of the ISK, the constitution; really regulates the track which way our community moves forward. No other committee or groups within ISK have that much authority and responsibilities. Therefore, it is imperative that we as a member of the ISK reflect on various aspects of ISK and attend the general body meeting to have healthy discussion and provide direction to the ISK. This year the AGM is scheduled for March 30, Since the beginning of the year ISK executive committee has been approaching the community in several ways to renew the membership, so that the membership grows and ISK becomes more inclusive and a larger general body takes up its responsibilities. There were some concerns, which were heard and means were suggested to address the issue of membership dues. This is the reason that the membership There is no reservation that a larger membership of ISK will shape a more vibrant general body, yet many community members who are not ISK members are involved in ISK committees and contribute individually to the completion of various tasks around the ICK. This helps to maintain a united focus and overall objective to work for our faith for the pleasure of Allah SWT. Irrespective of the circumstance it is incumbent upon every Muslim to practice and serve Islam. Insha Allah, keeping up with this spirit we will elect executive committee members, set up tasks and infuse a spirit in the community to meet the challenges of the bigger assignments ahead. The AGM day is not only the day of discussion and listening to diverging and merging opinions and thoughts, but it is also a time of reiteration that we follow the command of Allah SWT to remain a united community. Let us pray to Allah SWT to make our annual meeting a source of unity for the Muslims in Kingston and to provide us direction which leads to His obedience. IN THIS ISSSUE President s Message Page 1 Imam s Message Page 2 Education Outlook Page 3 Community Voice Page 4 Community Announcements Page 5,6,7 ISK Information Page 8

2 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I Issue 7 2 Imam s Message By Sikander Ziad Hashmi Observations and lessons from Makkah Al-Masjid al-haram, Makkah: There was once a time when there was nothing here - no clock tower, no hotels, no cool marble I'm sitting on, no people and not even the Ka'bah, fitted with a beautiful black gold-embroidered cloth that stands in front of me now. Then known as the valley of Bakkah, it was an empty, desolate land where the most sacred spot on earth was marked with a stick in the ground or a small mound of dirt. Allah says in the Qur'an: "Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Bakkah - blessed and a guidance for the worlds." (Qur'an 3:96) The spot where the Ka'bah stands today was designated as a sanctified spot since the time of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to leave his wife and infant son here all alone, which he did. His wife, Hajarah, scrambled to find water as little baby Isma'il cried after their few provisions ran out and her breasts ran dry. She went from the hilltop of Safa to the hilltop of Marwa looking for water or any help. After seven trips, she noticed water by her baby. She wanted to protect the water from flowing away, so she asked it to stop ("zam, zam!"). Water brought birds to the area. A caravan passing behind the mountains saw birds. The presence of birds indicated the presence of people, which meant there would be water, or at the very least, it meant there was water even if they were no people. People eventually began settling in the area and the village of Makkah was born. Prophets Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon them) rebuilt the Ka'bah as the primary structure built for the worship of Allah. For some time, it fell prey to idol-worship with 360 idols present inside. During the conquest of Makkah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) purified it and re-established the oneness of Allah at the sacred site. This is a place of immense divine mercy and blessings. One obligatory prayer offered here carries the reward of 100,000 prayers. Similarly, sins committed here also carry a heavier burden. Hundreds, if not thousands, of worshippers circumambulate the Ka'bah in sets of seven rounds around the rectangular brick structure 24 hours a day. People supplicate, cry, remember Allah and unleash their emotions as they pray to Him. As the Adhan (call to prayer) is called, the words proclaiming the greatness and oneness of Allah can be heard far and wide with a beautiful echo coming off the mountains a few seconds later. During congregational prayers, there is complete silence, apart from the occasional cough, even with millions of worshippers. The vast diversity found here reminds us about the universality of Islam. Our faith is about submitting to Allah and literally everyone is welcome to join and excel in building their relationship with Allah. In front of me right now, thousands of people are passing by - men, women and children from all over the world. There is no hierarchy nor any divisions. Anyone - regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or social status - can get close to the Ka'bah, touch it and pray in front of it. Allah is for everyone and we are all Allah's. It is a real demonstration of the equality of human beings in front of Allah. One growing distraction in recent times here is the prevalence of electronic devices. Numerous people can be seen taking selfies and posing for photos, making videos and chatting on cell phones. Cell phones can be heard going off with wacky ringtones. This disrupts the spirituality and peace of the location and serves as a distraction. Instead of focusing on Allah and linking with Him, one often thinks of the best spots to take pictures and the best shot that'll get the most likes and retweets on social media. This seemed like an insignificant matter to me at first but it's only when I tried resisting the urge to take pictures myself when I realized the negative effect it was having on my focus and spirituality. Saudi Arabia is often criticized for many things, which may be legitimate, but one must admit that their effort in managing both holy sites in their country and the millions of pilgrims that they draw is nothing but commendable. Allah has blessed them with wealth and they have been very generous to the holy sites and to the guests of Allah. May Allah reward them for their good and guide them to correct any mistakes they have made or are making now. This time, I have three take-home messages from my visit: 1) Being a true Muslim (one who submits to Allah) requires sacrifice, as illustrated by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), who was given the title of "Friend of Allah." Becoming closer to Allah requires even more sacrifice. Let's reflect on the things and habits we love and enjoy most. Which ones should we sacrifice for Allah so that we can attain His pleasure? 2) We must strive to cast our prejudices and biases aside and be fair with everyone. Allah is fair and just, plus we also desire fairness from Him and everyone else. Let's try to treat all people with honor and respect, regardless of their race, skin color or language. 3) The building towards which we have been commanded to pray from anywhere in the world, the Ka'bah, is very simple. The requirements for Salah (prayer) are also very minimal and it can be offered anywhere on earth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had a choice to live a life of wealth and luxury, but instead he chose simplicity. This indicates to us that Allah likes simplicity and thus we should also strive to adopt a simple lifestyle. Doing so will automatically keep us away from some of the things that can cause heedlessness and have a negative effect on our connection with Allah. May Allah enable all of us to visit this sacred land again and again. May He accept the deeds and prayers of all those who are here. Ameen.

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4 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I Issue 7 4 Community Voice By Lisa Grant Assalamu Alaykum that means peace be upon you in Arabic and is the greeting of a Muslim. This article is about the Muslims belief in angels as it is laid out in the Quran. Muslims believe that Allah created angels as separate beings from humans (i.e. not spirits of dead people). We cannot see angels in their natural form. The purpose of their existence is to worship and obey Allah. In addition to these two heavy jobs, they are responsible for making sure the creation is protected, guarded, Allah s commands are observed and administered. The angels also help to communicate God s word to mankind. An angel called Jibreel reveal God s word to Muhammad through revelation. It says in the Quran (chapter Ash-Shu-araa (26) ): Which the trustworthy spirit (Jibreel) has brought down upon your heart (o Muhammad) that you may be one of the warner s, in plain Arabic language. The angels never disobey Allah and they are here to do his work. It says in Quran (chapter an -nahl (16):50): They fear their lord above them, and they do what they are commanded. The angels are not partners, rivals, associates nor children of Allah. The Quran says regarding this (chapter al -anbiyaa (21) 26-27): And they say: The most beneficent has begotten a son. Glory be to Him. They are but honored slaves. They speak not until He has spoken and they act on His command. Unlike humans who have lives entwined with daily chores and activities, angels have no other daily activities besides worshiping Allah. The Quran mentions, (chapter al anbiyaa (21):20: They glorify His praises night and day, and they never slacken. They were created from light. It describes in the hadiths of the Muslim collection, which Muslims are told in Quran to obey: The angels were created from light, the Jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from what was described to you. Allah bless the angels with the ability to appear in human form so that people may see them. The Quran states (chapter Maryam (19) 17-19): She (Maryam) placed a screen from them, and we sent to her a spirit from us, and he appeared to her in the form of a man in all respects. She said, Verily! I seek refuge with the most beneficent from you, if you do fear Allah. (The angel) said: I am only a messenger from your lord (to announce) to you the birth of a righteous son. The angel Jibreel was seen by Muhammad in his genuine natural form. He had 600 wings and blocked the whole horizon. His task on earth is to send revelations to mankind. As stated in Quran regarding this (chapter as-shu araa (26) ): Which the trustworthy Ruuh brought down; upon your heart (o Muhammad) that you may be one of the warner s. Two other major angels are Israafeel, who will blow the horn on the Day of Judgment, and Meekaa eel, who is responsible for plants and rain. There are two angels with each human being who are with us to make a record of our lives, which we are accountable for before Allah and will be asked about on the Day of Judgment. One of these angels writes all the good deeds in our book, and the other writes all the bad deeds in our book. The Quran explains it (chapter Qaaf (50): 17-18: (Remember) that the two recorders record, sitting on his right and his left. Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). There is an angel that will come to us at the time of our death to take us back to Allah. As mentioned in Quran (chapter as -sajdah (32):11): Say: the angel of death who is set over you will take your souls, then you shall be brought back to your lord. There is an angel called Maalik who guards the hellfire. As regards this, the Quran says (chapter as Zukhruf (43):77): And they will cry: O Maalik! Let your lord make an end of us. He will say, Verily! You shall abide forever. There is an angel who guards paradise. There are other angels, who guard the humans. Each angel has a task. It does not matter if an angel was not mentioned anywhere in Quran or the traditions of Muhammad, because there are angels that have not been mentioned anywhere in the revelations so we must believe in all angels and even the ones we have not discovered. The benefits to Muslims of believing in Angels: 1. we understand the magnificence of Allah s creation. 2. We are protected from becoming superstitious. 3. We learn to understand Allah s mercy.

5 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I Issue 7 5 COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, March 30 th, 2014 at 11:00 AM in the Islamic Center of Kingston Lunch Will Be Provided!

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8 THE BOND MAR 2014 / JAMADA I Issue 7 8 ISK INFORMATION ISK EXECUTIVE CONTACT INFO PRESIDENT MOHAMMAD SALEEM Tel: president@kingstonmuslims.ca SECRETARY NOOR KHARRAT Tel: secretary@kingstonmuslims.ca TREASURER SAMINA MAURICE Tel: treasurer@kingstonmuslims.ca SOCIAL COORDINATOR TARIQ M HASSAN Tel: social@kingstonmuslims.ca WOMEN S REPRESENTATIVE YOUSRA BENAZZOUZ Tel: womensrep@kingstonmuslims.ca ICK MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR MOHAMMED BABIKIR Tel: centre@kingstonmuslims.ca EDUCATION COORDINATOR MAHA OTHMAN Tel: education@kingstonmuslims.ca OTHER CONTACT INFO IMAM OF ISK SIKANDER ZIAD HASHMI Tel: imam@kingstonmuslims.ca Website: www,sikander.ca DAWA COMMITTEE COORDINATOR MOHAMED BAYOUMI Tel: Daawa@kingstonmuslims.ca LIBRARY COMMITTEE RAAFIA MONEM, HODA BAYOUMI, MOHAMMAD SALEEM library@kingstonmuslims.ca MOMS & TOTS MONA RAHMAN Tel: mnrahman@tricolour.queensu.ca NEW MUSLIM SUPPORT newmuslims@kingstonmuslims.ca Dates Fajr Zuhr Asr Maghrib Isha Mar :35 1:25 5:35 8:45 Mar :20 1:25 5:40 8:55 Mar :05 1:25 5:50 9:05 Sunset +5 Mar 1- Apr 6 5:55 1:25 5:55 9:10 Apr :40 1:25 6:00 9:25 Apr :30 1:25 6:05 9:35 Apr :20 1:25 6:10 9:45 Notes: PRAYER TIMES AT THE ICK o Jum a khutba starts at 1:25 o Times shown are for Iqamah, Adhan will be called 10 minutes earlier. o During community events, Asr may be prayed earlier WHAT S NEXT FOR THE BOND? Next Submission Deadline: Thursday April 10 th, 2014 The Bond will accept articles from individuals on any given topic if the editors consider them useful information for the whole community. Please consider submitting 1 or 2 column article for consideration. Submit To: thebond@kingstonmuslims.ca Next Publication Date (Insha Allah): Thursday, April 17 th, 2014 Disclaimer The views and/or assertions expressed in THE BOND are the sole responsibility of their author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the newsletter committee, nor of the Islamic Society of Kingston and its officers.

THE BOND JULY 2014 / RAMADAN 1435 AH Volume 23, Issue 7. The Bond

768 6 THE BOND JULY 2014 / RAMADAN 1435 AH Volume 23, Issue 7 I The Bond ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF KINGSTON 1477 SYDENHAM ROAD Kingston, ON K7L 4V4 Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the