Newsletter. Technology Update. PRAYER TIMINGS effective 05/19 QURAN MCA. Ramadan 10, 1439 May 25, 2018 DONATE GENEROUSLY

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1 PRAYER TIMINGS effective 05/19 MCA NOOR Fajr 4:45 4:45 Newsletter Zohar 1:30 1:30 Asr 5:45 6:30 Maghrib Sunset Sunset Isha/Taraweeh 10:10 10:10 Juma1 12:15 12:15 Juma2 1:30 1:30 Published Weekly by the Muslim Community Association of San Francisco Bay Area Ramadan 10, 1439 May 25, 2018 QURAN Allah has made Laylat al-qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah says...the Night of Al- Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah s Permission with all Decrees, there is peace until the appearance of dawn. Al-Qadar 97:1-5 MCA Technology Update See page 4 TO ADVERTISE WITH US, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: MCA, c/o Newsletter, P.O. Box 180, Santa Clara, CA newsletter@mcabayarea.org (408) X416 JOIN THE MCA MAILING DONATE GENEROUSLY

2 EVENT CALENDAR RAMADAN EXPENSES: $125 per family Our expenses during Ramadan are ~ $125,000. Ramadan expenses pay for additional electricity for air conditioning, extra cleaning expenses for bathrooms, travel expenses for visiting scholars, security and babysitting expenses, additional employee hours, Eid festival expenses, etc. PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY Deposit checks in the designated cones or table and write Ramadan Expenses in the memo. Fri Sat Sun May 25 May 26 May 27 Mon Tue Wed Thu May 28 May 29 May 30 May 31 HIghlights of the Day Daily at Fajr M-F 10 AM - 12 PM Honor in Struggle and Sacrifice after 8 Raka a Khadijah Hall Ramadan: Ready to take the challenge? Part II 1:45-5:45 Khadijah Hall Fajr Reminder The Annual Grand Qiyam after 8 Raka a Khadijah Hall FREE MATH AND SCIENCE TUTORING, MCA - Every Sunday, 2-4 PM, Men s Prayer Hall. No appointment needed. Just show up. Call (408) for more info. Daily brief talk after Fajr Prayers JOURNEY THROUGH THE QURAN Translation and short tafseer in Urdu. One Juz every day. Completing the entire Quran in 6 weeks starting Aprol 16, Sisters only. No Registration Required. For more information sisters4quran@gmailcom Singles Iftar at Maghrib Free, for brothers & sisters daily, except when noted. To sponsor Daily Iftars, see form across from the Men s prayer halls. 15 mins before Isha Prayer Quran Reflections Reflections from the Quran highlighting sections that will be recited in that day s Taraweeh prayers, starting 15 mins before Isha.Banquet Hall. Daily after 8th Taraweeh Daily Story Telling Program for children age 5 to 8 in the Maryam Banquet Hall during the first 8 rakaat of Taraweeh. I Love Islam for Children Daily after 8th Taraweeh Youth after 8 Daily after the first 8 rakaat taraweeh in the Youth Lounge. Daily after 8th Taraweeh After 8 for Adults Talk after the first 8 rakaat of taraweeh at the Khadijah Banquet Hall. Hadith of the week Narrated Sahl bin Sad: Abu Usaid As-Sa di invited Allah s Apostle to his wedding party and his wife who was the bride, served them on that day. Do you know what drink she gave Allah s Apostle? She had soaked some dates for him (in water) overnight, and when he had finished his meal she gave him that drink (of soaked dates). Sahih Al-Bukhari Book 62 Hadith 105 Sahih Muslim, Book 47, Hadith 3 2

3 MCA Women s Committee Presents RAMADAN WEEKLY Every Sunday Sunday May 27th :45 pm - 5:45pm Maryam Hall Your eternal journey with Allah Speaker: Sh. Alaeddin Elbakri He is a renowned scholar of the San Francisco Bay Area. He began his study of Islam at a young age in North Africa and continued his education in the Islamic sciences in Jordan, learning from pre-eminent scholars in the Muslim world. He has served the Muslim community in the United States in numerous capacities, serving as imam at several Islamic centers and establishing full-time and weekend Islamic schools. He has served as a founding board member of IMAN (Inner City Muslim Action Network) in Chicago, as a book editor for IQRA and also is an advisory board member in many Islamic organizations. He currently serves as Khateeb at Saratoga Masjid in California. For questions, please contact: faiza.javed@mcabayarea.org 3

4 ISHA PRAYER at 10:00 pm, followed by TARAWEEH PRAYER led by Shaikh Syed Jibreel. Guidelines and Etiquettes for Ramadan 1439H The community is urged to observe the following guidelines and etiquettes. SHOES & STROLLERS Shoes and Strollers must be kept in the designated areas only. HALLWAYS No running in the hallways Please do not stop to chat anywhere in the hallways and keep moving to avoid hallway traffic. PARKING Please park legally. Violators will be towed. Do not park in Reserved parking spots Don t leave valuable items in the car MCA members can also park at Hope and Van Guard (except Saturday) RECYCLE & CLEAN Paper products and plastic bottles should be responsibly disposed in the recycle bins provided around the masjid Re-use your cups for water and drinks Please help us to keep our masjid clean. SINGLES IFTAR Held daily. Break Iftar first in Lobby of masjid. After Maghrib, walk over to Khadija Banquet Hall. Singles iftar is only for singles, single parents and those who are alone without any family. PRAYER HALL Turn off your cell phone. Do not record Shaikh Syed Jibreel s recitation. No food or drinks in the prayer halls, except bottled water Do not sit or block side walls. Keep your jackets, water bottles etc. next to you. Parents with children under 8 years should pray in the back rows Fill up the gaps in the rows before starting a new one Do not move chairs from designated areas. Children above 7 years should pray at least 8 rak ah Have your children next to you at all time when you are praying Utilize babysitting service and I love Islam program for 8 years and under In case of evacuation, Emergency Response Team (Green Vest) will guide you. VOLUNTEERING Please sign up to volunteer at mcabayarea.org Please be appreciative of and patient with all the volunteers who have taken the time to serve you. Ramadan Expenses $125 per family Zakat Fitra $13 for each member of the family Support MCA activities and program by donating at mcabayarea.org 4

5 FEATURED ARTICLE Tackling Ramadan with a Mental Health Condition Hussein Kesvani Courtesy: As Sofia partakes in fasting during Ramadan this year, her biggest challenge is far different from that of the majority of Muslims. Most of my friends will be struggling with keeping their energy levels up, or making sure they pray on time. For most, there s always a challenge to make sure you don t overeat. My challenge will be to make sure that I eat anything at all. The 26-year-old Londoner is one of millions of Muslims around the world currently taking part in the Islamic holy month, in which Muslims are prohibited from eating or drinking during daylight hours. For Sofia, Ramadan is extra difficult. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, after being hospitalised when she fainted in a college class. Though Sofia has been undergoing treatment with a therapist and learned to manage it, she says that Ramadan can often act as a trigger for the illness to creep back again. And because of the religious connotations of fasting during the holy month, she says that rather than restricting food intake being a problem, it can sometimes be encouraged and seen as a sign of devotion to God. I m a devout Muslim, and one of the five pillars of Islam (the obligations upon all Muslims) is Sawm (fasting). So every time Ramadan comes, I believe I have to fast. At the same time, I m always in fear that it [the eating disorder] will come back. It feels like there s always this conflict between my body and my soul. Though Islamic scholars tend to urge Muslims who are fit and able-bodied to fast, the vast majority agree that fasting should not be obligatory for those who are pregnant, elderly or sick. And though this would normally mean that those suffering with mental illness are prohibited from fasting, both a lack of discussion within some Muslim communities, as well as a larger, societal stigma around mental health generally, means that many Muslims with such conditions may not be aware, or don t consider themselves to be sick enough not to fast. Most of the people I ve worked with, who are dealing with mental health issues, feel guilty if they do not fast Akeela Ahmed, former Executive Director of the Muslim Youth Helpline There is still a huge stigma attached to mental illness, along with a lack of understanding of how it manifests and impacts on an individual, says Akeela Ahmed, the former executive director of the Muslim Youth Helpline and campaigner on youth and gender issues. So often friends and families can expect someone with poor mental health to fast. Most of the people I ve worked with, who are dealing with mental health issues, feel guilty if they do not fast. According to Ahmed, the stigmas associated with mental illnesses in Muslim communities also means that those like Sofia are sometimes left in the dark when it comes to reconciling their conditions and their religious belief. What I found when I was working with people who had eating disorders was that it wasn t treated like other physical illnesses, she says. If you re physically unwell, then you don t fast but those who were dealing with mental illnesses would adjust their schedules to take their medication as part of their suhoor (morning meal) or when they broke their 5

6 fasts. From my experience, most Muslim people with mental health challenges receive very little support from either within their community or from mainstream agencies, she adds. There needs to be more work done to tackle the taboo surrounding mental health issues and raise awareness about how to manage it. It s not just eating disorders. For some Muslims, the month of Ramadan can also be a challenge for managing mental health issues that are not directly related to eating. One study published by the Journal of World Psychiatry in 2014 found that around 45% of Muslims reported to suffer some form of manic or depressive episode during Ramadan fasting, while other studies, including one published by the British Medical Journal in 2012, found that fastingrelated changes in circadian rhythms and sleeping patterns are thought to contribute to the exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms. I had also asked the Imam at the local mosque I attended he didn t really understand that much about mental health, so he just told me that I should fast as much as I can Muhammad Haydari, a 24-year-old professional in Leeds, is one of a number of Muslims who find Ramadan daunting in regards to managing episodes of manic depression a diagnosis he received last year while completing his exams at university. At the time I was prescribed three different medications that I was taking throughout the day, as a way to manage sporadic episodes, he says. But when Ramadan came I wasn t sure what to do I grew up in a very religious household, and as the oldest man I felt it was an obligation to fast. Though Haydari continued to take his medication, he only did so during the hours he was 6 allowed to eat meaning that he went without medication, despite his doctor s warnings, for up to 18 hours. It was a stupid thing to do in hindsight, he says, sighing. But at the time I didn t really understand what was going on and I didn t take the illness seriously. I had also asked the Imam at the local mosque I attended he didn t really understand that much about mental health, so he just told me that I should fast as much as I can, and use the holy month to pray as a way of getting better. Haydari followed what his Imam had said, but as a result experienced some of the darkest moments of his life. There were times when I was completely out of control I had points where I felt I wasn t a good Muslim and that my condition was a way of Allah punishing me. And there were other times when I had no energy and lay on the floor for hours crying and wishing I was dead... All the time I just felt I was out of control, which is kind of the antithesis of Ramadan... it s supposed to be the time when we exercise full control of our bodies in order to worship. Haydari isn t fasting this Ramadan due to taking medication, but, like Ahmed, he agrees more needs to be done to raise awareness of mental health issues in British Muslim communities. The funny thing is, we have lots of doctors who always give talks about things like Parkinson s, or cancer, but they don t really say much about things like depression or anxiety and other conditions that I know many young people face. It s a huge issue that needs more attention before people get really hurt. I ll normally be referred Muslim patients once they ve been diagnosed from the hospital, so their conditions already tend to be quite severe It s a sentiment shared by Dr. Mahmood Mahsid, a Washington-based clinical psychiatrist who has worked with patients from Muslim backgrounds. He told me that while there was an increasing acknowledgement about mental health in Muslim communities around the world, illnesses would often be left untreated until the last minute. I ll normally be referred Muslim patients once they ve been diagnosed from the hospital, so their conditions already tend to be quite severe, he says. Both in the UK and the US, most people generally know little about the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses. That s particularly exaggerated in communities where speaking about mental health is already a taboo for cultural reasons, he says. From his experience, Mahsid says that peer pressure can also be at play when it comes to Ramadan, and not wanting to duck out of fasting. With Ramadan it s not just about individual worship it s the idea that a whole community fasts, and they come and eat together. So I imagine that lots of Muslims who take their religion very, very seriously want to be part of this community, and will put it before themselves. He adds: The toughest thing to do both as a doctor, and, I imagine, within the community, is to convince people they aren t going to be punished for not fasting. I know of a few patients who say that Ramadan is an opportunity to be forgiven of their sins, so they feel compelled to do it, even at the expense of their health. So I think more needs to be done to emphasise that mental health matters just as much as physical health, and that not fasting because of it doesn t make you any less religious. The latter is a struggle that Sofia is attempting to reconcile this year. Though she is fasting, with the help of a professional dietician, she is only doing so for six hours, rather than the 19 that many in Britain are undertaking, and she is eating meals specifically designed for her. Yet she admits there are times that she feels her fasts are insufficient. Rationally, my head tells me I m doing the right thing for my body. But when I see the rest of my family and my friends doing full fasts while I get to eat, I do get a sense that theirs count for so much more, and that does have an impact on how I worship.

7 "And we created you in pairs...". An-Naba: 8 Volunteers Needed for Ramadan SERVE YOUR CREATOR BY SERVING HIS CREATIONS Want to multiply your good deeds during the Holy Month of Ramadan? Need community service hours for school? We need volunteers in the following areas listed below. You may sign up for MORE THAN ONE POSITION, PROVIDED THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF TIME AND DATE. Insha Allah, once you sign up, the Lead from that particular area will contact you with further details SOCIAL COMMITTEE PRESENTS MCA Matrimonial Service will mainly focus on opportunities for singles to meet, mingle, and get to know other singles with the intention of marriage Events will be announced on the MCA website as well as in the newsletter. Please subscribe to our mailing list at mcamatrimonial@gmail.com for more information about upcoming events and programs! BROTHERS: Singles Iftaar (daily) SISTERS: Singles Iftaar (daily) Community Iftaar Suhoor (last 10 days of Ramadan) Safety Traffic flow, parking lot traffic flow Emergency Response Team Women s prayer hall monitors Men s prayer hall monitors Information desk Youth program (for youth 8 years and up) I love Islam program (children 5-8 years) Babysitting Eid planning We need YOUR help in making this Ramadan a success!! JAZAKUM ALLAHU KHAIRUN! Please sign up on the MCA website If you have questions, please send an to RamadanVolunteers@mcabayarea.org 7

8 KEY MCA NEWSLETTER Use the above key to decode the hadith. Contributed by Meem Bees 8

9 How you can donate: Visit the HHRD booth during Jumuaa & Taraweeh prayers For more information contact: Shireen Khan (408) Asmaa Badr (408)

10 Al-Arqam School Job Openings for Quran, Arabic, and Islamic Studies Teachers Al-Arqam School is seeking teachers for Quran and Tajweed, Arabic, and Islamic Studies. School hours: Fridays 4:00 p.m.- 6:45 p.m. Sundays 12:00 p.m.- 5:15 p.m. Individual schedules for teachers may vary depending on subject and number of classes taught Salary is based on experience and qualifications Please send your resume to GRAND SALE OF STYLISH DRESSES FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN $15 AND ABOVE STITCHING AND ALTERATIONS AT 948 HAMPTON CT MILPITAS CA AM TO 4 PM PHONE:

11 H A P P I N ES S I N R A M A DAN 11 Countries, Orphaned Children, 100% Passion Ramadan is the month where we seek to come closer to our Creator by doing all acts of worship more intently and intensely. Two of those acts are giving zakat and sadaqah. There are over 20 verses in the Quran that talk about the importance for caring for orphans. "Verily we feed them out of love for Him, we do not expect from you reward nor gratitude" (The Holy Quran 76:9) During this blessed month when the reward is multiplied many folds, we invite you to sponsor HAPPINESS! 1. ZAKAT There's no better time to make zakat contribution than in this month. Once you select that your contribution is zakat, we will designate the funds only for projects that follow zakat's restrictions. 2. SPONSOR IFTAR (Breaking of the fast) in any of our homes. Each home has about kids with the exception of the one in Khaligong, Bangladesh where we support 327 children. For $ you can sponsor an iftaar for each home. If you'd like to sponsor the 360 children, the cost is $450 for an iftaar. 3. EID GIFTS For $10-20, you can sponsor Eid clothes, shoes, or a toy for our children. We encourage our children to choose their favorite options to make Ramadan and Eid extra special INFO@GIVELIGHT.ORG 11

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14 CLASSIFIEDS To advertise with us, visit our website: Disclaimer: MCA does not endorse and is not responsible for products and services in the ads section of the MCA newsletter. MCA holds the right to reject or accept ads submitted. No ads dealing with a business deemed to be in conflict with Islamic principles will be accepted. 14 DENTISTS/MEDICAL SYED DENTAL CARE GENERAL DENTISTRY Dr. Rafia Syed, Dr. Farhan Syed, Dr. Samia Naeem Open Sundays! Most insurances accepted Scott Blvd. Ste A2, Santa Clara, CA Located near MCA and Masjid An-Noor. For appointments visit our website: or call SYED MOHSENA AHMAD, DDS, Family Dentistry with a caring approach. Most Insurance accepted. Open on Saturday. 259 Meridian Ave., Ste 12, San Jose, CA (Between W. San Carlos St. & Park Ave.) Please call: (408) HESHAM AMER, DDS, MSD Board Certified Orthodontist Assistant Professor at UOP Offering braces & Invisalign for children and adults Meridian Ave #10, San Jose, CA CALL (408) SARAH AZAD, MD El Camino Women s Medical Group 2500 Hospital Dr. Bldg 8A Mountain View, CA LUBNA AZEEM, DDS General Dentist 2016 Forest Ave, Suite 4, San Jose, Near O Connor Hospital, Open Saturdays, Visit our website for coupons (408) ORTHODONTIST Dr. Zahra Ammari, DDS, MDS. Braces and Invisalign for adult and children. Saturday open. Please call: DR ZAKIYYAH HYATT, PSYD Psychologist Advocate Consultant Life Coach Building Productive Marriage. Parenting Your Child s Strength. Drzhyatt@gmail.com 1650 Zanker RD., Suite 230, San Jose, CA (408) , (408) SNYDER TRADITIONAL MEDICINE Cupping/Hijama/Acupuncture/Herbs/Nutrition Amy Snyder, Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist 1361 S. Winchester Blvd., suite 206 San Jose, CA , SnyderMedicine.com BUSINESS SERVICES AUTO HAUS EL CAMINO Complete Auto Repair & Service All work guaranteed (20 % Discount) 3100 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA , Saranmoe@yahoo.com PIONEER TECH ACADEMY Technology Courses at MCA Courses in Database Technologies Cassandra, Oracle, MySQL Courses in Internet Technologies: PHP & MySQL, Ruby & Rails, Java Programming. Register now at: register@pioneertechacademy.com ADAM GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION, INC. General Contractor Lic # Contact : Alaaeldin Adam , aaldin.adam@gmail.com For all your Construction need : home addition, home remodeling, kitchen & bath remodeling, construction projects mangment. PRINTING SERVICES (Business cards, Flyers, Brochures, Banners, Trade show displays) AT Quick Printing Center - We do Standard and Custom print jobs and bulk mailing. Call: (510) or info@qnrprint.com EDUCATION DARUL-EEMAAN This summer take an opportunity for making your kids learn Quran with Tajweed. classes are held by certified Hafiza with 10 years of experience.we Guarantee you that your child will read Quran with Tajweed in 8-12 weeks( IN SHA ALLAH)call for information (510) or daruleemaanhafiza@ gmail.com INSURANCE CONCISE NEED AFFORDABLE COVERAGE? AUTO HOME COMMERCIAL HEALTH For a quote call Salah Visit us 1 block from MCA Walsh Ave, Ste. B-2, Santa Clara (408) STATE FARM INSURANCE GET ALL THE DISCOUNTS YOU DESERVE Free Complimentary Insurance And Financial Review. Get 35% Discount on All Lines; Auto, Home, Life, Disability & Business. Call Sister Laila at s Bascom Ave, Campbell, CA Laila.helmy.i47x@statefarm.com ISLAMIC HOME FINANCING ARE YOU THINKING OF BUYING A HOME OR REFINANCING THE ONE YOU CURRENTLY OWN? Call today for a free consultation. Salim Vasani NMLS # salim.vasani@guidanceresidential.com Home Ownership, the Sharia Way. NON-PROFIT HIDAYA FOUNDATION Donate Zakat and Sadaqah for the poorest of the poor. Read about our 30+ projects at (408) RAHIMA FOUNDATION Help Us To Help The Needy Houret Ct., Milpitas CA mail@rahima.org Phone: MOONLIGHT HUMANITY Orphans and Poorest of the Poor. Countries we Currently Support. Burma. Rohingya Refugess in Bangladesh. Cambodia. Cham-Vietnam. Office base in San Jose and Fremont

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16 What is Fidya? HIDAYA FOUNDATION Fidya is a charitable compensation which is to be given by adult Muslims who are too ill or weak to fast in the holy month of Ramadan. Why Should One Give Fidya? It is a command in the Qur an for Muslims to fast, make up fasts that they miss, or if they can t fast, to give Fidya for each missed day of fasting in Ramadan. Allah (SWT) says in Al-Qur an: [Observing Saum (fasts)] for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (e.g. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a Miskîn (poor person) (for every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know. [Al-Baqarah 2:184] Who Should Give Fidya? For those who are unable to fast (elderly, terminally ill, pregnant, breastfeeding etc.), a compensation must be given by feeding a poor person for every day of fasting not observed in Ramadan. Elderly, sick and other individuals who live in poverty and can t afford to pay the fidya are not required to do so. Young and healthy individuals who miss fasts due to travel or sickness should make up the fast once their travels are over or they recover from sickness - and no fidya is required for those cases. How Should Fidya be Given? There are different ways of fulfilling ones fidya by feeding the poor - as Allah (SWT) has left the commandment to be general when he said And as for those who can fast with difficulty, they have to feed a poor person. It is better for an individual to fulfill his/her Fidya by giving dry ration or cooked food directly to deserving people. If however, that is difficult for them, then they may assign the responsibility to a trustworthy individual or organization. The Fidya price can be calculated based on the local price of 1/2 Saa (approx. 1.5 kg) of whole wheat, rice, or whatever the staple crop is in the place the paying person resides, which they eat themselves. Currently, the suggested cost for Fidya in the U.S.A. based on the approximate price of 1.5 kg of whole wheat or rice is $3.50 for each day of missed fasts, however, donors may give more if they are able, and the poor will benefit. FIDYA Compensation for Missed Fasts During Ramadan Dry Ration Packages Being Weighed and Prepared for Fidya Distribution How Does Hidaya Foundation Distribute Fidya? Hidaya distributes Fidya in the form of dry ration food among some of the poorest people in the world who are also qualified to receive Zakat. To find out more about Fidya, including more in-depth explanation about it and how Hidaya distributes it - please visit or call us at HIDAYA. Fidya donations can be made on our secure website using electronic check or credit card, or they can be sent by mail to Hidaya Foundation, PO Box 5481, Santa Clara, CA HIDAYA Hidaya Foundation is a non-profit 501(C)(3) charitable organization with Tax ID #