MCA Women's Committee and Quran & Soul present To Trust Allah: What does it really mean? A Talk by Ustadha Farhat Ahmed Shamsi

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1 PRAYER TIMINGS effective 09/15 MCA NOOR Fajr 6:10 6:10 Zohar 1:30 1:30 Asr 4:45 5:30 Maghrib Sunset Sunset Isha 8:45 8:45 Juma1 12:15 12:15 Juma2 1:30 1:30 Newsletter Published Weekly by the Muslim Community Association of San Francisco Bay Area Muharram 4, 1440 Sep 14, 2018 HAPPY NEW HIJRI YEAR 1440! RSVP NOW! MCA Women's Committee and Quran & Soul present To Trust Allah: What does it really mean? A Talk by Ustadha Farhat Ahmed Shamsi Sunday, September 23, 2018 MCA Maryam Banquet Hall 11:00 am MCA Social Committee Presents Ustadha Farhat Ahmed Shamsi is the instructor and co-founder of Quran&Soul in service of the Qur an. With a degree in Islamic Studies from Mishkah University, several diplomas, certifications in Hadeeth and Classical Arabic Grammar Ustadha Farhat is focused on Qur an tafseer. She is a recognized motivational speaker at ISNA and other public events. Her focus has been on teaching teens and adults Tafseer for the past 15 years, all over the U.S. Although fluent in English and Urdu, her Study Circles are in English. They are available online as well as onsite in Houston. Questions: faiza.javed@mcabayarea.org COMMUNITY IFTAR (On the day of Ashura) Thursday, September 20th, :00 pm - After Maghrib MCA 3003 Scott Blvd, Santa Clara AL-QURAN O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbathbreakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished. QURAN 4:47 HADITH Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed. Al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 10, No. 6 Statement of apology and clarification regarding article published on Muharram on Page 3 Let's Fast and Make the Sunnah Last Please RSVP at Questions: Please contact social@mcabayarea.org TO ADVERTISE WITH US, VISIT OUR WEBSITE: JOIN THE MCA MAILING LIST

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3 MCA Elections 1440 Hijri are near! ( ) Open positions : 1 MCA President. 3 Executive Board Members. 2 Board of Trustees Members. Nomination Deadline: Sunday, September 9 at 9:30 PM Candidates Forum: Saturday, September 22, from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM at Khadijah Hall, MCA. Election Dates: Friday, September 28, 7:30-10:30 PM Saturday September 29, 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM Sunday September 30, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM Venue Khadijah Hall, MCA. We would like to issue a clarification on an article that was recently published in our Newsletter. The article was taken from and was unfortunately published in an issue of our newsletter. The article was about Muharram but contained statements about our Shi a brothers and sisters that are hurtful and inappropriate. While our MCA communications team works hard to edit the newsletter and vet the contents, this was an unintentional oversight. On behalf of the MCA communications team, we thank you for your patience and constructive feedback and we apologize to all those in our community for the oversight in publishing an article that was not thoroughly vetted. The MCA is a space for all Muslims to attend prayers, community events, and feel welcomed as part of the Muslim community of the Bay Area. We value each and everyone of our guests, and we truly appreciate the diversity of our growing community. Muslim Community Association (MCA) 3003 Scott Blvd, Santa Clara, CA

4 FEATURED ARTICLE The Virtues of Muharram and Fasting on Ashura SALIH AL-MUNAJJID Abu Bakarah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul-Qa dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha ban. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Chief of the Messengers, and upon all his family and companions. Allah s sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein Abu Bakarah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhul- Qa dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha ban. Reported by Al-Bukhari, 2958 Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity. Allah s words (interpretation of the meaning):... so wrong not yourselves therein mean do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months. It was reported that Ibn Abbas said that this phrase referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin 4 in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward. Qatadah said concerning this phrase that wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He will. Allah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose from among the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadhan and the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among the nights Laylatul-Qadr, so venerate that which Allah has told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the things that Allah has told us to venerate. [Summarized from the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him. Tafsir of Surah at-tawbah, ayah 36] The Virtue of Observing More Nafil Fasts During Muharram Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah s month of Muharram. The phrase Allah s month, connecting the name of the month to the name of Allah in a genitive grammatical structure, signifies the importance of the month. Al-Qari said: The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram. But it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadhan, so this hadith is probably meant to encourage increasing one s fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire month. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast more in Sha ban. It is likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during this month. [Sharh an-nawawi ala Sahih Muslim] Allah Chooses Whatever Times and Places He Wills Al- Izz ibn Abdus-Salam (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Times and places may be given preferred status in two ways, either temporal or religious/spiritual. With regard to the latter, this is because Allah bestows His generosity on His slaves at those times or in those places, by giving a greater reward for deeds done, such as giving a greater reward for fasting in Ramadhan than for fasting at all other times, and also on the day of Ashura, the virtue of which is due to Allah s generosity and kindness towards His slaves on that day

5 Ashura in History Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. He said, What is this? They said, This is a righteous day, it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa fasted on this day. He said, We have more right to Musa than you, so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day. [Reported by al- Bukhari, 1865] This is a righteous day in a report narrated by Muslim, [the Jews said:] This is a great day, on which Allah saved Musa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Musa fasted on this day a report narrated by Muslim adds: in thanksgiving to Allah, so we fast on this day. According to a report narrated by al-bukhari: so we fast on this day to venerate it. A version narrated by Imam Ahmad adds: This is the day on which the Ark settled on Mount Judi, so Nuh fasted this day in thanksgiving, and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day according to another report also narrated by al-bukhari: He said to his Companions: You have more right to Musa than they do, so fast on that day. The practice of fasting on Ashura was known even in the days of Jahiliyyah, before the Prophet s mission. It was reported that A ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The people of Jahiliyyah used to fast on that day Al-Qurtubi said: Perhaps Quraysh used to fast on that day on the basis of some past law, such as that of Ibrahim, upon whom be peace. It was also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast on Ashura in Makkah, before he migrated to Madinah. When he migrated to Madinah, he found the Jews celebrating this day, so he asked them why, and they replied as described in the hadith quoted above. He commanded the Muslims to be different from the Jews, who took it as a festival, as was reported in the hadith of Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Jews used to take the day of Ashura as a festival [according to a report narrated by Muslim: the day of Ashura was venerated by the Jews, who took it as a festival. According to another report also narrated by Muslim: the people of Khaybar (the Jews) used to take it as a festival and their women would wear their jewellery and symbols on that day]. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: So you [Muslims] should fast on that day. [Reported by al-bukhari] Apparently the motive for commanding the Muslims to fast on this day was the desire to be different from the Jews, so that the Muslims would fast when the Jews did not, because people do not fast on a day of celebration. [Summarized from the words of al- Hafidh Ibn Hajar may Allah have mercy on him in Fath al-bari Sharh ala Sahih al-bukhari] Fasting on Ashura was a gradual step in the process of introducing fasting as a prescribed obligation in Islam. Fasting appeared in three forms. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah, he told the Muslims to fast on three days of every month and on the day of Ashura, then Allah made fasting obligatory when He said (interpretation of the meaning): observing the fasting is prescribed for you [Al-Qur an 2:183] [Ahkam al-qur an by al-jassas, part 1] The obligation was transferred from the fast of Ashura to the fast of Ramadhan, and this one of the proofs in the field of Usul al-fiqh that it is possible to abrogate a lighter duty in favour of a heavier duty. Before the obligation of fasting Ashura was abrogated, fasting on this day was obligatory, as can be seen from the clear command to observe this fast. Then it was further confirmed later on, then reaffirmed by making it a general command addressed to everybody, and once again by instructing mothers not to breastfeed their infants during this fast. It was reported from Ibn Mas ud that when fasting Ramadhan was made obligatory, the obligation to fast Ashura was lifted, i.e., it was no longer obligatory to fast on this day, but it is still desirable (mustahabb). The Virtues of Fasting Ashura Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of Ashura, and this month, meaning Ramadhan. Reported by Al-Bukhari, 1867 The meaning of his being keen was that he intended to fast on that day in the hope of earning the reward for doing so. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: For fasting the day of Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went before. [Reported by Muslim, 1976] This is from the bounty of Allah towards us: for fasting one day He gives us expiation for the sins of a whole year. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty. Which Day is Ashura? An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ashura and Tasu a are two elongated names [the vowels are elongated] as is stated in books on the Arabic language. Our companions said: Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram and Tasu a is the ninth day. This is our opinion, and that of the majority of scholars. This is the apparent meaning of the ahadith and is what we understand from the general wording. It is also what is usually understood by scholars of the language. Ashura is an Islamic name that was not known at the time of Jahiliyyah. [Kashshaf al-qina, part 2, Sawm Muharram] Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram. This is the opinion of Sa id ibn al-musayyib and al-hasan. It was what was reported by Ibn Abbas, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to fast Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram. [Reported by at-tirmidhi, who said, a sahih hasan hadith] It was reported that Ibn Abbas said: The ninth, and reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast the ninth. [Reported by Muslim] Ata reported that he said, Fast the ninth and the tenth, and do not be like the Jews. If this is understood, we can say on this basis that it is mustahabb (encouraged) to fast on the ninth and the tenth, for that reason. This is what Ahmad said, and it is the opinion of Ishaq. It is Mustahabb (Encouraged) to Fast Tasu a with Ashura Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fasted on Ashura and commanded the Muslims to fast as well, they said, O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that is venerated by the Jews and Christians. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, If I live to see the next year, in sha Allah, we will fast on the ninth day too. But it so happened that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed away before the next year came. [Reported by Muslim, 1916] Ash-Shafi i and his companions, Ahmad, Ishaq and others said: It is mustahabb to fast on both the ninth and tenth days, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) fasted on the tenth, and intended to fast on the ninth. On this basis it may be said that there are varying degrees of fasting Ashura, the least of which is to fast only on the tenth and the best of which is to fast the ninth as well. The more one fasts in Muharram, the better it is. The Reason Why it is Mustahabb to Fast on Tasu a An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The scholars our companions and others mentioned several reasons why it is mustahabb to fast on Tasu a : The intention behind it is to be different from the Jews, who only venerate the tenth day. This opinion was reported from Ibn Abbas The intention is to add another day s fast to Ashura. This is akin to the prohibition on fasting a Friday by itself, as was mentioned by al-khattabi and others. To be on the safe side and make sure that one fasts on the tenth, in case there is some error in sighting the crescent moon at the beginning of Muharram and the ninth is in fact the tenth. 5

6 The strongest of these reasons is being different from the People of the Book. Shaykh ul-islam ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade imitating the People of the Book in many ahadith, for example, his words concerning Ashura : If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day. [Al-Fatawa al-kubra, part 6, Sadd adh-dhara i al-mufdiyyah ila l-maharim] Ibn Hajar (may Allah be pleased with him) said in his commentary on the hadith If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth day and What he meant by fasting on the ninth day was probably not that he would limit himself to that day, but would add it to the tenth, either to be on the safe side or to be different from the Jews and Christians, which is more likely. This is also what we can understand from some of the reports narrated by Muslim. [Fath, 4/245] Ruling on Fasting Only on the Day of Ashura Shaykh ul-islam said: Fasting on the day of Ashura is an expiation for a year, and it is not makruh to fast only that day [Al-Fatawa al- Kubra, part 5] In Tuhfat al-muhtaj by Ibn Hajar al-haytami, it says: There is nothing wrong with fasting only on Ashura. [Part 3, Bab Sawm at- Tatawwu ] Fasting on Ashura even if it is a Saturday or a Friday At-Tahawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) allowed us to fast on Ashura and urged us to do so. He did not say that if it falls on a Saturday we should not fast. This is evidence that all days of the week are included in this. In our view and Allah knows best it could be the case that even if this is true (that it is not allowed to fast on Saturdays), it is so that we do not venerate this day and refrain from food, drink and intercourse, as the Jews do. As for the one who fasts on a Saturday without intending to venerate it, and does not do so because the Jews regard it as blessed, then this is not makruh [Mushkil al-athar, part 2, Bab Sawm Yawm as-sabt] The author of Al-Minhaj said: It is disliked (makruh) to fast on a Friday alone But it is no longer makruh if you add another day to it, as mentioned in the sahih report to that effect. A person may fast on a Friday if it coincides with his habitual fast, or he is fasting in fulfilment of a vow, or he is making up an obligatory fast that he has missed, as was stated in a sahih report. Ash-Sharih said in Tuhfat al-muhtaj: If it coincides with his habitual fast i.e., such as if he fasts alternate days, and a day that he fasts happens to be a Friday, if he is fasting in fulfilment of a vow, etc. this also applies to fasting on days prescribed in Shari ah, such as Ashura or Arafah. [Tuhfat al-muhtaj, part 3, Bab Sawm al-tatawwu ] 6 Al-Bahuti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It is makruh to deliberately single out a Saturday for fasting, because of the hadith of Abdullah ibn Bishr, who reported from his sister: Do not fast on Saturdays except in the case of obligatory fasts [reported by Ahmad with a jayyid isnad and by al-hakim, who said: according to the conditions of al-bukhari], and because it is a day that is venerated by the Jews, so singling it out for fasting means being like them except when a Friday or Saturday coincides with a day when Muslims habitually fast, such as when it coincides with the day of Arafah or the day of Ashura, and a person has the habit of fasting on these days, in which case it is not makruh, because a person s habit carries some weight. [Kashshaf al-qina, part 2, Bab Sawm al-tatawwu ] What Should be Done if there is Confusion about the Beginning of the Month? Ahmad said: If there is confusion about the beginning of the month, one should fast for three days, to be sure of fasting on the ninth and tenth days. [Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah, part 3 as- Siyam Siyam Ashur ] If a person does not know when Muharram began, and he wants to be sure of fasting on the tenth, he should assume that Dhul-Hijjah was thirty days as is the usual rule and should fast on the ninth and tenth. Whoever wants to be sure of fasting the ninth as well should fast the eight, ninth and tenth (then if Dhul-Hijjah was twenty-nine days, he can be sure of having fasted Tasu a and Ashura ). But given that fasting on Ashura is mustahabb rather than wajib, people are not commanded to look for the crescent of the new moon of Muharram as they are to do in the case of Ramadhan and Shawwal. Fasting Ashura For What Does it Offer Expiation? Imam an-nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: It expiates for all minor sins, i.e., it brings forgiveness of all sins except major sins. Then he said (may Allah have mercy on him): Fasting the day of Arafah expiates for two years, and the day of Ashura expiates for one year. If when a person says Amin it coincides with the Amin of the angels, he will be forgiven all his previous sins Each one of the things that we have mentioned will bring expiation. If there are minor sins for which expiation is needed, expiation for them will be accepted; if there are no minor sins or major sins, good deeds will be added to his account and he will be raised in status If he had committed major sins but no minor sins, we hope that his major sins will be reduced. [Al-Majmu Sharh al- Muhadhdhab, part 6, Sawm Yawm Arafah] Shaykh ul-islam Ibn Taymiyyah (ay Allah have mercy on himmay Allah have mercy on him) said: Taharah, salah, and fasting in Ramadhan, on the day of Arafah and on Ashura expiate for minor sins only. [Al-Fatawa al-kubra, part 5] Not Relying Too Much on the Reward for Fasting Some people who are deceived rely too much on things like fasting on Ashura or the day of Arafah, to the extent that some of them say, Fasting on Ashura will expiate for the sins of the whole year, and fasting on the day of Arafah will bring extra rewards. Ibn al-qayyim said: This misguided person does not know that fasting in Ramadhan and praying five times a day are much more important than fasting on the day of Arafah and Ashura, and that they expiate for the sins between one Ramadhan and the next, or between one Friday and the next, so long as one avoids major sins. But they cannot expiate for minor sins unless one also avoids major sins; when the two things are put together, they have the strength to expiate for minor sins. Among those deceived people may be one who thinks that his good deeds are more than his sins, because he does not pay attention to his bad deeds or check on his sins, but if he does a good deed he remembers it and relies on it. This is like the one who seeks Allah s forgiveness with his tongue (i.e., by words only), and glorifies Allah by saying Subhanallah one hundred times a day, then he backbites about the Muslims and slanders their honour, and speaks all day long about things that are not pleasing to Allah. This person is always thinking about the virtues of his tasbihat (saying Subhanallah ) and tahlilat (saying La ilaha illallah ) but he pays no attention to what has been reported concerning those who backbite, tell lies and slander others, or commit other sins of the tongue. They are completely deceived. [Al- Mawsu ah al-fiqhiyyah, part 31, Ghurur] Fasting Ashura When One Still has Days to Make Up From Ramadhan The fuqaha differed concerning the ruling on observing voluntary fasts before a person has made up days that he or she did not fast in Ramadhan. The Hanafis said that it is permissible to observe voluntary fasts before making up days from Ramadhan, and it is not makruh to do so, because the missed days do not have to be made up straight away. The Malikis and Shafi is said that it is permissible but is makruh, because it means that one is delaying something obligatory. Ad- Dusuqi said: It is makruh to observe a voluntary fast when one still has to make up an obligatory fast, such as a fast in fulfilment of a vow, or a missed obligatory fast, or a fast done as an act of expiation (kafarah), whether the voluntary fast which is being given priority over an obligatory fast is something confirmed in Shari ah or not, such as Ashura and the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, according to the most correct opinion. The Hanbalis said that it is haram to observe a voluntary fast before making up any fasts missed in Ramadhan, and that a voluntary fast in such cases does not count, even if there is plenty of time to make up the obligatory fast. So a person must give priority to the obligatory fasts until he has made them up. [Al-Mawsu ah al-fiqhiyyah, part 28, Sawm at-tatawwu ]

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8 Muslims must hasten to make up any missed fasts after Ramadhan, so that they will be able to fast Arafah and Ashura without any problem. If a person fasts Arafah and Ashura with the intention from the night before of making up for a missed fast, this will be good enough to make up what he has missed, for the bounty of Allah is great. Innovations Common on Ashura Shaykh ul-islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about the things that people deople do on Ashura, such as wearing kohl, taking a bath (ghusl), wearing henna, shaking hands with one another, cooking grains (hubub), showing happiness and so on. Was any of this reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in a sahih hadith, or not? If nothing to that effect was reported in a sahih hadith, is doing these things bid ah, or not? Is there any basis for what the other group do, such as grieving and mourning, going without anything to drink, eulogizing and wailing, reciting in a crazy manner, and rending their garments?rments? His reply was: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Nothing to that effect has been reported in any sahih hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or from his Companions. None of the Imams of the Muslims encouraged or recommended such things, neither the four Imams, nor any others. No reliable scholars have narrated anything like this, neither from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), nor from the Sahabah, nor from the Tabi in; neither in any sahih report or in a da if (weak) report; neither in the books of Sahih, nor in as-sunan, nor in the Musnads. No hadith of this nature was known during the best centuries, but some of the later narrators reported ahadith like the one which says, Whoever puts kohl in his eyes on the day of Ashura will not suffer from eye disease in that year, and whoever takes a bath (does ghusl) on the day of Ashura will not get sick in that year, and so on. They also reported a fabricated hadith that is falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), which says, Whoever is generous to his family on the day of Ashura, Allah will be generous to him for the rest of the year. Reporting all of this from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is tantamount to lying. Neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) nor his successors (the khulafa ar-rashidun) did any of these things on the day of Ashura, they neither made it a day of mourning nor a day of celebration As for the other things, such as cooking special dishes with or without grains, or wearing new clothes, or spending money on one s family, or buying the year s supplies on that day, or doing special acts of worship such as special prayers or deliberately slaughtering an animal on that day, or saving some of the meat of the sacrifice to cook with grains, or wearing kohl and henna, or taking a bath (ghusl), or shaking hands with one another, or visiting one another, or visiting the mosques and shrines and so on all of this is reprehensible bid ah and is wrong. None of it has anything to do with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or the way of the Khulafa ar-rashidun. It was not approved of by any of the Imams of the Muslims, not Malik, not ath-thawri, not al-layth ibn Sa ad, not Abu Hanifah, not al-awza i, not al-shafi i, not Ahmad ibn Hanbal, not Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, not any of the Imams and scholars of the Muslims. Al-Fatawa al-kubra by Ibn Taymiyyah Ibn Al-Hajj (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that one of the bid ah on Ashura was deliberately paying zakat on this day, late or early, or slaughtering a chicken just for this occasion, or in the case of women using henna. [Al- Madkhal, part 1, Yawm Ashura ] We ask Allah to make us followers of the Sunnah of His Noble Prophet, to make us live in Islam and die in a state of faith. May He help us to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. We ask Him to help us to remember Him and be thankful to Him, to worship Him properly and to accept our good deeds. May He make us of those who are pious and fear Him. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions. 8

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12 If you would like to contribute a story, poem, an article for this section, please send to the newsletter editor newsletter@mcabayarea.org TEST YOUR KNOWLEGE Contributed by Kazi Sisters Do you know the answers to these questions? 1. Where did the Prophet get his first revelation? 2. Who built the Holy Ka bah in Makkah? 3. What was the name of the animal that Prophet Muhammad rode to the heavens? 4. Where was a prophet born? 5. What is the name of the prophet s father? 6. What was the name of the prophet s grandfather? 7. What was the name of the prophet s mother? 8. What is doing good deeds and keeping away from evils. 9. How old was the Prophet when he died? 10. What was the name of book given to Prophet Musa Your Clues: Immediate Job Openings Positions available: PE teacher for girls (middle & high school) Floating substitutes On-call substitutes Minimum qualifications: Bachelor s degree English proficiency Benefits: Health Insurance Coverage 401K Retirement Plan Discount on children s tuition Sept 7 & 21 Oct 5 & 19 Nov 2, 16 & 30 Dec 14 resume & cover letter to: careers@granadaschool.org Granada Islamic School 3003 Scott Blvd Santa Clara Accredited by WASC 12

13 Will or Trust? Why creating a Trust is far more important than a Will Is Islamic Wasiyya same as creating a Will? Things to resolve if you want to create an Islamic Wassiya in California Must have documents for elderly parents, special needs individuals Learn 13

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. JOBS LOOKING FOR A PART-TIME CARETAKER for a one month old to help a first-time mother at her Cupertino home. Education, experience, CPR/ First Aid certification, and references are preferred. Generous compensation to be determined based on qualifications. Please call NON-PROFIT HIDAYA FOUNDATION Donate Zakat and Sadaqah for the poorest of the poor. Read about our 30+ projects at (408)

15 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. 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 REAL ESTATE SHAN SAIGAL-BROKER Pl. Call Shan to Buy/Sell/Property Management. 20+Years Experience in this area. Referral Realty Silicon Valley Shan@ShanSaigal.com Bre# GAMAL HALIM, REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS Commercial & Residential Sales Foreclosure, Short Sales&probates License# , 20 Y Experience jimisinca@yahoo.com (925) TASNEEM FATIMA, REALTOR Direct: Cell: BRE# Coldwell Banker, Residential Brokerage, 630 Ramona Street, Palo Alto, CA ADAM ATITO TEAM FOR REAL ESTATE & MOBIL NOTARY Years Experience in the Bay area. CSR Real Estate Services aatito@gmail.com Bre# INSURED and BONDED ALAI HANBALI, REALTOR at REALTY xxfremont, Serving the Community for all your Real Estate needs. Thinking of Buying or Selling a Property, Home, Condo, etc., Feel free to call, text or Alai at alai@realtyexperts.com, DRE# WALID HAZIN, MBA REAL ESTATE Specialist. Residential and Commercial walid.hazin@kw.com (408) CalBRE# KELLER WILLIAM REALTY SARATOGA BAY AREA ESTATE TAX / ACCOUNTING Micro Tax, Audit, & Accounting Services, LLP Certified public accountants Tax preperation (e-file), audit, accounting, & payroll services. Call: M. Amin Haroon CPA, FFCA (UK) Ph: support@microtaxcpa.com AMERICAN CPA SERVICES. FILE YOUR TAXES WITH SAQIB AMIN, CPA or samin@americancpaservices.com We bring high level of knowledge, experience and education to analyze your specific situation for tax saving opportunities. YOUR AD HERE! ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS OR SERVICES, GROW YOUR BUSINESS, GET NEW CUSTOMERS newsletter@mcabayarea.org 15

16 FOUNDATION P.O. BOX 5481, Santa Clara, CA (866) 2.HIDAYA Medical Assistance Severe poor economic circumstances result in less attention to personal hygiene in the family leading to various medical problems. The problems are often ignored and can develop into severe long-term health related issues. Health Care for the Poor and Neglected Hidaya assists poor patients suffering from contagious diseases by providing access to doctors, lab tests, medicines and follow-up visits. Assistance is given to patients who need surgeries in the localities where Hidaya operates, and hospitals are provided with equipments, medicines and cash in order to better treat poor patients. Hidaya also collects new and used medical equipments, supplies, and medicines locally, and ships them overseas via its Container Shipment for In-Kind Donations project for use in hospitals and clinics enabling them to provide better service to the poor. Donate online via check or card at or call us at (408) or donate at one of Hidaya s Jumah Tables in MCA Banquet Hall or New Lobby HIDAYA H i d aya Fo u n d a t i o n i s a n o n - p ro f i t ( C ) ( 3 ) c h a r i t a b l e o rg a n i z a t i o n w i t h Ta x I D #