Ramadan in Africa

Fasting during Ramadan is strictly adhered to in countries where there's a large Islamic population. Throughout North Africa the vast majority of the population will fast, this includes Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya. In East and West Africa the predominantly Islamic countries include Djibouti, Sudan, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Somalia. Zanzibar (Tanzania), and Kenya's coastal towns (Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu), also have large Islamic populations.

Muslims account for over half the population in as many as 28 African countries including Nigeria and Ethiopia which given the predominance of churches everywhere you would traditionally think of it as a Christian country. Muslims in Africa account for about a third of all Muslims world wide and Islam is also the fastest growing religion in Africa.

Would you skip lunch to sponsor an iftar for a starving family? As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, millions of Muslims are living without food and water in the Horn of Africa region. According to aid agencies, up to 12 million people living in remote areas across Ethiopia , Kenya and Somalia are faced with starvation.

Most of the affected areas are inhabited by Muslims, which would make the month of fasting even tougher on them if aid agencies and well-wishers don’t intervene swiftly!

As the number of hungry people rises, more resources will be needed to meet the need for food assistance. The WFP estimates that around US$477 million is needed to address hunger needs in the region through to the end of the year.

Currently, it has a 40% shortfall in funding, with about US$190 million still needed. The mainly Muslim East and Horn of Africa region, the focus now is on Muslim organisations to be at the forefront of lending a hand.

Some are are now calling on Muslims to launch a campaign where they skip lunch and donate those funds to feed a hungry family for iftar as their effort to ease the famine. The call comes as Muslims prepare to fast from dawn to dusk in order to physical feel the pangs of hunger felt by those less fortunate and is a month characterised by the spirit of generosity and compassion.

Meanwhile, the African Union called Tuesday on the international community to come to the aid of Somalia, where one in three people are suffering from the combined effect of unrest and drought. "Close to three million people, that is one in three Somalis, are in need of humanitarian assistance," said the AU in a statement. "This has led to major displacements into urban areas, in particular Mogadishu, as well as in neighbouring countries.

My God, they make up Stories to Keep the Lie alive!

“We saw around 50 federal agents. They were all dressed

in black. They were in the dumpsters even. I came out of

the car to see what was going on. They pointed guns at us.

They put Dritan in handcuffs. They had me in handcuffs.

They had dogs trained on us, foaming at their mouths,

which was scary because we couldn’t protect ourselves.

The nieces and nephews were just in the truck crying. I

was 15. I thought I was in a dream when that was going

on, during the arrest.”

Burim Duka, age 20 (brother of Eljvir, Dritan and Shain

Duka), describing Dritan’s arrest

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/files/targetedandentrapped.pdf

Diwan Shaykh Ibrahim Niyas

Grandfather and son, (ra)

http://www.4shared.com/audio/i2Xo3gjK/Min_diwan-ShIbrahim_Niyas.html

15th Night of Shabaan

Abstracted from the writings of:
Sheikh Maulana Mohammed Ilyas Attar Qadri

Master of Masters, Prophet Muhammad (Swall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) said that whoever fasts three days in the month of Shabaan and at the time of if’tar (breaking-fast at sunset) recites 3 times darood [salawat] on me, his sins will be forgiven and his provisions will be amplified and on the Day of Judgment he will enter Paradise riding on a heavenly female camel.

Sayiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayidunna Esa (Jesus Alaihis’salam) passed by a mountain and there he saw a white stone. He started looking at it with awe. Allah revealed his message [wa’hy] on his messenger (alaihis’salaam), “Shall I disclose for you a thing stranger than this” “Surely!” he answered. So then that stone split and from it emerged an old man, with a green walking stick in his hand and pointing to the grapes vines said that I get my sustenance from here.

Sayediunna Esa (Alihis’salaam) asked him, “How long have you been busy in worshipping Allah in this stone” The man replied “for 400 years.” Sayidunna Esa (Alaihi’salaam) said to Allah, “I think no one else would have worshipped like him.” Allah revealed, “whoever of the nation [ummah] of My Beloved Prophet (Swall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) performs 2 cycles [raka’] of prayer on the 15th night of Shabaan is better than this 400 years of worship.” {Nuzhatul Majalis}

Mother of the believers, Sayidatuna A’isha (May Allah be pleased with her) says, I missed the Prophet (Swall Allau Alaihi Wasallam) one night so I went out to al-Baqi’ (graveyard, and found him). He said: “Were you afraid that Allah would wrong” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, I thought that you might have gone to visit one of your [other] wives.” He said: “Allah Glorious and Exalted descends to the nearest heaven on the night of mid-Shabaan (15th night) and He forgives more people than the number of hair on the hides of the flocks and herds of sheep of the tribe of Kalb. {Tirmidhi} It is recorded in books that the tribe of Kalb used to have the most number of sheep in Arabia, but some unfortunate people are still not forgiven on this night when Allah showers His mercy on mankind. Amongst them are 1) those who are habitual drinkers [alcoholics] 2) those who are habitual adulterous 3) those who are disobedient to their parents 4) those who break family ties 5) those who are mischief-spreaders and, 6) those who are back-bitters. In another narration mischief-spreader is replaced with those who make pictures. {Mukashifatul Quloob}.

In other narrations those who practice magic, those who eat interest, those who lower their pants below their ankles with pride, those who start a fight between two Muslims, those who bear malice (have hatred for another Muslim) in their hearts without a lawful cause are also not forgiven on this blessed night unless they repent sincerely and also ask for forgiveness from fellow Muslims and make peace.

In a long Prophetic narration, narrated in Ghunya tut-Talibin, the Messenger of Allah said, that is the night of mid-Shabaan (15 night) when Allah (Exalted is He) arranges the affairs of the year. He transfers [some of] the living to the list of dead, and records those who will make pilgrimage [Hajj] to the House of Allah that year, neither adding one too many nor leaving a single one of them out.”

Once Leader of Believers, Sayidunna Omar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah be pleased with them) was busy praying extra [na’fl salah/namaz]. He lifted his head and saw a green note, whose light [glow] spread till the sky and it read “This is a note of forgiveness from the Owner Allah Almighty (Exalted is He) to His servant Omar bin Abdul Aziz. (Tafseer Roh-ul-Bayan)

It is recorded from the Friends of Allah [Auliya-Allah] to pray 6 cycles of ritual prayer [raka’] after the Maghrib prayer. In the first two raka’ add with the intention that with its blessing extend life with harmony. Next two for the protection from misfortunes and evil, and next two so that may Allah make us dependant on Him and no one else. After every two cycles [raka’] recite 21 times Surah Ikhlas OR once Sura Yasin (chapter 36). Rather read both and gain mounts of rewards and then recite the Supplication of Shabaan (dua’ of Shabaan)

Spend the night, as much as possible, in worship and on the 15th of Shabaan fast. It is written in Anees-ul-Waezeen that whoever fasts on the fifteenth of Shabaan the fire of hell will not touch him.
Since the book of deeds is changed on the 15 night, if it is possible, also fast on the 14th so that the last day of the yearly deed book is spent fasting and the first day is spent fasting.
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Native Americans

The important 1886 historical American war photograph of Geronimo and its headline connotation to "Homeland Security" and "Terrorism" has extreme deep-seated and inter-generational significance to the native indigenous peoples of our great country, the United States of America, USA.

Many brave Indian warriors, many beautiful Indian women and grandmothers, and many innocent Indian children did not survive the post European contact military incursions by Spanish-Mexican-British-French-American government soldiers and civilian militias that overran and blatantly stole their ancestral homelands, decimated their populations and literally sought to exterminate them from the Earth!

How do you mend a Broken Heart?

We all have experienced some type of devastating event, weather it is the death of a loved one, the lost of an important relationship, the lost of dreams, children, parent's , spouse or any object of adoration, a life changing event has occurred or will happen to the best of us!  We all can relate to the pain of lost, so what besides time, turns this around? First and foremost allow your self to grieve, don't expect this pain to vanish overnight!

Then, start to detach by giving in to thoughts that elevate and take you away from that which keeps you down.  Find those things that help you to feel positive, healthy mentally and spiritually. Walk, exercise, eat healthy meals, help someone less fortunate than your self.  Count your blessings and realize that this life is not permanent and we will eventually have to leave.

There is no greater benefit to a painful lost or separation than "Prayer" knowing that something is greater than our self and all that we experience helps us in ways we can't even imagine, believing in a "Loving God" that knows better than anyone else, what it is your experiencing, creates a window of relief for the broken hearted.

Rejoice in what you have and move forward in your planning for the future!  Then allow for set backs and do not dispare, life has points of rocky, shaky moments as well as beautiful moments of laughter and joy.  It is the contrast in life that teaches us what we need to know and pushes us to appreciate the good times and to be thankful.

These events teaches us, how so much in life is out of our control and no matter how hard we try, something will always go wrong and some things will always go right! Our purpose in this life is to worship God in good and bad times because He is the only constant Good..

When you look out of the window of faith you can see a field of flowers of hope, compassion, forgiveness and promise, that suffering in this life has an ultimate purpose and has an ending that is just and fare.

DUA OF THE OPPRESSED

http://sandala.org/blog/2011/04/27/the-prayer-of-the-oppressed-al-du’a-al-nasiri/


http://sandala.org/blog/2011/04/27/the-prayer-of-the-oppressed-al-du’a-al-nasiri/