﷽ | In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
As-salamu alaykum Brothers and Sisters in Islam
This is a reminder that Musallah will be open for Iftar tonight. We will break our fast together and pray Maghrib and IshaAllah followed by Taraweeh prayers.
Please join us tonight and bring your families and some food to share.
We look forward to see all at Musallah tonight, Inshallah
JazakAllah
Blessed month of Ramadhan 1445H-2024 is upon us and we are looking forward to welcome it and benefits from the bounties of this holy month.
We are all excited here at Warrnambool Musallah and have exciting activities planned.
Musallah will open for regular Isha prayers followed by Taraweeh prayers each time instead of Maghrib prayers every night from the night of Monday 11th March 2024 with 1st day of fasting on 12th March 2024 as per announcements by Australian National Imams Council.
We plan to have Iftar together every Saturday at Musallah, followed by Maghrib, Isha and Traweeh prayers. We encourage all of you to join in for Iftar and bring food to share with others.
We also intend to open Musallah for Fajr prayers every Saturday.
For Sahoor and Iftar, please follow timings on Athan app. We recommend you to please down the app if you have not already done it and set Warrnambool as your location.
Bothers from Jammat from Fawkner are planning to visit us towards the end of Holy month. We look forward to have them here.
We will announce program for Eid –u- Fitr prayers later on so watch the space.
Membership:
We plan to do a membership campaign which will start in 1st week of Ramadhan. This will allow us to plan future developments at Musallah keeping in mind the needs to our local and wider communities. Please watch out on Musallah website, FB page and Whatsapp group for further details regarding membership.
Donations:
As you may all know that current Musallah place does not belong to us, hence we are aspiring to have our own place. We will not be able to achieve this without your help. We are requesting to donate generously during this blessed month when rewards are many folds for your acts.
We could do it whilst visiting the Musahhal using donation box or by donating online using Musallah bank details. We may wish to set regular donations by using direct debt facilities via your banks.
Zakat and Sadaqa-tul-fitr:
Please do not forget to pay you zakat and Sadaqa-tul-fitr obligations as soon as possible to help your brothers and sisters who in need.
May Allah accepts your efforts and prayers and bless you with his blessings and bounties.
Warrnambool Islamic Society committee
Virtues of Ramadan include the following: 1- Allah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam. 2- Allah revealed the Quran in this month. 3- Allah has blessed Ramadan with Laylat al-Qadr . 4- In this month, Allah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell. 5-Every night Allah has people whom He redeems from the Fire. 6- Fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan.
Praise be to Allah.
Ramadan is one of the twelve Arabic months. It is a month which is venerated in the Islamic religion, and it is distinguished from the other months by a number of characteristics and virtues, including the following:
1- Allah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam , as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
And it was narrated in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 8; Muslim, 16) from the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah; establishing prayer; paying zakah; fasting Ramadan; and Hajj to the House (the Ka’bah).”
2- Allah revealed the Quran in this month, as He says in the verse quoted above (interpretation of the meaning):
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)…” [al-Baqarah 2:185]
And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree).” [al-Qadr 97:1]
3– Allah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have sent it (this Quran) down in the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree). And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allah’s Permission with all Decrees, (All that night), there is peace (and goodness from Allah to His believing slaves) until the appearance of dawn.” [al-Qadar 97:1-5]
“We sent it (this Quran) down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night of Al-Qadr) in the month of Ramadan — the 9th month of the Islamic calendar]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Lordship and in Our Oneness of worship].” [al-Dukhan 44:3]
Allah has blessed Ramadan with Laylat al-Qadr . Explaining the great status of this blessed night, Surat al-Qadr was revealed, and there are many ahadith which also speak of that, such as the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is better than a thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” (Narrated by al-Nasai, 2106; Ahmad, 8769, classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib, 999.)
And Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1910; Muslim, 760)
4- Allah has made fasting Ramadan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins, as was proven in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 2014; Muslim, 760) from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
Al-Bukhari (2008) and Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
The Muslims are unanimously agreed that it is Sunnah to pray qiyam at night in Ramadan. Al-Nawawi said that what is meant by praying qiyam in Ramadan is to pray Tarawih, i.e., one achieves what is meant by qiyam by praying Tarawih.
5- In this month, Allah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell , and chains up the devils, as is stated in al-Sahihayn (al-Bukhari, 1898; Muslim, 1079), from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.”
6- Every night Allah has people whom He redeems from the Fire. Imam Ahmad (5/256) narrated from the hadith of Abu Umamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “At every breaking of the fast, Allah has people whom He redeems.” Al-Mundhiri said: there is nothing wrong with its isnad; and it was classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib, 987.
Al-Bazzar (Kashf 962) narrated that Abu Sa’id said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has people whom He redeems every day and night – i.e., in Ramadan – and every Muslim every day and night has a prayer that is answered.”
7- Fasting Ramadan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadan, so long as one avoids major sins. It was proven in Sahih Muslim (233) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers, from one Jumu’ah to the next and from one Ramadan to the next are expiation for (sins committed) in between, so long as you avoid major sins.”
8- Fasting in Ramadan is equivalent to fasting ten months, as is indicated by the hadith in Sahih Muslim (1164) narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: “Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal , it will be like fasting for a lifetime.”
Ahmad (21906) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, a month is like ten months, and fasting six days after al-Fitr will complete the year.”
9- Whoever prays qiyam in Ramadan with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawud (1370) and others from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays qiyam with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Salat al-Tarawih, p. 15)
10- ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj . Al-Bukhari (1782) and Muslim (1256) narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a woman among the Ansar, “What kept you from doing Hajj with us?” She said, “We only had two camels that we used for bringing water.” So her husband and son had gone for Hajj on one camel, and he left the other for them to use for bringing water.” He said, “When Ramadan comes, go for ‘Umrah, for ‘Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj.” According to a report narrated by Muslim, “… is equivalent to doing Hajj with me.”
11- It is Sunnah to observe i’tikaf (retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadan, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) always did that, as it was narrated in the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to spend the last ten days of Ramadan in i’tikaf until he passed away, then his wives observed i’tikaf after him.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1922; Muslim, 1172.
12- It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly recommended in Ramadan to study the Quran together and to read it a great deal. You may study the Quran together by reciting it to someone else and by having someone else recite it to you. The evidence that this is mustahabb is the fact that Jibril used to meet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) every night in Ramadan and study the Quran with him. (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6; Muslim, 2308)
Reading Quran is mustahabb in general, but more so in Ramadan.
13- It is mustahabb in Ramadan to offer iftar to those who are fasting , because of the hadith of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the fasting person’s reward in the slightest.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 807; Ibn Majah, 1746; classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 647.)
And Allah knows best.
Source: https://islamqa.info/en/13480