Aivazovsky, Gurzuf
A long-awaited guest has come to us, whom the hearts of believers have been impatiently waiting for. A guest who comes once a year. A guest whose status Allah has elevated to the highest rank. The time of his visit is the most convenient for doing good deeds, correcting mistakes, increasing knowledge and faith. This is a guest whom you meet with open arms and see off with tears and regret. And if you meet him with dignity, give him the best reception, try to get closer to Allah through him, then your position will be honorable.
And this guest is the month of Ramadan, in which the Koran was sent down. This month is the best of all months because it is the month of the Quran, Fasting and Prayers. The tradition of observing fasting by believers goes back to the distant past. Islamic theologians say that fasting as a special form of worship to the Lord existed at all times and was an integral part of all the Laws transmitted by the Almighty God to His Messengers. The Almighty says in the Quran:
“O you who believe! Fasting is just as obligatory for you as it was for those who came before you. Perhaps you will be God-fearing."
For the first time, the duty of fasting according to the Holy History of Islam was prescribed by the Law sent down to the first man and the Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Fasting was observed by Nuh (Noah) and Ibrahim (Abraham), Suleiman (Solomon) and Daud (David), Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus).
The honor and greatness of this month are due to a number of reasons. After all, it was in this month that the Holy Quran, the last Heavenly Book, was sent down. It happened on a blessed night called Laylatul-Qadr. The Quran says:
“The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was sent down as a guide for people, an explanation of the straight path and discernment (to distinguish the true from the false)” (2:185).
Also this month, the prophetic mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began.
In this month, the gates of paradise are opened, and the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are bound in chains. Not without reason, on the eve of this holy month, the Prophet said: “And now the month of Ramadan has come to you - a blessed month in which Allah obligated you to fast. In this month, the gates of paradise are opened, and the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are bound in chains. There is a night in it that is better than a thousand months, and whoever loses the blessings of this night, truly, he is deprived ”(Ahmad, Nasai and Bayhaki).
The peculiarity of this month is that prayers made during fasting are accepted by Allah, and He answers them.
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says: “In the month of Ramadan, the prayer of every Muslim is accepted” (given by Ahmad).
AND best time to appeal to the Almighty with a prayer - this is the time before breaking the fast. Since the Prophet said: “The Almighty does not reject the prayer of three: the Just Imam, who fasts until he breaks his fast, and the prayer of the oppressed” (given by ibn Maj). The uniqueness of this month is that the Prophet said: “Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan with faith and with the hope that his fast will be accepted by the Almighty, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
And what prevents us from doing the same as our ancestors: waiting for the onset of Ramadan and meeting it in the same way as they met?
Fourteen centuries have passed since the time of the prophet. The earth has seen many destinies. There are many who were more worthy than all of us put together. But today they are not. And you know what they all dream about? About the Ramadan in which we woke up today.
Praise be to Allah, we have lived to see Ramadan, we are glad for its coming, but we should not delude ourselves. It is also necessary to conduct it with dignity, and above all, it is necessary to set out to fast for the sake of Allah, for the sake of his pleasure, wishing that He would lead us into paradise and save us from hellfire.
An important point is the value of time, especially in the month of Ramadan, when there is a lot to be done, and he quietly leaves. The Prophet also said: “If my ummah knew what Allah had prepared for her in the month of Ramadan, then she would certainly wish that the whole year would be Ramadan.”
Muslim Dervishev
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En yakyn zamanda dunya muslimlary bereketi sonsuz olgan mubarek Ramadan ayyny karshylaijak. Bu mukaddes kunlerni is poor ve ruhumyz ichyun faydaly kechirmek, manevy baylygymyzny arttyrmaga epimizge kysmet olsun.
Deadlines motivate to action. Ahead of the 30 days of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims struggle with their weaknesses, cultivating willpower in themselves, depriving themselves not only of food and water during daylight hours, but limiting themselves in the manifestation of discontent, anger, selfishness. The hardest fight is the fight with yourself.
Scientists have found that 21 days is the optimal amount of time in which to train new and desirable habits. And we have a whole month ahead of us.
Habits are formed step by step, from simple to complex, through thoughts and daily actions. By stepping over your own boundaries every day, making the impossible possible, you can change those character traits that make life difficult for you and your loved ones.
30 days of fighting with yourself, 30 days of working towards the desired changes. Leave the oppressive feelings for a while, focus on your thoughts, feelings and the formation of new habits. This, in turn, can make you a different person, change your life.
It would seem that every Muslim knows about the virtues of the month of Ramadan. But there are also many who this year for the first time will join in this charitable work with brothers and sisters in faith. Therefore, understanding the significance and importance of some even common truths, we decided to talk about Ramadan with the editor of the Avar edition of the As-Salam newspaper, Yahya-hadzhi Muhammadov.
How should Muslims celebrate this special month for them?
The month of Ramadan is indeed a very important period for a Muslim, when none of them should not only miss the opportunity of special worship of Allah, but also compete with others in diligent worship.
This is what the Almighty said in the Holy Quran (meaning): “And to this (worship) let aspirants strive”(Sura al-Mutafifin, 26).
Even before the onset of Ramadan, true Muslims prepare for it, ask Allah to help them reach Ramadan alive and well, and also be energetic in fasting. When the month of Rajab came, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Oh God, bless us in Rajab and Sha" Aban and bring us to Ramadan"(Ahmad and At-Tabrani).
Seeing the crescent of Ramadan, it is advisable to say a prayer: "Allahu Akbar. Allahhumma ahillagyu `alayna bilamni wal imani, vassalamati wal islami, wa tavfiqi lima tukhIibbu wa tarza. Rabbana wa rabbuka Allahu, Allahu Akbar wala hIavla wala quwwata illa billahi, Allahyumma inni as'aluka khair haza shagri, wa a'uzu bika min shsharil qadari wa min sharril mahishari gyalalu khairi wa rrushdi amantu billazi halakaka.(At-Tirmizi, Darimi).
- How can you best benefit from this month?
Ramadan is a month of special worship and therefore requires strong intention and advance planning in order to get the most out of this blessed month. For some reason, we do not take this moment into account, even if we paint and plan worldly life very clearly. It is a pity that Muslims rarely take their mission in this world with full responsibility. Meanwhile, there are many chances and opportunities to become closer to Allah, to earn his satisfaction with your sincere worship. One of these chances is the use of Ramadan, when the days and nights of the whole month are divided into different types worship of the Lord.
The sincerity of a Muslim plays a very important role. Whoever is sincere with Allah, Allah will help him and facilitate the path to goodness, because the Almighty said (meaning): "If they were sincere in their faith and submission to Allah, it would be better for them"(Sura Muhammad, 21). Sincerity is the meaning of all worship, the key to starting pious deeds; for sincerity and honesty in desires, Allah will help his slave. According to the intention of the slave and his desire, there will be the help and support of the Almighty. It is necessary to know how diligent the noble companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were in worshiping Allah in this noble month. They were aware of the peculiarities of Ramadan and therefore worked in worship: they stood up at night in additional prayers; read the Koran, gave alms to the poor and needy and did good; they broke the fast and fought for the submission of their souls to Allah and directed all their thoughts to submission to Him.
How important is it for a Muslim to know the correctness of fasting and performing all the necessary rituals?
This is very important, because the Almighty obliged his slaves to observe the commandments of Ramadan. And fasting must be correct and accepted by Allah Almighty. And it is accepted and considered correct if a Muslim knows well all the rules and commandments that exist for this blessed month, and fulfills them. Every Muslim should prepare himself, read books and pamphlets, listen to lectures and lessons on the correct conduct of fasting. In addition, even before the start of Ramadan, he must think about his worship in it, he must prepare his soul for a special Ibadat. Don't be shy to ask, it's better than posting mistakes. Glory to Allah, we, in Dagestan, have many knowledgeable, literate Ulama, so that you can clarify everything that is unclear to yourself: "Ask the scientists if you don't know yourself!"- says the Almighty in the Koran (sura "Prophets", 7).
- They say and write a lot about the fact that Ramadan is not only a month of fasting, but also a month of renunciation of sins, a month of repentance.
Yes it is. Every Muslim should meet Ramadan with a firm resolve to leave behind all sins, repent of them and never return to them. After all, Ramadan is the month of repentance, and if we do not repent now, then when? After all, no one knows how much he was released. And therefore we must hurry and be afraid that we will not have time to repent of all sins, mistakes, even unkind thoughts.
It is recommended to be especially active in calling to Allah, that is, it is necessary to prepare competent interesting speeches that can help others become more righteous and pious. A Muslim should help the poor and needy this month, remind others of alms and zakat, that it is necessary to help all those who need our help. It is necessary to perform all collective prayers in the mosque, namaz-tarawih, spend nights in the mosque in worship of Almighty Allah, especially the last ten nights, since one of them has the night of Laylatul Qadr, worship during which is better than worship for thousands of months in which no this night.
- What would you say to our readers, addressing them?
I advise brothers and sisters to sincerely repent of past sins before the Almighty, obey everything that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called for, that is, avoid everything that he forbade and follow what he recommended.
I advise you to pay special attention and love to your families, parents, relatives and friends. Be pious, useful to your society. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best of people is the one who is most useful to them."
- Tell us about the reward for the post.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his companions on the eve of this noble month: “The month of Ramadan has come to you - a blessed month, Allah ordered you to fast in it. This month the gates of Paradise open and the gates of Hell close.(Ahmad). Great is the reward that Allah has prepared for those who fast. He said: “Every work of the son of Adam (is done by him) for himself, except for fasting, for, verily, he is for Me, and I will repay him.” Whoever fasts for the sake of Allah for a day, He will remove him from Hell for seventy years.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the slave on the Day of Judgment. Fasting will say: "Lord, I forbade him food and passion - during the day, let me intercede." The Koran will say: "Lord, I forbade him to sleep at night, let me intercede." And they will intercede for him"(Ahmad). In Paradise there is a door called Ar-Rayyan. No one will enter it except those who fast. It is also said that all previous sins will be forgiven to the one who fasted in the month of Ramadan. These are just some of the benefits that the fasting person receives as a reward from Allah.
In conclusion, addressing our readers, I want to once again urge them not to miss the special opportunities of worship in this blessed holy month of Ramadan. We ask Allah to accept our fasting and prayers. And our last prayer: "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family, and all his companions."
Interview prepared
Nailya SHAMILOV
The holy month of Ramadan is the month of fasting, the mercy of the Almighty and the forgiveness of human sins.
Eternal praise to Allah Almighty, who has given us the true path and turned us away from the darkness of unbelief and godlessness! Blessing and peace of the Seal of the prophets and messengers, which was sent as a mercy to the worlds, to our master, the truthful and faithful Prophet Muhammad, his family and all his companions! May Allah Almighty be pleased with each of those who followed his righteous path and adhered to his Sunnah until the Day of Judgment!
For many centuries, Muslims observed this fast, because it is commanded in the Koran. “O you who believe! - says the Lord, - fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those who were before you, for a certain number of days, so that you become God-fearing! For thirty days, every believer from dawn to sunset abstains from food and drink, carnal aspirations. For thirty days we are zealous in godliness.
The benefits of fasting have been proven by modern medical science. And in this, undoubtedly, lies the mercy of God to His servants. But still, the main meaning of fasting is different - in the pursuit of piety and brotherhood. Fasting is a struggle. Fight with your desires and passions. And through this struggle, a person gains inner freedom. For if you always indulge your desires, then there will be no freedom - there will be only thoughtless slavery and submission to passions alone.
Fasting is also the path to universal brotherhood, because during the days of Ramadan everyone is equally hungry: both the poor and the rich. Today, for many, the feeling of hunger has been forgotten, and those who are younger did not know it at all. And thank God! But there are still many disadvantaged people in this world for whom poverty and malnutrition are a daily reality. Fasting helps us, living in serene satiety, to feel the need of our neighbor. That is why at the end of Ramadan, those who fast give out a special alms - sadaqa al-fitr. And even if it had not been prescribed by the religious canon, believers would still distribute it as a sign of solidarity with the starving, whose need becomes clear and close to us.
Contrary to popular belief, fasting does not undermine a person's health and normal lifestyle. For healthy adults leading a normal life, food and carnal prohibitions apply only to daylight hours. All pregnant and lactating women, children, the elderly, the sick, warriors and travelers are exempt from fasting. At the same time, the last three categories, when returning to a normal way of life, as well as those who violated the fast by accident, must compensate it at the end of Ramadan during the lost days.
However, fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink. The Blessed Prophet XXX taught us not to sin with a bad word during fasting. For a bad tongue turns valuable minutes of service to the Almighty into a senseless hunger strike. Gossip, slander, swearing - all this is incompatible with piety, especially on fasting days. And we must remember this.
Not every person is gifted with the happiness of fasting. The old, the sick, the infirm - all of them will not be able to spend Ramadan fasting. But there is no need to despair, for the mercy of the Almighty is boundless. And piety does not end with Ramadan. The Lord "does not lay on a man anything that is too much for him." And He forgives our weakness, for He sees our intentions, looking into our hearts.
May Almighty Allah grant each of us the strength and will to overcome vile temptations, to fulfill His commandments and gain piety. May this month of Ramadan be the month of mercy and forgiveness of our sins!
Ramadan - everything else, it is also a victory. The great victory of a believer over his passions, vices, sins, victory over the vanity of this mortal world.
Ramadan is a special month. Great, blessed month. And if people truly knew its generosity and greatness, its true essence and its mystery, then they would want this month to last a whole year, and maybe a lifetime. Prophet Muhammad XXX says: "Whoever knows even one day of Ramadan, he will distance himself for 70 years from Hell."
The great words addressed to mankind from the Most Gracious and All-Merciful God say: "My mercy is ahead of My wrath." Allah, the Creator of the earth and heavens, the Creator of man and mankind, is merciful and merciful to his creations, creatures and slaves, compassionate and compassionate towards them. And therefore, the obligatory, and perhaps the most important and necessary thing that a believer in Allah and the responsibility of the Day of Judgment should come to, having passed the test of Ramadan, is mercy, compassion and mercy towards oneself and all living things!
“Show mercy to those who are on earth, and those who are in heaven will show their mercy to you,” the Prophet Muhammad XXX teaches us. I am sure: the true goal of Ramadan, its highest goal is to do good and mercy! After all, it is goodness and mercy that purify the soul, make it possible to rise to one more step of spiritual ascent, approaching the Lord!
Remember this month day by day. Remember to whom you showed mercy or compassion, to whom you did good. Wasn't there something for which now you have to blush, what you have to regret? Remember if the closest people were ignored: parents, children, friends?
Grace of the heart is not just beautiful words. These are words coming from Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Merciful, for He is the One to Whom we give praise and ask to guide us along the path of mercy. For, as the Prophet Muhammad XXX teaches us, "they will not have mercy on those who themselves do not show mercy."
Truly, “you will never believe until you begin to show mercy to each other,” the great Teacher of humanity XXX instructed his companions. The companions said: "O Messenger of Allah - each of us is not without compassion, pity and mercy!" He replied: “Indeed, this is not the kind of mercy that each of you shows towards his comrade! But mercy towards people in general, mercy towards all. Prophet XXX speaks of a comprehensive, all-encompassing mercy, of compassion that makes the heart of the believer beat in a key, of the mercy of all members of the human community towards each other.
Glory be to Allah! We do not belong to those who are not touched by the cry of a child, who forget about their own mother. If Prophet XXX had heard about the inhuman crimes in Beslan, I have no doubt that he would have cursed the child-killer. He would curse those who, with the name of the Creator on their lips, sow evil, death, hatred, kill and shed blood.
“Allah will not have mercy on the Day of Judgment who does not show mercy in this world, and only the unfortunate is deprived of mercy,” Prophet Muhammad XXX uttered these words fourteen centuries ago, but, having passed through the centuries, they are extremely relevant for humanity. What makes hearts hard? Of course, from many sins. Where do sins accumulate from? Of course, from love for this mortal world, from love for imaginary passing values. For everything in this world is perishable, everything will disappear, collapse, disappear, become obsolete - only it will never grow old, God's mercy will not disappear. The mercy of the Creator will never end, for His mercy goes ahead of His wrath. His grace embraces today, and tomorrow, and always. And if there is mercy and mercy in the human heart, it means that he is close to the Lord, the Creator! For only through service to others, through mercy and mercy to all that the Creator of all things has created, do we find the pleasure of our Lord! And only a person is able to create mercy, and only a person can give the mercy of his heart. And therefore, as the prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) said, whoever says that he loves God, serves God, obeys the will of God, and hates his neighbor, is a liar.
Mercy is the great gift of the Almighty, the mercy that He shows us, even when we do not deserve it. Once a soldier of Napoleon fled from the battlefield, throwing down his weapon, for which he was sentenced to death. The mother of a young soldier came to the emperor and began to ask for his mercy in relation to the negligent soldier. "He doesn't deserve mercy!" Napoleon said. “Mercy is not deserving. Mercy is bestowed, ”the mother answered quietly. And the emperor forgave her son.
Brothers and sisters! Let us give each other the mercy of our hearts and the kindness of our deeds. After all, goodness, mercy and compassion are the gifts of God, endless and unlimited. The more we give, the more will come to us.
Ramadan is called the month of piety, because this month from time immemorial conflicts stopped, wars stopped, peace negotiations began. May this month be a month of peace and tranquility for us. May the tragedies that terrify the whole world never be repeated.
According to the Koran, God created the earth as a temple, the abode of virtue and good manners. But the dark forces want to desecrate this God's temple: they blow up, kill - "they create wickedness on earth." Terror is killing people. Murder is just as ridiculous in its senselessness as pagan rituals, when human blood was shed for the sake of false gods and imaginary goals. The terrorists and the forces behind them know what they are after. They want to spread a network of human sacrifices all over the world, irrigate all corners of the earth - "God's temple" with their sacrificial blood. Just as the Meccan pagans filled the Holy Kaaba, the House of Allah, with statues of 360 idols, today's terrorists also want to turn the earth - "God's temple" - into a gathering of pagan altars.
That is why terror for us is nothing but neo-paganism. Just as cruel and senseless as in previous centuries. Anyone who is at least superficially familiar with the teachings of Islam knows that its main essence is monotheism. But the One God, the Koran teaches, does not accept the sacrifice of a person, His best creation. Therefore, He commanded Ibrahim (Abraham) not to shed the blood of his son, but only of the sacrificial lamb. So that people understand that in the religion of God there is no place for human sacrifice, and His land was not created for this. This has become a commandment for all time for all mankind.
Is it necessary to repeat after this that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism? Terror today is carried out under the banner of Islam, with a green armband over camouflage. But this is just a mask. Beneath it lies a disgusting paganism, a thirst for human blood. This blood is not for God. This blood is needed dark forces evil. Our Prophet XXX fought against pagan evil with all his might, and we must follow his example.
Today we pray to the One Allah to send us all patience and courage, fortitude and endurance. May only goodness and good morals prevail, and evil in all its forms perish from the earth - "God's temple".
May the holy month of Ramadan be the beginning of a new time, when there will be no place for evil and violence on earth, and in our hearts for fear and intolerance. May peace and good reign in your hearts and throughout the world.
But the blessed Ramadan is not only a month of abstinence, goodness, mercy, humility, justice, kindness. This month imposes certain obligations on us. It was at the end of Ramadan that Prophet Muhammad XXX received the first revelation from the Almighty through the angel Jibrail. It was as a result of this and subsequent Revelations that he learned that Allah had chosen him as his Prophet and Messenger, called to bring people a call to worship the One God.
Right now, in the month of Ramadan, it is necessary that we think again and again about how we live and how we believe. We plunged into the state when it is required to prove ourselves from the best side, to show our readiness to be true Muslims.
Starting the fast, we are talking within the walls of the mosque about the need and importance of showing mercy today - after all, this is such a state of mind that shows whether a person can show mercy to others with his own heart, whether he is ready for this. Mercy is impossible without empathy, sympathy, without awareness of the pain of another person with your own heart. It cannot be manifested in order to show itself once and then return again to the cruelty and darkness of the black soul.
Let us remember again and again that Allah marks the manifestation of mercy to others on earth in a special way. Prophet XXX said: “Show mercy to those on earth, and He who is in heaven will show mercy to you. Allah will not have mercy on the one who does not show mercy towards people. As we can see, Islam has a clear position regarding mercy. A true and conscious Muslim does not limit the manifestation of this feeling only to a narrow circle of people close to him. Prophet XXX spoke of the need to show mercy to all people and pointed out that mercy is one of necessary conditions faith.
During Ramadan, it is not enough to think about mercy, one must actively show it. Let's start with loved ones, we will understand what a joyful feeling covers us when we do good. And then it will become our necessity, it will go beyond Ramadan and turn into our permanent reality. And we can always say: yes, to be a Muslim means to truly embody the ideas of Allah in earthly life and prepare yourself for heavenly life.
A Muslim, according to the Koran and the Sunnah, must live, embodying the best personal qualities. Sent by Allah as a mercy to the worlds, Prophet Muhammad XXX showed all people by personal example what a person who embarked on the path of Islam can be. With each of his actions, he should strive to bring benefit to society, live with dignity and honesty. He is just and generous, merciful and kind.
But how to become such a person? How to cultivate all these qualities in yourself?
A person can never do this alone. He needs a teacher. A teacher with a capital letter. A teacher who comprehended the wisdom of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Such teachers have always been among our people, our history has always been rich in them - largely due to the fact that from time immemorial Muslims have been introduced to the ancient traditions of madrasah and mekteba, where the wisdom of Scripture and the blessed Prophet XXX was passed from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart . That is why, with the fall of the atheistic regime at the dawn of democratic transformations in the country, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Nizhny Novgorod Region first of all thought about how to revive this tradition, how to rekindle the light of knowledge and faith in people, starting to create a madrasah, a number of Islamic Sunday schools, creating learning programs.
We prayed to Allah for help, we gave Him praise to walk the true path, the path that can be blessed by Him. We tried to organize the activities of the madrasah in such a way that everything that happened here aroused the interest of those born and raised in the Islamic tradition - both Tatars, who have traditionally lived in the Nizhny Novgorod region for centuries, and other representatives of the entire multinational Russian Ummah. Our task was to give them knowledge and strengthen them in Islamic morality. After the long dark period of atheism, the task proved exceedingly difficult. People have largely gone from understanding the Koran. The young, as a rule, lost that knowledge of the Holy Book, which the older generation still retained.
The acquisition of knowledge - and this is known to every Muslim - is a charitable matter. To impart knowledge means to do good to people, and Allah loves those who do good. This is exactly what we are striving for in fulfilling our duty. And Allah truly loves the faithful. We met on our way and still meet many difficulties, but they do not stop us. We have trusted in Allah and continue to carry out the pious work. Indeed, Allah loves those who trust in him.
But at the same time, we Muslims remember that Allah does not love those who rejoice. Does not love those who fall into the sin of pride. We, who work for the prosperity of religious Islamic education, are well aware of how much has not been done yet, how many problems have not been resolved, how much work needs to be done so that the revival of Islam in Russia is real, and not declared in words.
I pray to Allah to accept our fasting and prayers and keep us in the true faith until the Day of Judgment. O Allah, accept our thanks for Your mercy, Your great blessing, which You gave to Your servants, giving them the opportunity to observe the fast of Ramadan. O Allah, accept our worship, accept our supplications and prayers, accept our good deeds and deeds that we did, wishing to gain Your favor, Your mercy and mercy!
The time of fasting is the best time for the manifestation of true piety. At this time, people should indulge in prayer and reflection, but they should take time not only for thoughts, but also for deeds. What is true godliness? As the Qur'an says, “It is not piety that you turn your faces towards the east and west, but piety - who believed in Allah, and on the Last Day, and in angels, and in Scripture, and in prophets, and gave property , despite the love for him, relatives, and orphans, and the poor, and travelers, and those who ask, and slaves, and stood up prayer, and gave purification, - and fulfilled his covenants when they make, and was patient in misfortune and distress and in the time of trouble, these are those who were truthful, it is they who fear God.
The manifestation of piety should consist not only in words, but also in actions aimed at the benefit of people, since deeds are part of faith. During this month, events took place that played a crucial role in the history of the ummah. In the fortieth year of the life of the Prophet Muhammad XXX, 17 Ramadan 610, the Divine Revelation was first revealed to him. In Sura “Clot” it is said about the first Revelation to the Messenger of God XXX: “Read! In the name of your Lord, who created - created a man from a clot. Read! And your Lord, the Most Generous, who taught writing, taught man what he did not know ”(Sura 96, 1-7). That is why during Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr (the night of Predestination) is celebrated, which marks the revelation of the Koran.
Divine power leads people to true knowledge, which arose by the will of God and is embodied in the Koran. It is Divine knowledge that leads to an understanding of haqq (truth, justice) and the ability to perform deeds aimed at the benefit of believers. Reading and listening to the Quran and hadiths, works of the ulema, works on the history of Islam and Muslims in Russia, about the current state of the ummah should always occupy a prominent place in the life of a Muslim. That is why the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Nizhny Novgorod Region has traditionally timed Ramadan for readings with the participation of highly qualified specialists on Islam, the publication of scientific and journalistic works devoted to the life of the Russian Ummah.
The month of Ramadan has always been a time when the most important events for all Muslims took place, not only in the field of education, but also in defending the Divine precepts and the great ideas of the ummah on the battlefield. Ramadan was the month of the first great Muslim victory - the Battle of Badr, which took place on Ramadan 19 (March 15, 624). On this day, 300 companions of the Prophet Muhammad XXX - the Muhajirs and the Ansar - defeated the pagan army of the Meccans, which was three times more numerous than the Muslims. The Muslims were able to accomplish this great victory not only thanks to their personal courage and loyalty to the Prophet Muhammad XXX, but also thanks to the help of the army of angels. In Ramadan of the eighth year of the Hijri (630), Prophet Muhammad XXX, together with an army of ten thousand, again defeated the Meccans, clearing the Holy Mosque (Kaaba) of idols. Despite the fact that the companions of Prophet XXX were weakened by fasting, they managed to win a quick and almost bloodless victory over the pagans.
We must not forget that Divine help comes only to true believers, and victory remains behind them. On September 2, 1945, in the month of Ramadan, humanity rejoiced at the end of the Second World War, in which believers of different religions inflicted a great defeat on the usurpers who embarked on the path of serving Satan and violated all the laws of the Great Creator. Their pagan false teachings and crimes were branded forever in the eyes of all mankind. Neither huge armies, nor piles of weapons, nor the most advanced technologies saved the criminals. In the world, thanks to the Divine will, the victory of such terrible evil over good is impossible. Therefore, illuminated by the Divine light and faith, the Ansar and the Muhajirs defeated the pagans of Mecca, many times more numerous than them ... And the Muslims of our country, together with all the multinational people of our Fatherland, “tore down the standards of the fascists” - the pagans of our time.
Fasting in the month of Ramadan is needed by the people themselves for free surrender to the will of Allah, for the fulfillment of His commandments as the highest and most reasonable of all laws. After all, it is said in the Qur'an: "Allah wants relief for you, and does not want hardship for you, and so that you complete the number (of days of fasting) and glorify Allah for bringing you out, perhaps you will be grateful." It is in human understanding, awareness of the role of the need for sacrifices on the path of Allah (fi sabili-Allah) that the meaning of fasting lies. After all, human life can be subjected to tests similar to those that the Muslims endured at Badr, and our fathers at Stalingrad, in the days of forced baptism and the struggle of the atheists with Islam. Therefore, a person must prepare for hardships and difficulties, because no one knows what awaits us tomorrow.
During fasting, the main thing is not restrictions, but a good deed in the name of people: “And for those who can do this, a ransom by feeding the poor.” The month of Ramadan should be marked by helping the poor, orphans, the elderly, the poor. Breaking the fast (iftar) after sunset should turn into a joint meal for Muslims. Meetings of Muslims during Ramadan should also turn into a place of council (ash-Shura) established by the Qur'an. At the same time, Muslims should not forget not only about their religious needs, but also about all-Russian needs. Therefore, at the end of Ramadan last year, at the All-Russian Forum of Muslims, held in Nizhny Novgorod, during the discussion of topical problems of the Russian Ummah, the issues of organizing the Council of the Ulema of Russia, which could ensure the unity of the Ummah, were raised. The month of Ramadan should be a time of making crucial decisions.
Ramadan aye mubarak bulsyn! May the mercy, mercy and grace of the Almighty descend in this Holy month into our hearts and homes, into communities and temples, villages and cities of our Fatherland with true peace and prosperity. May the Merciful Creator send us all sincere piety, and righteousness, and justice! May Ramadan be blessed!
Umar Idrisov
Cleanliness in our homes. The phenomenon is changeable, but always desired and carefully kept by every self-respecting hostess. In order for our house to always be in perfect condition, we spend quite a lot of time, effort, and sometimes nerves, because once again reminding children that toys have their own place, or with silent reproach collecting things scattered around the house by a husband in a chaotic manner, we do not become calmer and kinder.
At times, our desire for order reaches its highest point of intensity - these are the days before any celebrations, mawlids, additions to the family, major Islamic holidays. At such moments, women can spend 24 hours a day fighting the ubiquitous mess - cleaning, washing, cleaning, painting, rearranging. In general, the field for activity is very wide. And often we spend every Ramadan the same way - armed with cleaning products and a remarkable share of energy that we direct to the general cleaning of the house, which reaches its climax just in the last 10 days of the month of Mercy and Forgiveness.
But these are those amazing, unique days and nights that Muslims around the world are waiting for a whole year, so that later they can try to spend every minute in worship. How to be? After all, it is known that purity is half of faith, and one so wants to meet Eid al-Adha in a shining, light-filled house. But our hearts need a general cleaning no less than a house. Over the course of a year, a heavy load of sins accumulates inside us - large, small, the heart gathers dust from the fact that we spend so little time in worship. Our entire inner world needs purification - in fasting, in nights spent in prayers, in tavba, in remembrance of the Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), reading the Holy Quran. All this, multiplied by the grace of the Month of Mercy and Forgiveness, gives an amazing result.
In Ramadan, our hearts seem to be reborn, the realization comes for what we are here, much in life falls into place, and we physically and mentally feel that Allah is answering our prayers. But all this happens only when we spend the Holy Month correctly, show respect for it, fast not only physically, but also spiritually, spend every free minute getting closer to the pleasure of Allah.
For a woman, even housework can become worship. And, of course, no one urges you to completely leave household chores, because without female hands our cozy home can quickly turn into a place unsuitable for living. But spending all your time on large-scale general cleaning, of course, is not worth it. Ideally, it is better to prepare for the onset of Ramadan in advance. Make cosmetic repairs, get rid of unnecessary rubbish, decorate the house for the onset of the Holy Month and spend wonderful days and nights in worship, purifying your heart. If this did not work out in advance, you should at least try not to put off all your affairs for the last week before Uraza, but to distribute household chores, evenly doing them throughout the month.
Sometimes I imagine how easy it would be if I could take a good new brush, my favorite cleanser and thoroughly wash my heart and soul from the endless dirt of sins that have been accumulating inside us for years, remove all stains on our conscience, get rid of dusty rubbish from the time of grievances, apply a layer of fresh white paint to our entire inner world. Yes, if everything were so, then we, women, would feel the aroma of Paradise already on this earth. But for now, we only clean sinks to a shine, scrub stains from carpets, and inhale the smell of washing powder and air freshener. May Holy Ramadan help us find harmony in observing external and internal purity. And general cleaning in our hearts will become as simple, understandable and familiar as putting things in order in our homes.
Congratulations on blessed month Ramadan 1436 AH
Dear brothers and sisters!
Peace be upon you, the mercy of Allah and His blessings!
On June 17, 2015, at sunset, the blessed month of Ramadan began, during which Muslims fast.
According to the Muslim calendar, a new day does not begin at midnight, as is customary in the Gregorian calendar, but immediately after sunset. In this regard, the first tarawih prayer (an additional prayer performed only in the month of Ramadan) is performed after the obligatory night prayer, which took place on the night of June 17-18. After Tarawih prayer, Muslims began to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam - fasting (uraz).
Holy Ramadan is a month of fasting, generosity, prayers and reading the Koran, a month of goodness, mercy, humility and grace, when Allah multiplies the reward of the righteous and rewards them with generous gifts. In this month, Allah Almighty sent down His last divine revelation - the Quran and ordered the believers to fast with faith, hope, humility and repentance.
“Whoever of you finds the month of Ramadan, in which the Koran was sent down - the true guide for people, the clarification of the straight path and the distinction between truth and falsehood - let him spend it by fasting.” (Quran, 2:185).
Muslims of the Penza region every year meet with spiritual awe the arrival of the long-awaited month of Ramadan and thank Almighty Allah for mercy, which is expressed by the possibility of approaching the heart and soul to Him through good deeds. On the eve of Ramadan, believers tried to sow the seeds of good and good, built their lives in the light of the commandments of the wise Koran, were inspired by the depth and greatness of the spiritual instructions of the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, which brought spiritual, social and bodily benefits to the Muslim ummah.
It is reported that some righteous predecessors prayed to Allah for six months to let them live until Ramadan, and then, after Ramadan, they prayed to Him for five months to accept from them what they did in this month. The Almighty says: “Turn to Allah with repentance all together, O believers, - perhaps you will succeed” (Holy Quran, 24:31). It is narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “O people, turn to Allah with repentance, verily, I pray for His forgiveness a hundred times a day” (Muslim).
The advent of the month of Ramadan is one of the great mercies of Allah for His Muslim slave. Ramadan is the season of goodness in which the gates of heaven open and the gates of hell close. This is the month of the Qur'an and the month of decisive battles for our religion. Allah Almighty said: “Say: “By the mercy and mercy of Allah”, – therefore let them rejoice, for it is better than what they gather” (Holy Quran, 10:58).
Praise be to the Almighty, who gave us the opportunity to live until the blessed month of Ramadan, in which, through the crown of the prophecies of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, sent down as the mercy of the worlds, the last revelation of the Creator was erected to the entire human race. And may the Almighty help us in observing fasting, in standing prayers at night and doing good deeds, and give us the opportunity to taste the true pleasure of faith in approaching the Creator, through our souls and hearts.
We pray to the Almighty and call on our brothers and sisters to multiply prayers for forgiveness and try to purify souls through deeds, so that the light of Divine mercy and the good news of forgiveness shines in our hearts, so that the month of Ramadan is completely filled with calmness, hope for the acceptance of our good deeds by the generous Lord, for he does not repulse those who return to him in sincere repentance.
This month, we should try to be the happiest creatures of Allah, who, by turning to Him, renewed their covenant with Him, brought closer the state of gratitude from the joy of spiritual delight and the manifestation of true patience in times of sorrow.
By the will of Allah, fasting in the holy month of Ramadan became a fard (mandatory) in the second year of the Hijra - 624. For us Muslims, this is one of the most important religious rites. All intentions, deeds and thoughts in these bright days should be only good, devoid of sin.
Fasting teaches to appreciate food and drink as God's gifts, but despite the hot summer, every Muslim during fasting is obliged to refrain from food, drink, smoking, marital intimacy, acts that break the fast from sunrise to sunset. After all, fasting is a command of the Almighty Allah, which is fulfilled by abstaining from food.
By experiencing hunger first-hand, believers become more responsive to the needs of millions of underprivileged people and more generous. For the sick, travelers, pregnant women and nursing mothers, fasting is allowed to be postponed to another time of the year. Those who, for objective reasons, cannot fast at all, should be fed or given alms to the poor. Pregnant and lactating women, sick and elderly people, children, as well as those who cannot observe it for objective reasons, such as warriors and travelers, are exempted from fasting during Ramadan.
The blessed fast is observed throughout the month of Ramadan, during which the Muslim faith grows stronger. During this season of goodness, a person is reborn anew, cleansed not only bodily, but also spiritually. The purpose of this blessed month is the spiritual purification of people, the elimination of vices and flaws, ensuring the victory of reason, faith and will over spiritual vices and reprehensible passions; this is a kind of program consisting of prayers, remembrances and striving for God-fearing, this is a program of ascension to Allah, a program of perfecting the spirit.
Let's not forget that of all earthly joys, the Almighty is enough for us. What a wonderful patron He is! May these days be our reflection in silence, our speech is the remembrance of the Almighty, and the meaning of our life is obedience to Him, and so that we are like birds, whose lot comes in the mornings (suhoor) and evenings (iftar).
Let's try to get ahead of each other in good deeds, so that the spiritual energy of Ramadan spreads its light to other days, so that we take care of each other not tomorrow, but today, so that we do not offend anyone, and our hearts are like the purity of pearls, so that we are in this world as travelers, and our prayers are like farewell prayers so that we do not say such words for which tomorrow we will repent or ask for forgiveness from the Almighty. It is these feelings that dry up the fire in the hearts and save the drowning, thanks to them a person embarks on a righteous path in his life.
It is reported from the words of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and hope for the reward of Allah, his former sins will be forgiven” (Al-Bukhari; Muslim) . The Almighty said in the Hadith-ul-Qudsi: “Verily, fasting is for Me. For My sake they leave food and their lusts, and I will give them a reward!
Dear fellow believers!
We sincerely congratulate you on the coming of the blessed month of Ramadan. We wish everyone to spend it for the benefit of the soul and body, to worship the Almighty with zeal, to do as many charitable deeds as possible.
May every priceless minute of the month be recorded for you as a worship for a thousand years, may Allah give us all the opportunity to adequately spend the holy month of Ramadan!
May Allah reward everyone for their efforts to fulfill the fourth pillar of Islam, may Allah Almighty be pleased with us. Amine!
Mufti of the Unified Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Penza Region Abdurrauf Zabirov
