Firstly, if we desire to step up to the national aspiration of developing critical thinkers in thinking schools, we should question, why should this month be considered as end of the year? If you can sense that this notion of end-of-the-year is rather arbitrary, you are one step closer to graduating from the real school of critical thinking. Well done!

The holiday seasons follow the ancient Roman solar calender known as the Julian calender, declared by Caesar himself, coinciding with the Winter Solstice period of the year in which poor preparations for harsh cold conditions may result in starvation. As such, 1 January was arbitrarily declared the start of the new year in honor of the rebirth of the Sun God, Sol Invictus (from this sun worship worldview is also where Sunday is arbitrarily declared the end of the week for holiday and rest). Prior to the Winter Solstice is a period of merry-making known as Saturnalia where the poet Catullus describes Saturnalia as the best of days. It was a time of celebration, visits to friends, and gift-giving, particularly of wax candles, and earthenware figurines (like our modern day toys?). Additionally it was also a time where the temporary reversal of roles are observed; Masters served meals to their slaves who were permitted the unaccustomed luxuries of leisure and gambling. Clothing was relaxed and included the peaked woollen cap that symbolized the freed slave, which looks an awful lot like Santa Claus’s peaked red hat . A member of the familia (family plus slaves) was appointed Lord of Misrule, and as the name suggests, they were in charge of chaos and disorder. Perhaps this was their idea of fun? God knows. Sometimes celebrations grew out of hand to the extent that some Roman Emperors actually attempted, in vain, to shorten the festivities to three or five days. These festivities were eventually christianised with the coming of Christianity in Rome to what we observe today.

But how do some of our history-illiterate Muslim brothers and sisters respond? I breathed in some oxygen molecules of exasperation and disappointment. We may live in the 21st Century as independent people but our minds and habits are still held captive, enslaved by our Colonial masters in compounded ignorance (jahil murakkab). Some say that slavery was eradicated by the 20th Century, yet we still see today two types of slavery; of the mind and of the desires (nafs). We will continue to remain enslaved by these things unless we are prepared to Islamize ourselves in thought and soul; as mentioned by Al-Attas, Islamization is a liberating process to becoming the man of Islam whose reason and language is no longer controlled by magic, mythology, animism, his own national and cultural traditions and secularism. As such, Islamization refers to a man’s progress towards realization of his original nature as spirit, and this is exactly what our festivities of Eidul Fitr and Eidul Adha in Islam represent; our ascent towards recalling our true nature (fitra) and of the Primordial Covenant we once took to witness Allah as our Lord in the realm of the souls, as opposed to those drunken merry-making intended to forget!

Well I’m not exactly suggesting we should do away with the Gregorian-Julian civil calender and go out with arrows aimed at some poor merry-making reindeer. We should at least be aware of the calender and the holiday season’s origins and be prepared to engage with them constructively. Let me suggest to you something better; let’s give ourselves and others the gift of a better understanding of our religion, shall we? Let’s jingle the bells of our hearts and minds with the knowledge of Islam and its worldview.

Written by:

Hasanul Arifin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hasanul.arifin1

Blog: http://www.hasanularifin.com

All Praise is due to Allah, and may His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad (saws), his family, and all those who follow him until the Day of Judgment.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Ramadan was a fleeting visitor that vanished as suddenly as it appeared, leaving us with sweet memories and mountains of reward or regrets. The month left us heart-broken, each for our own reasons. Some of us missed out on the great month, failing to invest in its nights and days, and losing the chance for forgiveness and salvation. Others savored every moment, growing closer to Allah and increasing their worship. In those few special days, we lived with Allah, the Generous, the Giving; only He knew our sorrow when the month disappeared.

But now, Allah is giving us a salve to ease our sorrow and bring back that happiness. It is a blessed gift, a fresh opportunity to erase our sins and cleanse ourselves. It is also a second chance, for those who felt Ramadan slip through their fingers.

The Prophet (saw) said, “Perform good year-round. And seek out the breaths of Allah’s mercy. For Allah has breaths of His mercy-they touch whom He wills of His servants.”

Such a breath of mercy has arrived, like a gentle breeze that suddenly rushes through us. This day marks the start of the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, days that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) preferred over all other days of the year: “There are no days in which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than in these ten days.” The companions asked him, “Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?” He replied, “Not even Jihad for the sake Allah-except for a man who goes out with his self and wealth, and returns with neither” (sahih).

May the peace and blessings be upon you, O Prophet of Allah! You are always giving us extra chances. No one should let this chance for forgiveness slip through his fingers and then regret losing it when regret can do no good. Allah Himself ordered us to increase our remembrance of Him in these days. {And to Remember the name of Allah through the Days appointed.} (al-Haj, 28)

What are the “appointed” days? They are none other than the ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah, as Ibn ‘Abbas explained. They are the greatest days of the year, filled with boundless potential for the soul seeking the pleasure of Allah. While the opportunities for reward are countless, there are some special actions you can do to draw closer to Allah during the ten days of Dhu Al-Hijjah.

1. Dhikr
This act of worship requires no effort, and can be done any time and any place. All that is required is presence of mind and heart. The Prophet (saw) said, “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, nor days in which deeds are more beloved to Allah than in these ten days. So fill them with the praises of ‘la ilah illa Allah’, ‘Allah Akbar’, and ‘alhamdu lilah” (sahih). Dear brother and sister, engage in these blessed remembrances frequently, just as your beloved Prophet asked.

2. Fasting
Can there be a greater deed than fasting purely for Allah’s sake? The Prophet (saw) taught us about fasting and its great virtue: “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will place between him and the Hellfire a trench equal to the distance between the sky and the earth” (sahih).

Do not forget the reward of fasting the day of Arafah alone. The Prophet (saw) said, “Fasting the day of Arafah erases the sins of two years: the previous year and the coming one.”

3. Charity
Our brothers and sisters who made it to Hajj this year have spent selflessly from their wealth and energy to fulfill their obligation to Allah. Do not hold back your own wealth and time. Give generously and try to earn a position with those who will be shaded by the throne of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Remember, {You shall not attain righteousness until you give from that which you love!} (Aal ‘Imran, 92).

4. Quran
Make sure, dearest brother and sister, to fill these blessed moments with the Quran. Read it with devotion, ponder its meanings, and involve your heart. Listen to this stirring description by Allah: {Allah has revealed the greatest of messages-a Book, consistent within itself, oft-repeated: sending a shiver through the skins of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allah.} (al-Zumar, 23)

When you truly live with the Quran, Allah will make you of His own people, a special group chosen to be close to Allah. Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Amongst mankind are the People of Allah.” Who are they O Prophet of Allah? “They are the People of the Quran-(they are) the People of Allah and His special circle” (sahih).

Strive to be one of the People of Allah. Try to join them by reciting the Quran, memorizing it, and contemplating its meanings. Beware of those who read its words and ignore its teachings. Know always that every word you recite carries great reward.

“Whoever recites one letter of the Quran, for him shall be one reward (hasanah) and each reward is multiplied by ten. I do not mean that ‘Alif Lam Meem’ is a letter; rather, ‘Alif’ is one letter, ‘Lam’ is one letter, and ‘Meem’ is one letter.”

5. Qiyam al-Layl
Due to its worth in the sight of Allah, the reward for the extra night prayers has been kept secret. {No soul knows what delights of the eye lie hidden for them-a reward for what they used to do!} (al-Sajdah, 17)

The Prophet (saw) taught us that these night prayers “are the path of the righteous before you, a source of closeness to your Lord, a guard against wrong, an eraser of sins, and a cure for your bodies” (sahih). That is why the Prophet (saw) would never allow a night to pass without a soothing dose of qiyam.

6. Dua’
Wherever you are and whatever state you are in, remember to turn constantly to Allah, and never tire of asking Him for your needs in this life and the Hereafter. The Prophet (saw) told us that “Dua’ is the essence of worship.” So, worship Allah in these days by turning to Him and asking Him.

Dear brothers and sisters, as great as these ten days are, Allah has especially singled out the ninth day, the Day of Arafah. So you too, mark it and make it special. Increase your acts of worship, your remembrance, and your supplication throughout this great day. This is a day in which salvation from the hellfire is within your reach.

The Prophet (saw) said, “There is no day in which Allah liberates more servants from the hellfire than the Day of Arafah” (sahih).

Finally, what about the day of Eid? Eid is nothing less than one of these blessed days, the tenth and final day. Do not let it pass without the remembrance of Allah: ‘Alhamdu lilah,’ ‘la ilaha illa Allah,’ and ‘Allah Akbar.’ Do not let all the good you did in the past nine days be wasted by sinning and forgetting Allah on the last day, a day marked by Allah to celebrate our worship. Wear your best, put on your favorite fragrance, attend the Eid prayer and participate in the festivities. Reach out to your relatives, give charity, and incorporate dhikr, dua’, and Quran into this happy day. You began these days seeking the pleasure of Allah, so end them with the pleasure of Allah.

May Allah bless these days and accept from all of us. May He make them days of happiness and mercy for the ummah.

How to Reach the Level of Excellence (Ihsan)

This post has been republished from OnIslam.net with permission granted by the writer – Idris Tawfiq

As adults, we lose much of the simplicity we once knew as children. Islam is very simple; but as adults we make it seem so very complicated. The message of Islam has existed since the beginning of time, and its message is for all people. The message of Islam can be summed up as follows: there is one God; and that God speaks to His Creation. All the rest is amplifying that message.

Such a simple message speaks to the hearts of all. Imagine those miners in Chile who were trapped underground for many weeks. Whether they were religious men or not, they would each one of them have prayed to be saved. Whether or not people accept the fact that God exists, troubles and tragedies often mean He is the first one they should turn to.

In a simple way, Islam answers that need of men and women. Without popes or priests interceding on their behalf, Islam teaches that we can all bow down to our Creator and speak to Him directly. As Muslims, we should never forget this simplicity of Islam.

It is when we do forget it in talking to others, that we can make it sound like any other organized religion. And modern men and women are not too fond of organized religion. There comes a point, though, when we need to deepen our faith. Those new to Islam want to grow in their faith. They want to become better and better all the time.

It is relatively easy to declare the words of “Shahadah” (testimony of faith: that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger), but it takes the rest of one’s life to live up to those words. If we don’t progress from that first day when we accepted Islam, then we have not made much progress in becoming better Muslims, have we? This deepening comes both in terms of knowledge and in the way we behave.

Think about our studying French. If our knowledge of French stayed at the same level as it was when we were seven years old, then we would have a childish knowledge of French. It is the same with Islam. If our knowledge of Islam stays the same as the very first day we learned about it, then our knowledge hasn’t deepened at all. If, as adults, we relate to others in the same way as a child of seven, our understanding of behavior and relationships hasn’t grown.

To become better Muslims, then, we need to make progress. This applies either to those who accepted Islam when they were seventy years old or to those who were born Muslims. New Muslims can often feel overwhelmed with all the details they have to learn about Islam. The danger here is that all these details can turn into facts to be learned, rather than ways of helping us to become better.

Acquiring facts is very useful, but it won’t lead us to heaven! I once received an email from a Muslim in the UK, saying: “I am a born Muslim and I want to become one!” In other words, this man recognized that it is a lifetime’s achievement to become the kind of Muslim Allah wants us to be.

“Ihsan” includes sincerity during prayers and being grateful to parents, family, and to Allah.
From the beginning of time He planned that we would be Muslim, the person He wanted us to be. And when we are laid in the grave we will finally have become that person. So, how do we grow as Muslims? How do we become better? How can we possibly ever be like Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?

It isn’t always helpful to use Arabic words in explaining things to those who have newly embraced Islam, but there is one Arabic word which is very important here, which we need to understand. This word is “Ihsan”.

Translating it into an English word, though, is very difficult. Enough to say, that when we have reached the level of “Ihsan” as Muslims, we have reached the level Allah wants us to be. When we understand what “Ihsan” is, we will have understood what it is to be a Muslim. The word “Ihsan” comes from an Arabic root word that means a number of things.

This root word can mean: to do right; to improve; to be in a desirable condition or in a proper state; to decorate or embellish; and to treat with kindliness. The word also means perfection / excellence while doing anything. In Arabic, one who practices “Ihsan” is called a “Muhsin”. The plural of “Muhsin” is “Muhsineen”. We know that Allah loves “Muhsineen”, because he tells us so in the Quran: {Whoever submits himself to God and is a Muhsin (one who is good) then his reward is with his Lord, on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.} (Al-Baqarah 2:112)

What a remarkable progress we will have made in life if we no longer fear or grieve. Isn’t that something the whole world is looking for? In the two parts of this article, then, we will try and see how Muslims can grow and grow in their faith until they reach that level that is truly loved by Allah. There have been many academic articles written about “Ihsan” and its meanings, but that is not our purpose.

Our purpose is to show that by doing this and this we can become better. We might even choose to abandon the word “Ihsan” altogether, preferring instead to talk about “good Muslims” or “real Muslims.” Sometimes, those who have embraced Islam reach the stage where they think it is all done and that they have achieved everything necessary for them to be real Muslims.

Being Muslim, though, means more than knowing the correct way to perform ablution or the correct postures to use in prayers. New Muslims need to be aware of the progress they can continue to make in their spiritual journey within Islam. This is very exciting, knowing that they can continue to experience what they first felt when they declared “Shahadah”. They will come to know that this is a path which takes time and therefore needs patience, knowledge and practice, one day at a time, as faith grows from one stage to the next. They will learn that it is possible for us all, every day, to be better Muslims.

“Ihsan” includes sincerity during prayers and being grateful to parents, family, and to Allah. In part two we will try to learn some of the qualities associated with “Ihsan” in the Quran, and even learn some of the rewards promised for those who are “Muhsins”.

Image from www.idristawfiq.com Idris Tawfiq is a British writer who became Muslim a few years ago. Previously, he was head of religious education in different schools in the United Kingdom. Before embracing Islam, he was a Roman Catholic priest. He now lives in Egypt. For more information about him, visit www.idristawfiq.com.

Our good friend, Bro Shahib from Syukran.org had recently uploaded an audio story about Al Habib Abdullah – one of the great teachers in Singapore.

Hear the audio at Syukran.org today.

Click here to get to the audio.

Recently we met Bro Alief ( Born in Singapore but living in Seremban ) in one of the Internet Seminars in Singapore. As he introduced himself to us, he actually thanked us for having this portal as it was convenient for him to find Musollahs in Singapore.

We can only thank him for being a great sport to allow us to shoot this video of him.

As some of you might know, the musollah listings has existed way before Islamicevents.sg. We are merely passing down the information from the creator of the list - Bro Jureni Yusoff.

Furthermore we have made the list Open for anyone in public to help update us of the locations.

Hence if you have not been to our musollah listings, do visit www.musollah.com

We are really grateful to Bro Alief for the testimonial and if you do have your own testimonials, do drop us an email to info@islamicevents.sg.

Everything that is good comes from HIM  ( Allah swt ) and anything that is not comes from our weaknesses.

Thank you for reading

Have you guys visited Muslimville.sg? We would like to know what you think of the site. Be honest. If you think its bad and needs improvement, feel free to type it down under comments section!! We’ll let them know of your needs and insyallah they can make improvements in the future.

Visit www.muslimville.sg

]]> http://www.islamicevents.sg/blog/articles/friends/have-you-been-to-muslimvillesg-yet/feed/ 8 http://www.islamicevents.sg/blog/articles/friends/missed-ayat-ayat-cinta-talk/ http://www.islamicevents.sg/blog/articles/friends/missed-ayat-ayat-cinta-talk/#comments Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:38:34 +0000 Fadzuli http://islamicevents.sg/news/?p=182

DId you remember the Ayat-Ayat Cinta Talk a few months back at Masjid Al Khair? Well our friends from Kunzone.sg have kindly edited the videos and now is up on their site.

Forum Mini Ayat-Ayat Cinta Pt1.6

Forum Mini Ayat-Ayat Cinta Pt2.6

Forum Mini Ayat-Ayat Cinta Pt3.6

Do check them out and provide feedback. Thanks for reading.

	Written by: Fadzuli Wahab Occupation: Internet Entrepreneur Founder of IslamicSG Networks Web/Blog: www.fadzuli.com

Salam,

Kami dari dyn team ingin mengucapkan terima kerana kepada penonton setia dyn yang sudah lama menonton mahupun yang baru sahaja menonton. Ini merupakan episode terakhir dyn untuk season ini dan kita akan berhenti seketika.. eh tak tak kita tak akan stop insyaAllah kita akan still sambung cuma lambat sikiiit je.. so don’t worry.. setia bersama dyn!

Ok episode kali ini kita cuba bincangkan satu lagi topic yang biasa di dengar tapi kadang terlupa.. iaitu pasal makan. Just a small reminder from dyn.

Dyn mengupas tentang

1. Etika sebelum, selepas dan sesudah makan
2. Bagaimana cara rasulullah makan, dan ape rahsia duduk cara rasulullah
3. Rahsia menjilat jari sesudah makan

Kami berharap ia dapat memberi manfaat yang banyak bagi penonton dirumah dan jgn lupa email kepada kami jika ada sebarang saranan, soalan di info@visitdyn.com atau bole ke got ideas link.

Click here to view the video

———————————————————————————–

This episode really made an impact to my mom! I was watching this video while she was doing her stuff in the kitchen. Immediately she became curious when she heard the Bro’s telling them us about “Why we shouldn’t be leaning back when eating” and the stuff about the “Bacteria in your Hands”.

If my mum can be interested in such topics, I do hope Mums out there will too. This episodes help us to understand why our Mum’s don’t allow us to touch our food too..To find out more you have to watch the final episode at www.visitdyn.com

Bro Shahib will be back in Singapore and we hope to start working with him on new ideas too. See you soon Bro.

	Written by: Fadzuli Wahab Occupation: Internet Entrepreneur Founder of IslamicSG Networks Web/Blog: www.fadzuli.com

The DYN brothers are back with a very interesting topic on SMELLS. They dispel doubts about aromatherapy, talk about the importance of smelling good & the relation between smelling good & the Sunnah!

They are asking for ladies to vote on whether they agree with what the DYNTeam has said or they have a separate point of view. We understand perfumes may be an essential item to ladies so do visit their site, watch their new episode this week & leave your comments & suggestions!

Click here to watch.

	Written by: Ameera Occupation: Student Web/Blog: http://alfaqeer.wordpress.com/

Berita Harian subdivision Kelab Ekoniaga have been busy organising this event with the help of VocalPoint – an events Management Company started by Ustadz Sodiqin & Ustadz Tarmizi.

-Snippets from BH…

Tahun ini, BH telah menarik beberapa pakar persaraan seperti Pengarah Operasi Pencen Asia Prudential Asset Management, Encik Allwyn Barreto, yang akan menyampaikan ceramah mengenai Landskap Persaraan Baru – Adakah Persaraan Sesuatu Yang Harus Ditakuti?

Beliau akan mengongsi faktor-faktor yang perlu dipertimbangkan dalam merancang bagi persaraan dan menyentuh kesilapan dalam perancangan persaraan.

Pengarah Pemasaran Produk Prudential Assurance, Encik Daniel Lum, pula akan menjelaskan rombakan terhadap syarat Tabung Simpanan Pekerja (CPF) termasuk pengenalan skim anuiti nasional, CPF Life dan mengetengahkan produk-produk lain yang relevan bagi membina dana persaraan.

Dari sudut masyarakat Melayu/Islam pula, peguam setempat dari Noor Mohamed Marican & Associates, Encik Noor Mohamed Marican, akan mengupas kes-kes sebenar yang berlaku akibat kurangnya perancangan dalam persaraan dan pengajaran yang boleh dipelajari agar tidak terperangkap dalam keadaan yang sama.

Perancangan harta pusaka yang merupakan salah satu daripada inti perancangan persaraan akan juga disentuh.

Sejajar dengan perkembangan kewangan Islam di sini, Naib Presiden Deutsche Asset Management, Encik Isa Eamon Keaveny, yang merupakan seorang Muslim, akan menjelaskan cara mempelbagaikan portfolio pelaburan pelabur dengan produk pelaburan halal melalui produk-produk seperti amanah saham, produk berkaitan pelaburan (ILP) dan Dana Dagangan Bursa (ETF).

Walaupun terdapat banyak dana halal yang sah untuk dilaburkan, masih ramai juga di antara pelabur Melayu/Islam yang terperangkap dek skim pelaburan cepat kaya.

Menyedari hal tersebut, penceramah dan penulis kewangan peribadi nombor satu di Malaysia, Encik Azizi Ali, akan menyampaikan ceramah Scambuster – Lindungi Diri Anda Daripada Pelaburan Palsu! dalam sidang itu nanti.

If you wish to find more about this event you can surf to
1) www.ekoniaga.sg
2) http://vocalpoint.multiply.com/