The Middle Path

The Middle Path

Volume 3 Issue 10

Newsletter Date:
Saturday 1st August "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those who came before you so that you will
2009 perhaps be God-fearing." [Al-Qur'an 2:183]
10th Sha’ban 1430
Hijra
Al-Jalal Masjid, 314 Biscot Road, Luton, LU3 1AZ. Tel: 01582 411744

The Goals of Fasting

The acts of worship that the Muslims practice, seek to achieve certain goals and benefits that Allah wants His slaves to acquire
knowledge in them and to comprehend and achieve them. Among these acts of worship is fasting during the lunar month of
Ramadhan, which has several goals that the Muslims must strive to achieve with his heart and by his actions. These goals are as
follows:

Achieving taqwa, that is, to become God-fearing. Allah said:

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those who came before you so that you will
perhaps be God-fearing." [Al-Qur'an 2:183]
PEARLS OF Hence, fasting is a means to achieve taqwa. In fact, all acts of worship and tawhid are methods and means to
WISDOM: achieve taqwa, as Allah has said:

Stick to Seven Things "O mankind, worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may become
God-fearing." [Al-Qur'an 2:21]
Abu Dharr (RA) said,
“My companion Acquiring the rewards of Allah. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
(Rasoolillah - PBUH)
ordered me with seven "Allah the Exalted said, 'All the deeds of the son of Adam are his, except for fasting, for it is Mine and I will reward for it.' "
things:
The Prophet also said:

1 - He ordered me to "The one fasting has two happy moments: when he breaks his fast, and when he meets his Lord he is happy because of his fast." [Al-Bukhari and
love the poor and be Muslim]
close to them,
About his saying, "When he breaks his fast he is happy," and Imam Muslim's addition, "Because of his breaking his fast,"
Imam al-Qurtubi commented, "It means he is happy because his hunger and thirst have ended, since he is allowed
2 - and he ordered me
to break his fast. This happiness is natural and this is apparently the desired meaning. It was also said that his
to look at those below
me and not to look at being happy is because of his breaking the fast, means that he has fulfilled his fast, and as a culmination for his
those above me, practicing the acts of worship. His saying, 'And when he meets his Lord he is happy because of his fast,' means he is happy because of the
rewards for fasting and its complete awards.' "
3 - He ordered me to Fasting purifies the soul and helps it acquire the habit of obeying Allah and His Messenger by defeating the
keep the ties of the desires of the heart. Fasting teaches refraining from following the desires because the soul of the one fasting
womb even if others becomes obedient to Allah's commands. Also, Satan has a stronger hold over the souls that often obey their desires. When the
didn’t want to,
soul abandons its desires, it will become more difficult for Satan to have a hold on the heart.

4 - he ordered me not
Being saved from the Fire, for the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
to ask anyone for
"And Allah has those whom he frees from the Fire, and this occurs every night (meaning in Ramadhan)."
anything,
[At-Tirmidhi and ibn Majah]

5 - he ordered me to The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

speak the truth even if
"Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede on behalf of the slave. Fasting will say, 'O Lord! I prevented him from food and obeying his
it was bitter,
desires in the morning. Therefore, accept my intercession on his behalf.' And the Qur'an will say, 'I prevented him from sleeping at night. Therefore, accept
my intercession on his behalf,' and they will be accepted as intercessors.' " [Ahmad, al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi]
6 - he ordered me not
to fear, for the sake of There is no doubt that fasting directs to having one's sins forgiven and erased. The Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
Allaah, the blame of the
blamers, "The five prayers, and from Friday to the next Friday, and Ramadhan to the next Ramadhan, are erasers for what occurs between them, as long as major
sins are avoided." [Muslim]
7 - he ordered me to Also the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
frequently say “laa
hawla walaa quwwata "Whoever fasts Ramadhan with iman and ih'tisab, will have his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
illa billaah” (there is no
might or power except Imam Ahmad and an-Nasa'i added the following to the above narration:
with Allaah), for it is
from the treasure, from "And also what will occur later on (meaning future sins, as well)."
the treasures of
Fasting with iman entails fasting while believing with the heart in the obligation of fasting during Ramadhan. As for ih'tisab, it
Paradise.
means that one anticipates the reward and his fasting is therefore only for the sake of Allah and not to imitate his people and
community or for any other worldly gain.
 Indeed successful are the Indeed successful are the
believers who perform prayers believers who perform prayers
with complete devotion with complete devotion
23:1-2 23:1-2

PRAYER TIMETABLE
Sha’ban - Ramadan 1430 / August 2009

FAJR ZOHR ‘ASR MAGHRIB ‘ISHA

* IMPORTANT
INFORMATION Islamic
month
Date Start Jamat Sunrise Start Jamat Start Jamat Sunset Jamat Start Jamat

Please also refer to 10 1st Sat 3.45 4.30 5.24 1.18 1.30 6.25 7.00 8.51 8.56 10.15 10.30
Masjid Ramadan
calendar for sehri 11 2nd Sun 3.45 4.30 5.25 1.18 1.30 6.25 7.00 8.50 8.55 10.15 10.30
and iftar times as
well as fajr, maghrib 12 3rd Mon 3.45 4.30 5.27 1.18 1.30 6.25 7.00 8.48 8.53 10.15 10.30
and isha jamat times
in Ramadan as they 13 4th Tue 3.49 4.45 5.28 1.18 1.30 6.22 6.45 8.46 8.51 10.10 10.30
may change from
14 5th Wed 3.49 4.45 5.30 1.18 1.30 6.22 6.45 8.45 8.50 10.10 10.30
our monthly prayer
timetable due to
15 6th Thur 3.49 4.45 5.31 1.18 1.30 6.22 6.45 8.43 8.48 10.10 10.30
Ramadan.
16 7th Fri 3.54 4.45 5.33 1.17 1.30 6.18 6.45 8.41 8.46 10.04 10.30

17 8th Sat 3.54 4.45 5.34 1.17 1.30 6.18 6.45 8.39 8.44 10.04 10.30

18 9th Sun 3.54 4.45 5.36 1.17 1.30 6.18 6.45 8.37 8.42 10.04 10.30

19 10th Mon 3.59 4.45 5.38 1.17 1.30 6.14 6.45 8.35 8.40 9.59 10.30

20 11th Tue 3.59 4.45 5.39 1.17 1.30 6.14 6.45 8.33 8.38 9.59 10.30

AL-JALAL 21 12th Wed 3.59 4.45 5.41 1.17 1.30 6.14 6.45 8.31 8.36 9.59 10.30
MASJID
22 13th Thur 4.04 5.00 5.42 1.16 1.30 6.10 6.30 8.30 8.35 9.53 10.15
ACTIVITES FOR
AUGUST 2009
23 14th Fri 4.04 5.00 5.44 1.16 1.30 6.10 6.30 8.28 8.33 9.53 10.15
- Children Madrasah:
Monday to Friday - 5.00 pm 24 15th Sat 4.04 5.00 5.46 1.16 1.30 6.10 6.30 8.26 8.31 9.53 10.15
to 7.00 pm
(Will close for Ramadan) 25 16th Sun 4.09 5.00 5.47 1.16 1.30 6.06 6.30 8.24 8.29 9.47 10.15
- Quran classes for 26 17th Mon 4.09 5.00 5.49 1.16 1.30 6.06 6.30 8.21 8.26 9.47 10.15
adults:
Every Tuesday & Wednesday
27 18th Tue 4.09 5.00 5.50 1.16 1.30 6.06 6.30 8.19 8.24 9.47 10.15
after Zuhr Jamat, 1.30 pm

- Women Circles (in 28 19th Wed 4.10 5.00 5.52 1.15 1.30 6.02 6.30 8.17 8.22 9.41 10.15
Bengali):
Every Wednesday at 11.00 am 29 20th Thur 4.13 5.00 5.54 1.15 1.30 6.02 6.30 8.15 8.20 9.41 10.15
- Riyadh Us Saliheen
30 21st Fri 4.13 5.15 5.55 1.15 1.30 6.02 6.30 8.13 8.18 9.41 10.00
Reflections:
Every Wednesday after
1* 22nd Sat* 4.18 5.15 5.57 1.14 1.30 5.57 6.30 8.11 8.16 9.34 10.00
Maghrib Jamat *
(The timing will change for
2 23rd Sun 4.18 5.15 5.59 1.14 1.30 5.57 6.30 8.09 8.14 9.34 10.00
Ramadan - please listen for
Masjid announcements)
3 24th Mon 4.18 5.15 6.00 1.14 1.30 5.57 6.30 8.07 8.12 9.34 10.00
- Ramadan Reminder
Series: 4 25th Tue 4.23 5.15 6.02 1.14 1.30 5.52 6.30 8.05 8.10 9.28 10.00
Begins Sunday 16th August.
A series of weekly talks before 5 26th Wed 4.23 5.15 6.03 1.14 1.30 5.52 6.15 8.02 8.07 9.28 10.00
and during Ramadan about
different aspects of Ramadan 6 27th Thur 4.23 5.15 6.05 1.14 1.30 5.52 6.15 8.00 8.05 9.28 10.00
delivered by various people of
knowledge. 7 28th Fri 4.29 5.15 6.07 1.13 1.30 5.47 6.15 7.58 8.03 9.20 10.00
(Please check our website
and/or announcements in the 8 29th Sat 4.29 5.15 6.08 1.13 1.30 5.47 6.15 7.56 8.01 9.20 10.00
Masjid for further
information) 9 30th Sun 4.29 5.15 6.10 1.13 1.30 5.47 6.15 7.54 7.59 9.20 10.00

Open to brothers and

sisters 10 31st Mon 4.29 5.15 6.12 1.13 1.30 5.47 6.15 7.51 7.56 9.20 10.00

For further information please check our website: www.aljalalmasjid.org

We welcome suggestions, advice and general comments. Our aim is that the Masjid meets the needs of the local community.
Please feel free to contact us - Email: info@aljalalmasjid.org
Al Jalal Masjid, 314. Biscot Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 1AZ. Tel: 01582 411744