Ritual

Question:

Can you name your child a name that is in another language other than Arabic, as long as it has a good meaning?

Answer:

Children are a trust in the hands of parents. Parents, therefore, have a duty to receive this divine gift with a true sense of gratitude and do everything at their disposal to provide the best nurturing. There is nothing better than can do in this regard than by providing them a home filled with love and kindness, and thus contributing to their over all physical, intellectual, ethical and spiritual growth and development. Such a duty begins way before the birth of the child and extends all through their lives.

Question:

I have a question regarding marriage. Does Islam teach that people are not allowed to get married between the two Eids. I am told that a wedding cannot be done unless you make the engagement before the fasting month.

Answer:

There is nothing in Islam that prohibits performing marriages at any time of the year. The only restrictions pertain to consummating marriages during certain times.

The month of Ramadan is highly honored by Allah, His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as well as Muslims throughout generations.

Allah Almighty says,

And now Ramadan is only a few days ahead, what should we do to prepare Ramadan in order to get benefit from this month.

Below are a few tips to prepare during fasting in Ramadan from Sheikh Ahmad Kutty:

1. We should empower ourselves by learning as much as we can about the precise laws as well as the benefits of fasting.

There is not just one but more than one du’a of qunut that have been mentioned in the sources; one can read anyone of them or all of them. Below are two of the most popular ones:

The First One:

Allahumma inna nasta'inuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nastahdika wa nu'minu bika wa natubu ilayk; wa natawwakkalu 'alayka wa nuthni 'alayka'l-khayra kullahu nashkuruka wa la nakfuruk. Wa nakhla'u wa natruku man yaf-juruk. Allahumma iyyaka na'budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas'a wa nahfidu; narju rahmataka wa nakhsa 'adhabaka inna 'adhabaka bi'l-kuffari mulhiq. wa salla Allaahu alaa sayyidinaa al-nabiyyi wa aalihi wa sallam.

Puasa ramadhan tinggal menunggu hari saja, bulan yang ditunggu-tunggu oleh segenap kaum Muslim di dunia dimana Allah SWT akan memberikan rahmat, keberkahan, pahala berlipat-lipat serta ampunan bagi hamba-hambaNya yang berpuasa, beramal soleh serta meminta ampun di bulan ini.

Nah, bagi anda yang membutuhkan jadwal imsakiyah/puasa ramadhan 1429 H/2008 M untuk daerah Jakarta dan sekitarnya dapat anda download disini.

Bagi yang membutuhkan jadwal lengkap untuk kota-kota besar di Indonesia dan dunia juga dapat mendownload jadwal lengkap disini.

Cara menggunakannya cukup dengan merubah tahun dan nama kota dengan huruf besar (kapital), sesuaikan dengan tahun dan kota tempat anda berada. Terima kasih kepada Akh Ibnu Zahid! Semoga bermanfaat bagi yang lain.

"And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the dua (prayer) of every suppliant when they calleth on Me " [Al-Baqara 2:186]

1. Our Lord! Give unto us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and guard us from the doom of Fire. (Al-Baqara 2:201)

2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against the disbelieving folk. (Al-Baqara 2:250)

3. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! (Al-Baqara 2:286)

4. Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us! (Al-Baqara 2:286)

5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. (Al-Baqara 2:286)

Abu Saeed Khudri RA narrates that Rasulullah SAW said : "The Doors of the Heavens are opened up on the first night of Ramadhan. Not a single door (among the doors of Heaven) is then closed until the last night of Ramadhan."

Before proceeding with the masa'il (rules) related to Ramadhan, it is best to narrate some of the fadha'il (excellences and virtues) of Ramadhan. Knowledge of the virtues will develop the understanding of the value and importance of this most blessed month, creating enthusiasm and eagerness, which in turn will result, Insha-Allah, in proper fulfillment of the laws, etiquette and demands of Ramadhan. This book will guide us to know and learn about fasting in Ramadan.