Administrator on September 3rd, 2008
During the blessed month of Ramadan, courses will be held to learn the fundamental teachings of Islam. These courses will be held on weekends between Asr and Maghrib prayers. The contents of these courses includes: Purification and Cleanliness, Rulings of Fasting, and How to Pray.
These courses are open to brothers and sisters. After the course, Iftari will be provided at the Masjid to open the fast.
For further details, see the poster below:
Administrator on August 30th, 2008
Insha-Allah, the blessed month of Ramadan will start on 1st September 2008.
The first taraveeh prayer will be held on 31st August at 9:45pm.
- Taraveh facilities are provided for sisters.
- Iftari (fasting opening facilities) are provided at the Masjid throughout the month of Ramadan.
- From 1st – 4th September, the taraweeh prayers would be aired live on Leeds Community Radio.
The Ramadan 2008 timetable is attached below:
Administrator on October 26th, 2007
Eid-ul-Fitr 2007 Lecture (Khutba) delivered at Leeds Makkah Mosque by Imam Hafiz Asim.
Who gains from our acts of worship: Allah or His servant? Why are we ordered to pray, fast, give charity and be good to other human beings? For whose benefit the rules and laws are set down?
The prescribed acts of worship seek to strengthen our relationship with the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth so that we attain inner peace and are in harmony with ourselves and our surroundings. When the relationship is strengthened, a Muslim’s outlook on life changes and he surrenders himself to the will of Allah and Allah showers His blessings on him abundantly. Eid-ul-Fitr is a day when Allah showers His blessings on Muslims for completing the fasts and performing additional virtuous deeds during the month of Ramadan.
Administrator on September 9th, 2007
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar. Muslims practice fasting for the entire month of Ramadan. Muslims are obliged to abstain from all food, drink, use of tobacco, and conjugal relations from dawn till sunset. However, that is merely the physical component of the fast; the spiritual aspects of the fast include refraining from gossiping, lying, slandering and all traits of bad character.
A fasting person’s aim is to attain purity of thought and action. The act of fasting redirects the hearts away from worldly mundane activities, towards Allah – the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth.
The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, doing Zikr, endurance and self-discipline. It is a month of training – training the soul and body- to be able to exercise self-restraint. The fasting Muslim is continuously tied with rules and regulations for an entire month and then released for 11 months to see whether the training has been adequate and effective.
During this month the personality of a Muslim develops so that during the rest of the year, the trained Muslim does not commit wrong under unrestricted conditions. Ramadan is a month to purify ourselves. Fasting helps to overcome bad habits either gradually for some of us or immediately for those with a stronger will power.
The Qur’an commands: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you attain taqwa (self-restraint)” (2:183).
The Holy Quran says: “Ramadan is the month in which we sent down the Holy Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear Signs for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).” (2:185)
AHADITH ON FASTING
Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven (Bukhari, Muslim).
Abu Huraira related that Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarrelling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.” (Bukhari )
On the Day of Judgement, “Fasting will say: O My Lord I prevented him from food and desires so accept my intercession for him.” (Ahmad, al-Haakim and Abu Nu’aim, Hasan)
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: He who gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting persons reward.” (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh).
Abu Huraira related that Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Many people who fast get nothing from their fast except hunger and thirst, and many people who pray at night get nothing from it except wakefulness (Darimi).
Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life he could not make up for it (Bukhari).
Ramadan has another deeper significance for Muslims. Ramadan’s greatness is manifest in the fact that Allah Almighty chose it for the revelation of His Scriptures from time to time. In every Ramadan the Muslims celebrate the spiritual significance of that divine fact the eternal abiding permanence of the Holy Quran.
During this Holy month therefore, Muslims recite the Holy Quran more than in any other month. Throughout this holy month, therefore, from every Muslim home is heard, during the day and night, the pleasant and beautiful cadences of Quranic recitation. The Holy Qur’an states “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace” (13: 28.) Peace of mind and contentment of the heart can only be attained by sincere and continuous remembrance of Allah.
Administrator on October 16th, 2006
On Wednesday, 11th October 2006, Leeds Makkah Masjid had the honour of hosting a meeting to discuss how the month of Ramadan and both Eids can be celebrated on a single day in Leeds .
The attendees
The meeting was attended by the delegates from 12 different Leeds masajid (mosques) and centres, consisting of Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi and Arab communities. The delegates included the Imams and the committee members of those masajid. The meeting was also attended by the general public who were enthusiastic to be part of a meeting which could formulate an agreeable formula for the Ramadan and Eid issues. Altogether, this historic meeting was attended by over 200 attendees. Muslim councillors from the Leeds City Council, including Councillor Javaid Akhtar, Councillor Kabeer Hussain Councillor Mohammed Rafique and the Lord Mayor of Leeds (2006-2007), Councillor Mohammed Iqbal were also present.
The mosques that participated in this meeting included:
Leeds Makkah Masjid – Leeds 6
Markazi Jamia Masjid Bilal – Leeds 8
Abu Huraira Masjid – Leeds 11
Ghousia Masjid – Leeds 12
Jamia Batool – Leeds 8
Leeds Islamic Centre – Leeds 7
Leeds Grand Mosque – Leeds 2
Al-Hasan Centre and Masjid Quba – Leeds 7
Iqra Centre – Leeds 17
Shah Jalal Masjid – Leeds 8
Umar Masjid – Leeds 11
Al-Amin Masjid – Leeds 11
The meeting was aired live on radio Islam FM (87.7 FM). Islam FM radio has been setup to broadcast Islamic programmes in Leeds during the month of Ramadan. Islam FM had played a big part is organising and inviting all the Leeds masajid to this meeting.
The meeting started around 10pm, after the taraweeh prayer at Leeds Makkah Mosque.
The meeting was chaired by Qari Asim Sahib of Leeds Makkah Masjid and Hafiz Zumurd Sahib acted as a stage secretary.
Agreeing…
The imam of Leeds Islamic Centre, Hafiz Riyad Sahib, initiated the meeting by informing the participants that historically Leeds Islamic Centre had been following Saudi Arabia for starting and ending the month of Ramadan. However, now they were willing to change their stance. Hafiz Riyad said that they were willing to accept Shahadah (witnessing) that the crescent moon had been sighted in Morocco as an indication of starting and ending the month of Ramadan. Morocco had been chosen as it is the nearest Muslim country to the UK. Morocco was also chosen as it begins the Islamic months by witnessing the crescent moon (unlike Saudi Arabia).
Afterwards, the imam of Markazi Jamia Masjid Bilal, Sayyid Shuaib Shah Sahib, spoke. He maintained that since Morocco started the Islamic month by witnessing the crescent moon, Bilal mosque could follow Morocco in this regard.. Similarly, Hafiz Asim (Leeds Makkah Masjid), Mawlana Dilshad Sahib (Jamia Batool), Mawlana Abul-Hasan Faisal Sahib (Shah Jalal Masjid), Hafiz Hasan Sahib (Al-Hasan Centre) and Qari Javaid Sahib (Iqra Centre) all agreed to this formula. They were all willing to follow Morocco to start and end the month of Ramadan.
In the meeting, there was a feeling of joy and happiness that all the parties agreed to a very reasonable solution in such a short span of time, for starting and ending the month of Ramadan.
Leeds Makkah Masjid, Al-Hasan Centre and Iqra Centre are also of the opinion that the help of astronomical data should be utilised in determining the Islamic months. Therefore Hafiz Asim did raise this question that as a safety measure, astronomical data should also be consulted. He said that he fully supports this formula to follow Morocco. However, he would like to know the reason behind some mosques aginst consulting scientific data for the beginning and ending of the Islamic months. This request was strongly opposed by Leeds Islamic Centre and Shah Jalal Mosque; they maintained that no observatory reports must be utilised for this matter. As a sign of unity, Leeds Makkah Masjid, Al-Hasan Centre and Iqra Centre backed down on their requests to include the consultation of the astronomical data as the part of the new formula.
Disagreeing…
The final part of the meeting was the determination of the next Eid al-Fitr (in October 2006).
This is where all went wrong.
Ninty per cent of the delegates said that the new formulated formula (to follow Morocco) should be used to determine Eid al-Fitr. After all, this was the reason for holding this meeting. But Leeds Islamic Centre and Shah Jalal Masjid did a u-turn and said that the new formula should not be followed for this Eid, but for the next Eid.
Everyone was in total dismay and shocked to hear this suggestion. Before and throughout the meeting everyone had been thinking that they were agreeing to a formula that could be applied to the following Eid and celebrate the Eid on a single day in Leeds. Not for a single moment they realised that Leeds Islamic Centre would refuse to follow their own suggested formula for determining the Eid.
Leeds Islamic Centre said that they had started this Ramadan with Saudi Arabia and would finish with them as well. To this proposal, others said that if this was the case, meetings with other masajid for having a united Eid should have started after the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Leeds Islamic Centre also said that if they follow the new formula, it could mean that they would have to keep 31 fasts during this Ramadan. Other masajid said that they should not think they will keep 31 fasts. They should trust the new formula, and therefore, if the crescent moon for the month of Shawal is sighted in Morocco on 22nd October, this would mean Leeds Islamic Centre would still keep 30 fast. However, if the Shawwal crescent moon is not sighted in Morocco on 22nd October, Muslims should fast on 23rd October. This would make 31 total fasting days for Leeds Islamic Centre. However, in this case, the fast on 23rd October will be regarded as the obligatory fast and their original fast on the 23rd September would become a nafl fast (Leeds Islamic Centre started the month of Ramadan on 23rd September, following Saudi Arabia).
This was a reasonable, logical and the correct path to take after all the parties had agreed to follow a particular formula. However, Leeds Islamic Centre was, yet again, determined to follow Saudi Arabia; and to dismiss its own newly suggested formula of following Morocco for determining the beginning of the Islamic months.
All the delegates at the meeting, and the audience of the Islam FM were in total shock to hear that Leeds Islamic Centre would not do Eid with the rest of the Leeds Muslim community in Leeds. Everyone at the meeting tried to persuade Leeds Islamic Centre to celebrate Eid with the rest of the Leeds Muslim community. They also could not understand why Leeds Islamic Centre was pulling out from this united front at the last minute.
After lengthy discussions and persuasions, Leeds Islamic Centre still did not agree to hold a united Eid ul-Fitr.
The end…
The meeting ended around 2am. What started with great enthusiasm and joy ended with even greater disappointment. It was extremely sad to witness Leeds Islamic Centre, who had initially called for a united Eid, did not join the rest of the masajid for the united Eid. It was felt that a golden opportunity to grasp unity for the Muslims of Leeds was thrown away.
It was decided that another meeting after the month of Ramadan will be convened to agree on a united Eid ul-Adha. Let us pray to Allah Almighty that next time we are successful in achieving a united Eid. It is the right time that we put aside political and personal agendas in order to unify Muslims, and also realise the fallacy of following Saudi Arabia, which does not use moonsighting to determine its months but rather observatory reports of the birth of the new moon rather than visibility, as required by Shariah.
