Ramadan oh Ramadan: Balancing dunya and akhirah

While he was fixing this laptop, the phone was ringing.

Me: "Hallo"
Man: "Assalamualaikum, can I talk to your son?"
Me: "Wa alaikum salam, okay."
Then I gave the phone to my boy. ...

When the phone was hang up, the girl asked.
Girl: "Who is he? Another customer?"
Boy: "Yes, a Moroccan Man wants me to fix his desktop."
Me: "Wow, Alhamdulillah, you did very good job, honey. Now people come and need your help to fix their computer. I want you to have fun whatever you are doing."
Boy: "ya, ibu. After this laptop is fixed, I am going to memorize my Qur'an."


May Allah always guide our children being successful in this dunya and akhirah. Aameen.

Have a blessed Ramadan, everyone....

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Allah created death and life that Allah might try you according to which of you is best in works. And Allah is the All-mighty, the All-forgiving. 

(Quran surah al Mulk 67:2)

Ramadan oh Ramadan: Fasting can heal any dieases.

Kid: "Ibu, why doesn't she fasting?"

Me: "I think it's because she is sick and she has to take the pill."

Kid: "I thought fasting will heals the sickness."

Me: "You are right, honey. I think she should try to fast if she is strong enough to do it. We know that fasting can heal the sickness and any diseases."

Kid: "ya, ibu. Fasting can make us healthy, insha Allah."


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Fasting is a completely natural healing therapy that has been used for thousands of years to treat and even cure many common diseases.

The Benefits of Fasting

• teaches patience.
• strengthens the body and cures some diseases.
• comforts the stomach.
• teaches us how to be merciful and compassionate with the poor.
• teaches us to organize our eating and drinking habits
• increases our good deeds.
• heal a host of minor (and sometimes major) health disorders.
• help you lose weight and keep it off.
• cleanse your body of metabolic wastes and toxins.
• improve your skin tone and health, making you look younger.
• stimulate new cell growth, making you feel younger.
• strengthen your immune system and natural defenses.
• improve glandular health and hormonal balance.
• increase mental clarity.
• enhance your moods, enjoy a more positive outlook.
• give you more energy and enthusiasm.
• enhance your spiritual connection. 

Those Who are Exempted From Fasting

• The sick
• The traveler
• The elderly who physically unable fasting
• The pregnant woman or a breast feeding mother who feels that she may cause harm to herself or her baby if she fasts
• The woman during her menstrual period or post-natal bleeding

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the pious." (2:183)

Let's teach our kids about the important of fasting.

Ramadan oh Ramadan: Teaching Children to Pray.

Question:
I really need help with my son, when I tell him it is time to pray. he gets angry and leaves the room. He is 11 I though he would get up and pray by himself. Please give me advices.

Answer:
Ramadan Karim, sister.

Have you try to pray in jamaah at home with the whole family (father, mother, and kids)? After praying jamaah, you can always have small halaqah. It's important to remind each other about why, when, and how to pray, the beautiful of our deen, the purpose of life, etc.
You can also try to read together about hadiths or story of al Qur'an, etc. Kids need to learn and understand more about Iman, Islam, and Ihsan. In this Ramadan, you should also try to pray in masjid together (For 11 years kid, he should not play around in masjid anymore).
If you teach them about the deen then it will be more easy teaching them about other things, insha Allah.

We should always teach our kids to love Allah, trust in Him, and to ask from Him all their needs. This positive attitude will help the kid build a lasting relationship with Allah.

O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is man and stones. (Al-Qur'an 66: 6)

From a young age, a kid should be encouraged to pray, recite the Qur’an, perform wudhu etc. Parents should not wait until they are almost baligh. It is much better to start at an age when kids are willing to imitate the parents and have an interest in praying and doing wudhu.

May Allah always give us more sabr and guide our children to practice our beautiful religion, aameen.  

Ramadan oh Ramadan: Zakat, Sadaqah, and Charity

While I was eating this sweet during iftar, my kid asked me.

Kid: "Ibu, i saw a sister throwing the good foods in the garbage bag. Why?"
Me: "I don't know why, honey. She should bring it home instead of throwing to garbage."
Kid: "It's so sad now a day. I think it's right that some people said that, in Ramadan, Muslim are fasting during the day but they are having party/feast during the night. While other miskin/poor people have no food almost everyday. That's not what Ramadan is about."
Me (with my big hug to her): "You are right, my honey honey and sugar."
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How many favors of Allah we enjoy, we don’t admit or recognize until Allah takes them away from us? We probably enjoy air-conditioning and have a fridge in our house. There are people who refuse taking meat as charity because they don’t have a fridge to store it in. There are people who do have anything to eat and drink. There are people who don't have place to sleep.
Be grateful before Allah takes it all away from you.

“Truly, those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform salah and give zakah, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
(Al-Qur’an, surah 2, ayah 277)

Please do not forget to give your sadaqah, Zakat, and other charity during this Ramadan.
May Allah accept all our ibadah. Aameen.

Here are useful links:

• Zakah
• What is Zakat
• Zakat Guide

Ramadan oh Ramadan: The best among you are the best in characters.

Last night after Taraweeh, my boy came to me and gave this white kufi hat.

Boy: "Ibu, the old man, who prays beside me, gave this kufi hat to me."
Me: "Why? Did you ask him to have it? or Is it just a gift for you?"
Boy: "He said it's a gi ft. I don't know why he gave me a gift."
Me: "Did you said thank you to him?"
Boy: "of course, I did. I want you to wash it first so I can use it for praying, insha Allah."
Me: "But you can still use the old one."
Boy: " I want to use it so he can get the reward of my praying, too, insha Allah."
Me: "I think he likes you because you are good boy to him."

May Allah always guide us and give us more patience and have good manners.
Aameen ya Rabb al aameen.
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We were sitting with 'Abdullah bin 'Amr who was narrating to us (Hadith).
He said that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "The best among you are the best in character (having good manners)." 
(Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.61 Narrated by Masruq)

Ramadan oh Ramadan: I am Fasting Today.

While my girl is helping me in the kitchen, she said to me that in Ramadan we have to be more patience.
Then I said to her: "yes, you are right, honey."

After a while, she is accidentally eating the sweet.

Girl: "Oh this is so good, ibu."
Me: "Are you fasting?"
Girl: "Oh, no I forget about it."
Me: "That's okay if you forget."
Girl: "So I still have my fasting."
Me:"Yes, you do still have your fasting if you forget."
Girl:"Yes, i am still fasting. Now I remember that Sheikh in masjid was talking about it in the class."
Me: "Honey, it's okay if you want to break your fast."

But she still wants to finish her fasting until sunset. Insha Allah.

May Allah accept our fasting in this Ramadan and doing it with sincerity. Aameen. ===================

And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appears to you. 
Then complete your fast till the night comes.
[Quran 2:187].


Who is required to fast?
Fasting is obligatory upon the fulfillment of the following:

• Islam: Fasting is not obligatory on a disbeliever.
• Sanity: The insane is exempted.
• Puberty: Children are exempted, but they should be trained.
• Residency: Travelers are exempted.
• Health: The sick who cannot endure fasting is exempted.

The kids should try their best to fast all Ramadan or a part of it, so that they get used to fasting.

Ramadan oh Ramadan: Missing My Dhuha Prayer

Kid: "Ibu, I don't feel good today.
Me: "Are you okay?"
Kid: "No."
Me: "What's wrong with you?"
Kid: "I don't feel good because I missed my Dhuha pray this morning. I knew that I could pray easily."
Me: "Alhamdulillah, you already had the intention to do praying Dhuha.
May Allah accept it. Aameen. Insha Allah, you won't miss again tomorrow. Okay, honey."

May Allah always guide our children to be good Muslim, aameen.

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Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
My Khalil (the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) directed me to fast three days of each month, and to observe two Rak`ah Duha (optional prayer) at forenoon,
and to perform the Witr prayer before going to bed.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Ramadan oh Ramadan: Praying standing up is better than sitting down.

When we finished the second 2-rakaats of Taraweeh pray, my kid said that she was so lazy and tired. I knew that she saw some of her age and older kids were busy playing.

Kid: "Ibu (mom), i am so lazy and tired."

Me: "Well, you can pray sit if you are tired."

Kid: "But I do not want to be embarrassed by the old grandma who is praying beside you, ibu (mom). She is always standing up during the Taraweeh and Witr pray. I think it doesn't take that long to finish the prayers until Witr."

Me (with big hug to her): "hehehe, you are right, honey. I feel the same thing, too. The old grandma can do it then we can do it, too. Beside of that, if you pray standing up, it's good for our body after eating our heavy meal in this iftar. It also keeps our blood moving and flowing. I think you have to drink some more water, again."

Alhamdulillah, the kids always learn and practice their religion with sabr (patience) and ikhlas (sincerity).
May Allah always help and guide our children to love and practice their religion, aameen.

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The hadith says narrated by al-Bukhaari (1050) from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: I had haemorrhoids, and I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about praying. He said: “Pray standing; if you cannot, then sitting; and if you cannot, then lying on your side.”

Also this hadith It was also narrated by al-Bukhaari, Abu Dawood and al-Nasaa’i, who added: “If you cannot, then lying on your back, and Allaah does not burden any soul beyond its scope.”

Have a Blessed Ramadan

Ramadan Mubarak

 

   May Allah accept all our ibadah in this Ramadan. Aameen.

Narrated Sahl (Radi Allah Anhu): The Prophet Muhammad (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) said, "There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who used to observe fasts?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it."
[Sahih Bukhari : volume 3, Book 31, Number 120]

Have a Blessed Ramadan.

Teaching Our Children in Ramadan

Children (who did not reach puberty) are not commanded to fast. However, the parents are strongly recommended to encourage them to fast few days so that they get used to it and they grow up knowing of the worship of fasting as they would know that of praying. 

There was the practice of the first women of Islam who were living around the Prophet, sallaAllahu alaihi wa sallam. An example of that is ar-Rubayya' bint Mu'awiyyah who reported that: "The Messenger of Allah,salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, sent a man on the morning of the day of 'Ashurah, to the residences of the Ansar, saying: 'Whoever has spent the morning fasting is to complete his fast. Whoever has not spent this morning fasting should voluntary fast for the remainder of the day.' We fasted after that announcement, as did our young children. We would go to the mosque and make toys stuffed with cotton for them to play with. If one of them started crying due to hunger, we would give them a toy to play with until it was time to eat." [al-Bukhari and Muslim.]

One of seven that Allah will shade under His shade on the Day of Judgement is a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah. 

There are so many ways to educate your children about Ramadan, the best and most important is to be the good example by fasting properly and behaving according to the Prophetic teachings. 


Here are few tips that you can use with your children:

• Encourage them to fast every other day or more for those who are almost at the age of puberty. For those who are still young let them fast a day or two and praise them in front of friends and relatives for their achievement.
  
• Let your children go to the masjid for Maghrib prayer and break the fast with the larger Muslim community to make them feel the unity of Muslims in worshipping Allah.
  
• If your children cannot fast let them eat with you at the time of Maghrib.
  
• Teach your children the supplication of breaking the fast
  
• Take your children to the Taraweeh prayer so that they get used it and know about it from their early age. They may sit or stay in the back of the prayer room if they get tired.
  
• Teach them to give charity.
  
• Teach them to recite Qur'an regularily, especially in Ramadan.
  
• Teach them they should always try to have good manners when they are fasting.
  
• Wake them up for Suhoor and Fajr prayer.
  
• Teach them to feed the people fasting.
  
• Teach them that the Eid Fitr is one of the Muslim holiday.
  

One of hadiths, the Prophet salla allahu alaihi wa sallam said:

"One who is given the responsibility of the bringing up of daughters and treats them well will be a shield for him from Hell. [Bukhari and Muslim]



May Allah always help us in teaching our children to be good Muslim. Aameen.