Category: Uncategorised

Dr Emdad Khan.

One of the most useful tools  for maintaining excellent communication  and strengthening relationships.

Let us practice  listening more in all of our conversations.

This is the effective way of getting  others good feedback.

To resolve our  day to day life issues, as husband & wife, parent & children and  teacher & student,

we have to adopt  3 Cs: (Communication, Compromise, & Compassion)..

Let us all practice careful Listening,  as part of explicit Communication,

Compromise (give and take) and,

Compassion (we will make mistakes but must forgive each other).

 

SNMC is now among one of the designated drop off location for Sadaqa food bank ramadan food basket challenge.

Drop off your timings
Saturdays: 4-7 pm

A Moment with Our Prophet, Muhammad (S)

By Imam Zijad Delic

Day 199: Haya (Bashfulness) is an Indicator of the Level of Our Faith

Narrated by Abu Mas’ud (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Among the words that people obtained from the previous prophets are: ‘If you do not feel any inner feeling of being shy, then do as you wish to do.’”

عن أبي مسعود عقبة قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ مِمَّا أَدْرَكَ النَّاسُ مِنْ كَلَامِ النُّبُوَّةِ إِذَا لَمْ تَسْتَحْيِ فَافْعَلْ مَا شِئْتَ

Source: Bukhari

Transliteration: “Inna Mimma Adrakan Nasu Min Kalamin Nubuwwati, Idha Lam Tastahi, Fasna’ Ma Shi’ta.”

One of the virtues that the humanity is in a dire need today, is Haya!

Our human standards have changed radically in the last 50 years or so.

What was unacceptable yesterday, became very much OK and normal today!

It seems that many have lost the sense of moral conscience, including the people of faith.

My assumption is that due to the loss of Haya, the humanity faces many social challenges that we do not know how to respond to and thus bring ourselves into the state of unhappiness and depression!

Yes, speaking from the faith perspective, Haya is one of the biggest losses we have sustained in the last decades!

What is Haya?

In Islam, Haya means having a sense of bashfulness, modesty or self-respect!

It is the feeling in the heart that keeps its owner away from performing any indecent act.

In the West, it is commonly known as “one’s moral conscience.”

When a person has moral conscience, he/she will care what others think of him/her and will also care what he/she thinks of himself/herself!

And if a person does not have moral conscience, then he/she will do anything he/she pleases and will not care of what others may think about him/her, as the Prophet (S) taught us in the introductory Hadith of this post:

“Among the words that people obtained from the first Prophecy are: ‘If you do not feel any inner feeling of being shy, then do as you wish to do.’” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Muslim scholars have offered different interpretation about this statement ‘if you do not feel any inner feeling of being shy, then do as you wish to do.’

All of the interpretations could be supportive of each other depending on the situation:

1. a) a warning or the threat of the consequences or a command of a caution – meaning, if you have no Haya, do as you wish but you will be accountable for your choices/actions accordingly,
2. b) a statement of fact – meaning, if a person does not have Haya, he/she will do whatever he/she wishes and nothing will prevent him/her from doing the act and
3. c) a display of permissibility – meaning, if one is contemplating to do an act and there is nothing in the act to be ashamed of, then you may do it as you wish.

All prophets before Muhammad (S) have taught their followers about Haya.

As we could understand from the Hadith, the reality of Haya (bashfulness) was known to all Prophets and their followers; however, in Islam, the virtue of Haya has been given the well-deserving place!

It was narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Indeed, every religion has fine and praiseworthy character, and the character of Islam is Haya’ (modesty/bashfulness).” (Ibn Majah)

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ دِينٍ خُلُقًا وَإِنَّ خُلُقَ الْإِسْلَامِ الْحَيَاءُ

This Hadith means that among all the religions, which existed before Islam, each religion had one prominent characteristic that defined that religion, except Haya.

In other words, among all the moral values the position that Haya’ occupies in Islam is the most dominant and sublime and this was not the case in the earlier religions so much as it is in Islam.

If it was like stars in other religions, Haya shines forth like the sun in Islam.

For these reasons, the attention of Muslims is invited to this prominent position and importance of Haya.

While Muslims are commanded to adopt all good moral values, they are asked specifically to give a distinct position to Haya in their lives because our Din is characterized by it.

Indeed, Haya rests at the top of the list of good manners of productive and successful believers.

Why Haya is so much important in Islam?

When we read the references of Islam on the topic of Haya, we find out that indeed, Haya is the central virtue in Islam.

1. Allah loves the virtue of Haya (bashfulness, modesty and self-respect)!

It was narrated by Ashaj ibn Asr (r) that the Prophet told him: “Verily, you have two qualities which are loved by Allah, the Exalted.”

إِنَّ فِيكَ خُلَّتَيْنِ يُحِبُّهُمَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

I said, “What are they?” The Prophet (S) said: “Forbearance and Haya.” (Ahmed)

الْحِلْمُ وَالْحَيَاءُ

2. Haya is a branch of Iman!

It was narrated by Abu Huraira (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Faith has sixty to seventy branches, the best of which is to declare there is no God but Allah, the least of which is to remove something harmful from the road, and Haya is a branch of faith.”

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الْأَذَى عَنْ الطَّرِيقِ وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ

3. It is the essential characteristic of Islam!

It was narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Indeed, every religion has fine and praiseworthy character, and the character of Islam is Haya’ (modesty/bashfulness).” (Ibn Majah)

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ دِينٍ خُلُقًا وَإِنَّ خُلُقَ الْإِسْلَامِ الْحَيَاءُ

4. Haya is an indicator of the level of our faith!

It was narrated by Ibn Umar (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Verily, Haya and faith come together. If one of the two is missing, so is the other.” (Shu’an al Iman)

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ الْحَيَاءَ وَالإِيمَانَ قُرِنَا جَمِيعًا فَإِذَا رُفِعَ أَحَدُهُمَا رُفِعَ الآخَرُ

5. Haya brings only goodness to its owner!

It was narrated by ‘Imran ibn Husayn (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Haya does not bring anything but goodness.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

عن عمران بن حصين عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ الْحَيَاءُ لَا يَأْتِي إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ

…or Haya is all about goodness!…and in another narration, the Prophet (S) said: “Haya is all that is good.” (Muslim)

الْحَيَاءُ خَيْرٌ كُلُّهُ

6. Haya beautifies everything it touches!

It was narrated by Anas ibn Malik (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “And Haya is not found in anything but that it beautifies it.” (Tirmizi)

عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَا كَانَ الْحَيَاءُ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا زَانَهُ

7. It leads its owner into the gardens of Paradise!

It was narrated by Abu Huraira (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Haya is part of faith and faith is in Paradise.” (Tirmizi)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْحَيَاءُ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ وَالْإِيمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ

Ya Rabb! Guide us and our children towards this great virtue so that we be the role-models to others at the time when Haya does not matter much to so many!

Allahumma Amin!

Dr Emdad Khan.

In Arabic we have past tense, present tense, command form,

The future tense is an extension of present by implied or just adding the letter ‘sa’.

In the Quran, Allah swt has described many stories of past communities, tribes and nations.

For our lessons, He described, creation of human beings, how to spend our day to life, and at the end  He is pleased with us and we are pleased with HIM. He also stated again and again not to be deceived by the life of Duniya and prepare for the eternal life of the hereafter.

He described about seeking His forgiveness when we make mistakes, He asked to own our mistakes and to seek forgiveness from others affected.  That was the example of Prophet Adam AHS and mother Hawa AHS.

Past can not be undone; we need to take lessons and move to the present and from the present think of the future to do better.

We will lose everything in life if we get stuck about the past.

Let us forgive ourselves for our own shortcomings, forgive others, our own parents, our children, our relatives, our community members.

We will feel light, our  burden will go away and  we will move forward.

May Allah swt make our life peaceful with tranquility. Ameen.

With Salaam and Regards Emdad

 

Dr Emdad Khan.

Ottawa Gatineau has over 20 Masjids and Musallahs who provide different levels of regular prayer services. Some of them provide a range of other services but here we will focus on day-to-day prayer services under Covid-19.

During COVID-19 first wave from Mid March 2020 to Mid June 2020, all the masjids/ musallahs were closed as Ontario allowed only a maximum of 5 persons.

But after Mid June 2020, Ontario allowed the masjids/ musallahs to open with 1/3 capacity for prayer, wedding, and funeral services. Except few musallahs, most of the masjids/ musallahs were offering regular five prayers until December 25, 2020.

Unfortunately, 2^nd lockdown happened on 26^th December 2020 until February 15, 2021, during the peak of the second wave of Covid-19. During these 50+ days, Ontario restricted capacity for regular prayer, wedding or funeral services, a maximum of up to 10 persons.

During the second locked down period only, few masjids were open for 5 regular prayers.

We like to thank SNMC management, volunteers and musalles for providing one of the best prayer services. Unlike other masjids/ Musallahs, there were 6 shifts of Isha salah each 10 and 4 shifts of Fajr salah with 10 each and Zuhr, Asr and Maghreb, each 3 shifts each 10. In addition, there were special arrangements for seniors.

After 50 days of second lock down, on 16 February Tuesday   Fajr at 6pm at SNMC masjid, despite heavy snow and difficulties over 60 persons attended.

Alhamdu Lillah, the doors of mercy open.

Masjids/ Musallahs follow city health guidelines: 2-meter distances, face mask, hand sanitization. They are safer and have tranquility compared to groceries and shopping malls.

We meet brothers and sometimes sisters at groceries and shopping malls.

We request all brothers and sisters, please come to the house of Allah and let us under the pandemic be closer to Allah swt Ameen.

We feel encouraged, as we see attendance in regular prayers at SNMC is increasing. Currently, attendance are as follows, at Isha (100-125), Fajr (60 -70), Maghrib, Zuhr and Asr (40 -60).

Let SNMC and other masjids excel in activities and be an example in each activity. prayers, social and community services. Quran learning and teaching for kids, youths, sisters, and adults.  We provide youths’ activities education and sports.

 

A Moment with Our Prophet, Muhammad (S)

By Imam Zijad Delic

Day 197: Islam is the Natural and Easy Way!

A Moment with Our Prophet, Muhammad (S) — By Imam Zijad Delic

Narrated by Abu Huraira (r) that the Prophet (S) said: “Verily, the religion is easy, and no one burdens himself/herself in religion but that it overwhelms him/her.”

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا غَلَبَهُ

Source: Bukhari

Transliteration: “Innad Dina Yusrun! Wa Lan Yushaadda Ad Dinu Ahadul Illa Galabah.”

Islam is the natural way of life!

And anything natural is easy!

As natural and easy way, it causes human beings’ hearts to gravitate towards its teachings easily.

Th consequence of this gravitation then will be that Islam will bring tranquility and comfort in people’s personal life and harmony into the society.

So, Islam came to make life of people easy and not to make it complicated!

One of the terms used by the Qur’an, in the early Makkan period, to describe Islam, was the term “Al Yusr” which means “the easy way.”

Today, unfortunately, some Muslims are under the misconception that the more-strict they are in following religion, the more pious they will become.

So, they make it hard for themselves and often try to impose harshness and rigidity on others.

This attitude is totally in contradiction to the logic of Islam!

It contradicts what our religion is all about, what it stands for and what it teaches us.

The misconception is a result of lack of understanding of the primary sources of our religion – the Qur’an and the Sunnah (or ignorance of these).

And at times. this lack of understanding drives some people away from religion, mainly because of the way it is presented to them.

Indeed, the view that Islam is easy to understand and practice, is one which is derived from the mentioned two primary sources of Islam.

Allah comforts us by continuously reassuring us that He intends and desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face in our lives.

Let me mention just a few examples from the Qur’an where Allah guides us towards understanding of Islam as the easy way or path.

“He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.” (Qur’an 22:78)

هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ

“God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship.” (Qur’an 2:185)

يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْر

In another verse, we are reminded that “God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness.” (Qur’an 65:7)

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا مَا آتَاهَا سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا

“Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him/her, of His command, easiness.” (Qur’an 65:4)

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا

“God desires to lighten things for you.” (Qur’an 4:28)

يُرِيدُ اللّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمْ

In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet (S) was advised the following in the Quran: “It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently with them. If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from you. So, pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them in the mutual affairs.” (3: 159)

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الأَمْرِ

All these verses allude that Islam is easy to follow and rather encourage us to promote Islam as the easy path/way.

In addition to the Quran, the Hadith literature is also stuffed with references exhorting us to adopt a simple and easy approach to life.

Prophet Muhammad (S) has advised us: “Verily, the religion is easy, and no one burdens himself/herself in religion but that it overwhelms him/her.” (Bukhari)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ الدِّينَ يُسْرٌ وَلَنْ يُشَادَّ الدِّينَ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا غَلَبَهُ

It was narrated by Abu Burdah (r) that when the Prophet (S) sent his companions Abu Musa and Mu’adh (r) to teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he (S) gave them the following advice: “Facilitate things for the people and do not make things difficult for them (Be kind and lenient (both of you) with the people, and do not be hard on them) and give the people good tidings and do not repulse them.” (Bukhari)

عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، قَالَ بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَبَا مُوسَى وَمُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ، قَالَ وَبَعَثَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى مِخْلاَفٍ قَالَ وَالْيَمَنُ مِخْلاَفَانِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ “‏ يَسِّرَا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرَا، وَبَشِّرَا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرَا

On another occasion Anas ibn Malik (r) narrates that the Prophet (S) said: “Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam).” (Bukhari)

عَنْ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏ ‏ يَسِّرُوا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرُوا، وَبَشِّرُوا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرُوا

In a practical sense, the Prophet (S) guided the companions by his example, to make things easy for others.

He (S) used to prolong the Salat whenever he (S) would pray alone, but he (S) would shorten it whenever leading others in Salah.

He (S) taught the companions to do the same and demanded that they do not make things harsh for people.

It was narrated by Abu Mas’ud (r) that a man came to the Prophet (S) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (S)! By Allah, I keep away from the morning prayer (Salatil Gadati) only because so and so prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it.”

The narrator said, “I never saw Allah’s Messenger (S) more furious in giving advice than he (S) was at that time.

He (S) then said, “Some of you make people dislike good deeds (the prayer). So, whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old and the needy.” (Bukhari)

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ قَيْسًا، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، قَالَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَتَأَخَّرُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ مِنْ أَجْلِ فُلاَنٍ مِمَّا يُطِيلُ بِنَا‏.‏ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَوْعِظَةٍ أَشَدَّ غَضَبًا مِنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ مِنْكُمْ مُنَفِّرِينَ، فَأَيُّكُمْ مَا صَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ، فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفَ وَالْكَبِيرَ وَذَا الْحَاجَةِ ‏

Abu Huraira (r) narrates that the Prophet (S) said on another occasion: “If anyone of you leads the people in the prayer, he should shorten it for amongst them are the weak, the sick and the old; and if anyone among you prays alone then he may prolong (the prayer) as much as he wishes.” (Bukhari)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ لِلنَّاسِ فَلْيُخَفِّفْ، فَإِنَّ مِنْهُمُ الضَّعِيفَ وَالسَّقِيمَ وَالْكَبِيرَ، وَإِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ لِنَفْسِهِ فَلْيُطَوِّلْ مَا شَاءَ

Aisha (r) described the Prophet to be the Prophet of ease and said that “whenever Allah’s Messenger (S) was given the choice of one of two matters, he (S) would choose the easier of the two, as long as it was not sinful to do so.” (Bukhari)

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ مَا خُيِّرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ إِلاَّ أَخَذَ أَيْسَرَهُمَا، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ إِثْمًا

As you have noticed from the discussion, Islam is the natural way and anything natural is easy and needs to be presented to others, especially to our children, in the North American context, as an easy way.

If it is done so, our human hearts will gravitate towards Islam and its teachings!

And when our hearts gravitate towards Islam and its teachings, expectations would be that we will enjoy tranquility and comfort in our personal lives as well as cohesion and the prosperity of the society!

Ya Rabb! Guide us to understand our faith of ease and help us to show others the beauty and ease of our faith in our practical day-to-day life!

Allahumma Amin!

 

 

SNMC appreciates the community’s cooperation and understanding during the COVID-19 lockdown situation and working with the SNMC team to follow provincial and city guidelines.

In Sha Allah, effective from Tue 16th Feb 2021 Fajr prayers, we should be back to 30% capacity restrictions.  SNMC wants to remind the community to keep following all the guidelines and rules in place by city and province from time to time, like for example keeping 6 feet distance while congregating, wearing facemask all the time.

To enter SNMC masjid from Tue 16th Feb 2021 Fajr, you would still need the following

1. Masjid Pass – get yours at http://mySNMC.ca
2. Facemask
3. Full size Prayer Mat
4. Bag for shoes (to take inside with you, as needed)
5. Wudu (no wudu facilities at SNMC)

To enable next session attendees be able to drive into parking lot and be able to come into Masjid, please leave prayer hall, as soon as your session has concluded. This will reduce traffic chaos for coming in and going out, In Sha Allah.

Prayer Schedule can be seen at http://snmc.ca/Prayer

Please do not assemble OR pray in parking lot and follow SNMC team’s guidelines / directions all the time.

At the moment, the age limit is 12 and above, except on Week-ends (Sat Fajr to Sun Isha) which is 8 and above.

Post 16th Feb, SNMC prayer schedule can be accessed via website http://snmc.ca (top menu Weekly Iqama)
Or Directly at
2021-prayer-schedule-v2.pdf (snmc.ca)