by ProductiveMuslim on August 29, 2011
We didn’t want to leave you hanging after Ramadan with no productivity tips, so here are 10 tips to have a Productive Eid!
1. TAKBIR!
Keep reciting the Eid Takbir as much as you can wherever you go from the maghreb of the last day of Ramadan till the Eid Prayer! Recite the takbeer in the car, in the shopping malls, at home! Revive this Sunnah and truly feel the greatness of Islam.
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2. Prepare your Eid outfits early!
Maybe too late now but I hope you bought all your Eid clothes BEFORE Ramadan started! If not, don’t panic, try to find something reasonable in your wardrobe and don’t stress yourself with late night shopping on the night before Eid.
If you’ve bought your Eid clothes early, then prepare it the night before and place everything you need in one place (last thing you need is the early morning rush before Eid prayer and forgetting where you’ve put your new shoes!)
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by ProductiveMuslim on August 27, 2011
I feel compelled to put this together because I’ve seen the following boo-boos happen for years. In sha Allah, you can help me spread the word by sharing this article with your community, friends and family.
What is Zakat ul-Fitr?
Think “Iftar”, Zakat Ul-Fitr is the charity that we pay at the end of Ramadan. Here is the foundational hadith that establishes the obligation of Zakat ul-Fitr:
Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam), made Zakat al-Fitr compulsory on every slave, freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` (a measurement: four double handfuls) of dried dates or one Saa` of barely.
[Sahih Bukhari - Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579]
To understand Zakat ul-Fitr, here is a good summary of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Zakat_al-fitr
But unfortunately, our community makes some basic boo-boos in the payment of Zakat Al-Fitr that must be clarified.
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by ProductiveMuslim on August 24, 2011
It is widely believed that when a person turns towards religion, he seeks to be isolated from his surroundings. There are great spiritual virtues of isolating oneself for prayer and worship, but being a Muslim also comes with a social responsibility to guide fellow brothers and sisters and facilitate their learning and productivity.
There are some key practical ways in which one can actively help their fellow brothers and sisters to be productive in the month of Ramadan and implementing these initiatives is an opportunity for all Muslims to seek the reward and Pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). The differences and limitations of brothers and sisters and their activities are also taken into consideration.
Encouraging Congregational Prayers
The foremost place to begin is the local Masjid (mosque) or community center as it is mentioned: “The reward for salat performed by a person in congregation is more than 20 times greater than that of the salat performed in one’s house or shop. When one performs Wudu’ perfectly and then proceeds to the masjid with the sole intention of performing salat, then for every step he takes towards the masjid, he is upgraded one degree in reward and one of his sins is eliminated until he enters the masjid, and when he enters the mosque, he is considered as performing salat as long as it is the salat which prevents him (from leaving the mosque); and the angels keep on supplicating Allah for him as long as he remains in his place of prayer..” [Bukhari and Muslim]
Commentary: “This hadith shows that although it is permissible to perform salat individually, its collective performance in the mosque is 25, 26, or 27 times more meritorious, as mentioned in other ahadith.” Whilst it is from the sunnah to pray the sunnah prayers at home, in another hadith we learn that women are allowed to go to masjids, whilst praying at home is a great virtue.
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by ProductiveMuslim on August 23, 2011
Of the five pillars of Islam, Zakat (alms-giving) is the one obligation which Muslims seem to least understand. Perhaps it is because zakat is composed of less physical components than Salah (prayer), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgramage), or perhaps it consists of details which we never sought to properly understand, or perhaps we just overlooked it. Zakat, and giving charity in general, is a very important part of being socially productive in Islam, so it’s time we made an effort to understand it and perform it properly.
What is Zakat?
Zakat in its simple form means ’purification’. Being a pillar of Islam should instantly highlight its obligation and importance. Zakat is required once every lunar year; however, a Muslim is required to have a minimum amount of wealth to be responsible for paying Zakat (referred to as nisâb) and this amount should be researched so you know whether Zakat is obligatory upon you.
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by ProductiveMuslim on August 22, 2011
Ramadan is without doubt the time of the year when Muslims around the world are thinking about giving charity. Many Muslims try to give their Zakat during Ramadan, because of the many traditions indicating that charitable deeds are greatly rewarded in this month of generosity. In fact, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that “the best charity is that given in Ramadan” (At-Tirmidhi).
So, if you’re campaigning for a cause or charity, Ramadan is the perfect time to organise a fundraiser! But bear in mind, you will be competing with lots of other Muslim organisations and individuals who’ve had the same idea, so think about what will make your event stand out or even better – see if you can collaborate with others to host a joint fundraiser!
Usually Ramadan fundraisers take place around iftar time – but if you plan to hold your fundraiser during the day when people are fasting, keep these things in mind:
1. Make sure it’s not something that requires a lot of energy!
2. Keep it short and simple – and try to hold it earlier in the day rather than later
3. Try to have it on a weekend so that more people can attend and so that they can rest afterwards if they need to.
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