What are the dates for Ramadan in 2012? Inbox x

Ramadan is expected to begin on or around July 19, 2012 and will finish on or around August 17, 2012.

The exact dates of Islamic holidays cannot be determined in advance, due to the nature of the Islamic lunar calendar. Estimates are based on expected visibility of the hilal (waxing crescent moon following a new moon) and may vary according to location.

Following are the description of The Islamic Lunar Calendar and Moon-Sighting at Ramadan (Hilal)

The Islamic Lunar Calendar

Muslims do not traditionally “celebrate” the beginning of a new year, but we do acknowledge the passing of time, and take time to reflect on our own mortality.

Muslims measure the passage of time using the Islamic (Hijrah) calendar. This calendar has twelve lunar months, the beginnings and endings of which are determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. Years are counted since the Hijrah, which is when the Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Madinah (approximately July 622 A.D.).

The Islamic calendar was first introduced by the close companion of the Prophet, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab. During his leadership of the Muslim community, in approximately 638 A.D., he consulted with his advisors in order to come to a decision regarding the various dating systems used at that time. It was agreed that the most appropriate reference point for the Islamic calendar was the Hijrah, since it was an important turning point for the Muslim community. After the emigration to Madinah (formerly known as Yathrib), the Muslims were able to organize and establish the first real Muslim “community,” with social, political, and economic independence. Life in Madinah allowed the Muslim community to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society based on Islamic principles.

The Islamic calendar is the official calendar in many Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Other Muslim countries use the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes and only turn to the Islamic calendar for religious purposes.

The Islamic year has twelve months that are based on a lunar cycle. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) – so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth….” (9:36).

“It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory, and the moon to be a light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this except in truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail, for those who understand” (10:5).

And in his final sermon before his death, the Prophet Muhammad said, among other things, “With Allah the months are twelve; four of them are holy; three of these are successive and one occurs singly between the months of Jumaada and Sha’ban.”

Islamic months begin at sunset of the first day, the day when the lunar crescent is visually sighted. The lunar year is approximately 354 days long, so the months rotate backward through the seasons and are not fixed to the Gregorian calendar. The months of the Islamic year are:

1. Muharram (“Forbidden” – it is one of the four months during which it is forbidden to wage war or fight)

2. Safar (“Empty” or “Yellow”)

3. Rabia Awal (“First spring”)

4. Rabia Thani (“Second spring”)

5. Jumaada Awal (“First freeze”)

6. Jumaada Thani (“Second freeze”)

7. Rajab (“To respect” – this is another holy month when fighting is prohibited)

8. Sha’ban (“To spread and distribute”)

9. Ramadan (“Parched thirst” – this is the month of daytime fasting)

10. Shawwal (“To be light and vigorous”)

11. Dhul-Qi’dah (“The month of rest” – another month when no warfare or fighting is allowed)

12. Dhul-Hijjah (“The month of Hajj” – this is the month of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, again when no warfare or fighting is allowed)

Preparing for an Amazing Ramadaan

Imagine!

Someone really, really important is coming to visit you. Surely, you would cook, clean, shop, prepare and plan everything for them, well ahead of time. You would make sure they are comfortable and well taken care of. You would ascertain that everything is perfectly ready and adequately in place before they arrive.

Now imagine someone coming to visit you that is even more important than that….more precious, more valuable, more honorable. Wouldn’t you prepare even more and give it the best you got?

Well, the best month of the year, the most blessed and most precious, is coming up. The month that brings the fragrance of Jannah and the sweetness of Imaan…. the tears of Taubah and the forgiveness of your Lord. And it’s bringing with it a night that is equivalent in worship and reward, to more than a thousand months.

Wouldn’t you want to prepare for that?

Wouldn’t you want to be ready for it with all your heart and soul so that you don’t miss this great opportunity?

They say the more prepared you are for something, the easier it is for you to handle it and the greater the chances that you will be successful at it.

And what better opportunity to prepare for something than preparing for the blessed month of Ramadhaan.

This is a month of Rahmah and Barakah, a month of taubah and istighfaar, a great opportunity for training oneself… to give up your bad deeds and build on your good ones.

So what to do?

Prepare yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for this great month.

The first thing to do is to purify your niyyah from now: you are going to fast because it is theorder of Allaah and NOT because it is culture or your family does so, or even because you want to lose weight.

“O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it has been prescribed for people before you so that you will (learn how to) attain Taqwa” [al-Baqarah, 2:183]

Next, be really excited for this upcoming month and be absolutely determined to do your utmost best and exert yourself for this magnificent month of Forgiveness and Mercy from your Lord. Race with one another and compete with each other for it.

Come on!

Be excited. Be energized. Get electrified.
Get all pumped up and feel vitalized.
After all, this is a time when the gates of Jannah are all open. W..I..D..E open.
And all the gates of Jahannum are closed. Yes, Alhamdulillaah CLOSED.
And here is a chance for you to get all your sins forgiven.

Get invigorated and motivated. Realize that the month of Ramadhaan is a month of amazing ibaadah and intense dua, astounding khushoo’ and remarkable hope, sincere taubah and extraordinary istighfaar.

And it is NOT a month of laziness or sleeping, cooking and feasting, or just being plain grouchy and irritable.

Don’t let the thought of the heat or the long day get to you or dampen your spirit. It is only the Shaytaan trying to play with your mind and spoil this wonderful time for you.

Have full intention from now, to read as much of the Qur’aan as you can.

Love the Qur’aan. Build a close relationship with it. Realize that these are the Words of your Lord….Words that will take you to Jannah, your Ultimate Goal.

Don’t just read it with your eyes. Read it with your heart. Let it sink in your soul. Savor the joy and cherish the delight in reading the Book of Allaah. Taste the sweetness of Imaan. Don’t be in a rush to quickly finish the reading. Rather, take your time to ponder over the words and understand the meanings. Don’t think…”when am I going to finish this Surah? Rather….when am I going to implement this in my life?”

Remember, nothing is sweeter and more pleasurable than the ayaat of the Qur’aan that you can understand.

Prepare yourself to do plenty of sujood…. long, drawn out sujood, in Taraweeh and Tahajjud. Feel close to your Rabb when you do that sajda. Realize that this is most honorable position for you…placing the thing you value most, your head, on the ground, humbled before your Creator. You are the slave and He is the Master. You are the ‘abd and He is your Owner.

Resolve from today, to make a lot of dua. Make a dua list. Prepare it from now. And when you sit down to break your fast, or when you stand in front of your Creator in Salah, in Taraaweeh or in the middle of the night, or any time during the night or day, spread out those hands and ask al-Kareem, the Most Generous, the One Who gives to one and to all. Make sincere, heartfelt dua whenever and wherever you can. Don’t let a moment slip by. And don’t forget to be thankful to the One Who gave you everything.

Be ready from now to do abundant istighfaar, lots and lots of it. Do it every single day.

In the darkness of the night, when the whole world is asleep, have full realization, that this is no ordinary time, no time to waste away sleeping. Ar-Rahmaan is calling. Wouldn’t you want to respond??

So knock on the door of the Almighty. He is al-Ghafoor, the Oft-Forgiver and you are nothing….just a weak and sinful human being. Bend your head with shame, and cry. Cry like you’ve never cried before. Ask for His forgiveness. Make firm resolve never, ever, to go back to your sins…never, ever to do those bad deeds again. Go ahead…spread out those hands and be sincere and then be certain He will surely respond.

And most importantly, have firm determination from this moment on, to continue all the good deeds and habits that you will develop during Ramadhaan to continue even after Ramadhaan is over. Remember, you are not a good Muslim just during a special month of the year. Rather you are a Muslim throughout the three hundred and sixty five days. Use the upcoming month of taqwa and training to coach and develop your nafs, to cultivate virtuous deeds and actions and to give up your bad ones.

Tell me, are you going to let all that hard work of fasting, waking up in the middle of the night, reading all that Qur’aan, standing up for Taraaweeh and prayers, and all that dua go to waste???

Other tips:

1. Get to know the rules of fasting from now, so that your fasting can be closest to the Sunnah and thus be more beloved and acceptable to Allaah.

2. Clarify any doubts that you may have and don’t be afraid to ask a scholar.

3. Cleanse your heart of any anger, hatred, grudges, etc from now. And forgive everyone. That’s because forgiveness is delayed for the one who has anger and grudge against his Muslim brother/sister.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam) said: “The gates of Paradise are opened on Monday and Thursday, and everyone who does not associate anything with Allaah is forgiven, except a man who has had an argument with his brother. It is said: ‘Wait for these two until they reconcile, wait for these two until they reconcile, wait for these two until they reconcile.” (Muslim)

4. Finish up on your Ramadhaan and Eid preparation, cooking, shopping, etc. from now so that you can free up all the time during Ramadhaan for Ibaadah.

5. If you are like most people who give their zakat during Ramadhaan, get it all calculated and worked out before the month starts.

To conclude, think positive and have firm resolve. Strive with all your effort to do your best so that this will be an amazing, hair-raising, awe-inspiring, heart-stopping experience of a lifetime.

Your best Ramadhaan ever.

Set your goals at the highest.

Don’t settle for anything less than JANNAH.

And Allaah knows best. I wish you all a nice Ramandhan inishallah

10 Points on Excelling Ramadan

Point One: Have the hunger for Success

•  The medicine to help memorize/obtain knowledge is to have the burning desire to learn the subject, including the month of Ramadan:
•  If you have the burning desire to succeed in the month of Ramadan, you will succeed it, because you prepare yourself for it.
•  So have the heart and desire and don’t ever waste your time. You can also apply this to Ramadan:
• Never give yourself an exit to fail in Ramadan!
• Firstly, people get hopes to do stuff and succeed in Ramadan, then they give themselves an excuse to fail.

 

Point Two: Set your goals

•  Make sure these are high goals
• We have an ultimate goal: To reach janaatal firdous.
• We should compete with each other, because this is something to compete in.
•  When you start Ramadan, commit yourself to it, and set your goals to as high as you can.
•  So if you want to do a Khatm-al-Qur’an (Read the whole Qur’an), then don’t just set your goal to one, set it to two times, or even three!
•  Set a higher goal than you do in other months
•  Add more good deeds to your schedule
•  At least set it higher than last years

Point Three: Build confidence in Ramadan

• People come to Ramadan with high expectations for themselves, like “Oh, this Ramadan I’ll read 10 times the Quran”, but then other people discourage them.
•  They need to build confidence within themselves and know that they can do it!
• No matter how much time you have, sit down and plan out your goals, and plan a strategy on how you’ll achieve these goals, and build confidence within yourself.

Point Four: Do what you love to do in Ramadan

• Some people love to feed the poor, so they cook and feed the poor. Some people like to help, so they help people. Some people like to read the Qur’an, so they read it whenever they get a chance to, etc.
• Do what you really love to do, choose and select, do the good deeds that you love doing, not the ones that you think isn’t really your specialty, or something that you don’t enjoy doing.
•  Then gradually, build a habit of doing it as well.
• The Prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wa Sallaam) commanded us to achieve that which is little yet continuous.
•  Some people start Ramadan with doing as many good deeds as they can, and then they burn themselves out, so do little but keep it continuous.

Point Five: Study the successful: learn from the best

• What does this mean
• When we read a story about the successful ones, it boosts our morale and makes us feel like we can relate to it, like when we read a story from the Qur’an, and it makes us feel like we can relate to it.
•  So when we learn from the people of the past that were successful, we can see what they did in order to be successful.
• Go and check some biography of some of the scholars and how they spent their times in Ramadan.
• Remember: Keep these stories with you in the month of Ramadan, and every time you feel like you’re getting weaker and weaker, go back to these stories.

Point Six: Be in the company of the successful one

•  The previous point was about the people you learn about in stories and books.
•  But instead of reading about these successful people, and being like “That was nice, but it was all theoretical”, then why not spend your time WITH the successful ones in your community?
•  Who can help you achieve these goals you have, you’ll definitely find at least one or two of these types of people in Ramadan, go look for these people!
•  Remember, habits can make you go high in Ramadan or low in Ramadan, they can be very contagious!
•  So in order to obtain good habits, associate yourself with them, so be in the company of righteous and good people so you can catch their habits and make them your own.
• If you want to be a high achiever in Ramadan, then you’ll have to be with people who achieve high goals.
•  But on the other hand, if you’re with people that have bad habits, then you’ll catch their bad habits.
• The Prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wa Sallaam) says “The example of the good and bad companion is the example of one that smells perfume vs a blacksmith. With the one that smells like perfume, you’ll smell like perfume like him, but if you’re with the blacksmith, then at the very least you’ll smell really bad.”
•  It’s the same thing with people you associate yourself with in Ramadan.

Point Seven: When you work on your goals, go all out and work really hard on them

•  When you start your achievements, work hard and go all out on them.
•  You won’t try to achieve your goals whenever it’s convenient for you, but rather, whenever you have spare time.
•  If you’re serious about achieving these goals, you have to be very serious about them.
•  Allah reminded the Prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wa Sallaam) “When you’re done doing your dawah work outside, put yourself in worship until you get tired.”
•  You need to put a priority on these goals that you have.
• The prophet (Sallahu Alayhi Wa Sallaam) reminds us of how to move from one level to the other. He said “There is one night in the month of Ramadan, and whoever achieves it, he has achieved a thousand months”.
•  If you want to look for it, then look for it in the last 10 nights. So the sahabah became more focused.
• Then it’s said that it was on an odd night
•  The point here is that the prophet keeps reminding the people to be more focused since their momentum is going down.
•  So this is what it means to go all out and focus on it since it only comes once a year.

Point Eight: Be prepared and be adaptable

•  Be prepared for change!
• Many people, when they come to a program, they start really well but then they start losing momentum later on.
•  Expect yourself to change plans in the month of Ramadan
•  You need to expect to adapt to the changes in the month of Ramadan. It’s better to do so then to lose hope and give up on your goals and plans.
•  Don’t overdo something and don’t have unrealistic goals, but have high goals and be prepared to adapt to these goals
•  Do not  cancel the good deeds completely that you have started just because you think of the good deeds that you have started was too high to attain.

Point Nine: Remind yourself of the virtue of what you are doing

• Allah says in the Qur’an “Remind and teach the message for that it benefits the believer.”
•  You yourself in the month of Ramadan are going to feel tired and exhausted.
•  So go to someone and ask for advice and seek help for someone to remind you.
•  You yourself remind yourself by sitting a few minutes at night in seclusion and make dhikhr and dua and think about what’s in store for the one who is fasting.
•  Every now and then, remind yourself of the virtue of fasting.
•  Keep the hadith of fasting in Ramadan handy, and the virtue of the Lailatul Qadr, etc.
• Eventually, go attend a powerful reminder and/or program in the masjid.

Point Ten: Never give up!

• If the shaitaan wants anything from us, he wants us to give up.
•  Every time people start making ibadaat, we get weaker, and then we stop doing it because shaytaan keeps whispering into us and saying “Dude, you know you can’t do that right? You’re not the person to achieve this good deed”
•  And then you fall into that trap.
• Never GIVE UP!!! Even if you realize that it is the last day of Ramadan and you have missed out on many opportunities to do good still use that moment you have. Even if it is the last hour of RAMADAN! Never give up…

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بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ UMBS is a registered organization devoted to matters of interest to Muslims in Uganda.Muslims from other countries are welcome to join us too. Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uganda-Muslim-Brothers-Sisters/128372957263072. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/UMBSFORUM. To donate to UMBS activities, click on: http://um-bs.com/donate/ or just deposit money on UMBS Bank A/C at Bank of Africa:07074320002 . Join UMBS forum on facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ugandamuslimbrotherssis/.

15 Ways to make Ramadan Special for your Kids this Year

Only a few days left, but there’s little time for us to prepare kids for Ramadan. Here are a couple of ideas to help make it special this year:

1. Hold a family meeting about Ramadan

A week before Ramadan, hold a family meeting to explain what Ramadan is, that the sighting of the moon indicates its beginning, what Muslims do and how the family’s schedule will change. Also ask for suggestions of what everyone would like to do during the month. For instance, would they like to take a trip somewhere, eat a specific type of food, etc.

2. Welcome the month with balloons, banners and more

Say “Ramadan Mubarak” with the standard party fare: balloons, a great banner and decorations galore. Get the kids to help decorate the place and ask for their ideas and suggestions so they feel included.

3. Tell a Ramadan story during bedtime every night

Don’t just rely on children’s books about Ramadan to share stories. Describe what Ramadan was like when you were a kid. You can also make some tales up with your child as the main character in a Ramadan adventure!

4. Let them fast even a quarter of the day and celebrate

Kids often want to fast as they see their parents and older siblings do. This year, let them fast for a couple of hours. Prepare a special “Iftar” for them when they break fast with a couple of their favorite foods.

5. Make Ramadan loot bags for their class

Get their teacher’s permission to make loot bags with Ramadan Mubarak written on them for the class. Fill it with candy, small toys and a little card explaining in two or three short sentences what Ramadan is. Have your child distribute the bags to their classmates.

6. Make a presentation about Ramadan in their class

7. Make Ramadan arts and crafts at home

Art is a great way to learn more about Ramadan. Have the kids make the different shapes of the moon and show which one indicates the beginning of the month, which one the middle and which one the end; make a collage of some of their favorite foods for Iftar; have them make special Ramadan placemats for the dinner table.

8. Make a family trip out of sighting the moon

Once the kids are dressed in their pajamas, herd them into the car and take them to where other Muslims in the city are gathering to sight the Ramadan moon. Do the same at the end of the month. Bring a telescope or binoculars.

9. Invite their friends over for a kids-only Iftar

Let your kids come up with the guest list and menu. Also, have them make some of the food. You can pick some kid-friendly recipes or they can help with preparing the parts of Iftar that don’t require using a stove or cutting with knives.

10. Invite grandparents or elder community members over for Iftar

After everyone’s eaten, hold a storytelling session where the guests describe what Ramadan was like when they were growing up. Ask them to be descriptive. How was Iftar time announced? In some countries, they use a drum. In other places a verbal announcement on a loudspeaker is made. What kind of food did they eat? What games did they play during Ramadan?

11. Make a Ramadan 2010 scrapbook

Take plenty of photos of everyone during Suhur (now that’s entertaining!) and Iftar time, as well as while they are fasting and pieces of decorations used, interesting stickers, etc. to make a scrapbook about this Ramadan. Each child should bring three mementos he or she would like to include.

12. Remember the poor

Arrange with the kids to volunteer at a soup kitchen for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday. If possible, try to find one that has children as its clients so they see that not only adults, but kids like themselves also suffer from hunger.

13. Make and send homemade Ramadan cards

Before the month starts, have an arts and crafts session to make Ramadan Mubarak cards for siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Send the cards soon though, time’s running out!

14. Take them to Tarawih prayer so they feel they’re part of a community

Nothing teaches community spirit like congregational prayer. Take the kids with you to the mosque for Tarawih prayer on Friday and Saturday nights when homework isn’t an issue. Also, ask them to bring some of their allowance to give in charity while they’re there.

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بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ UMBS is a registered organization devoted to matters of interest to Muslims in Uganda.Muslims from other countries are welcome to join us too. Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Uganda-Muslim-Brothers-Sisters/128372957263072. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/UMBSFORUM. To donate to UMBS activities, click on: http://um-bs.com/donate/ or just deposit money on UMBS Bank A/C at Bank of Africa:07074320002 . Join UMBS forum on facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ugandamuslimbrotherssis/.

The Vision of Alhaji Iddi Amin on UMSC