The Middle Path

The Middle Path

Volume 5 Issue 3

Newsletter Date:
Wednesday 1st
December 2010 The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We are closer to Musa than you are (The Jews).” He fasted on that 
25th Dhul-Hijjah 1431
day (10th Muharram) and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al‐Bukhari). 
Hijra

Al-Jalal Masjid, 314 Biscot Road, Luton, LU3 1AZ. Tel: 01582 411744
PEARLS OF  
WISDOM:
Muharram and the Day of Ashura 
The honourable status  
of the companions and  
Fasting on 10th Muharram, known as the Day of Ashura expiates for the sins of the past year.  When the Prophet 
the wives of the
(peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Madinah in 622 CE, he found that the Jews there fasted on 10th             
Prophet (pbuh)
Muharram and asked them the reason for their fasting on this day. They said, “This is a blessed day.”  The Prophet 
Muharram is no doubt a
 
(peace and blessings be upon him) said, “We are closer to Musa than you are.” He fasted on that day and                 
blessed month but it is
also a month where the
commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al‐Bukhari).  The following year, Allah commanded the Muslims to fast 
people of bidah and shirk the month of Ramadan, and the fasting of Ashura became optional.  It is also reported that the Prophet (peace and 
who claim to be of the blessings be upon him) intended to fast on the ninth and tenth. Ibn `Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah 
descendants and lovers of
the Prophet family (peace fasted on the day of Ashura and ordered the people to fast on it. 
be upon them all) curse
and abuse the best of
 
people after the Prophets The people said, "O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honour." The Prophet said, "When 
i.e. The companions of the following year comes, Allah willing, we shall fast on the ninth." The death of the Prophet came before the    
the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) and curse the following year. (Muslim and Abu Dawud).  The reason why it is mustahabb to fast on Tasu’a (9th Muharram) is     
Mothers of the An‐Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The scholars – our companions and others – mentioned several 
Believers i.e. The wives of
the Prophet Muhammad reasons why it is mustahabb to fast on Tasu'a and the intention behind it is to be different from the Jews, who only 
(pbuh). venerate the tenth day ‐ this opinion was reported from Ibn 'Abbas.  
There are numerous
  
ahadith on the Also Shaykh ul‐Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The strongest of these reasons is being           
honourable status of the
companions including different from the People of the Book. "The Prophet, peace be upon him, forbade imitating the People of the Book 
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that in many ahadith, for example, his words concerning 'Ashura: 'If I live until the next year, I will certainly fast on the 
Allah’s Messenger
warned: “Do not curse
ninth day.' " [Al‐Fatawa al‐Kubra].  Ibn Hajar, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his commentary on this hadith: 
my Companions! Do not "What he meant by fasting on the ninth day was probably not that he would limit himself to that day, but would 
curse my Companions! I add it to the tenth, either to be on the safe side or to be different from the Jews and Christians, which is more 
swear by Him in Whose
hand my life is that, even likely. This is also what we can understand from some of the reports narrated by Muslim." [Fath, 4/245] 
if one among you had as  
much gold as Mount
Uhud and spent it in the The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fasting the day of Ashura (is of great merits), I hope that 
way of Allah, this would
not be equal in reward to
Allah will accept it as an expiation for (the sins committed in) the previous year.” (Muslim).  But this expiation of 
a few handfuls of them or minor sins comes only if you avoid major sins. It is a big mistake to rely on fasting a single day to “wipe your slate 
even to half of clean.” If you neglect your daily Prayers or the fast of Ramadan, or if you backbite, lie, commit adultery or other 
that.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
major sins, fasting on Ashura alone will not atone for your sins. 
 
Also the Prophet (pbuh)
said “The best of people The great scholar Ibn Al‐Qayyim Al‐Jawziyya wrote:  “This misguided person does not know that fasting in                 
are those living in my Ramadan and praying five times a day are much more important than fasting on the Day of Arafah and the Day of 
time. Then come those
who follow them, and
Ashura, and that they expiate for the sins between one Ramadan and the next, or between one Friday and the 
then come those who next, so long as one avoids major sins. But they cannot expiate for minor sins unless one also avoids major sins; 
follow them. Those will when the two things are put together, they have the strength to expiate for minor sins.” 
be followed by a
generation whose witness  
is sometimes true,
s o m e t i m e s
Among those deceived people may be one who thinks that his good deeds are more than his sins, because he does 
false.” (Bukhari, not pay attention to his bad deeds or check on his sins, but if he does a good deed he remembers it and relies on 
Muslim). it.  This is like the one who seeks Allah’s forgiveness with his tongue (that is, by words only), and glorifies Allah by 
In terms of the lofty status
saying “subhan Allah” one hundred times a day, then he backbites about the Muslims and slanders their honour, 
of the wives of the and speaks all day long about things that are not pleasing to Allah. This person is always thinking about the virtues 
Prophet (pbuh) then it is of his saying “subhan Allah” and saying “la ilaha illa Allah” but he pays no attention to what has been reported            
Allah’s words in the
Quran who proclaims concerning those who backbite, tell lies, and slander others, or commit other sins of the tongue. They are                 
their status where Allah completely deceived. (Al‐Mawsu`ah Al‐Fiqhiyyah, part 31, Ghuroor) 
says: “The Prophet is
more worthy of the  
believers than themselves,
and his wives are [in the
You may hear of some customs associated with `Ashura’ such as cooking and eating certain foods on that day,             
position of] their wearing kohl or henna, or even merrymaking. Others consider this a day of mourning, wailing and beating                
mothers.” (Surah Al- themselves in the honour and mourning of the Prophet’s grandson Al‐Husayn, who was killed in battle on that day. 
Azhab 33:6)
Shaykh ul‐Islam Ibn Taymiyyah stated that all of these are bid`ahs (reprehensible innovations) that should be 
We ask Allah to raise avoided. 
even higher the status and
honour of the companions  
and wives of the Prophet Take advantage of this opportunity to bring yourself closer to Allah in the month of Muharram by fasting and         
(pbuh).
praying for forgiveness by following the authentic sunnah. 
1
 Indeed successful are the Indeed successful are the
believers who perform prayers believers who perform prayers
with complete devotion with complete devotion
23:1-2 23:1-2

PRAYER TIMETABLE
Dhul-Hijjah 1431 - Muharram 1432 | December 2010
FAJR ZUHR ‘ASR MAGHRIB ‘ISHA

Islamic Dec’ Day Start Jamah Sunrise Start Jamah Start Jamah Start Jamah Start Jamah
month

25 1st Wed 6.08 7.00 7.46 12.01 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.54 3.59 5.19 7.15

26 2nd Thur 6.09 7.00 7.48 12.01 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.54 3.59 5.19 7.15

27 3rd Fri 6.10 7.00 7.49 12.01 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.53 3.58 5.18 7.15
AL-JALAL
MASJID 28 4th Sat 6.12 7.00 7.51 12.02 1.00 2.06 2.30 3.53 3.58 5.18 7.15
ACTIVITES FOR
29 5th Sun 6.13 7.00 7.52 12.02 1.00 2.06 2.30 3.52 3.57 5.17 7.15
DECEMBER 2010
30 6th Mon 6.14 7.00 7.53 12.02 1.00 2.06 2.30 3.52 3.57 5.17 7.15

- Children 1 7th Tue 6.15 7.00 7.54 12.04 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Madrasah:
Monday to Friday-5.00 2 8th Wed 6.16 7.00 7.56 12.04 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
pm to 7.00 pm
3 9th Thur 6.18 7.15 7.57 12.04 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15

4 10th Fri 6.19 7.15 7.58 12.05 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
- Riyadh Us
Saliheen 5 11th Sat 6.20 7.15 7.59 12.05 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Reflections:
Every Wednesday after 6 12th Sun 6.20 7.15 8.00 12.05 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Isha Jamah - brothers only
(starts again on 7 13th Mon 6.21 7.15 8.01 12.06 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Wednesday 8th)
8 14th Tue 6.22 7.15 8.02 12.06 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15

9 15th Wed 6.23 7.15 8.03 12.06 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
- One to One
private Quran & 10 16th Thur 6.23 7.15 8.03 12.08 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Tajweed classes
with Qari 11 17th Fri 6.24 7.15 8.04 12.08 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
Uthman (Morocco)
12 18th Sat 6.25 7.15 8.05 12.08 1.00 2.05 2.30 3.51 3.56 5.16 7.15
(please ask internally in
the Masjid for more 13 19th Sun 6.26 7.15 8.06 12.09 1.00 2.07 2.30 3.52 3.57 5.17 7.15
information and to book a
class - brothers only) 14 20th Mon 6.26 7.15 8.06 12.09 1.00 2.07 2.30 3.52 3.57 5.17 7.15

15 21st Tue 6.27 7.15 8.07 12.09 1.00 2.07 2.30 3.53 3.58 5.17 7.15

- End of December 16 22nd Wed 6.27 7.15 8.07 12.11 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.53 3.58 5.19 7.15
Holiday period
events: 17 23rd Thur 6.28 7.15 8.08 12.11 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.54 3.59 5.19 7.15
Dates & Times to be
confirmed. 18 24th Fri 6.28 7.15 8.08 12.11 1.00 2.08 2.30 3.54 3.59 5.19 7.15
(Please check our
website and/or listen 19 25th Sat 6.28 7.15 8.08 12.12 1.00 2.10 2.30 3.55 4.00 5.21 7.15
for announcements in
the Masjid) 20 26th Sun 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.12 1.00 2.10 2.30 3.56 4.01 5.21 7.15

Open to brothers & 21 27th Mon 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.12 1.00 2.10 2.30 3.56 4.01 5.21 7.15
sisters.
22 28th Tue 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.14 1.00 2.12 2.30 3.57 4.02 5.24 7.15

23 29th Wed 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.14 1.00 2.12 2.30 3.58 4.03 5.24 7.15

24 30th Thur 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.14 1.00 2.12 2.30 3.59 4.04 5.24 7.15
25 31st Fri 6.29 7.15 8.09 12.14 1.00 2.12 2.30 4.00 4.05 5.24 7.15

For further information please check our website: www.aljalalmasjid.org or Email: info@aljalalmasjid.org

Al-Jalal Masjid is now on Facebook. Facebook name: Al Jalal Masjid Luton

Al-Jalal Masjid, 314. Biscot Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 1AZ. Tel: 01582 411744