As'Salam Wa'Alaikum Everyone!
Jumu'ah Mubarak! We hope you have had a wonderful break. There will be Jumu'ah prayers today In'Sha'Allah at 1:20 pm, at the Sanctuary in the Interfaith Chapel.
Our three holy months of the Islamic calender began on January 12, 2024 (1 Rajab, 1445), Alhamdulillah. This will In'Sha'Allah lead into Sha'ban, followed by the most cherished month of Ramadan (so excited).
On this note, we want to invite all of you to our welcome dinner/GIM for spring. The dinner will be at 7 pm on January 27th, 2024, in the River Level of the Interfaith Chapel.
Come, socialize, and enjoy the food to your heart's content!
Please be sure to RSVP through the link provided below, so that we can have a proper headcount for the amount of food. You can also find this directly through CCC (and it's posted in our instagram profile).
https://ccc.rochester.edu/msa/rsvp_boot?id=1936240
Dress Code: Semi-formal
Some important dates to keep in mind prior to Ramadan:
Laylat-ur Raghaeb (the Night of Wishes) - First Thursday of Rajab
The belief is based on the oft-quoted passage attributed to the Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam:
“It is most important, however, that none of you should neglect the first Thursday night in Rajab, for it is the night that the angels call the Night of Wishes. This is because, by the time the first third of the night has elapsed, there will not be a single angel still at large in the heavens, nor in any region of the earth bar one. They will all be gathered together in the Ka'ba and the area immediately surrounding it. Allah will condescend to notice that they have assembled there, and He will say: 'My angels, ask Me for whatever you wish!' Their response to this will be: 'Our Lord, the request we wish to make is that You grant forgiveness to those who faithfully keep the fast in Rajab,' whereupon Allah will tell them: 'That I have already done!'”
Read more on: https://ilkha.com/english/analysis/today-marks-the-beginning-of-the-three-holy-months-in-islamic-world-310458
The Isra' and Mi'raj - 27th day of Rajab
According to the story in the Quran, Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam was sleeping in the sacred shrine of Mecca when he was visited by two archangels, Jabril Alayhi Salam and Mikal Alayhi Salam. Jabril Alayhi Salam purified his soul and filled his chest with wisdom and faith. The archangels then gave Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam a white, winged beast called Buraq that took him from Mecca to Jerusalem.
The story continues that several times along the journey, Jabril Alayhi Salam told Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam to dismount from Buraq and pray. When Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam arrived in Jerusalem, he met past prophets (including Ibrahim Alayhi Salam and Musa Alayhi Salam; Abramham and Moses repectively) in the temple and joined them in prayer. He then ascended into Heaven, where he met Allah Subahana Wa Ta'ala and was instructed that Muslims must pray five times a day.
Lailat Al Miraj can be celebrated in different ways, but most Muslims will either attend special services at a mosque or pray privately at home. The story of Muhammad’s journey is often recited during prayer services. Since the journey is said to have taken place at night, there are special additions to nighttime prayer during Lailat Al Miraj.
The Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, is where Muslims believe Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam ascended into Heaven. The Dome is often illuminated during Lailat Al Miraj.
Read more on: https://blog.eastwest.org/what-is-lailat-al-miraj
Shab-e-Bera’at (The Night of Forgiveness) - The night between the 14th and the 15th of Sha'ban
The biggest blessing of this night is that Allah Subahana Wa Ta'ala pours His mercy and forgiveness upon earth from Maghrib until Fajr. The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam described the extent of this forgiveness in numerous narrations, including the ones below:
'"Allah gazes at His creation on the fifteenth night of Sha’ban and then forgives all His slaves except for two types of people: those who attribute partners to Allah and those who have rancour for their fellow Muslims’."(Ahmad)
"The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam also said to Aisha Radi'Allahu Anhu, ′Allah descends on the night of the middle of Sha’ban to the lowest heaven, and He forgives more than the numbers of hairs on the sheep of Banu Kalb (an Arab tribe renowned for their great flocks of sheep)’." (Ibn Majah and others)
"Finally, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa'Sallam said that on this night, from sunset until dawn, Allah asks His servants, ′Is there anyone seeking forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him? Is there anyone seeking provision from Me so I may provide for him? Is there anyone suffering so I may relieve his suffering? ′"(Ibn Majah)
Read more on: https://muslimhands.ca/latest/2021/03/the-importance-of-shab-e-barat-the-night-of-forgiveness
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