S

E

Q

U

I C LOR N E W I S L E TAT E R M A Y 2011 C

L

U

B

SPECTRUM

This name is meant to reflect the diversity that exists in our Muslim community here in Little Rock due to the range of cultures, ethnicities and personalities our community is composed of.

ICLR May Monthly Meeting

Message from the President

To contact the Executive Committee, please email us at

Dear Community Members The ICLR monthly meeting for the month As Salam Alaykum, of May will be held at the Masjid on [email protected] Saturday May 14, 2011. By the grace of Allah, the operations of the ICLR have been going The guest speaker for the meeting will be on smoothly during the current year. We Br. Hatem Al-Soumani. He is a have tried to make some improvements in financial planner and a respected member the Masjid but the main goal of the of our community. He will be speaking on the topic "Comprehensive planning Executive Committee this year has been the completion of the Community Center. to live in America". It will include Wills, Trust, Insurances, retirement, kids Alhumdulillah we have been able to collect reasonable funds for this project college planning, Tax planning, death through our $1000 per family campaign. issues for the family. Inshaallah, we will be able to get started on the construction phase of the There will be a separate session for the Community Center in May and target to youth at the Huda Academy at the same time. Sr. Jomana Al-Hinti will be get it completed by Ramadan. Your coThe Islamic Center of Little Rock, AR operation in contributing towards this giving a presentation on "Miracles of project will help us achieve this objective Quran" Part II. in time. --- Amir Qureshi, MD Spectrum May 2011

1

S

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

O B IEC L QR NU E W S LI E TA T E R CM AL Y U2011

Quran

From the Minbar

April 13, 2011

Virtues of Praying in Congregation Assalam u Alaikum We are pleased to introduce the Islamic Center of Little Rock’s (ICLR) Newsletter “Spectrum” to our community.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

This first edition of the newsletter highlights both weekly and other events at ICLR as well as ongoing projects of the Executive Committee and features other sections as well (including a quiz for children) which we hope to expand in future editions with the help of our community members, inshAllah.

By Al-Asr (the time)! Indeed, mankind is in loss Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to the truth which Allah has ordained, and recommend one another to patience.

The aim of this publication is for it to be a forum for the exchange of ideas and information amongst community members. We hope that we will have your wholehearted support towards this end. In future editions, we are looking to include/expand the following as regular sections every month: 1) Youth Section – we welcome gifted/enthusiastic writers from our youth members to come forward and contribute to this section. 2) Classifieds – a section where people will be able to announce sale of household items/cars/homes etc. 3) Book of the Month – we invite community members to send in their suggestions and reviews of books they would like highlighted for the community.

Surah Al-Asr, 103: 1-3

Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, ‫ صلى هللا هلوس م ل‬say:

"Actions are (judged) by intentions (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and Please feel free to send in articles related to His Messenger, his migration is to these or any other topics if you like and submit them to [email protected]. Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some We also welcome any ideas or suggestions for worldly thing he might gain, or for the newsletter. a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he We hope that you will like this first effort on our part and that you will extend your support migrated." for future editions, inshAllah. The Editorial Board 2

[Al-Bukhari Hadith No. 1 & Muslim Hadith No 1907]

Praying in congregation is better than praying alone and praying in congregation in the masjid is better than praying in congregation elsewhere. If a Muslim man or woman knows the virtues of offering salah in congregation in the masjid they will never be late for it. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged people to attend the salah in congregation in the masjid. He said “the salah in masjid is 27 times better than at home or in the market and therefore when someone makes wudu and does it perfectly, then walks to the masjid for no reason except to make salah, Allah raises his ranks and forgives his sins. When he enters the masjid and waits for the salah, the angels pray for him and gather around him as long as he sits there. If someone leaves his house in a state of purity, to make the obligatory salah, the reward for him is that of one who performs Hajj”. Muslims are encouraged to come to the masjid early and join the first row. Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Rasulallah (SAW) said, “If the people knew the reward for being in the masjid early, waiting for the Azaan and joining the first row, they would use lottery to have their places assigned to them. If they knew the reward of praying in congregation at Duhr in a hot afternoon, they will come running. And if they knew the reward of praying in the dark (Maghrib and Ishaa) and in Fajr, they will come to the masjid crawling”. If a muslim joins the salah in congregation from the beginning he will get a great reward. If someone makes all his salah in congregation with the first takbeer for 40 days Allah will write down for him two barriers; the first one will be barrier from hell fire and the second one will be barrier from hypocrisy. We should guard our salah in congregation in the masjid, and be eager to join the congregation early and stand in the first row. We should attempt to catch the first takbeer with the Imam so that we may get the great reward that Allah promises us. --- Imam Sayed Osman

Spectrum May 2011

S

O B IEC L QR NU E W S LI E TA T E R CM AL Y U2011

him was more like philosophy, without experiment. He was also the first to introduce 5. What are the names of the angels who will experimental evidence as a requirement for question us in the grave? Did you know that vision as we accepting a theory. A. Jibreal and Mikaeel know it today and the first camera were both B. Munkar and Nakeer the works of a Muslim scientist from Iraq in He was the one to build the first C. Israfeel and Mikaeel the 10th century A.D.? camera in history: the pinhole camera (or camera obscura). He went on to explain that 6. What was the name of Prophet Muhammad Al-Hasan ibn al-Haitham (known in we see objects upright and not upside down, (SAW)’s mother? the West as Alhazen; Muslim mathematician, as the camera does, because of the connection A. Suraiya astronomer, physician and chemist from of the optic nerve with the brain, which B. Khadija Basra, Iraq) was the first person to explain analyzes and defines the image. His work that vision was made possible because of the reached Europe by the translation of his books C. Amina refraction of light rays. He carried out into Latin by the medieval scholar Gerard of 7. This person climbs up the minaret of the meticulous experiments a thousand years ago Cremona. mosque and calls for the prayer. What name is that enabled him to provide the scientific given to this person? -Excerpts from 1001 Inventions, explanation that vision was caused by light A. Muazzin Muslim Heritage in Our World, Second reflecting off an object and entering the eye B. Imam Edition (2007) published by the and he was the first to totally reject the theory C. Jihadi Foundation for Science, Technology and of the Greeks which maintained that sight was the result of light rays from the eye going Civilization (FSTC), UK.. 8. In which Sura of Quran is Bismillah towards an object. repeated twice? His book, “Book of Optics” has A. An Nas formed the foundations for the science of B. Al-Naml optics. Famously known as Magnum Opus, it C. Ya-Sin discussed the nature of light, the physiology 1. Who was the first woman? and mechanism of sight, the structure and A. Hawa 9. Who was the first person to deliver the call anatomy of the eye, reflection and refraction, B. Sultana of prayer? and catoptrics (the phenomena of reflected C. Maria A. Hazrat Bilal light and image-forming optical systems using B. Hazrat Hamza mirrors). He studied lenses, experimenting 2. Which prophet was raised by Allah (SWT) C. Hazrat Ziad with different mirrors like flat, spherical, and will return before the end of the World? parabolic and cylindrical, concave and 10. What is the meaning of An Nas? A. Prophet Isa convex. He also treated the eye as a dioptric A. The dawn B. Prophet Muhammad system, by applying the geometry of B. The cow C. Prophet Yusuf refraction to it. He brilliantly investigated the C. Mankind phenomenon of atmospheric refraction, 3. What do we recite in Ruku during prayer? calculating the height of the atmosphere to be ten English miles. (This compares well with A. Subhana Allah modern measurements of the troposphere, the B. Subhana rabbi-al Aala lowest level of the atmosphere, which C. Subhana rabbi-al Azeem Please turn to Page 4 for the answers. measures about 7 miles.) 4. Which is the shortest Sura of Quran? A. Ya-sin Ibn al-Haitham used experimental B. Kausar evidence to check his theories, which was C. Yusuf unusual for his time because physics before

Did You Know ?

Quiz for Kids

Spectrum May 2011

3

S

O B IEC L QR NU E W S LI E TA T E R CM AL Y U2011

Congregational Prayer schedule May - Jun 2011 Fajr Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha

May 07 – May 13

May 14 - May 20

May 21 - May 27

May 28 – Jun 3

Jun 04 – Jun 10

Jun 11 – Jun 17

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:00 pm 8:10 pm 9:30 pm

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:00 pm 8:15 pm 9: 45 pm

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:00 pm 8:20 pm 9:45 pm

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:00 pm 8:25 pm 9:45 pm

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:15 pm 8:30 pm 10:00 pm

5:00 am 1:30 pm 5:15 pm 8:45 pm 10:00 pm

Answers: 1. A 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. B 6. C 7. A 8.B 9.C 10. C

Words of Wisdom

How many points did you get?

0-3: Next time insha Allah! 4-7: Good Job! 8-10: MashAllah!

I see that some people are content with the least of the deen, but I do not see them pleased with meagerness in this life. ---- Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak

From the signs that Allah has turned away from His servant is that He makes him occupied with that which doesn’t concern him. --- Al-Hasan Al-Basree

BOOK CORNER

EDITORIAL BOARD

In the Early Hours – Reflections on Spiritual and Self Development by Khurram Murad

Humaira Khan

Mohammad Ibrahim

Yumi Ota

Yasir Sultan

Contact Us Email: [email protected] This book is a beautifully summarized collection of spiritual exhortations. These were originally delivered by Ustadh Khurram Murad as part of a course for Self Development for Muslim Youth in Leicester, UK.

CONTACT ICLR Phone: 501 565 4930

Riza Mohammed, one of his students at that course, faithfully gathered these notes and put them together in the form of a book which makes a concise and delightful read. Not only that, it encourages and intrigues the reader and strengthens his/her faith by empowering him/her with the tools necessary for the ultimate goal in a Muslim’s life: seeking the good pleasure of Allah (SWT).

Website: http://theiclr.org/ We are on Facebook!! – Islamic Center of Little Rock.

Identified by many as a “life-altering book”, it becomes a book that is a must-read for everyone. Available on iqra.org, Amazon.com or freely downloadable at http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/In%20the%20Early%20Hours.pdf

4

Spectrum May 2011

S

U O A L IEC LQR N EW S LI E T T E R CM A Y U2011B

Weekly Activities at ICLR The following classes / activities take place at the Islamic Center of Little Rock (3224 Anna St, Little Rock, AR 72204) every week. Men, women, youth and children are all welcome to attend. Mondays

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

Imam Sayed Osman’s class on Tafseer of the Quran.

Imam Sayed Osman’s class on Tafseer of the Quran.

This is the first of two classes on tafseer every week at ICLR.

This is the second of two classes on tafseer every week at ICLR.

Imam Sayed Osman’s class on Fiqh us Sunnah (Understanding of the Way of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Time: After Maghrib prayers

Time: After Maghrib prayers

Time: After Maghrib prayers

Saturdays

Sundays

ICLR Food Bank

Classical Quranic Arabic / Grammar

Time: 10:30 am to 12 noon To volunteer or donate, please contact us at [email protected]

Taught by Imam Sayed Osman Time: After Maghrib prayers

Support ICLR The best way to support ICLR is to become a member of ICLR and pay your membership dues. This will help us to manage our Masjid in a better way. -ICLR Executive Committee Spectrum May 2011

5