Dhul Hijjah 1443 A.H.

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Eid Al Adha 1443 A.H. July 9, 2022

It began with a dream.

Prophet Ibrahim (عليه السلام) saw in a vision from his Lord that he would sacrifice his beloved son as an act of obedience to God.

As he put his unwavering faith into motion, God showed him mercy and compassion by replacing his son with a lamb. Ibrahim’s devotion and courage passed God’s test and fulfilled the dream.

More than 4,000 years later, Muslims around the world observe the practice of Udhiyah, or sacrifice, to fulfill God’s wish for us to do good in this world in order to attain the good of the next.

The Baitulmaal Udhiyah program offers donors the service of distributing quality meat to the poor around the world.

All meat is prepared fresh following Islamic guidelines of cleanliness, suitability, humaneness, and other halal standards.

By donating your Udhiyah today, you turn your compassion into hope for those in need just in time for Eid.

Because on that special day, we all glorify the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, together.

Link: https://baitulmaal.org/dalia4hope

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Sheikh Omar Suleiman 

1 Dhul Hijjah 1443 A.H.  

On the eve of what are the greatest 10 days of the year, how do we distinguish ourselves in Dhul Hijjah?

These are days that most people miss out on because they lack the ceremonious feel of Ramadan and the last 10 nights. But that's actually part of what makes them so beautiful for the earnest worshipper. While many will focus on only the 9th day of Arafa, others will exert themselves as they would in the last 10 nights of Ramadan. The Prophet (saw) used to fast a great deal of the first 8 days as well. He would also prepare himself for his Qurbani by not removing any hair or nails from the body as soon as Dhul Hijjah would enter. Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra), who narrates the famous hadith about these 10 days being the days in which good deeds are most beloved to Allah, would become unreachable as he was immersed in worship and seclusion according to his disciple Saeed Ibn Jubayr (ra).

The pious predecessors would worry even more about sins in these days, as Ibn Rajab (ra) said, "beware of sin in these days because they forbid the attainment of forgiveness in these seasons of mercy." To disobey Allah in days in which obedience and good deeds are multiplied is to show another level of disregard for His sight. And the sanctity of your brother and sister is even more sanctified in the sacred months, so beware of disgracing them thereby only depriving yourself of His grace.

These are days in which we keep ourselves busy with dhikr as the Prophet (saw) said in one narration: “There are no days on which good deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than on these ten days, so recite much Tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allah), Takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) and Tahmeed (saying Alhamdu Lillaah).” (Ahmad)

So ask yourself when you come across something in these days not just if this is potentially sinful, but is this the best use of my time in the best days of the year?

And of the beauty of these days is that the best day of the year is not unknown to us. It does not rotate like Laylatul Qadr. The day of Arafa is on the 9th, and it is the day in which Allah sets more people free from the fire than any other day. It is a day in which He boasts to His angels about His worshippers amongst us. It is a day of supplication and fasting, and the expiation of years of sin. It is a day that the arrogant Shaytan is humiliated, and the repentant child of Adam is honored.

And the day of Eid is not a day to forget Him, but rather a day of sacrifice and closeness to Him. It is not the day after the best 10 days as we may mistakenly think, but our last opportunity to excel within them.

May we distinguish ourselves in these days with our devotion and Dua, with our Siyam and Sadaqa, with our longing for His closeness and attainment of His forgiveness. Ameen

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFitr 1443 A.H.

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Kofi Bilal Mahmud

Executive Director

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