Dear Students and Staff,
Assalaamu ‘alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh,

We pray this message reaches you in the best of Imaan, health and safety.

عَنْ صُهَيْبٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ ‏”‏

Suhaib reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:

Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it.
[Sahih Muslim 2999]

The current COVID-19 situation is a trying time for all of us. It is a time for us to be patient and hope reward from Allah, a time to return to Allah in repentance and a time to reform our lives in a positive way.

This Ramadaan 1441AH / 2020CE is quickly approaching and despite our current circumstances we can look forward to a great reward from Allah and make the best out of the current situation. In this email we have some important points about the Ramadaan situation at UQ, followed by some tips about how we can make our Ramadaan special in these difficult times.

Important Information about Ramadaan 1441AH / 2020CE

Due to the constantly changing COVID-19 situation, the Government and University are constantly updating their regulations with respect to places of worship and large gatherings.

This has greatly impacted the way we organise our regular Ramadaan activities, which include daily community Iftaars and Taraaweeh.

As the prayer room has been mandatorily closed, large gatherings prohibited and generally the University has been closed, unfortunately, we do not expect to have the usual Ramadaan activities this year.

That being said, we will continue to keep a close eye on the situation and updates from the Government and University and reassess the Ramadaan activities in accordance with health guidelines of the State and Federal Governments and WHO.

Stay tuned to our email list for further updates on the situation.

Help during the lockdown period

If you or anyone you, local or international students, especially the International students who have no family here, need help during the COVID19 shutdown period, please contact us, we are here to help inshaAllah. Please contact the Muslim Chaplain at the Uni (Sheikh Aslam Hussain) and the Chaplain’s Volunteers Team via email at
info@mcatuq.com

Beginning of Ramadaan

We will be following the Ramadaan announcement by the Moon Sighting Australia Committee. https://moonsightingaustralia.info
According to their latest announcement, the moon sighting will be carried out on Thursday night and the beginning of Ramadan will thus he either on Friday or Saturday according to moonsighting (Note: it is on Friday according to Calculations following opinion holders). To know when Ramadan begins via moon sighting, you can check https://twitter.com/moonsightingau for live updates. Also, we will inform everyone of the announcement of beginning of Ramadan on our website of the Muslim Chaplain at the Uni, https//mcatuq.com and via this mailing list also inshaAllah.

You can find some more info on Ramadan below. We pray you find it beneficial.

Wassalam
Muslim Chaplain (Sheikh Aslam Hussain),
Ismail Mohamed (Assistant to Muslim Chaplain)
And
Muslim Chaplain Volunteers Team

Tips for Strengthening Our Imaan in Ramadaan

* Shayateen are chained

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، – رضى الله عنه – أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِذَا جَاءَ رَمَضَانُ فُتِّحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ وَصُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
When there comes the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained.
[Sahih Muslim 1079 a]

* The reward of the fasting

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَصُومُ يَوْمًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بَاعَدَ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَجْهَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفًا ‏”‏ ‏.

Abu Sa’id al Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Every servant of Allah who observes fast for a day in the way of Allah, Allah would remove, because of this day, his face farther from the Fire (of Hell) to the extent of seventy years’ distance.
[Sahih Muslim 1153 a]

* Taraaweeh

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏”‏ ‏.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
He who observed prayer at night during Ramadan, because of faith and seeking his reward from Allah, his previous sins would be forgiven.
[Sahih Muslim 759 a]

* Reading the Qur’an, Reflecting on its Meaning and Being Generous

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ بِالْخَيْرِ وَكَانَ أَجْوَدَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فِي رَمَضَانَ حَتَّى يَنْسَلِخَ فَيَعْرِضُ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْقُرْآنَ فَإِذَا لَقِيَهُ جِبْرِيلُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَجْوَدَ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ ‏.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was the most generous of people in charity, but he was generous to the utmost in the month of Ramadan. Gabriel (peace be upon him) would meet him every year during the month of Ramadin until it ended, and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) recited to him the Qur’an; and when Gabriel met him Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was most generous in giving charity like the blowing wind.
[Sahih Muslim 2308 a]

* Night of Qadr
97:1
بِّسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ

Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.

97:2
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ

And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

97:3
لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

97:4
تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

97:5
سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّى مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

Peace is until the emergence of dawn.

* Du’aa of Laylatul Qadr

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ عَلِمْتُ أَىُّ لَيْلَةٍ لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ مَا أَقُولُ فِيهَا قَالَ ‏ “‏ قُولِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.

Aishah narrated:
“I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is your view if I know when the Night of Al-Qadr is, then what should I say in it?” He said: ‘Say: “O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me (Allāhumma innaka `Afuwwun [Karīmun], tuḥibbul-`afwa fa`fu `annī).’”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3513 (Authentic)