The Last Sermon of the Prophet
O People!

Lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present here today.

O People!...

Hajj in 23 Questions
1. What is Hajj? The dictionary meaning of the word "Hajj" connotes facing a big and important matter that is respected, visitation and going somewhere and coming back. As a term of Islamic jurisprudence, it signifies a worship that is performed by Muslims who have the means in specified period of time in a fashion that follows religious requirements in the Kaba, Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina. Hajj...

Hajj - Jihad Without Conflict
A Muslim spends their time, with both their belief and worship, in a continuous and widespread jihad (struggle), thus Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) qualified both the hajj and umrah (greater and lesser pilgrimages) as "jihad without conflict". Reported by Imam Bukhari, Aisha related: "I once asked the Prophet "O messenger of Allah, we (the women folk) consider that jihad is the best deed; why then may w...

After Ramadan
Sometimes we want to stop time and live some moments forever, but time, luckily, doesn’t listen. It passes as it always does. Time flows in the same speed for everyone everywhere, but depending on the situation we find ourselves in, one day may seem like an entire century, or like the blinking of an eye.

For me the moments that I wish wouldn’t end are the ones when fasting women, tired from suhoor...

The Three States of Ramadan
Ramadan, the beginning of which is mercy, the middle forgiveness, and the end release from Hellfire, is a lot like the prayer with its standing, the bowing down, and the prostration.

When Ramadan came we all rolled our sleeves and got ready for worship. Just like standing at the beginning of our prayer. Every believer did this in his/her own way. Just like how everybody has his/her own way of stan...

Ramadan Butterflies
One of our friends who has written a reflection about Ramadan upon our request is dear Ayşe Şebnem Yeşilkaya. She compares our Ramadan joy to the gaiety of butterflies in spring; our enthusiasm in charity to the flight of butterflies from flower to flower; our refining souls to the elegance of butterflies; and the transitory nature of this season of happiness to the short life of a butterfly:

“The...

Our Feelings in Ramadan
Today I am sharing sister Sare Çizmecioğlu’s reflections on Ramadan, with great gratitude to her for sharing her feelings with us.

“I saw the crescent in the sky of the dark blue night, in the red of the flag, on the top of the dome, above the Neretva.* I had a difficult time fasting through the long hours. The gates of divine help opened wide. The sun hid its heat, and the clouds wished the faste...

Narrowing the Ways of Satan
In a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim our Prophet says: “Satan circulates in the body like blood. Make his passage narrow by means of hunger.”

In the words of al-Ghazali, lusts are grazing grounds for the devils. As long as there is something to be grazed on, Satan will be present. Fasting, through which one establishes a mastery over one’s most fundamental (and unmanageab...

Fasting as Told by Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır
Today I would like to cite a few quotations about fasting from Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, a famous Turkish Quran commentator known for including subtle philosophical and psychological analyses in his tafseer. He firstly points out that the struggle against the lower self is possible only through fasting and states that no other means are as effective as fasting in calming the ambition that the human be...

Ramadan Mobilization
During the month of Ramadan we see a dramatic increase in all acts of worship. In these blessed days prayer, charity, and preoccupation with the Quran are at their highest for many of us. This fact is also manifest in the prophetic narrations that deal with the month of Ramadan.

When Ramadan came, a noticeable change would take place in our Prophet’s (s.a.w) spiritual life. His generosity would re...

Ramadan Increases and Decreases
With the onset of Ramadan our eating and drinking, and even our sleep decrease. Our vivaciousness and our gallivanting stop; instead a tranquility and a sobriety take over us. We have a month-long experience of eating little, sleeping little, and speaking little, which are the three conditions for becoming a spiritually mature human being. Maybe this is the reason why we are given the good news th...

Small, Sincere Iftars
Thank God there are still people who invite close friends to their homes for iftaar. In these small and sincere gatherings we not only eat iftaar, but also meet people, catch up with friends, and have heartfelt conversations. We leave these iftaars having learnt something from the other guests and having seen a new practice or a new style from the household. Some friendships take deeper root, some...