Tuesday, March 31, 2020

ICBG Board Message

ICBG Board Message 
 
Hello brothers and sisters,
 
Asslamu alikum 
 
Dear members of the Islamic Center of Bowling Green:
 
During these difficult days of our life, we need to remember how much we are blessed with our health and our life. All these are blessings from God. We also need to remember those who have lost there jobs and income because of the lock down situation. Because of that the Board is suggesting a fund raising to provide meals for the poor families who can't afford to put food on the table. Members of the Board have contacted Kenan Mijkenovic who is going to search for these families and contact some of the restaurants to deliver the food for these families over the next 3 weeks. 
 
We are suggesting that every member would donate $100 per member. We need to raise about $5000. 
I am sure that this will be very appreciated by those families who are affected by this disaster.
 
My God keep you and your families healthy and active.
 
Board of ICBG

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Reminder! The month of Sha'ban just one month before of the month of Ramadan

 Reminder! The month of Sha'ban just one month before month of Ramadan

The month of Sha^ban is the eighth month of the lunar year in the Islamic calendar and the month immediately preceding the month of Ramadan. For Muslims all around the world, the month of Sha^ban is a special time in which they try to do more good deeds than usual and fast more optional fasts than they do in other months. The Prophet used to fast a lot during this month. It is the habit of the Muslims to celebrate the 15th night of the month of Sha^ban by praying, reciting Qur’an, praising Allah, and making a great deal of supplication to Allah during that night.Ibn Majah narrated that the Prophet said:
إذا كانت ليلة النصف من شعبان فقوموا ليلها و صوموا نهارها
<<Spend the night preceding the 15th day of Sha^ban in acts of obedience, and fast the next day.>>

Scholars say that the linguistic root of the word Sha`ban is a branch, because many good things “branch off” from the month of Sha`ban. It acts as a bridge between the two blessed months of Rajab and Ramadan. In spite of this, it is often neglected. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ alerted us to this fact when he was asked why he was fasting so much in Sha`ban. He replied: “It is a month that people neglect, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which actions are raised to the Lord of the Worlds and I love for my actions to be raised while I am fasting.”

One of the greatest works we can perform in Sha`ban is fasting, and this is what the Prophet ﷺ loved to be doing when his actions were raised, on Monday and Thursday and also during Sha`ban. Sayyidah `A’ishah said of the Prophet ﷺ: “I did not see him fasting in any month more than Sha`ban." She also said: “The month which he loved to fast the most was Sha`ban.” Both hadith of course refer to voluntary fasting outside of Ramadan.

After all, we have a month of Ramadan around corner, so, maybe this is good time to sit and reflect and prepare as much as we can for the coming month of Ramada. There is a lot of good deeds that we can do and that we can work on them to become our habit and to do it on daily basics. We ask Allah s,w,t, to help us and to learn from this a life lesson.. Amin