شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
The month of Ramaḍān [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’ān, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the crescent of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
[2:185]
Welcome to The Qarawiyyin Newsletter!
Ramadan Kareem from all of us here at the Qarawiyyin Project! We pray it has been a month full of remembrance and reflection for all our readers. May it be a means of coming closer to Allah, increasing our love for each other, leaving behind bad habits, and cultivating better ones. We’ve updated our mission statement as a reminder to ourselves of our intention of pleasing Allah first and foremost.
As parts of the world phase their way out of local and national lockdowns — finding comfort in tarawih at the mosques and iftaar with loved ones — many are still confined to their homes, afflicted by disease and living under oppression. As we approach the final ten days of Ramadan, please keep the Ummah in your sincere du’as. Keep your tongues moist with dhikr, and do not shy away from asking from Allah; convey your deepest worries and desires to him in prayer, for He is the All-Hearing and the Most Merciful.
Ramadan is a time to reflect upon and strengthen our faith. Here are our top articles on engaging with Ramadan on both a spiritual and practical level:
Feminism | Al-Arqam Institute
As part of Al-Arqam Institute’s Ramadan 2021 programme, our editor, Aisha Hasan, delivered a lecture on feminism. Outlining how the Muslim community should approach conversations on feminism, she discusses what we can learn from feminist analysis, evaluates Islamic feminism, and highlights various forms of misogyny faced by Muslim women.
Head over to Al-Arqam Institute’s Facebook page to catch the rest of the series and find details on their upcoming events.
Podcast Ep. 8: Ramadan, Old Friend
In this episode, the TQP team gets into the Ramadan spirit and discusses how to make the most of this blessed month — under quarantine, on your period, and through the pangs of hunger.
Ramadan Reading List
We previously put together a reading list dedicated to Ramadan, including works from both classical and contemporary scholars. Through self-reflection and contemplation, we pray we can leave this blessed month better than we entered it.
As well as periodically updating our resource bank, here we share some other insightful contributions from prominent Muslim figures and organisations.
VIDEO: Sow A Seed - Cambridge Muslim College CMC have cemented themselves as a Ramadan favourite, and have returned this year with more thoughtful content. The Sow A Seed series seeks to cultivate a relationship with the natural world in all its beauty, and to think outside the boxes created for us by various ideologies. A personal favourite is the Paradigms of Leadership subseries, where Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad scrutinises the modern conception of 'leadership' and the diverse nature of 'leaders' in Islam.
VIDEO: وسام القرآن [The Medal of Quran] - Fahad al-Kandari In this daily Ramadan series, Shaykh Fahad al-Kandari interviews huffadh: women and men who’ve memorised the entire Qur'an. Their stories shed light on how memorisation is a journey that anyone can undertake, and they share advice for those who wish to embark on it.
VIDEO: The top 5 most Googled Zakat questions! - Sh. Joe Bradford, Launchgood LaunchGood recently hosted Shaykh Joe Bradford on their Instagram page to clear up a few common misconceptions and concerns regarding Zakat distribution. He also has an easy guide on understanding Zakat!
VIDEO: Meeting Muhammad ﷺ - Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research This Ramadan, we accompanied Imam Omar Suleiman on a journey to know our beloved Rasul ﷺ. Imam Omar shares descriptions of the Prophet's appearance ﷺ and personality, as well as how to lovingly emulate him in the hope that we may be united in the next life. Yaqeen Institute also have 2 free e-books for download: Qur’an 30 for30 and A Du’a a Day.
FUNDRAISER: Join Hands to Establish a Masjid in Tokyo - Launchgood The ever growing Muslim community in Tokyo have until now relied on a rented space for prayer. The local community have found a bigger space and paid the deposit, but now need to pay the remaining funds to secure the property. This Ramadan, help facilitate the worship of our brothers and sisters in Japan and provide da'wah for the wider population!
VIDEO: Al-Muhaddithat: The Female Hadith Transmitters - Sh. Nadwi, ELM East London Mosque hosts Shaykh Dr. Akram Nadwi to discuss his 43 volume encyclopaedia of female hadith scholars, as well as Muslim women's historical involvement in Islamic scholarship.
If you have any questions, feedback or would like to feature in our next newsletter, let us know. Email us at contact@qarawiyyinproject.co or visit our website to find out more about our article submission process.
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Until next time, Assalaamu Alaykum.