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With the opening of the new centre, we plan to launch a new class or learning circle (halaqoh) program in English aimed for those who are non-Indonesian speakers and are keen to increase their knowledge in Islam. The halaqoh will touch on the tenet of Islam whilst discussing the daily practical aspects of it.

We strive to provide a comfortable environment for the participants to enjoy and benefit from the company of other Muslim brothers and pleasant atmosphere, Insha Allah.

The class will be every Friday night, and please let us know if you would like to find more information, through Brother Fajar Kurniawan (+852 9608 4379) or Brother Arief Wahyudi / Didi (+852 9837 6930).

This beautiful story was translated from an article from ilmfeed.com.

This year of 2018, we collaborate with Rumah Zakat to help distribute your qurbani to the earthquake victims in Lombok, Indonesia.

For further information, please contact telephone / WhatsApp +852 9519 0810.

There is no English translation for this article.

There is no English page for this article, as this article supports the cause for the masjid construction taken from this page.

There is no English translation for this post.

Part 1

Each year, over a million pilgrims separate themselves from the material world, throw on a white garb or ihram and blend into a sea of human beings, regardless of race, skin-tone or social status. It is not just an assertion of piety, but a spiritual experience that requires you to dig deep into the essence of your humanity.

Performing Hajj is the fifth pillar in Islam which every abled person should perform once in their lifetime. The Hajj takes place every year between the 8th and the 12th of Dhu al-Hijja, the final month of the Islamic calendar. This year, Hajj will begin on Wednesday evening on the 30^th August 2017 until Monday evening (4^th September 2017).

We are very fortunate to perform the Hajj with friends from Hong Kong via Hajj Foundation. Hajj registration in Hong Kong does not come with a long waiting list, as opposed to Indonesia. Over there, a Muslim may have to wait, on average, 15-20 years to go to Hajj due to the quota limitation from Saudi Arabia. After one makes the decision to perform Hajj, they should begin preparing for it as soon as possible because it requires complete spiritual, mental and physical dedication. Most importantly, one must train themselves to be patience in all situations.

“May Allah SWT make our Hajj trip easy for us,” I prayed.

Part 2

We started our journey by praying at the Indonesia Consulate in Hong Kong with our groups and sponsors. The bus took us to the Hong Kong International Airport on a Tuesday morning (22 Aug 2017) and we headed towards Jeddah, Saudi Arabia via Abu Dhabi, UAE.

I remembered on the day we arrived at the airport in Hong Kong, there was a thunderstorm and it was pouring heavily. We also received the news that the T8 (typhoon 8) warning signal will be hoisted in Hong Kong that night. As soon as all our baggage were checked in, we boarded on the Etihad flight that was scheduled to depart on 18:55. The pilot made an announcement that the flight was delayed due to weather conditions and that they were waiting for the clearance from the control tower.

We knew that this delay was due to the T10+ warning signal and we prayed to Allah to make our trip easy. Finally, after more than an hour on the plane, we took off into the stormy night of Hong Kong. After cruising through the skies for a couple hours, our airplane monitor displayed that the flight changed its course and flew above Myanmar rather than China. Alhamdullilah, Allah saved us from the possibility of a disaster happening.

We landed in Abu Dhabi early in the morning after an 8-hour flight and waited for almost 12 hours for the next flight to Jeddah. “Be patient”, our leader said, “this is when our patience will be tested”. We wore the ihram as part of the ritual to enter Mecca for our first Umrah. Once we disembarked the plane at Jeddah, we could see plenty of Muslims from all corners of the world standing at the immigration line. Immigration clearance took 5-6 hours.

“Be patient,” I reminded myself again.

Part 3

The bus picked us up 3-4 hours later (yes, after immigration clearance), and took us to Mecca. We arrived at around 2 in morning and checked in to our hotel, which was situated 800 meters from the Masjid al-Haram’s al-Marwah Gate. Our excitement could not be contained; we performed our Umrah that same morning.

It was my first time walking on the grounds of Masjid al-Haram. To see the Kaaba and to be at there in person… there’s only one word to describe that feeling: alhamdullilah, I am here.

So… what was it like to perform Hajj? It was a spiritual journey that made me feel overwhelmed with emotions, all the while testing and nurturing our patience. Everything, whether good or bad, that happened was because Allah SWT allowed it to happen.

Part 4

After the Hajj, we visited Medina to see the Prophet’s (PBUH)’s mosque, Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. We spent 3 days there before heading to Jeddah, where we flew to Hong Kong, via Abu Dhabi. We ask Allah SWT to grant us the reward of Hajj Mabrur and pray that He would give us another opportunity to return to the holy cities, Mecca and Medina. InshaAllah.

Check out the photos I took!

Written by: Irwan Ibrahim

Featured image: Photo by Trevor Cole on Unsplash

Everything that gets you closer to Paradise and everything that keeps you away from Hellfire have already been taught. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيٌّ قَبْلِي إِلاَّ كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَدُلَّ أُمَّتَهُ عَلَى خَيْرِ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ وَيُنْذِرَهُمْ شَرَّ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ

It was the duty of every Prophet that has gone before me to guide his followers to what he knew was good for them and warn them against what he knew was bad for them (Sahih Muslim 1844a).

Then why is it important for us to understand this problem? It turns out the answer, the key to this problem is easy. According to shariah that has been agreed upon by the scholars, in general everything is permissible. The reasons are:

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, (His being above all creation), and made them seven heavens, and He is Knowing of all things. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 29)

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ  إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought (Surah Al-Jathiyah: 13)

أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً

Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, (both) apparent and unapparent? (Surah Luqman: 20).

The ayat that were mentioned, state that Allah has subjected everything on earth for mankind. “The lawful is what Allah made lawful in His Book, the unlawful is what Allah made unlawful in his Book, and what He was silent about; then it is among that for which He has pardoned” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1726).

This means in general everything is halal or allowed.

Except if there is a valid and strict prohibition from Allah then the law becomes haram or makruh (disliked). So long as it does not have a valid divine source is found (because some hadith are weak or fabricated) or there is no strict prohibition, then the general rule is applied.

On the contrary, when it comes to worshipping Allah, because Islam is perfect, everything is rejected if not exemplified by the Prophet, his companions, tabi’un (the generation of Muslims that were born after the death of the Prophet) and tabi’un tabi’un (the generation after tabi’un).

The Prophet said: “If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 2697 and Sahih Muslim 1718a).

Therefore, it is important for us Muslims to learn our religion from teachers that stick to the Quran and Sunnah. Allah knows best.

Oleh: Andri Firdaus (andri.firdaus@imah.org.hk)