The Essence of Fasting and Its Purpose
How do I safeguard what I have achieved during Ramadan beyond the month of Ramadan?
We do that by ensuring three things:
1- We persevere with repentance until after the fasting if the six days of Shawwal as aforementioned to instill repentance;
2- We fast three days every month (any three days, not particular ones), with preference for the white days that ae the 13, 14 and 15 of every month, while observing that fasting is the act of worship that requires quitting, so we quit the great sins and we correct what we have wronged ourselves with. Jarir Ibn Abdullah relayed to us that the Prophet said: “Fasting three days of each month is equivalent to perpetual fast, particularly the days of the13th, the 14th and the 15th”.(1)
3- We persevere on invoking blessings on the Prophet three hundred times or more every day, because this is the way to receive daily blessings from Allah and the way Allah guides us from darkness to light. Allah said: ﴾It is He who sends blessings to you, as do His angels, so that He may bring you out of the darkness and into the light. He is most merciful to the believers﴿. (2)
___________________
(1) Transmitted by Muslim in his Sahih from Abu Ayyub Al Ansari, Hadith 1164, Chapter of Fasting- The Desirability of Fasting the Six of Shawwal
(2) Transmitted by Al Bukhari in his Sahih from Abu Huraira, Hadith 1904, Chapter of Fasting- Reaction to Vile Language when Fasting
Nutritious Recipe
from my kitchen with love
Eggplant Fattoush
Eggplant Fattoush is rich in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins from fresh vegetables, supporting digestion and heart health. The olive oil and pomegranate molasses provide healthy fats and anti-inflammatory benefits, making it a nourishing and flavorful dish. 🥗✨
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, cut into cubes 🍆
3 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting) or canola oil (for deep frying) 🫒
1 teaspoon salt 🧂
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon paprika
3 cucumbers, diced 🥒
2 large tomatoes, diced 🍅
1 small red onion, diced 🧅
½ cup chopped parsley 🌿
½ cup chopped purslane or lettuce 🥬
1 small green pepper, diced 🫑
1 small pita bread, cut into squares and either:
Fried until crispy 🍞🔥
Seasoned with olive oil and grilled in the oven until golden
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil 🫒
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses 🍷
1 tablespoon lemon juice 🍋
1 teaspoon sumac
1 clove garlic, minced 🧄
½ teaspoon salt 🧂
½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
Prepare the Eggplant:
If roasting: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the eggplant cubes with olive oil, salt, black pepper, sumac, and paprika. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender.
If frying: Heat canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant cubes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
Prepare the Pita Chips:
Fry the pita squares in hot oil until golden and crispy, then drain on a paper towel. OR
Toss the pita squares with olive oil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes until crisp.
Prepare the Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac, garlic, salt, paprika, and black pepper.
Assemble the Salad:
In a large bowl, combine the roasted or fried eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, purslane or lettuce, and green pepper.
Add the crispy pita squares and gently toss with the dressing.
Serve:
Garnish with pomegranate seeds.
Let the salad sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
✨ Sahtain! 🥗🎉
From One Seed to Seven Hundred: The Power of Giving
Keys to Sustenance: Give and Be Given
In this blessed month of Ramadan, let us embrace the divine promise. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions) said: “O son of Adam, and I will spend on you." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]. Every act of giving multiplies, not just in our own sustenance but in the lives of those we uplift.
At Mozaic, we provide critical support—helping refugee families find stability, empowering women with skills for self-sufficiency, and nurturing youth through education and mentorship. Your donation is more than charity; it’s an investment in dignity, opportunity, and a thriving community.
Zakat is not just a handout; it is an investment in people. The same person who receives today may be the one who gives tomorrow. Through initiatives like Mozaic, where we empower refugees with skills, career development, and financial literacy, we aim to replicate this cycle—turning those in need today into the benefactors of the future.
Your Zakat has the power to change lives, uplift communities, and break the cycle of poverty.
Today, I invite you to support a resilient single mother who survived domestic abuse and is now striving to break free from the cycle of poverty. Your help can empower her to rebuild her life with dignity and hope.https://mozaic.kindful.com/?campaign=1352818
This Ramadan, be the reason someone finds hope. Give generously and watch your blessings grow. 🌿✨
Du’a of the Day
دعاء المظلوم المقهور
يا مجيدُ يا مجيدُ يا مجيد، يا فعّالٌ لما يُريد، يا قويٌّ يا شديد، يا عزيزٌ يا رشيد، يا ذا البطشِ الشديد، يا من يبدأُ الخلقَ ثم يُعيد.يا عزيزُ ذو انتقام، يا منتقمُ يا جبّار، يا مكوِّرُ الليلِ على النهار، يا قهّارُ يا قهّارُ يا قهّار، يا مُجيرُ يا نعمَ المولى ونعمَ النصير، يا نعمَ المُجيب، يا صادقَ الوعدِ يا عظيمَ الوعيد.
اللهمَّ إليك أشكو ضعفَ قوتي، وقلّةَ حيلتي، وهواني على الناس، يا أرحمَ الراحمين، أنتَ أرحمُ الراحمين، إلى من تكلني؟ إلى عدوٍّ يتجهّمني، أم إلى قريبٍ ملكته أمري؟ إن لم تكن غضبانًا عليَّ فلا أبالي، غيرَ أنَّ عافيتك أوسعُ لي. أعوذُ بنورِ وجهك الذي أشرقت له الظلمات، وصلح عليه أمرُ الدنيا والآخرة، أن تُنزل بي غضبَك، أو تحلَّ عليَّ سخطَك، لك العتبى حتى ترضى، ولا حولَ ولا قوةَ إلا بك.
يا ربِّ إنّي أحبُّ العفوَ لأنَّك تحبُّ العفو، فإن كان قضاءُك النافذُ وقدرتُك الماضيةُ أن ينيبَ أو يتوبَ، أو يرجعَ عن ظلمي، أو يكفَّ مكروهَه عنّي، فاجعل ذلك في قلبِه الساعةَ الساعة، وتب عليه، واعفُ عنه يا كريم. وإن كان في علمِك به غيرُ ذلك، من مقامٍ على ظلمي، فأسألُك يا ناصرَ المظلوم إجابةَ دعوتي، فخذه من مأمنِه أخذَ عزيزٍ مقتدر، وافجئْه في غفلتِه، مفاجأةَ مليكٍ منتصر، واسلبه نعمتَه وسلطانَه، وأعره من نعمتِك التي لم يُقابلْها بالشكر، وانزع عنه سربالَ عزِّك الذي لم يُجازِهِ بالإحسان، واقصمه يا قاصمَ الجبابرة، وأهلكه يا مهلكَ القرونِ الخالية، وأخذله يا خاذلَ الفئاتِ الباغية.
اللهمَّ أرغم أنفَه، وعجِّل حتفَه، ولا تجعلْ له قوةً إلا قصمتَها، ولا كلمةً مجتمعةً إلا فرّقتَها، ولا قائمةَ علوٍّ إلا وضعتَها، ولا ركنًا إلا وهنته، ولا سببًا إلا قطعته.
يا ربِّ، إنَّ العبدَ له أبٌ يشكو إليه، وللجنود قائدٌ يرفعون أمرهم إليه، وللناس أميرٌ يقضي حوائجَهم، وأنا عبدُك الفقيرُ بين يديك، ما لي سواك، ما لي سواك، ما لي سواك يا ربَّ العالمين.
اللهم يا من لا تخفى عليه خافية، ولا يعجزه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء، قد ضاقت بي السبل إلا سبيلك، وانقطعت عني الأسباب إلا رحمتك، ولا حول ولا قوة لي إلا بك.
يا رب، أنت العدل الذي لا يظلم عنده أحد، وأنت القادر الذي لا يعجزه شيء، تعلم ضعفي وانكساري، وتعلم من ظلمني وبغى عليّ، وتعلم سرّي وعلانيتي، وتحيط بكل أموري، لا يغيب عنك شيء مما أعانيه، ولا يخفى عليك ظلمي وقهري.
اللهم إني أتوسل إليك بعدما خذلني البشر، وأستصرخك بعدما تخلّى عني كل ناصر، وأطرق بابك بعدما أُغلقت الأبواب، اللهم لا أمل لي إلا فيك، ولا رجاء لي إلا في عدلك ونصرك.
اللهم إنك قلت في كتابك الكريم: "ادعوني أستجب لكم"، وها أنا أدعوك مستغيثًا، راجيًا، متضرعًا، فاستجب لي كما وعدتني، يا من لا يخلف الميعاد.
اللهم إن كان في علمك أن من ظلمني سيتوب ويرجع عن ظلمه، فاهدِه إلى الحق وردّه إلى الصواب، واعف عنه يا كريم. وإن كان في علمك أنه مصرّ على ظلمي وبغيه، فانتصر لي منه، وخذه أخذ عزيز مقتدر، وشتّت أمره، وزلزل أركانه، واجعله عبرة لمن يعتبر.
اللهم إنك أنت الحكم العدل، فانصفني ممن قهرني، وردّ لي حقي، وكن لي معينًا وناصرًا، يا من إذا قضى أمرًا فإنما يقول له كن فيكون.
يا رب، أسلمت أمري إليك، فلا تكلني إلى غيرك، وفرّج عني كربي، وانصرني على من ظلمني، فأنت حسبي ونعم الوكيل.
The Supplication of the Oppressed and Afflicted
O Glorious, O Glorious, O Glorious! O the One who does as He wills, O Strong, O Severe, O Mighty, O Wise, O Possessor of great might, O the One who begins creation and then restores it.O Mighty, the Avenger, O Avenger, O Compeller, O the One who turns night into day, O Subduer, O Subduer, O Subduer, O the Helper, O what an excellent Protector and what an excellent Supporter, O what an excellent Answerer of prayers, O Truthful in promise, O Great in warning.
O Allah, to You I complain of my weakness, my lack of means, and my insignificance before people. O Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Most Merciful of all! To whom do You entrust me? To an enemy who frowns upon me, or to a close one whom You have given power over me? If You are not angry with me, then I do not mind, but Your protection is more expansive for me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face, which has illuminated the darkness and by which all affairs of the world and the Hereafter are set right, from Your anger descending upon me or Your wrath befalling me. Yours is the right to be pleased until You are pleased, and there is no power nor strength except through You.
O Lord, I love forgiveness because You love forgiveness. If Your decisive decree and past power dictate that he repents, turns back from oppressing me, ceases his harm against me, and withdraws from his grave wrongdoing against me, then place that in his heart this very moment and accept his repentance, and forgive him, O Most Generous. But if in Your knowledge, he persists in his wrongdoing, then I ask You, O Helper of the oppressed, to answer my prayer. Seize him from his secure place with the grip of the Almighty, strike him suddenly in his heedlessness with the blow of a victorious King, strip him of his blessings and authority, and divest him of the grace You granted him, which he failed to be grateful for. Remove from him the robe of Your honor that he did not repay with kindness. Crush him, O Crusher of tyrants, destroy him, O Destroyer of past nations, and disgrace him, O Defeater of oppressive factions.
O Allah, abase his arrogance, hasten his end, do not leave him with any strength except that You break it, nor any united word except that You disperse it, nor any foundation of pride except that You bring it down, nor any pillar except that You weaken it, nor any cause except that You sever it.
O Lord, the servant has a father to complain to, soldiers have a commander to take their matters to, and people have a ruler who fulfills their needs. But I am Your humble servant before You—I have no one but You, no one but You, no one but You, O Lord of the worlds.
O Allah, the One to whom nothing is hidden, the One for whom nothing is impossible in the heavens or the earth. The paths have closed before me except Your path, and the means have been cut off except for Your mercy. I have no power or strength except through You.
O Lord, You are the Just, with whom no one is wronged. You are the All-Powerful, whom nothing can escape. You know my weakness and my distress. You know who has wronged and oppressed me. You know my secrets and what I reveal, and You encompass all my affairs. Nothing I suffer is hidden from You, nor is the oppression and affliction I endure.
O Allah, I turn to You after people have abandoned me. I cry out to You after all helpers have forsaken me. I knock at Your door after all doors have been closed. O Allah, I have no hope except in You, no trust except in Your justice and victory.
O Allah, You have said in Your noble Book: "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Here I am, calling upon You, pleading, beseeching. So answer me as You have promised, O One who never breaks His promise.
O Allah, if in Your knowledge the one who has wronged me will repent and turn away from their oppression, then guide them to the truth, return them to righteousness, and forgive them, O Most Generous. But if in Your knowledge they persist in their injustice and wrongdoing, then grant me victory over them. Seize them with the grasp of the Almighty, scatter their affairs, shake their foundation, and make them a lesson for those who heed warnings.
O Allah, You are the Supreme Judge, so grant me justice against those who have oppressed me. Restore my rights and be my helper and supporter, O You who, when He decrees a matter, only says, "Be," and it is.
O Lord, I have entrusted my affairs to You, so do not leave me to rely on anyone else. Relieve my distress, grant me victory over those who wronged me, for You are sufficient for me, and You are the best disposer of affairs.
Ameen
Comments