30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World | www.30-days.net » Basics of Islam http://www.30-days.net What Christians should know about Islamic background, history and culture. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:11:00 +0000 en hourly 1 About Ramadan http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:06:40 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/ramadan/ Ramadan 2012 / 1433 – The Muslim Month of Fasting

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. Dates for Ramadan 2012 (or 1433) are 20 July – 19 August.

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Coinciding with Ramadan, we produce a booklet for the Christian world called, “30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim world” (which can be ordered here ).

The first evening of Ramadan

In many places around the world Muslims will be looking to the heavens this evening. They will be interested in knowing if they will be able to see the crescent moon. If it is visible this will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadan. (In most countries religious authorities will make a proclamation concerning the beginning of Ramadan). No fasting will take place till tomorrow morning. Muslims will rise early to eat their breakfast before the day begins. Afterwards they will not have anything else to eat or drink till nightfall. This will be their daily experience during the next 30 days.

Fasting – Ramazan

Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of the religion of Islam and one of the highest forms of Islamic worship. Abstinence from earthly pleasures and curbing evil intentions and desires is regarded as an act of obedience and submission to God as well as an atonement for sins, errors, and mistakes. Called Ramadan (or Ramazan), Muslims fast during this holy month from the moment when it first starts to get light until sunset. Muslims fast as an act of faith and worship towards Allah, seeking to suppress their desires and increase their spiritual piety. Fasting together as a worldwide community – Ummah – affirms the brotherhood and equality of man before Allah.

Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. The month of Ramadan is the ninth month and begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations. The exact time of Ramadan sometimes varies from place to place as some rely heavily on the moon sightings while others depend on science. An Imam (Muslim holy man) will declare the exact time of Ramadan just prior to its commencement. The fasting period ends upon the sighting of the next new moon, which occurs after 29 or 30 days.

The lunar cycle changes each year. For example, this year Ramadan will be 22 August-20 September, but last year the dates for Ramadan were 01-30 September. (See our Islamic Calendar article for details .)

The Meaning of Ramadan

The name Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ramida or ar-ramad, denoting intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground. From the same word there is ramdaa, meaning ‘sunbaked sand’ and the famous proverb Kal Mustajeer minar ramadaa binnar – to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Some say it is so called because Ramadan scorches out the sins with good deeds, as the sun burns the ground.

The Special Feeling of Ramadan

Ramadan brings out a special feeling of emotional excitement and religious zeal among Muslims of all ages. Though fasting is mandatory only for adults, children as young as eight willingly observe fasting with their elders. Children look forward to the excitement of sighting the moon and eating special meals with their families. Adults appreciate the opportunity to double their rewards from God and seek forgiveness for past sins. As Ramadan emphasizes Muslim brotherhood and community all feel a particular closeness.

Muslims have to change their whole physical and emotional selves during this 30 long days of fasting. A typical day of fasting begins with getting up early, around 4:30a.m. and sharing a meal called Sahur together before the fast begins at dawn, about 5:10a.m. As dawn breaks, the first of five daily prayers, Fajr, is offered.

As the day proceeds, fasting Muslims are constantly bombarded with messages from their stomachs that it is time for breakfast, snack, lunch, and so on. And each time, Muslims remind themselves that they are fasting for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah and seeking his mercy. They offer the second and third prayers during early and late afternoon, respectively.

Fasting helps one to experience how a hungry person feels and what it is like to have an empty stomach. It teaches one to share the sufferings of the less fortunate. Muslims believe that fasting leads one to appreciate the bounties of Allah, which are usually taken for granted – until they are missed!

Throughout the day Muslims are encouraged to go out of their way to help the needy, both financially and emotionally. Some believe that a reward earned during this month is multiplied 70 times and more. For this reason, Ramadan is also known as the month of charity and generosity.

To a Muslim, fasting not only means abstaining from food, but also refraining from all vice and evils committed consciously or unconsciously. It is believed that if one volunteers to refrain from lawful foods and sex, they will be in a better position to avoid unlawful things and acts during the rest of the year.

Breaking The Daily Fast During Ramadan

The fast is broken at sunset. The Prophet Muhammad recommended breaking the fast with dates. Muslims are urged to invite others to break the fast with them. These gatherings are called Iftar parties.

Just after breaking the fast, and before dinner, Muslims offer the fourth of the five daily prayers, which is called the Maghrib prayer. After dinner, Muslims go to their houses of worship, called Mosques, to offer the Isha prayer, which is the last of the five daily prayers. The day ends with a special voluntary prayer, the Taraweeh, offered by the congregation reciting the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam.

The Last 10 Days of Ramadan

The last ten days of Ramadan are considered highly blessed, especially the 27th night which is also called the ‘Night of Power’, or the ‘Night of Destiny’. It is believed that on this night the prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Qur’an. For many Muslims, this period is marked by a heightened spiritual intensity and they may spend these nights praying and reciting the Qur’an.

After 30 days of fasting, the end of the month of Ramadan is observed with a day of celebration, called Eid-ul-Fitr. On this day, Muslims gather in one place to offer a prayer of thanks. It is traditional to wear new clothes, visit friends and relatives, exchange gifts, eat delicious dishes prepared for this occasion, and wait patiently for the next year.

We also have a special version “Just for Kids” and families:

What the Bible Says About Fasting

In the Bible, we do not find any one method of fasting required of us, but the Lord Jesus did say however, “when you fast…” (Matthew 6:16), seeming to assume that His followers would imitate His own example. We fast as an outward symbol of our devotion to God, being willing to deny ourselves food for His sake. Fasting adds intensity to our prayer, and often leads to breakthroughs. We do not fast to convince or persuade Him, but rather to identify with His broken heart and with His desire for all mankind to know Him. “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free and that you break every yoke. Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out.” (Isaiah 58:6 &7)

“Why Pray?” Video

Clock from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/feed/ 99 Prayer in Islam http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/#comments Thu, 19 May 2011 12:32:12 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/prayer/ Muslims are supposed to pray five times a day at specific times while facing the direction of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Muslim prayer is formal and ritualistic yet many Muslims do make every effort to be sincere and upright in performing their prayers. Muslim prayer is characterised by rules of respect and attitudes of politeness toward Allah. (Please note that all Arab speakers use this word for God – whether Christian or Muslim, though their ideas of God are significantly different.)

“Praying correctly and at the appropriate time is one of the greatest indications of (Muslim) faith and a great sign of true religion”. Prayer is to be done with heart and body cleanliness, with cleanness of clothing and in a ceremonially clean place. The washing of the hands, nose, face, forearms, ears, and feet in preparation for Muslim prayer is important.

The words

Muslims place very strong emphasis on the exact postures and the words of their prayers (which are always in Arabic). Almost all Muslim prayer is concerned with reciting specific phrases from memory. In the course of the five regular prayer times a Muslim will prostrate himself before Allah a total of 34 times and he will repeat the following phrases:

“Allah is greater”
“Praised be my mighty Lord”
“Allah hears the one who praises him”

He will also recite the “Al-Fatiha” or another text from the Qur’an 17 times, the “Shadada” (Islamic creed), and the greeting of peace to all Muslims.

Answered Prayer

Muslims can make requests to God privately after they finish their ritual prayers. However, this is not done as often as Christians typically make requests. Muslims do not believe that God binds himself to his people through covenants. This is a key concept for understanding their attitudes toward answers to prayer and their lack assurance of God’s steadfast love towards them. In addition, because of the fatalism of Islam, Muslims generally have little faith that their requests will alter their circumstances. They generally believe that Allah’s desires (for good or ill) will always be done despite their activities or requests. Trusting in God for specific responses to prayer in the Christian sense is not practised among Muslims. This is a huge difference between Muslim and Christian religious experience.

When Christians speak of prayer they mean direct two-way communication with God. Muslims never expect God to speak back to them directly at any moment and certainly not during prayer. The vast majority of Muslims will say that God only speaks through the Qur’an. Even Mohammed is said only to have heard from God indirectly through an angel. Christian prayer, on the other hand, is a combination of requests, thanksgiving and praise. The Bible says that we should “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and bless (praise) his name” (Psalm 100:4).

Let us Pray…

* Muslims need to come to know the Christ of Christian prayer. Pray that Muslims would come to believe that God Himself wants to communicate directly with them. Pray this specifically for any Muslims that you may know personally. Pray for the Muslims in your city, region and nation.

* Pray for newly-converted Muslims, that they may develop real confidence in God as one who keeps His covenants, makes promises and who hears and answers prayer.

* Christians need to share their prayer experience with Muslims in humility. Pray that God will give us wisdom when describing our Christian prayer experience so that God would be glorified and Muslims could understand Him better.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/prayer/feed/ 20 The Islamic Calendar http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/calendar/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/calendar/#comments Wed, 18 May 2011 12:40:11 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/calendar/ In recent editions of our “30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World” booklet we included the moon in various phases near the titles in all the prayer articles. This is because our month of prayer takes place at the same time as the Muslim month of fasting called Ramadan. This month of Ramadan is determined by the Muslim lunar calendar (corresponding to the lunar cycle from one crescent moon to the next). The Muslim calendar is 354 days long and “retreats” each year by 11 days compared to the Western “Gregorian” Calendar. Therefore the Muslim lunar months do actually “shift” annually over a complete 33-year cycle. Ramadan is often, but not always, 30 days long.

Do you use the moon?

Western urban dwellers hardly dream of using the moon for the calendar, yet for many peoples around the world the lunar cycle is still a major way of understanding time.

In the Bible it is written that God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years” (Gen 1:16). The Jewish calendar was specifically based on the lunar cycle. The names of the days of the week in the Arab or Muslim calendar have obvious origins from Jewish and Christian influence in Arabia.

The following is the list of the days of the week used especially by Arabs and in Islamic nations in general

1. youm al-ahad (first day) – Sunday
2. youm al-ithnayna (second day) – Monday
3. youm ath-thalatha’ (third day) – Tuesday
4. youm al-arba`a’ (fourth day) – Wednesday
5. youm al-khamis (fifth day) – Thursday
6. youm al-jum`a (gathering day) – Friday
7. youm as-sabt (Sabbath day) – Saturday

The first day of the week is Sunday, which is called “youm” (day) “al-ahad” (the first). There is also a Sabbath day (the seventh day), which certainly has Jewish roots, although its original significance as a day of rest has been lost. The present Muslim day of rest is “youm al-jum`a”, meaning the “day of assembly”, which corresponds to the Muslim day of mosque-centred worship (Friday). A Muslim “day” starts at sunset on the evening before the next day: this follows the biblical idea found in Genesis: “And there was evening and there was morning, one day.”

Pagan Origins

It is particularly noteworthy that the Muslim names for the days of the week are remarkably less pagan than their Western counterparts. For example, the word Thursday was originally “Thor’s day” (Thor being the chief god of the Vikings) or – in Latin contexts – Jove’s day (Zeus’ day), which gave rise to words like “jeudi”, the French for Thursday. All the other names for days of the week used in most European and Western countries have similar origins.

How the numbering works

The Muslim numbering for years starts with Mohammed’s leaving Mecca to live in Medina in AD622 – an event called the Hegira. So for example, the year 2007 equates to the 1,428th lunar year since the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

It was not until the rise of the Ottoman Empire that the crescent moon and sometimes a pointed star became symbols that were strongly associated with the Muslim world. (These were not originally Islamic symbols: some Muslims want to remove them from Islam completely.)

Please note: The moon has never been an object of worship for Muslims, though it was an object of worship among Arabs before the rise of Islam.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/calendar/feed/ 2 The Five Pillars of the Islamic Faith http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/beliefs/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/beliefs/#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 14:26:06 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/beliefs/ Muslims believe in Allah and that he is unique, all powerful, gracious and merciful to all Muslims.
The Islamic faith is lived out according to five “pillars” that must be adhered to if one is to hope for salvation.

The Five Pillars of Islam are:

1. Reciting the two-fold Creed (shahada) (profession of faith) – ‘There is no God but Allah’ and ‘Muhammad is his prophet’ (or ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of God’).

2. Prayer (salat) – At five set-times a day while facing towards the city of Mecca.

3. Alms-giving (sakat) (zakat – means ‘purification’, an act of worship) – Both obligatory and voluntary giving to the poor.

4. Fasting (saum) – Especially during the ‘holy’ month of Ramadan.

5. Pilgrimage (hajj) – At least once in a lifetime – to Mecca, Saudi Arabia if at all possible, known as The Hajj.

Although the Hajj is well known today, it should be noted that the Black Stone was a meteorite to which great religious significance was attached even before Muhammad was born. Muhammad simply adopted the pagan practice. Thus the act of walking around the Ka’aba (“Cube”) seven times, kissing and touching the Black Stone became the “Islamic” pilgrimage of “Hajj” – one of the pillars of Islam today.

No guarantee

While a Muslim may observe each of these pillars there is still no guarantee of salvation. Islam is based on a religion of self-righteousness. Muslims often think about the Day of Judgement where they believe Allah (or an angel) will take a balance and weigh each persons deeds. His hope is that his good deeds will outweigh his bad deeds, but even then Allah’s judgement is based solely on Allah’s will – not on justice.

Another interpretation is that man’s deeds are written in a book and on the Day of Judgement Allah will open the book and the sum of a man’s account will be placed in either his right or left hand. The only sure way to paradise is to die as a martyr during an Islamic Holy War, Jihad.

Muhammad

Muhammad is Islam’s highest prophet, but the Qur’an also speaks often of Jesus, also known as Isa. The Qur’an also refers to Jesus as Kalimat Allah, which means The Word of God. Muslims do not believe in Jesus death on the cross, His resurrection nor in His deity. Although Jesus is the second highest prophet in Islam, the Isa of the Qur’an is only one prophet among 124,000.

Jinn

The belief of angels and evil spirits, also known as Jinn, plays a very prominent part in the lives of most Muslims. Although the Qur’an states that ‘good and evil comes from Allah’, this belief is not founded in orthodox Islam but is a result of pagan religions, particularly from Africa and India, being incorporated in Islam.

The Law

Islam incorporates rules for every aspect of life. Within the Qur’an and the Hadith’s there is instruction for every detail of a Muslim’s daily life. The Shari’a – the sacred law of Islam, applies to all aspects of life, not just religious practices. It describes the Islamic way of life, and prescribes the way for a Muslim to fulfill the commands of God and reach heaven.

Video: Foundations

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/beliefs/feed/ 22 Preparations for Friday Prayer http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/preparations-for-friday-prayer/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/preparations-for-friday-prayer/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2011 00:54:35 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/?p=1947

Friday Prayer Focus

Today, even perhaps at this moment, Muslims worldwide will be preparing themselves for Friday prayer. Indeed, all week long practicing Muslims do ritual washing in order to be pure for prayer. Right intentions and a focused attitude toward God are specifically encouraged concerning prayer in Islam. However, it is certain that ritual cleansing, as well as the specific times, order and outward forms of prayer, definitely occupy most of the literature and instruction concerning Islamic prayer. This is a very significant difference with Christian teaching about prayer.

In Christian circles, specific times, order and obligatory wording are much less important aspects of prayer instruction and experience. Many believers in the Messiah actually dislike fixed forms of prayer. Attitudes and intentions play a central role in Christian prayer. Ritual cleansing with water, as is found in Islam, is unheard of for normal, everyday Christian prayer. Catholics and Anglicans do dip their fingers in the holy water and make the sign of the cross when entering a church building, but it is intended only as a reminder of their baptism not as an actual purifying act.

In Islam it is impossible to pray correctly without the ritual cleansing by water, or in the absence of water with sand. Islamic instruction about prayer is filled with long passages on exactly how to accomplish the cleansing process. None of the steps can be sidestepped or done in an improper way, otherwise Islamic prayer looses its merit and validity.

Here is a typical Muslim text about doing Wudu (the ritual cleansing):

    1. A Muslim begins every action with intention. To yourself, make the intention to cleanse yourself for prayer, for the sake of Allah.
    2. To yourself, say “Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem” (In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful).
    3. Wash your hands three times, making sure the water reaches between the fingers and all over the hands.
    4. Bring a handful of water to your mouth and rinse it thoroughly three times.
    5. Sniff water into your nose three times to clean it. Use your right hand to bring up the water, and your left hand to expel it.
    6. Wash your entire face three times.
    7. Wash your arms, up to the elbows, three times. Start with the right.
    8. Use your wet hands to wipe over your head once, from front to back and front again.
    9. Use your wet fingers to wipe the inside and outside of your ears, once.
    10. Wash your feet up to the ankles three times. Start with the right.
    11. Dry off.

Prayer Starters

While some aspects of the ritual washing may be helpful as a reminder about how sinful we are as human beings, ultimately the ritual cleansing does not lead Muslims to true righteousness or holiness.

  • Pray for Muslims to discover the depths of sin and God’s holiness so that they may forever be freed of the idea that water can ever make them fit to meet God. Pray this for people that you may know, pray for Muslims in your city and elsewhere (Heb 8:9-12).
  • Pray for the Muslims who will be praying at the Jama Masjid in Delhi, India (above). There are possibly 1.5 million Muslims in The Delhi/New Delhi urban area (11%). Followers of the Messiah are less than one percent. Pray for believers to seize opportunities to proclaim the Gospel.
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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/preparations-for-friday-prayer/feed/ 5 The Call of the Muezzin http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/the-call-of-the-muezzin/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/the-call-of-the-muezzin/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:14:48 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/muslims/?p=1905

Friday Prayer Focus

Across the entire Islamic World men called the muezzin call the faithful to prayer five times per day: at dawn (fajr), noon (dhuhr), in the afternoon (asr), at sunset (maghrib) and nightfall (isha’a). On Fridays all male Muslims are supposed to attend the noon time prayers which are usually accompanied by a sermon. So today literally hundreds of thousands of muezzin are calling the faithful to prayer. Many millions of Muslim men will go to the mosque as their local muezzin pronounces the call to prayer.

(Photo: The famous minaret in Switzerland which inspired a national referendum in 2009)

Voices Behind the Scene

In most places the call to prayer is given by loud speakers located on a minaret attached to the mosque. Sometimes recordings are used but most people prefer a live voice. Some muezzin have become very famous for the dignity, professionalism and the beautiful vocal and musical quality of their calls to prayer. Recently a documentary film by Sebastian Brameshuber named “Muezzin” was released about individual expression and competition between muezzin in Turkey (www.muezzindocumentary.com). One muezzin says in the film “The more people I can attract to the mosque with my voice, the more successful I am.”

In Western and non-Islamic countries muezzin often cannot make the call to prayer except on the radio or in the courtyards of local mosques because of laws restricting loud and intrusive noises. In Africa Christian preachers sometimes give the Muezzin competition early in the morning using their own loud speakers to preach while the Islamic call to prayer is given.

Whatever our reaction to the call to prayer, God calls us to love the muezzin.

What the Muezzin Say:

Below are the words which are repeated day after day (Shiite Muslims use slightly different phrases for some lines).

x2: Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)
x2: I bear witness that there is no deity except God
x2: I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of God
x2: Make haste towards worship
x2: Come to the true success
x2: Prayer is better than sleep (said only at dawn)
x2: Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)
x2: There is no deity except God

Prayer Starters

  • Pray for the muezzin in your own country and around the world.
  • Pray for the hundreds of thousands of muezzin around the world. Pray to many of them will encounter the living God through Jesus, the Messiah.
  • Sometimes muezzin become very centred on their role in society. As with any public figures like pastors and politicians some muezzin are tempted to place their own honour and prestige very high on their list of priorities. Pray that all muezzin would be brought to humility before God and truly confounded by His majesty in order that they may truly say “God is great.”
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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/friday-prayers/feed/ 4 The Night of Power http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/night-of-power/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/night-of-power/#comments Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:03:41 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/power/

Laylatul Qadr:

Muslim scholars believe that while the Qur’an was revealed over a period of 23 years the Night of Power is considered the night in which the first revelations of Islam and the prophethood of Muhammed began. This night is in celebration of the arrival of the Qur’an.

In Arabic, Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Qur’an as, “better than a thousand months” (Sura 97:3). Al-Qadr means power and implies having power over something, particularly to Allah. The character of Allah is said to be excellence in power, capable, all powerful, almighty and also implies “high esteem” and thus the Night of Power is to be highly esteemed.

When does it occur?

It is often a point of debate among Muslim scholars as to when exactly the Night of Power occurs. Some scholars say that this night is hidden. Some say it occurs on either the 1st, 7th or 19th night of Ramadan. However, there is strong evidence that the night occurs during the last 10 days of Ramadan, specifically on odd numbered nights. In a report by Bukhari, Muhammed said, “Seek it on the odd nights of the last 10 days of Ramadan.” In Hadith by Ubayy bin Ka’ab, Muhammed also said, “By Allah, I know which night it is. It is the night the Messenger commanded us to observe, the night of the 26th.”

Muslims believe angels perform special deeds on this night

The whole Night of Power, from sunset to dawn, is the holiest night of the year. It is believed that there are groups of special angels who are only seen on the Night of Power. These angels perform special purposes. Some come down for worship, others for granting the request of the believing Muslim. Other angels come down bringing with them proclamations of the coming year.

Today, many Muslims think this is a special night when God gives heed to their requests. Often they are open to dreams and visions as they seek for guidance and revelation. Many Muslims pray all night seeking a response to specific requests. One common belief is that angels will shower down the peace and blessings of God on all who remain awake during this “night of power”. According to the Qur’an, God either listens directly or via the angel Gabriel, to the requests of Muslims concerning their fate.

As Muhammed had his destiny fulfilled by receiving the revelation of the Qur’an on this night, Muslims also call this the “Night of Destiny”. This night seems equally important among orthodox Muslims and in Folk Islam. It is on this night, and during the following weeks, that many Muslims have had supernatural encounters with God.

Muslims are encouraged to stay awake the entire night, and pray for blessings and forgiveness. According to Abu Huraira translation of the Hadith, the Prophet Muhamed declared that “whoever prays during the Night of Power with faith and hoping for its reward will have all his previous sins forgiven.” There are many things that a Muslim will endeavour to do on the Night of Power including recite and study the Quran, make special requests from Allah, evaluate their own lives and make plans for the next year.

Some Muslims will take the day off work so they can stay up all night and will often spend this night in the mosque.

Attitudes

Muslims come to this night with several attitudes. Some want to prove their devotion to God through their prayers, even being proud of their religious accomplishments. Others, knowing in their hearts that they are incapable of really pleasing God by their own religious activity, will feel disappointed with themselves. Finally, significant numbers will be praying in desperation and are genuinely seeking help from God.

Prayer Points

Researchers contend that 80% of new Christians in South Asia come to Christ as a direct result of supernatural encounters. More than half of new believers in Iran have had a dream or vision of Jesus and at least 35% of all recent Turkish conversions were in response to a dream and/or vision. In most cases, these supernatural encounters are in relation to a specific need or answer to prayer and are the result of years of prayer and labour by God’s people, including martydom. Often, a Muslim has heard the message of Jesus or even read parts of the Bible. While not all Muslims experience dreams or visions of Jesus, the supernatural is very much an accepted part of life.

There are many stories throughout the Bible where God spoke through a dream or vision. (Genesis 41, Genesis 46:2 & 3, Daniel 4, Judges 7:10-15, Ezekiel 11:24, Matthew 2:12, 19, Acts 10:3-20, Revelation 1:1). In many of these cases the end result was for the purpose of salvation or physical safety. Ramadan is a strategic time for Christians to believe that God would sovereignly reveal Himself to those who do not yet know Him.

* Consider setting this night aside as an all night prayer time with your church or mission group. Look for ways to make your time of prayer varied and interesting. For example: Flags, photographs, maps, posters, video documentaries will all add lots of interest and give you ideas to pray for.

* As you pray during this night, pray for issues such as Muslim leaders and governments, Muslim families and children. Pray for increased numbers of missionaries and workers, and pray for new believers (1 Timothy 2:1).

* Pray for a supernatural move of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to the many Muslims who will seek God tonight (Psalm 118:21, Acts 4:33).

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/night-of-power/feed/ 39 Muslim Holy Days (Islamic Special Holidays) http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/islamic-holidays/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/islamic-holidays/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:37:51 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/islamic-holidays/ There are certain special days which Muslims world-wide celebrate or consider holy. Other days are specific to Sunni or Shi’ah Muslims depending on beliefs and location.
Here is a detailed list of the holy days for Muslims:

Muharram (Islamic New Year)

Ashura (celebrating Moses exodus day and for Shi’ah Muslims, commemorates the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn ibn Ali) )

Mawlid al-Nabi (Muhammad’s Birthday)

Ramadan begins (the holy month of fasting)

Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan ends)

Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca

Arafat Day (9th day of month Dhu’l-Hijjah or Hajj, unity day at Arafat mountain)

Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)

Other Special Days

Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) (usually the 26th or 27th day of the month Ramadan)

Laylat ul Isra and Miraj – the Night of the Journey and Ascension”. It is on 26 of Rajab. It is the night when Muhammad was, according to Hadiths, taken to “the furthest mosque” (generally understood to be Jerusalem) on a Buraq (a beast resembling horse with wings; some people consider it a cherub) and ascended to the highest level of the heavens. It is said that he negotiated with God about the number of prayers, which started at fifty a day, but on his way down he met Moses who asked him to ask for a reduction in the number because the requirement was difficult for Muhammad’s people. Muhammad returned to God and several times asked for and was granted a reduction of five prayers, until the number was reduced to five in total, with the blessing that if they were properly performed, the performers would be credited with fifty prayers instead of five.

Laylat ul Bara’ah – Laylat ul Bara’ah is Arabic for “the Night of Freedom from Fire.” It occurs on the night between the 14th and 15th of Sha’ban. It is considered a night when Muslims are graced with Divine Mercy and blessings. The night is spent in the recitation of the Qur’an and special prayers.

Jumu’ah-tul-Wida (last Friday in the month of Ramadan) – Muslims regard this jumu’ah as the second holiest day of the month of Ramadan and one of the most important days of the year. Some Muslims spend a large part of their day on Jumu’ah-tul-Wida doing special worship called ibadah.

Shab-e-Br’aat (15th of Shabaan) – Shias believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi was born. Shias believe him to be the twelfth, final and current Shia Imam and also the Mahdi, a very important Islamic figure who is believed by all Muslims to bring absolute justice to the world by establishing Islam as the global religion.

* Some Sunni groups believe that Mid-Sha’ban is a night of worship and salvation and it is commonly believed that during this night, Allah prepares the destiny for all people on Earth for the coming year. For this reason it is sometimes called Night of Emancipation.

The Islamic / Muslim / Hijri Calendar

Names of the Islamic months

The Islamic Calendar months are named as follows:

1. Muharram محرّم (long form: Muḥarram ul Ḥaram)
2. Safar صفر (long form: Ṣafar ul Muzaffar)
3. Rabi’ al-awwal (Rabī’ I) ربيع الأول
4. Rabi’ al-thani (or Rabī’ al Thānī, or Rabī’ al-Akhir) (Rabī’ II) ربيع الآخر أو ربيع الثاني
5. Jumada al-awwal (Jumādā I) جمادى الأول
6. Jumada al-thani (or Jumādā al-akhir) (Jumādā II) جمادى الآخر أو جمادى الثاني
7. Rajab رجب (long form: Rajab al Murajab)
8. Sha’aban شعبان (long form: Sha’abān ul Moazam)
9. Ramadan رمضان (or Ramzān, long form: Ramaḍān ul Mubarak)
10. Shawwal شوّال (long form: Shawwal ul Mukarram)
11. Dhu al-Qi’dah ذو القعدة
12. Dhu al-Hijjah or Hajj ذو الحجة

Names of the days of the week

1. yaum al-ahad يوم الأحد (first day – Sunday)
2. yaum al-ithnayn يوم الإثنين (second day – Monday)
3. yaum ath-thulaathaa’ يوم الثُّلَاثاء (third day – Tuesday)
4. yaum al-arbia`aa’ يوم الأَرْبِعاء (fourth day – Wednesday)
5. yaum al-khamis يوم الخَمِيس (fifth day – Thursday)
6. yaum al-jumu`a يوم الجُمُعَة (gathering day – Friday)
7. yaum as-sabt يوم السَّبْت (sabbath day – Saturday)

Note: The Islamic dates are based on the Lunar Calendar. A lunar calendar is a calendar oriented at the moon phase.

Since there are about twelve lunations (synodic months) in a solar year, this period (354.37 days) is sometimes referred to as lunar year, corresponding to thirteen sidereal months (355.18 days).

For some lunar calendars, such as the Chinese calendar, the first day of the month is determined by the day during which the moment of new moon arrives, according to a particular time zone. Many other lunar calendars are based on first sighting of the lunar crescent. Thus, different lunar calendars differ in which day is considered the first day of the month. The average length of the synodic month is 29.530589 days. This means the length of a month is alternately 29 and 30 days (termed respectively hollow and full).

Because observations are subject to uncertainty and weather conditions, and astronomical methods are highly complex and differ from place to place.

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