Ramadan Mubarak from the Islamic Community of Mackay, Qld.

"Ramadhan might have passed away but The Lord of Ramadhan hasn't gone anywhere. The Lord of Ramadhan is still The Lord of Every Day. He has neither a beginning nor an end. So take these opportunities to go back to Allah, to get closer to Him, to follow His command."

The holy month of Ramadhan was over. It was not only a month for fasting, iftar, tarawi prayers and tilawat of the holy Quran, but also a month of spiritual uplift especially about forgiveness. As we are a small muslim community in Mackay who has diverse backgrounds, cultures and custom of Australians, Indonesians, Singapore, Malaysians, Pakistani, British, Bangladesh, South Africans, Sudanese and Indian heritage. Undoubtedly, we have difference way to clarify something so it made us argue for good reasons sometimes. The forgiveness made up our unity is a higher priority rather than any of differences.

It was a beautiful Ied mubarak for me, we can pray properly because we couldn’t do it last year as the community didn’t expect a lot of people came to pray but this year is perfect.

I felt the bounding between brothers, sisters and ourselves in our community getting stronger rather than before. I learned about Islam with them. I was very touch with their sympathy when I was sick for two weeks during Ramadhan. They pray for me after tarawi prayers and taking care of me like a family. I really appreciate it and hope that I will be able return the favor someday. It is amazing because I saw a beautiful of Islam in here, in Australia.

Brother Yousuf lead us to Eid prayer and his speech very touchy, a lot of people cried maybe they missed their family and friends or remember their faults or sins, sure we always had misunderstanding with someone and sometimes it is difficult to say “SORRY”. The other thing is Allah give a lot of blessing for us and we always forget to be grateful for Allah. As well as we always made mistakes and sins then we bagging for forgiveness to Allah then we made the same fault again.

We celebrated Eid Mubarak with plenty of food and gift. The children had Quran recite competition. It is very important for us to keep and teach them with the muslim way. We learn Quran every Saturday and the Imam came to Mackay twice a month from Brisbane. He reviewed the children lesson and we discussed our issue with him. Honestly, I adore with children from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indian because they can pray and recite of Quran well, some of them were born in Australia or not in their own heritage country but they spoke their heritage language as well as English.

Before we went home we call in at one of Indonesian Family lives in Sarina suburb of Mackay. Another food fiesta at sister Yanti's residence, this time is Indonesian food, Lontong Sayur, opor, sambal goreng and Sate Ayam. It was also good as this gathering more to suit with our Indonesia custom & culture. We back home at 3.30 pm, and we celebrated Eid again at Brother Imanul Haque’s residence, we got a BBQ until late. It was also nice moment almost all Mackay’s Muslim members came to his place.

I kept brother Yousuf’s speech here in my blog perhaps it may benefit for someone who read my blog.

Allah Akbar! Allahu Akbar!Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!La ilaha illa AllahuAllahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!Wa Lillahil Hamd.
All Praise is for Allah. We praise and glorify him and seek His help and forgiveness. In addition, seek refuge from the evils of our desires. Whomsoever Allah gives guidance none can mislead him. And whomsoever Allah misleads none can guide him. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his servant and apostle.

In a hadith that is narrated in Bukhari and Muslim and others, the prophet says, "The one who has fasted has doubled the happiness. The first happiness is when they break the fast and the second is when they take this fast on the Day of Judgment to Allah”, so this is Inshallah for those of us and may Allah make us one among them. Those who fasted in the month of Ramadan and those who did qiam and you; Begged and repented for your sins in this month. Then this is the day of your reward. Today the angels issue your reward, and Allah has given you your reward.
And there is also the reward which is waiting for you in the day of judgment. When you go there and you will be looking for something, there you will meet your Ramadan. It will come in front of Allah (metaphorically speaking of course ) and it will testify for you. Ramadan of this year will come and tell

“Ya Allah; I witness than this man or this woman fasted for you with faith and sincerity, the nights will come and testify for you, the tarawih you prayed, the Quran will come and testify for you in the witness stand. Oh Allah; he did not leave the Quran in the month of Ramadan and recited it for you.
The letters of the Quran will be the witnesses. And all these things my brothers' sisters and respected elders will bring in you happiness and then you don't have to defend yourself; you have the book of Allah defending you. .... May Allah make us among those people?

If there are people who had fasted but they only fasted then, that's the second kind. If you are among the first kind who fasted with sincerity and faith, seeking repentance from Allah, standing up in prayers the whole night and reciting the Quran. Then congratulations to you as this is your Eid enjoy it and reap the reward of which you have planted. You have planted the seeds now enjoy the fruit. That Allah is pleased with you. And may Allah be pleased with us all

But there is a second kind the ones who have fasted only from food and drink. And they asked forgiveness, but their forgiveness was only in their mouth. And they did repent but their repentance was only there in their mouth and the heart was still insistent to do the wrong. And the mind still had the intentions to go and sin after Ramadhan or even during Ramadhan, for that kind ..... The fasting was not there, and it is not accepted and the qiam was not there and there is no reward.

And now this the last day, your last opportunity to repent to Allah so u can be among those who can at least take a part of the reward of this month to Allah. Today this year we are here tomorrow next year we don't know if we will be here or see another Ramadhan.

Ramadhan might have passed away but the lord of Ramadhan hasn't gone anywhere. The lord of Ramadhan is still the lord of every day. He has neither a beginning nor an end. So take these opportunities to go back to Allah, to get closer to him, to follow his command.

A man came to Ali Ibn Thalib on the day of Eid and he saw him eating dry bread. He says “Oh Emir al momineen it's a day of Eid and you are eating this dry and rough bread. And it's narrated in this sahib Muslim. That prophet Mohammed comes back from the prayers with Abu Bakar to the prophet's home, where Ayesha the wife of the prophet was sitting. And it says in the hadith that there were two women from Al-Ansar who were chanting. Abu Bakar got angry and said "chanting and singing and in the house of the prophet!" The prophet replied to him with this word of wisdom "Oh Abu Bakar today everybody has Eid and today is our Bid" let them chant its ok. So on this Eid when people are happy and all you are eating this rough bread”. Prophet Mohammed looked at him and said, “Today is the Eid is for he who has fast, Siam and qiam are accepted, today is the Eid for whose tauba is accepted, today is the Eid for he who has received the a good deed for his actions, the Eid is not for him who hasn't had these things, this is the Eid for him whose obedience is increased. Therefore to the awliya everyday is an Eid as their Iman and obedience increased”.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha illa AllahuAllahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!Wa Lillahil Hamd.

The day of Eid is also the day of forgiveness and repentance and for those who are from the first kind it's a day of pledging your allegiance to Allah to continue what you have done in the month of Ramadhan. You fasted in Ramadhan; don't restrict fasting just to Ramadhan, fast in the other months too. Yes the obligation/fard is limited to Ramadhan, but it is also extended to other months too. Our prophet used to fast many other days other than Ramadhan. So do make it a habit Now that you have got used to the fasting , used to praying isha in the mosque, don't let go because once you let it go for 123 weeks you'll forget it, it becomes hard to fast. But make it a habit to come to the mosque and pray daily, make it a habit to at least fast twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays, like the prophet Mohammed used to do. Mondays because it's the day of the birth of the prophet and Thursday that's the day when the angels take your deed to Allah, so your deeds could be taken when you are fasting. So continue your prayers and fasting, so that they don't become strange to you when the next Ramadhan comes.

The last thing I will tell you today is Ramadhan is the day of forgiveness. Today is the day to forgive those who have transgressed against you, forgiving those who have made aggressions against you. Forgiving those who have harmed you, forgiving those who have hurt you... This is the day you forgive him

Allah says in the Quran, “That if you forgive him then this is better for you, for Allah is ghafoor ar raheem. If you want Allah to forgive you then you have to forgive others”.
Because on the day of judgment they will be some people who will have problems among them. And one says to the other "Though you did all that for Allah I forgive you" and Allah then will tell them, “You have been forgiving and generous in my dominion, go for I have forgiven both of you”.

So those who want to be forgiven should also forgive. And not only that give charity. There is a hadith narrated by imam Ahmed that the best charity is given to a person who is close to you and has problems with you, who doesn't visit you, doesn't like you, doesn't want to talk to you give him charity if he is eligible, if he is not pull him and say salaam alikum, Eid Mubarak to you, may Allah accept you deeds.

Let's be proactive to ease things. And today is a Sunnah to congratulate each other and spend time with each other. And ask two dua, one to forgive me and you ( ghafar Allahu lana wa ankum) and may all accept your and my deeds ( takabbal Allah amalukum), because this is a day of rewards so we pray to Allah that he accepts each others deeds. Last thing before I end, if you came through a certain way to a masjid please take another route if you can as much different as possible. As it is the Sunnah of the prophet that on the day on Eid he comes to the mosque through one way and returns home in another way.