Arabic Alphabets

Please watch the video and learn how to read the Arabic Alphabets:

Adhān

Adhan is the Islamic call to prayer recited by the muezzin (chosen person at the mosque to lead the adhan)

Adhan consists of eight repeated lines and seven standard elements; Arabic transliteration and English translation are the following:

[1]Allahu Akbar
Allah is Great
(repeated 4x)
[2]Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah
I bear witness that there is no god except the One God (Allah).
(repeated 2x)

[3]Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
(repeated 2x)

[4]Hayya 'ala-s-Salah
Hurry to the prayer (Rise up for prayer)
(repeated 2x)

[5]Hayya 'ala-l-Falah
Hurry to success (Rise up for Salvation)
(repeated 2x)

As-salatu Khayrun Minan-nawm
Prayer is better than sleep
(repeated 2x)
*For the pre-dawn (fajr) prayer and inserted after the fifth part above.

[6]Allahu Akbar
Allah is Great
(repeated 2x)

[7]La ilaha illa Allah
There is no god except the One God (Allah)

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Shukran

Islamic Holy Month of Ramadhan

Ramadhan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar (Hijri calendar; Lunar calendar). It is the month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. A fast held from sunrise to sunset, for 29 or 30 days.

Determining When Ramadhan Starts
Ramadhan begins with a combination of the sighting of the new moon and astronomical calculations. If it is visible it will be the signal for the beginning of the month of Ramadhan.

According to the Islamic Calendar, Ramadhan was scheduled to start on Saturday, 22nd August 2009. But then, sighting of the new moon is very important in proclaiming when Ramadhan starts.

Here in the Philippines, our Muslims Brothers looked for the moon last August 20, 2009 (Thursday Night) but the moon was not sighted. Thus, the Ramadhan 1430 (Ramadhan 2009) started last August 22, 2009. However, if the moon was sighted Thursday Night, then Ramadhan would have started the very next day, on August 21.

Fasting
Fasting during Ramadhan is obligatory. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam (Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Fasting during Ramadhan and Hajj). Daily fasting starts from sunrise and ends when the sun sets. During this period Muslims are expected to abstain from eating and drinking completely. Fasting is also viewed as a means of controlling one's desires (of hunger, thirst, sexuality, anger, violence) and focusing more on giving thy self, faith and worship towards Allah..

Sahur
Muslims wake up early in the morning to prepare for the daily fast. Sahur, an Arabic term, refers to pre-dawn meal.The meal is eaten before the sun rises, and before the fajr or dawn prayer.

Iftar
The fast is broken at sunset. In Arabic it is called Iftar. Iftar, refers to the evening meal for breaking the daily fast during the Islamic month of Ramadhan. Traditionally, a date is the first thing to be consumed during Iftar when the fast is broken.

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Brothers and Sisters, if something is missing on the post, please address. UMSO blog is open for suggestions and corrections.
Shukran