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The SMA Education & Outreach Secretary conducted an opening prayer at the Sarnia City Council meeting on Monday, June 10, 2013. The prayer focused on the unity of the human race and encouraging the council to persevere in serving its constituents.

Alhumdulillah, Allah SWT has once again blessed us with the opportunity to reap the enormous benefits of the month of Ramadan. In the Chapter 2, Aya 185 of the Holy Quran, Allah SWT tells us that:
The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran; a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and that you should complete the period, and that you should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that perhaps you may be thankful.[Quran 2:185] Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar and Insha’Allah this year, it will begin after Maghrib on July 9th, 2013. Alhumdulillah, the Sarnia Muslim Association is once again offering a number of activities and events for local Muslims, in order to make the most of this most significant and blessed month.
Taraweeh prayers will be held at the Masjid every night after the congregational Isha prayers. These prayers will be led by visiting Huffaz and insha’Allah the entire Quran will be recited before the end of Ramadan. Opportunities are also available to host iftars at the masjid for the Huffaz, and also any family, friends, and community members who you may wish to invite. If you are interested in hosting an iftar, please contact Br. Feroz Ahmed, SMA President, for more information.
Weekly community Ramadan iftars will also be held at the masjid every Saturday. These potluck iftars are a longstanding tradition in the community and are a wonderful opportunity to share food and company with our brothers and sisters in Islam, Alhumdulillah.
With Ramadan falling during the Summer vacation, there are also some great opportunities for youth in the community to make the most of this blessed month- Insha’Allah Quran classes will be held for youth at the Masjid three times a week: Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2-4 pm. Students will recite and memorize Quran Insha’Allah and this is an excellent opportunity for the children in the community and their parents, Alhumdulillah.
Insha’Allah at the end of Ramadan, the Sarnia Muslim Association invites the whole community to come and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr together. Insha’Allah once the new moon is sighted the Association will set a date and time for Eid prayers and festivities, which will be held at the Masjid.
We look forward to celebrating and observing Ramadan with the Sarnia-Lambton community. The Sarnia Muslim Association would like to wish everyone a very happy, blessed, and fruitful Ramadan- May Allah SWT help us to make the most of this month and its countless rewards and blessings. Ameen.

Our first Islamic lecture for this year by Br. Abdulmannan Mulla was very successful Alhmdulelah.

The event was held to commemorate the “Israa & Miraj (night journey of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him)” and to prepare us for the spiritual journey towards the month of Ramadan.

Many families got together for this occasion and shared a Community dinner before listening to the lecture.

Br. Abdulmannan’s talk was very engaging for the youth and the young at heart. His talk touched on the many difficulties that Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, encountered before the journey, the importance of patience in life, and the gift that the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, received during his night journey which was “The Salat”, the five times prayers.

May Allah, (Subhano Wata’ala) reward Br. Abdulmannan the best for his enlightening words. We hope to have him over more often Insha-Allah.

We look forward to having many more events in the future to nourish our minds and souls with Islamic knowledge and spiritual sustenance.

Cheques presentation was held at Sarnia Muslim Association located on London Line on Friday, June 24, 2013 at 2:15 pm. after Friday’s prayer.

The cheques were presented to the Canadian Mental Health & Sarnia-Lambton Rebound.

Sarnia Muslim Association marked the 10^th anniversary of the Fundraising dinners at their London Road location. It was a success. All tickets from both sittings were sold out as well as the take out dinners. Over 400 guests attended the well organized event. The food was excellent and the service was great. The people working at the take-out and in the parking lot did a woderful job. The participation of our young people was excellent.

This year, the dinner benefits two organizations, Canadian Mental Health and Sarnia-Lambton Rebound.

The Canadian Mental Health is concerned with identifying early warning signs of developing psychoses. Patients get an assessment and initiate treatment to reduce the impact of the symptoms. Early counseling programs are offered and integrated into school, work, social activities, family engagement and intervention, and community awareness.

Sarnia-Lambton Rebound ‘Thrive’ created a group to help youth attain the required non-cognitive skills to cope with such issues as disappointment, rejection, boredom, and to increase abilities in persistence, self-determination and mindfulness. Youth ages 12-14 leave the ten week Thrive Program more confident and assured of their value to friends, family and community. The program is designed to include all young people in Sarnia, regardless of background, status, race, and religion.

Our next Fundraising dinner will be sometime in November 2013. It will benefit an international cause. Stay tuned for more information about the next Fundraising dinner – where food and hospitality are our specialty.

Islam lays great stress on the importance of unity. The unity of mankind makes an invincible powerful nation.

بِسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ” وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلا تَفَرَّقُوا وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَى شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا كَذَلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ (103) وَلْتكُن مِنكُم أُمَةٌ يَدْعُونَ إلَى الْخَيْر وَيَأمُرُونَ بالْمَعْرُوف وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَر وَأُوْلَئكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلحُونَ (104) وَلا تَكُونُوا كَالَذيِنَ تَفرَّقوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْبَينَّاتُ وَاُولَئكَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ عَظيمٌ   (105) “ صَدقَ اللهُ العَظيمْ

Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate. Remember Allah’s blessing to you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way, Allah makes His Signs clear to you, so that hopefully you will be guided (103). Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success (104). Do not be like those who split up and differed after the Clear Signs came to them. They will have a terrible punishment

 “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and compassionate behaviour. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.”

The Quran in Surat Al-Hujurat says: “O, Mankind! We created you from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you might come to know each other. The noblest among you in Allah’s sight is the one with the most taqwa. Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.” (49:13)

“Men and women of the muminun are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong. They establish salat and pay Zakat. They obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. ” (The Holly Qur’an, 9:72)

“A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others.” (Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6219)

The Prophet said: “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 12)

The Muslims are like a body; if one limb aches, the whole body aches. Unity teaches peace, equality and paternity. The absence of unity brings and breeds disruption, devastation and disputes. I hope we stay united.

        By: Najah Shuqair (Poet & Writer)