The Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center serves the growing Muslim population in Boston (now numbering 70,000 in Greater Boston) with space for 2000 worshippers. Eventually the center will house an elementary school serving 300 children and funeral facilities. The center is adminstered by the Muslim American Society-Boston Chapter
HISTORY
The Islamic Society of Boston is a non profit charitable, religious and educational organization founded in 1981 by a group of Muslim students in Greater Boston. In 1993 the ISB bought an old Knights of Columbus Hall in Cambridge to use as a mosque. Worshippers at Friday night prayers often overflow into the parking lot.
The ISB wanted to create a cultural center that would include a mosque and a space for cultural and community activities. The Boston Redevelopment Authority granted the ISB the opportunity to purchase the land, which had been vacant for almost 40 years at below market rate. In exchange, the center will make a cultural investment in the Roxbury community, providing community benefits that include lectures about Islam and Muslims through Roxbury Community College, scholarships, the donation of books to the Roxbury Community College library, and the care of two neighboring parks.
Work on the project was slowed down after the attacks of 2001. The support of the city was never in question, but local Muslims were busy answering questions about Islam and fundraising slowed during this difficult time. The Boston Herald and Fox News released stories claiming that Islamic extremists had founded and supported the ISB. The ISB does not condone terrorism or extremism and checks all donors through its Know Your Donor Program and the U.S. Terrorist watch list.
"These news reports opened up rumors and questions about the ISB and the Islamic Cultural Center , allegations were made against the ISB regarding improprieties made during the sale of government property for the Cultural Center, as well as alleged ties to Islamic extremists through fundraising campaigns and the group's board of directors. In 2004, the Boston Redevelopment Authority was sued over the sale of the Roxbury plot to the ISB. The ISB then counter-sued, claiming a conspiracy of both opposed parties and media outlets to publicly defame the ISB and some of its leadership. Construction on the mosque was halted indefinitely. " (The Pluralism Project at Harvard University-Center Profile http://pluralism.org/profiles/view/74890)
In 2006, the Interreligious Center on Public Life (ICPL) initiated a private attempt to settle the disputes outside of the courts. In February 2007, the suit against the Boston Redevelopment Authority questioning the BRA sale of the land was dismissed and in May 2007 the ISB dropped their suit. With the legal issues settled the ISB resumed construction. A minaret capping ceremony was held on June 9, 2007, co sponsored by the Muslim American Society of Boston. On June 27, the ISB and MAS sponsored an "Intercommunity Solidarity Day." The Boston Chapter of the Muslim American Society adminsters the mosque.
In 2009, a two-day ceremony celebrated the completion of the Center. Amoong the attemdees was Mayor Thomas M. Menino officially welcoming the ISBCC to the city of Boston, stating: “We can’t be a city that separates ourselves, we have to be a city that builds bridges and that’s what we are doing.”
At any given Friday Jum'ah prayer service, as many as twenty-seven different ethnicities are represented. The large African and African-American Muslim populations already present in Roxbury also affect the demographics of the Center. (The Pluralism Project at Harvard University-http://pluralism.org/profiles/view/74890)
ARCHITECTURE
Steffian Bradley are the architects of record and Dr. Sami Angawi, Arabian architect and founder of the Amar Center, located in Jeddah has consulted on the design of the new cultural center.The Amar Center is dedicated to the revival and development of traditional architecture through research and studies, the restoration and rehabilitation of traditional buildings and houses and designing new buildings and projects based on the continuity of the traditional line of architecture from all aspects
The striking red brick mosque finds a balance between traditional elements of Islamic architecture and Boston design. Elements of the design include a 1256 foot minaret, and a 75 foot dome, accentuated by ceramic tile and calligraphy.
١٤ ثم خلقنا النطفة علقة أي: دمًا أحمر، فخلقنا العلقة بعد أربعين يومًا مضغة أي: قطعة لحم قَدْر ما يُمْضغ، فخلقنا المضغة اللينة عظامًا، فكسونا العظام لحمًا، ثم أنشأناه خلقًا آخر بنفخ الروح فيه، فتبارك الله، الذي أحسن كل شيء خلقه.
١٥ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ
١٥ ثم إنكم أيها البشر بعد أطوار الحياة وانقضاء الأعمار لَميتون.
14 Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
14 Kemudian Kami ciptakan air benih itu menjadi sebuku darah beku. lalu Kami ciptakan darah beku itu menjadi seketul daging; kemudian Kami ciptakan daging itu menjadi beberapa tulang; kemudian Kami balut tulang-tulang itu dengan daging. Setelah sempurna kejadian itu Kami bentuk dia menjadi makhluk yang lain sifat keadaannya. Maka nyatalah kelebihan dan ketinggian Allah sebaik-baik Pencipta.
١٥ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ
15 Kemudian, sesungguhnya kamu sesudah itu akan mati.
17 Dan demi sesungguhnya, Kami telah menciptakan tujuh jalan di atas kamu, dan Kami pula tidak lalai daripada (menyediakan keperluan) makhluk-makhluk Kami.
١٤ ثم خلقنا النطفة علقة أي: دمًا أحمر، فخلقنا العلقة بعد أربعين يومًا مضغة أي: قطعة لحم قَدْر ما يُمْضغ، فخلقنا المضغة اللينة عظامًا، فكسونا العظام لحمًا، ثم أنشأناه خلقًا آخر بنفخ الروح فيه، فتبارك الله، الذي أحسن كل شيء خلقه.
14 Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
14 Kemudian Kami ciptakan air benih itu menjadi sebuku darah beku. lalu Kami ciptakan darah beku itu menjadi seketul daging; kemudian Kami ciptakan daging itu menjadi beberapa tulang; kemudian Kami balut tulang-tulang itu dengan daging. Setelah sempurna kejadian itu Kami bentuk dia menjadi makhluk yang lain sifat keadaannya. Maka nyatalah kelebihan dan ketinggian Allah sebaik-baik Pencipta.
١٧ ولقد خلقنا فوقكم سبع سموات بعضها فوق بعض، وما كنا عن الخلق غافلين، فلا نُغْفِلُ مخلوقًا، ولا ننساه.
17 And We have created above you seven layered heavens, and never have We been of [Our] creation unaware.
17 Dan demi sesungguhnya, Kami telah menciptakan tujuh jalan di atas kamu, dan Kami pula tidak lalai daripada (menyediakan keperluan) makhluk-makhluk Kami.
indeed sungguh|successful telah beruntung|the believers orang-orang yang beriman|1|those who orang-orang yang|they are mereka|in dalam|their prayers solatnya|with all solemnity orang-orang yang kusyuk|2
ﭛﭜﭝﭞﭟﭠﭡﭢﭣ
and those who dan orang-orang yang|they are mereka|from daripada|vain talk yang sia-sia|avoid berpaling|3|and those who dan orang-orang yang|they are mereka|toward zakat terhadap zakat|
ﭤﭥﭦﭧﭨﭩﭪﭫﭬ
pay actively orang-orang yang menunaikannya|4|and those who dan orang-orang yang|they are mereka|toward their modesty terhadap kemaluan mereka|guardians orang-orang yang menjaga|5|except kecuali|toward terhadap
ﭭﭮﭯﭰﭱﭲﭳﭴﭵ
their wives isteri-isteri mereka|or atau|what apa|their slave hamba|right hands possess mereka miliki|so verily they are maka sesungguhnya mereka|other than tidaklah|blame worthy orang-orang tercela|6
ﭶﭷﭸﭹﭺﭻﭼﭽﭾﭿ
so whoever maka sesiapa yang|seek dia mencari|besides selain|that itu|so those maka mereka itu|they are mereka adalah|transgressors orang yang melanggar|7
ﮀﮁﮂﮃﮄﮅﮆﮇ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﮈﮉﮊﮋﮌﮍﮎﮏ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﮐﮑﮒﮓﮔﮕﮖﮗﮘ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﮙﮚﮛﮜﮝﮞﮟﮠﮡﮢﮣﮤ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﮥﮦﮧﮨﮩﮪﮫ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﮬﮭﮮﮯﮰﮱﯓﯔ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﯕﯖﯗﯘﯙﯚﯛﯜﯝﯞﯟ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﯠﯡﯢﯣﯤﯥﯦﯧﯨ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
ﯩﯪﯫﯬﯭﯮﯯﯰﯱﯲ
1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
342
Hadith : Hadis Hadith : Hadis
وَأَسْوَأُ السَّرِقَةِ
الَّذِي يَسْرِقُ صَلاَتَهُ
قَالُوا وَكَيْفَ يَسْرِقُ صَلاَتَهُ
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ
لاَ يُتِمُّ رُكُوعَهَا وَلاَ سُجُودَهَا
HR Imam Malik
_______________________________________
Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from an-Numan ibn Murra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,"What about drunkenness, stealing and adultery? "That was before anything had been revealed about them. They said, "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said, "They are excesses and in them is a punishment. And the worst of thieves is the one who steals his prayer." They said, "How does he steal his prayer, Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "He does not do ruku or sajda properly."
And you should srtive dan berjihadlah kamu|in di|Allah's way jalan Allah|true sebenar-benar|striving to Him jihad kepadaNya||He is Dia|He has chosen you (Islam) Dia telah memilih kamu (Islam)|And not dan tidak|He placed you Dia menjadikan
ﮬﮭﮮﮯﮰﮱﯓﯔﯕﯖﯗﯘ
upon you atas kamu|in dalam|religion agama|from daripada|difficulty suatu kesempitan||religion agama|of your father bapa kamu|Ibrahim Ibrahim||He Dia|He has named you Dia telah menamakan kamu
ﯙﯚﯛﯜﯝﯞﯟﯠﯡ
Muslims Muslim|from daripada|before dulu|and in dan dalam|this (Al-Quran) ini (Al-Quran)|to become agar menjadi|the Prophet Rasul|(as) the witness (sebagai) saksi|over you atas kamu
ﯢﯣﯤﯥﯦﯧﯨﯩﯪ
and you may be dan kamu menjadi|the witnesses saksi|over atas|mankind manusia||so establish maka dirikanlah|prayer solat|and give dan tunaikanlah|zakat zakat
ﯫﯬﯭﯮﯯﯰﯱﯲﯳﯴ
and you hold fast dan berpegang teguhlah kamu|to Allah kepada Allah|He is Dialah|your Protector pelindung kamu||so He is excellent maka Dialah sebaik-baik|The Protector Pelindung|and excellent dan sebaik-baik|The Helper Penolong|78
1. Islamic Center of Maine
Mosque · Orono, ME, United States
2.Maine Muslim Community Center
Mosque · Portland, ME, United States
3.Islamic Center of Lewiston
Mosque · Lewiston, ME, United States
4.Afghan Mosque
Mosque · Portland, ME, United States
5.Islamic Society of Greater Augusta
Mosque · Augusta, ME, United States
6.Islamic Society of the Seacost area
Mosque · Dover, NH, United States
--------------------------------------
The first known American mosques were established in
1st. In Biddeford, Maine, in 1915;
2nd. in Ross, North Dakota, in 1920;
3rd. in Highland Park, Michigan, in 1923;
4th. in Michigan City, Indiana, in 1925.
Declining immigration and rising assimilation eventually caused most of these mosques to close.
------------------------------------
In 1934, the building now known as “the Mother Mosque of America” was established by a Syrian-Lebanese community in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Fundraising for the mosque included community dinners and appeals to other Muslim communities scattered throughout the U.S., such as Chicago, Toledo, and Detroit. This simple structure, nestled in America’s heartland, is the oldest purpose-built mosque that is still in use today.
٧٣ يا أيها الناس ضُرِب مثل فاستمعوا له وتدبروه: إن الأصنام والأنداد التي تعبدونها من دون الله لن تقدر مجتمعة على خَلْق ذبابة واحدة، فكيف بخلق ما هو أكبر؟ ولا تقدر أن تستخلص ما يسلبه الذباب منها، فهل بعد ذلك مِن عَجْز؟ فهما ضعيفان معًا: ضَعُفَ الطالب الذي هو المعبود من دون الله أن يستنقذ ما أخذه الذباب منه، وضَعُفَ المطلوب الذي هو الذباب، فكيف تُتَّخذ هذه الأصنام والأنداد آلهة، وهي بهذا الهوان؟
٧٥ الله سبحانه وتعالى يختار من الملائكة رسلا إلى أنبيائه، ويختار من الناس رسلا لتبليغ رسالاته إلى الخلق، إن الله سميع لأقوال عباده، بصير بجميع الأشياء، وبمن يختاره للرسالة مِن خلقه. وهو سبحانه يعلم ما بين أيدي ملائكته ورسله من قبل أن يخلقهم، ويعلم ما هو كائن بعد فنائهم. وإلى الله وحده ترجع الأمور.
٧٦ الله سبحانه وتعالى يختار من الملائكة رسلا إلى أنبيائه، ويختار من الناس رسلا لتبليغ رسالاته إلى الخلق، إن الله سميع لأقوال عباده، بصير بجميع الأشياء، وبمن يختاره للرسالة مِن خلقه. وهو سبحانه يعلم ما بين أيدي ملائكته ورسله من قبل أن يخلقهم، ويعلم ما هو كائن بعد فنائهم. وإلى الله وحده ترجع الأمور.
٧٧ يا أيها الذين آمنوا بالله ورسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم اركعوا واسجدوا في صلاتكم، واعبدوا ربكم وحده لا شريك له، وافعلوا الخير؛ لتفلحوا، وجاهدوا أنفسكم، وقوموا قيامًا تامًّا بأمر الله، وادعوا الخلق إلى سبيله، وجاهدوا بأموالكم وألسنتكم وأنفسكم، مخلصين فيه النية لله عز وجل، مسلمين له قلوبكم وجوارحكم، هو اصطفاكم لحمل هذا الدين، وقد منَّ عليكم بأن جعل شريعتكم سمحة، ليس فيها تضييق ولا تشديد في تكاليفها وأحكامها، كما كان في بعض الأمم قبلكم، هذه الملة السمحة هي ملة أبيكم إبراهيم، وقد سَمَّاكم الله المسلمين مِن قبلُ في الكتب المنزلة السابقة، وفي هذا القرآن، وقد اختصَّكم بهذا الاختيار؛ ليكون خاتم الرسل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم شاهدًا عليكم بأنه بلَّغكم رسالة ربه، وتكونوا شهداء على الأمم أن رسلهم قد بلَّغتهم بما أخبركم الله به في كتابه، فعليكم أن تعرفوا لهذه النعمة قدرها، فتشكروها، وتحافظوا على معالم دين الله بأداء الصلاة بأركانها وشروطها، وإخراج الزكاة المفروضة، وأن تلجؤوا إلى الله سبحانه وتعالى، وتتوكلوا عليه، فهو نِعْمَ المولى لمن تولاه، ونعم النصير لمن استنصره.
٧٨ يا أيها الذين آمنوا بالله ورسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم اركعوا واسجدوا في صلاتكم، واعبدوا ربكم وحده لا شريك له، وافعلوا الخير؛ لتفلحوا، وجاهدوا أنفسكم، وقوموا قيامًا تامًّا بأمر الله، وادعوا الخلق إلى سبيله، وجاهدوا بأموالكم وألسنتكم وأنفسكم، مخلصين فيه النية لله عز وجل، مسلمين له قلوبكم وجوارحكم، هو اصطفاكم لحمل هذا الدين، وقد منَّ عليكم بأن جعل شريعتكم سمحة، ليس فيها تضييق ولا تشديد في تكاليفها وأحكامها، كما كان في بعض الأمم قبلكم، هذه الملة السمحة هي ملة أبيكم إبراهيم، وقد سَمَّاكم الله المسلمين مِن قبلُ في الكتب المنزلة السابقة، وفي هذا القرآن، وقد اختصَّكم بهذا الاختيار؛ ليكون خاتم الرسل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم شاهدًا عليكم بأنه بلَّغكم رسالة ربه، وتكونوا شهداء على الأمم أن رسلهم قد بلَّغتهم بما أخبركم الله به في كتابه، فعليكم أن تعرفوا لهذه النعمة قدرها، فتشكروها، وتحافظوا على معالم دين الله بأداء الصلاة بأركانها وشروطها، وإخراج الزكاة المفروضة، وأن تلجؤوا إلى الله سبحانه وتعالى، وتتوكلوا عليه، فهو نِعْمَ المولى لمن تولاه، ونعم النصير لمن استنصره.
73 O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.
78 And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
73 Wahai umat manusia, inilah diberikan satu misal perbandingan, maka dengarlah mengenainya dengan bersungguh-sungguh. Sebenarnya mereka yang kamu seru dan sembah, yang lain dari Allah itu, tidak sekali-kali akan dapat mencipta seekor lalat walaupun mereka berhimpun beramai-ramai untuk membuatnya; dan jika lalat itu mengambil sesuatu dari mereka, mereka tidak dapat mengambilnya balik daripadanya. (Kedua-duanya lemah belaka), lemah yang meminta (dari mendapat hajatnya), dan lemah yang diminta (daripada menunaikannya).
74 Mereka (yang kafir musyrik) itu tidak menghormati Allah menurut penghormatan yang selayaknya (sebagaimana yang ditetapkanNya); sesungguhnya Allah adalah Maha Kuat, lagi Maha Kuasa.
77 Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, rukuklah serta sujudlah (mengerjakan sembahyang), dan beribadatlah kepada Tuhan kamu (dengan mentauhidkanNya), serta kerjakanlah amal-amal kebajikan; supaya kamu berjaya (di dunia dan di akhirat).
78 Dan berjihadlah kamu pada jalan Allah dengan jihad yang sebenar-benarnya Dia lah yang memilih kamu (untuk mengerjakan suruhan ugamanya); dan Ia tidak menjadikan kamu menanggung sesuatu keberatan dan susah payah dalam perkara ugama, ugama bapa kamu Ibrahim. Ia menamakan kamu: "orang-orang Islam" semenjak dahulu dan di dalam (Al-Quran) ini, supaya Rasulullah (Muhammad) menjadi saksi yang menerangkan kebenaran perbuatan kamu, dan supaya kamu pula layak menjadi orang-orang yang memberi keterangan kepada umat manusia (tentang yang benar dan yang salah). Oleh itu, dirikanlah sembahyang, dan berilah zakat, serta berpegang teguhlah kamu kepada Allah! Dia lah Pelindung kamu. Maka (Allah yang demikian sifatNya) Dia lah sahaja sebaik-baik Pelindung dan sebaik-baik Pemberi pertolongan.
٧٣ يا أيها الناس ضُرِب مثل فاستمعوا له وتدبروه: إن الأصنام والأنداد التي تعبدونها من دون الله لن تقدر مجتمعة على خَلْق ذبابة واحدة، فكيف بخلق ما هو أكبر؟ ولا تقدر أن تستخلص ما يسلبه الذباب منها، فهل بعد ذلك مِن عَجْز؟ فهما ضعيفان معًا: ضَعُفَ الطالب الذي هو المعبود من دون الله أن يستنقذ ما أخذه الذباب منه، وضَعُفَ المطلوب الذي هو الذباب، فكيف تُتَّخذ هذه الأصنام والأنداد آلهة، وهي بهذا الهوان؟
73 O people, an example is presented, so listen to it. Indeed, those you invoke besides Allah will never create [as much as] a fly, even if they gathered together for that purpose. And if the fly should steal away from them a [tiny] thing, they could not recover it from him. Weak are the pursuer and pursued.
73 Wahai umat manusia, inilah diberikan satu misal perbandingan, maka dengarlah mengenainya dengan bersungguh-sungguh. Sebenarnya mereka yang kamu seru dan sembah, yang lain dari Allah itu, tidak sekali-kali akan dapat mencipta seekor lalat walaupun mereka berhimpun beramai-ramai untuk membuatnya; dan jika lalat itu mengambil sesuatu dari mereka, mereka tidak dapat mengambilnya balik daripadanya. (Kedua-duanya lemah belaka), lemah yang meminta (dari mendapat hajatnya), dan lemah yang diminta (daripada menunaikannya).
٧٤ هؤلاء المشركون لم يعظِّموا الله حق تعظيمه، إذ جعلوا له شركاء، وهو القوي الذي خلق كل شيء، العزيز الذي لا يغالَب.
74 They have not appraised Allah with true appraisal. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.
74 Mereka (yang kafir musyrik) itu tidak menghormati Allah menurut penghormatan yang selayaknya (sebagaimana yang ditetapkanNya); sesungguhnya Allah adalah Maha Kuat, lagi Maha Kuasa.
٧٥ الله سبحانه وتعالى يختار من الملائكة رسلا إلى أنبيائه، ويختار من الناس رسلا لتبليغ رسالاته إلى الخلق، إن الله سميع لأقوال عباده، بصير بجميع الأشياء، وبمن يختاره للرسالة مِن خلقه. وهو سبحانه يعلم ما بين أيدي ملائكته ورسله من قبل أن يخلقهم، ويعلم ما هو كائن بعد فنائهم. وإلى الله وحده ترجع الأمور.
75 Allah chooses from the angels messengers and from the people. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.
75 Allah memilih utusan-utusanNya dari malaikat dan dari manusia; sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mendengar, lagi Maha Mengetahui.
٧٦ الله سبحانه وتعالى يختار من الملائكة رسلا إلى أنبيائه، ويختار من الناس رسلا لتبليغ رسالاته إلى الخلق، إن الله سميع لأقوال عباده، بصير بجميع الأشياء، وبمن يختاره للرسالة مِن خلقه. وهو سبحانه يعلم ما بين أيدي ملائكته ورسله من قبل أن يخلقهم، ويعلم ما هو كائن بعد فنائهم. وإلى الله وحده ترجع الأمور.
76 He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them. And to Allah will be returned [all] matters.
76 Ia mengetahui apa yang ada di hadapan mereka dan apa yang ada di belakang mereka; dan kepada Allah jualah kembalinya segala urusan.
٧٧ يا أيها الذين آمنوا بالله ورسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم اركعوا واسجدوا في صلاتكم، واعبدوا ربكم وحده لا شريك له، وافعلوا الخير؛ لتفلحوا، وجاهدوا أنفسكم، وقوموا قيامًا تامًّا بأمر الله، وادعوا الخلق إلى سبيله، وجاهدوا بأموالكم وألسنتكم وأنفسكم، مخلصين فيه النية لله عز وجل، مسلمين له قلوبكم وجوارحكم، هو اصطفاكم لحمل هذا الدين، وقد منَّ عليكم بأن جعل شريعتكم سمحة، ليس فيها تضييق ولا تشديد في تكاليفها وأحكامها، كما كان في بعض الأمم قبلكم، هذه الملة السمحة هي ملة أبيكم إبراهيم، وقد سَمَّاكم الله المسلمين مِن قبلُ في الكتب المنزلة السابقة، وفي هذا القرآن، وقد اختصَّكم بهذا الاختيار؛ ليكون خاتم الرسل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم شاهدًا عليكم بأنه بلَّغكم رسالة ربه، وتكونوا شهداء على الأمم أن رسلهم قد بلَّغتهم بما أخبركم الله به في كتابه، فعليكم أن تعرفوا لهذه النعمة قدرها، فتشكروها، وتحافظوا على معالم دين الله بأداء الصلاة بأركانها وشروطها، وإخراج الزكاة المفروضة، وأن تلجؤوا إلى الله سبحانه وتعالى، وتتوكلوا عليه، فهو نِعْمَ المولى لمن تولاه، ونعم النصير لمن استنصره.
77 O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good - that you may succeed.
77 Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, rukuklah serta sujudlah (mengerjakan sembahyang), dan beribadatlah kepada Tuhan kamu (dengan mentauhidkanNya), serta kerjakanlah amal-amal kebajikan; supaya kamu berjaya (di dunia dan di akhirat).
٧٨ يا أيها الذين آمنوا بالله ورسوله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم اركعوا واسجدوا في صلاتكم، واعبدوا ربكم وحده لا شريك له، وافعلوا الخير؛ لتفلحوا، وجاهدوا أنفسكم، وقوموا قيامًا تامًّا بأمر الله، وادعوا الخلق إلى سبيله، وجاهدوا بأموالكم وألسنتكم وأنفسكم، مخلصين فيه النية لله عز وجل، مسلمين له قلوبكم وجوارحكم، هو اصطفاكم لحمل هذا الدين، وقد منَّ عليكم بأن جعل شريعتكم سمحة، ليس فيها تضييق ولا تشديد في تكاليفها وأحكامها، كما كان في بعض الأمم قبلكم، هذه الملة السمحة هي ملة أبيكم إبراهيم، وقد سَمَّاكم الله المسلمين مِن قبلُ في الكتب المنزلة السابقة، وفي هذا القرآن، وقد اختصَّكم بهذا الاختيار؛ ليكون خاتم الرسل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم شاهدًا عليكم بأنه بلَّغكم رسالة ربه، وتكونوا شهداء على الأمم أن رسلهم قد بلَّغتهم بما أخبركم الله به في كتابه، فعليكم أن تعرفوا لهذه النعمة قدرها، فتشكروها، وتحافظوا على معالم دين الله بأداء الصلاة بأركانها وشروطها، وإخراج الزكاة المفروضة، وأن تلجؤوا إلى الله سبحانه وتعالى، وتتوكلوا عليه، فهو نِعْمَ المولى لمن تولاه، ونعم النصير لمن استنصره.
78 And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.
78 Dan berjihadlah kamu pada jalan Allah dengan jihad yang sebenar-benarnya Dia lah yang memilih kamu (untuk mengerjakan suruhan ugamanya); dan Ia tidak menjadikan kamu menanggung sesuatu keberatan dan susah payah dalam perkara ugama, ugama bapa kamu Ibrahim. Ia menamakan kamu: "orang-orang Islam" semenjak dahulu dan di dalam (Al-Quran) ini, supaya Rasulullah (Muhammad) menjadi saksi yang menerangkan kebenaran perbuatan kamu, dan supaya kamu pula layak menjadi orang-orang yang memberi keterangan kepada umat manusia (tentang yang benar dan yang salah). Oleh itu, dirikanlah sembahyang, dan berilah zakat, serta berpegang teguhlah kamu kepada Allah! Dia lah Pelindung kamu. Maka (Allah yang demikian sifatNya) Dia lah sahaja sebaik-baik Pelindung dan sebaik-baik Pemberi pertolongan.
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I live in New York City among 800,000 Muslims where I can get awesome halal cuisines on just about every major block. But sitting among the 12 families that make up Augusta’s Muslim community, where the nearest halal restaurant is 45 minutes away, made me forget all about New York.
Bassam and I hopped in our car today for a 5-6 hour trek up to Maine. It was our first official stop on our road trip so we were excited to meet the people up there and check out the spectacular scenery in the state’s capital city, Augusta.
Capitol building in Augusta
Along the way I was trying to find something other than country music to listen to so I settled on Taylor Swift. But I guess me saying that I “settled” on listeing to Taylor Swift would be remotely believeable if I secretly didn’t know the lyrics to just about every single one of her songs.
We arrived into the city of Augusta mid-afternoon and stopped at a grocery store to stock up on stuff we forgot to buy for our trip. Coming to a predominantly white town, I assumed I’d have everyone in the store running away from me screaming like a Japanese Godzilla movie. But it was the farthest thing from the truth. I dont think I’ve even seen a stranger smile and wave to me in years. Then again, if I saw me in a grocery store, I wouldn’t smile and wave to me either
This sign has nothing to do with our fast tonight, but I saw it in a downtown storefront and it made me laugh. I’m still not sure why.
Coming to Augusta, I knew very little about the town, let alone the Muslim community. To schedule this trip, I basically googled a bunch of mosques in the state and Augusta was the first group to get back to me. I feel lucky now that they did.
A man named Ather was waiting for us in the parking lot of the mosque, a cozy single family unit home turned place of worship. A typical Friday prayer, which in just about every community gets the largest turnout during the week, gets around a dozen people. But what this community lacks in size, it makes up in heart. I took a walk with Ather through the city’s downtown and was fascinated about how much this tightly knit community works together to practice their religion. There are basically no halal meat markets nearby, so each week the family’s here designate someone to drive 4 hours down to Boston and pick up halal meat there.
The Augusta Mosque is on the right side. The rest of the space is a medical clinic.
Ather explained most of the Muslim family’s in Maine are pharmacists. For the past 10 years or so, the state has been booming in jobs in the health care industry, prompting many of them to seek opportunities here.
Now on the surface, hearing about a bunch of Muslim pharmacists living in a community makes you want to yawn. But there was something about the charm of these people that makes them stand out from the rest.
Take Ather for example. He was born and raised in India and his wife is a convert that grew up in Maine. He met her here while he was working as a pharamicist and she as an intern at the same place. One day she noticed him praying and asked him about it. The rest is history. Another person we met, Chadi, is an American who converted to Islam about six years ago and married a Morrocan woman. But after hearing so many horror stories about what kind of tension interracial couples have to endure, it’s always refreshing to hear stories about happy couples whose ethnic backgrounds don’t matter when it comes to love.
Ather and Aman stand in downtown Augusta. The town shuts down around 5 PM, even on Fridays.
For Ramadan, the mosque brings in students from Dar Ul Uloom – a reknowned Islamic school in Buffalo, NY – to lead the prayer. Both students are hafizes, people who have memorized the Quraan. Bassam and I peeped into a room they were sitting in by themselves as they intensely tried to prepare for what Quranic verses they were going to recite for tonight’s Taraweeh prayer. I think often times we as Muslims take hafizes for granted. While we feel relaxed and at ease praying behind them, they must feel the intense pressure of basically performing for an entire group of people. I can’t even imagine the stress.
Mikael Smith and Mohammad Umair sit in the back of the Maine mosque preparing for the night prayer, Taraweeh.
A slight pause.
To complete our daily fast, one of the people at the mosque welcomed us into their home. After prayer, we feasted on some of my favorite clutch South Asian dishes, haleem (a thick soup made of minced meat), chicken curry and rice. I really shouldn’t be eating that food considering all the traveling I’m doing, but hey I’m willing to take the punishment lol. The haleem had a really nice citrus taste that really brought out the flavor of the meats. No doubt the community’s four hour trip to Boston to get that meat was worth it.
Food porn #2
This trip has been an incredible experience so far, but no doubt it’s been stressful. During the drive up here, Bassam and I were furiously trying to catch up with all the work we had to do like coordinate interviews with TV networks and radio stations and figuring out ways to improve the site. I’m not complaining about it because to this day I feel lucky fate decided to put us on this journey, but it is no doubt an enduring blessing.
So with all the work I had to do bouncing around in a frenzy in my head, there was nothing more relaxing than sitting among my new Muslim friends in Augusta. Just seeing a bunch of happy children running around and people laughing among one another was enough to bring me comfort.
Kids at the iftaar
Maybe next time they head to Boston, I can leave New York and meet up with them there, because it would be a drive well worth it.
Chadi, a local of Augusta who embraced Islam six years ago, tends to his daughter and a dish of haleem.
World Islamic History : 341 H 28/5/952 - 16/5/953 CE
Soalan Quiz 1. Hafalan Quran 2. Makna Quran 3. Hafalan Hadith 4. Makna Hadith 5. World Geography & History 6. World Islamic History 7. Speak Arabic 8. Speak English Or Other 9. Mosque News 10. Quranic Miracles
V : 
User Manual
