IMWA News

IMWA announces its long awaited Late Abdullah Hamza Dalvi Ramadan Competitions commemorating the holy month of Ramadan for the school children. This competition is open for the boys and girls of grade 1 to grade 12 from the countries where Muslims are in minority. Competitions include Qur’an recitation, Elocution and Islamic quiz, and will be held on September 29, 2007.

Application forms can be downloaded from IMWA website or can be availed from the office of the respective schools. Venue and timings of the Competitions would be announced in the local newspapers and website.

  Welcome Ramadan

As Ramadan is approaching IMWA wishes all its members and Muslim brethren Holy month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan unites Muslims brethren in fasting, feasting, worship and in special night prayers. It is a time for contemplation, spirituality and brotherhood.

It is also known and recognized as the month of the Qur'an. Allah says: The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

During the holy month of Ramadan, millions of Muslims from around the globe will undergo a physical and mental abstinence known as fasting. From the time dawn breaks in the morning, until the time the sun sets at night, Muslims will refrain from eating or drinking, sensual pleasures, speaking or acting in an obscene manner, or indulging the mind and heart in things other than the remembrance of Allah. In other words, for a period of 30 days, Muslims will focus on devoting themselves to steady prayer and self-control not only during day time but during the nights as well.

Trains to lead a pious life:

Allah said after ordaining fasting: “La`allakum tattaqoon” i.e. fasting is made obligatory on you, may be you become pious and virtuous.

The Prophet (pbuh) emphasized in many Hadiths that while fasting people ought to do more and more good deeds and should be eager to perform benevolent acts. Particularly during fasting, he must develop with full intensity a sympathetic sentiment for his other brothers. It is related by Hadrat Ibn `Abbas, (Alaihi-al-Salam) that the Prophet (pbuh), used to become especially kind and benevolent during Ramadan.

Real Goals of Fasting:

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has drawn attention in various ways towards the real aim of fasting and has explained that to be hungry and thirsty without keeping in view the objective of fasting is in no way useful. He said: Whoever did not give up lying and practicing falsehood, Allah is in no need of his giving up food and water. In another Hadith he said: Many are the fasters whose fasting does not bring them anything except hunger and thirst and many are those who keep standing in the night (in Qiyam-al-Lail) but their standing does not bring anything except being awake in the night. The purport of both these Hadiths is that being merely hungry and thirsty is not by itself Ibadat but an instrument of performing real Ibadat.

Towards achieving moral excellence:

Fasting also enables to master the art of Time-Management. During Ramadan the fasting makes people change the entire course of their daily life, and trains to naturally adjust themselves to a new system and schedule. This helps to develop a wise sense of adaptability and self-created power to overcome the unpredictable hardships of life! A person who values constructive adaptability, time-management, and courage will appreciate the effects of fasting in this respect as well.

It strengthens the will-power as we learn to rise above our lower desires. The institution of fasting is both unique and a shared experience in human history. From the very beginning of time, humans have struggled to master their physical and psychological selves: their bodies and their emotions. Hunger is one of the most powerful urges that man experiences.  “A fasting person empties his stomach of all the material things, to fill his soul with peace and blessings, to fill his heart with love and sympathy, to fill his spirit with piety and faith, to fill his mind with wisdom and resolution,” says Hammudah Abdalati in Islam in Focus. The person who can rule their desires and make them work, as they like, has attained true moral excellence.

IMWA's Vision: To bring cohesive understanding among Muslims living in Kuwait from all over India at one platform to be able to cut through illusions of contemporary nihilism and materialism as per teachings of Islam.

IMWA encourages all its members to join hands to promote virtues especially in the holy Month of Ramadan. Ramadan Competition is a good opportunity for the members to come closer and work for a noble cause. We welcome volunteers for conducting Ramadan Competitions. Interested people may contact imwakuwait@yahoo.com