Kingston Oak Tree Institute

📣 *Ramadan Essay Competition – Now Open!*

At the *Kingston Oak Tree Institute*, we are excited to launch an inspiring essay competition inviting thoughtful reflections on ONE of the following Qur’anic themes:
- The Quran as a Light in Times of Confusion
- How the Quran Shapes a Meaningful Life
- Walking the Straight Upright Path: A Qur’anic Perspective
- How the Quran Cultivates Resilience in Believers
- Learning from the Masters: How the Prophets called to Allah
- Qur’anic Narratives: More Than Stories
- The Transformative Power of Qur' anic Reflection (Tadabbur)

📝 Your Task:
Write an original essay (up to 1000 words) exploring one topic from the list above.
AI tools may be used, but creativity, depth, and originality will determine the winners.

🎁 Prizes:
🥇 £250 – First Prize
🥈 £100 – Runner‑up
📕 Every valid submission receives a free book (postage not included)

📅 Deadline: 18th March 2026 (11pm)

📩 Submit to: [email protected]
(Submit in both PDF and Word, with your name, age, contact details, and word count.)
This is a beautiful opportunity to express your voice, deepen your connection with the Qur’an, and share meaningful reflections

For more info, please visit:

Ramadan Essay Competition - Kingston Oak Tree Institute Join our Quran essay competition and share reflections on its themes, lessons, and timeless guidance.

*📢 FREE Fiqh of Fasting Webinar! 🌙✨*

Join us for an insightful session on the Fiqh of Fasting according to the *Shāfi’ī Madh-hab with Sheikh Omer El-Hamdoon* 🕌📖

📅 Saturday, 22nd February 2025
⏰ 11 AM (UK Time)
🌍 Live Online – Free Registration Required

💡 Topics include:
✅ What breaks the fast?
✅ Missed fasts & making them up
✅ Fidyah & Kaffarah explained
✅ Moonsighting rulings
✅ Spiritual dimensions of fasting & more!

🔗 *REGISTER NOW:* bmacademy.org.uk/fasting-webinar

📢 Spread the word! Let’s prepare for Ramadan together! 🌙🤲

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGd1ED8X3/

TikTok · The Islamic Learning System Check out The Islamic Learning System’s video.

البارحة في بريطانيا، خرج تقرير حول عمارة (Grenfell) والتي احترقت قبل 7 سنوات.
بعد 6 سنوات من التحقيق، أصدر فريق التحقيق تقريره.
والبارحة، كنت استمع للراديو، وكانت هناك مقابلة مع رجل المطافئ، وهو يشرح لقطة من تلك الليلة، وكيف هو متحسر على عدم إمكانيته من إنقاذ شخص، نتيجة لكثافة الدخان وشدة الحرارة.

واستمعت للندامة في صوته، وهو يحكي أنه ما زال يتذكر ذاك الموقف الأليم، وما زالت الذكريات تؤلمه، خاصة وقد علم أن الشخص الذي أراد إنقاذه مات في الحريق.

وهنا استوقفتني هذه المشاعر لرجل المطافئ، وهو لم يستطع إنقاذ الشخص، وقد أدى ذلك إلى الحسرة والندامة، وقارنت ذلك مع موقف الأنبياء والمرسلين، وهمتهم في إنقاذ الناس من النار الكبرى.
فلنا أن نستشعر كيف يتأسى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على أقوام - بل أفراد - لم يقبلوا الدعوة، وأصروا على اقتحام النار، رغم أنه صلى الله عليه وسلم آخذ بحجزكم، ليمعنهم من ذاك المصير المؤلم وتلك النهاية الخاسرة.

Narrated Sahl bin Saʿad that:
They [i.e. the Prophet's companions] did not take as a starting date for the Muslim calendar, the day the Prophet ﷺ had been sent as an Apostle, nor the day of his death; rather the day of his arrival at al-Madinah.

Narrated by al-Bukhārī 3934

On the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab, he said: “ ʿOmar gathered the people and asked them: ‘From what day should history bewritten?’”
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṫālib said: Since the day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated and left the land of polytheism,
So ʿOmar - may Allah be pleased with him – adopted that.
Narrated by al-Ḥākim (4339)

On the authority of al-Shaʿbī, that Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī wrote to ʿOmar - may Allah be pleased with him -: “We receive letters from you that have no date!”
So, ʿOmar gathered the people [and consulted them].
Some of them said: ‘We can start the history, from the time of the commencement of Prophethood.’
Some of them said: ‘…from the date from the hijrah (migration).’
ʿOmar said: “The hijrah (migration) differentiated between truth and falsehood.’ So, they chronicled it.
That was in the year seventeen after hijrah.

When they agreed on that part, some of them said: ‘Start with Ramadan!’
ʿOmar said: ‘Rather, in Muḥarram. It is the people's departure from their Hajj’. So they agreed on it.

Narrated by Abu Nuʿaym in his Tārikh

عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ مَا عَدُّوا مِنْ مَبْعَثِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَلاَ مِنْ وَفَاتِهِ،
مَا عَدُّوا إِلاَّ مِنْ مَقْدَمِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ‏.‏

رواه البخاري. 3934

عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ قَالَ: جمَعَ عُمَرُ النَّاسَ فسأَلَهم: مِنْ أيِّ يومٍ يُكتَبُ التَّأْريخُ؟
فَقَالَ عليُّ بنُ أبي طالِبٍ: من يَومِ هاجَرَ رَسولُ اللهِ ﷺ وترَكَ أرْضَ الشِّركِ،
ففعَلَه عُمَرُ رَضيَ اللهُ عنه.
رواه الحاكم (4339)

عن الشَّعْبِيِّ أَنَّ أَبَا مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيَّ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَرَ -رضي الله عنه-: إِنَّهُ يَأْتِينَا مِنْكَ كُتُبٌ لَيْسَ لَهَا تَارِيخٌ.
فَجَمَعَ عُمَرُ النَّاسَ،
فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: أَرِّخْ بِالْمَبْعَثِ،
وَبَعْضُهُمْ: أَرِّخْ بِالْهِجْرَةِ.
فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: الْهِجْرَةُ فَرَّقَتْ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ؛ فَأَرِّخُوا بِهَا.
وَذَلِكَ سَنَةَ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ،
فَلَمَّا اتَّفَقُوا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: ابْدَؤُوا بِرَمَضَانَ،
فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: بَل بِالْمُحَرَّمِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ مُنْصَرَفُ النَّاسِ مِنْ حَجِّهِمْ. فَاتَّفَقُوا عَلَيْهِ.

رواه أبو نُعيم في تاريخه

من الأشياء الجميلة التي وجدتها في بعض مساجد الموصل هي اللوحة المكتوب عليها: "نويتُ الاعتكافَ ما دمتُ في المسجد"
وهذه اللوحة تذكر الداخل إلى المسجد بهذه النية الإضافية، لتحصيل ثواب الاعتكاف، ولو للبثٍ قليل.

وسمعتُ لفتةً طيبةً من الجفري الذي قال فيها: وإذا قلت: "نذرتُ الإعتكاف ما دمتُ في المسجد" حصل لك أجر النذر - وهو من الفرائض، وبذلك يفوق أجر المستحب.

(الصورة ملتقطة من مسجد اليقظة)

Of the nice things that I noticed in the masajid of Mosul is this sign, reminding the one who enters to say: "I intend I'tikaaf as long as I am in the masjid" ; and therefore adding more reward to entering and going to the masjid.

A further addition by al-Jifry is also beautiful. Which is to say: "I vow to do i'itikaaf as long as I am in the masjid"; which elevates the action from a recommended one to an obligation; and hence more reward.

Masjid al-Salam: one of the large purpose built masasjid of Rotterdam. A beautiful masjid adding to the architecture of the city and becoming one of the monuments of this city.

I’ve come to the Blue Mosque in Amsterdam to deliver a lecture.

أتيت إلى المسجد الأزرق لإلقاء محاضرة عن الإيجابية.

On the authority of AbdUllah bin Amr who said:

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The first of this nation were saved through yaqīn (certainty) and zuhd (asceticism).

And the end of this nation will be destroyed by miserliness and [false] hope.”

Narrated by Ibn Abi Al-Dunya