darul arqam children's class

Bro Ariffin's wedding

2007-12-21T09:17:00.000+08:00

Bro Ariffin got married on 15 December 2007 to Sis Ilysa. We wish him and his wife a blissful marriage, BarakAllahu laka, wa baraka 'alayk, wa-jama'a baynakuma fi-khair.

Ariffin and wife, Ilysa walking on the aisle.

Ariffin's brother, Fridaus, being the videoman for the occasion.

Bro Remy with Ariffin and Sis Nurulhuraizah posing with the bride.

Firdaus with an old friend, Ishak.

Bro Erwan with Sis Sarah as guests.

View excerpts movie clip of the wedding occasion below:

DACC HAFLAH 2007 PICS

2007-11-20T01:01:00.001+08:00

The DACC Haflah 2007 was held in conjunction with Darul Arqam One World Family Day last Sunday 18 Nov 2007 at an open space near Eunos MRT.

Celebrating Eid in Space

2007-10-12T17:39:00.000+08:00

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the first Muslim to be in space during the fasting month of Ramadan, will be celebrating his Eid ul-Fitri (Hari Raya) literally in space.

How interesting this can be.

Far away from your family, your loved ones and even your own world.

Anan C. Mohd, from Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development said that fasting while traveling is optional so Sheikh Muszaphar could choose what he would like to do, but if he did decide to fast in space, the times would be centered around local time in Baikonur, where the launch takes place. Sheikh Muszaphar will celebrate Eid ul-Fitr aboard the station, and packed some Satay and cookies to hand out to the rest of the crew on Saturday, October 13, to mark the end of Ramadan.

SPACE FACTS:

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor won't be the first Muslim in orbit — that distinction falls to Prince Sultan bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, a nephew of King Abdullah who flew with a U.S. crew during a 1985 mission on the space shuttle.

Shukor is not even the second Muslim to fly in space. Iranian-born entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari, of Plano, Texas, paid about $20 million for a Soyuz ride and week-long stay on the station last year.

But the 35-year-old orthopedic physician and part-time model is the first to publicly address practical issues of Islamic practices during spaceflight, and now he has a field guide to help him find his way.

The Malaysian government's Department of Islamic Development has prepared religious guidelines for the country's first astronaut, who is spending about 10 days at the international space station this month. (source: International Herald Tribune: Oct 11 2007)

Here are some of the key guidelines:

TRAVELING ETHICS:

A Muslim astronaut should "maintain the relationship with Allah ... observe peace with other beings and maintain sustainability of the space environment."
Ritual cleansing before prayer can be performed through "dry ablution" — striking both palms of one's hands on a clean surface such as a wall or mirror, with or without clean sand or dust.
Facing Mecca to pray is encouraged, but facing the Earth or any direction will still do.

Praying five times a day can be calculated in a 24-hour duration according to the time zone from where the astronaut was launched — in this case, Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

For physical postures during prayer, any standing posture will suffice if upright standing is impossible. If not, the astronaut can sit, lie flat or simply imagine the prayer sequence.

FASTING:

The astronaut can choose to postpone fasting until after returning to Earth. The time of fasting, usually performed from dawn to dusk on Earth, is according to the time zone of the location from where the astronaut was launched.

If there is any doubt whether food served is halal, or permissible under Islamic dietary laws, the astronaut can still eat it in order not to starve.

IN CASE OF DEATH:

The deceased should be brought back to Earth for a Muslim funeral. If that is impossible, the deceased should be buried in space with "a simple funeral process."

DRESS CODE:

A male Muslim astronaut should be clothed from the navel to the knee, while a female should cover her entire body except for her face and hands below the wrist.

_____________

Shukor was quoted during a press briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas,

"It's really important to me to spur interest among all the Malaysian people, but my focus has always been on schoolchildren."

Ramadan Reminders

2007-09-14T11:33:00.000+08:00

"O Allah, please make my fast be the fast of one who truly fasts. And please make my night worship be the worship of one who truly worships You. And please safeguard me from the sleep of the unmindful. And please expiate all my sins, o Lord of all the worlds. Please forgive me, o Most-Forgiving Lord."

How fortunate we are to meet the month of Ramadhan. How blessed are we to meet this month of blessings and forgiveness?

Blessed are those who yearn to do good. Woe to those who remain adrift in the sea of ignorance. Let us thank Allah for the blessings of the ritual of fasting, and the gift of Ramadhan.

Ramadhan trains us to always do good. Ramadhan teaches us to strive to show kindness. Also, it reminds us to have the drive to increase our iman and to strengthen our spirituality.

This is the main purpose of the fast. We fast not merely to endure hunger and thirst. The month of Ramadhan is not just about performing the tarawih prayers and the tahajjud prayers. We should look beyond the rituals we perform during Ramadhan and see that each ibadah we perform will build us into dynamic Muslims; a Muslim full of taqwa, an exemplary and dynamic individual.

This is our Islamic identity. We do not merely perform the rituals of religion, but we also understand the spirit and purpose of what we do. This is to say that we understand that ibadah strengthens our faith and builds our taqwa, builds character and gives us strength to face the challenges life presents to us.

So, let us further strengthen our Islamic identity. Let us start with ourselves. Imbue our spirits with kindness and spread goodwill. Most important, let us remember that we have to begin change with our selves.

Allahumma Innaka 'afuuwun tuhibbul 'afwaa fa'fu anna

Wallahu'alam

Ramadan Sanadi

2007-09-12T14:30:00.000+08:00

FAQ about Islam

2007-05-07T10:23:00.000+08:00

Who is Allah?
"Allah" means "God". It is a personal name, which Allah calls Himself in the Qur'an. That is where we get it. It can also be found in an Aramaic copy of the Bible and even Christian Arabs say "Allah".

Who is Jesus to us?
Jesus (Isa), peace be upon Him, is a true prophet. Sent by Allah like Moses (Musa), Abraham (Ibrahim), Lot (Lut), Noah (Nuh), Jonah (Yunus), Joseph (Yusuf) . . . etc.

Who were Jesus's parents?
Jesus is the son of Virgin Mary (Maryam), and he had no father. Allah created Jesus.

Can Jesus or Muhammad, peace be upon them, be worshipped?
No, Allah does not accept that a cow, a person, an angel, a prophet, a stone, or anything be worshipped in place of Him, or even along with Him. Worship must only be for Allah, the Creator of them.

Is Allah the same as what Christians call "the father"?
Allah is the creator who Jesus worshipped. He is the Creator who spoke to Moses and split the sea for Moses and his followers. That is Allah. But Allah tells us: "Say: Allah is one, He is Perfect, He never begets, nor was He begotten, and there is no one equal to Him".

Is there a trinity in Islam?
No. Allah is perfect.

Do we believe that Allah created the heavens and earth in 6 days?
Yes, but He did not rest on the seventh day because He did not get tired. Allah is perfect. He does not get tired nor does He sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, feel pain or die, for that matter.

Can we see Allah?
Allah is not like the sun. Anyone can see the Sun. But Allah is the most beautiful. Nothing is as beautiful as Allah. Actually looking at Allah is the greatest pleasure of the people in Paradise (Heaven). This pleasure Allah does not give anyone but the believers. So no one will see Allah before he dies.

Does Allah see us?
Allah sees us and knows everything about us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. There is not a leaf on a tree that blows away or stays in its place except that He knows it. There is not a dry spot nor a wet spot, nor a grain in the depths of the earth, except that Allah knows it.

Do we have free will?
Yes, of course. Allah does not punish us for something we did not do on our own. But at the same time, our will is inspired of Allah's will. We cannot do anything if Allah will not allow it. In other words, nothing goes on in Allah's kingdom without His will.

Did Allah create evil?
Yes, Allah created the good and the bad. Whatever bad happens to us is due to our sins. We sin and Allah pardons much of what we do; however, when something bad happens to us, it is our fault and we are to blame. Bad things that happen to a person are a chance for that person to reflect and ask: "Why is this happening to me?" A chance for a person to return from his sin and obey and worship Allah.

Do bad things happen to the believers (good people)?
Yes, they do. But they appear bad to the believers cause they are things people don't like. Who likes breaking a leg? However, when a bad thing happens to a believer, this believer is patient. He praises Allah in all circumstances. He knows Allah does not decree something unless it is for his own good.

But how can breaking a leg be good for a believer?
Because it is a chance for the believer to think about what he did wrong. Also because Allah forgives much of what we do, but those things we are not forgiven, they are forgiven due to our patience when we are struck by a calamity. Allah gives us better reward when a problem strikes us on earth if we are patient. This reward can be on earth and it can be in Heaven.

Does Allah hear my prayers?
Yes.

Does Allah answer my prayers?
We know that Allah answers all the prayers of the believers. This can be in 4 ways:

Get what we are asking for!
Get something as good or better!
We get spared because something bad would have happened otherwise.
We get rewarded on the day of Judgment with a much greater reward than what we were asking for on earth.

When does Allah not answer our prayers?

When it is bad for us!
When we ask, but not from our heart!
When we say: I asked and asked and He did not answer.
When we eat, drink and wear unlawful food, clothes and property that we earned either through interest from the bank, or that was stolen, or if the food was pork, or the like.

What can I ask of Allah?
Anything but don't ask Him to do things like make you a prophet. Cause He has already said that there will be no more prophets. You can ask Allah for guidance. Meaning you can ask Him to show you the correct religion.

Who are my best friends?
Your best friends are the ones who care where you go after you are dead. This is like the prophets. They cared that we go to heaven, even if it meant some hardship on earth.

Who is my worst enemy?
That would be the devils (Iblis). The Arabic word for a devil is Shaytan (similar to Satan). Satan wants us all to go to hell. He wants us to be bad on earth; even if we do lots of wrong things that we appear to enjoy, he does not mind that. But he wants to make sure we don't go to heaven.

What is it that keeps us from entering Heaven?
Worship of anyone other than Allah is the greatest sin. It is called shirk, and this is not forgiven except through repentance.

Where is Allah?
Allah is the highest. He is high above all of His creation. He is ascended upon a Throne which is greater than the heavens and the earth. Much, much, much greater than the heavens and the earth. So much greater that if the heavens and the earth could fit in the foot-stool of the throne, they would be like a ring thrown into an open desert. Allah is certainly the greatest.

Does Allah look like us?
No, Allah is perfect. He is not like any of His creation. He can see, hear, speak, etc. But all these attributes are befitting to His Might and Glory. A Muslim does not say a single thing about Allah other than what Allah says about Himself. We don't say He is like a clover or He got tired or He is jealous! Allah is Perfect and Unique.

What does it mean to believe in Allah?
It means to believe in Allah in total perfection and uniqueness. It means to believe in His prophets cause they are His and He sent them. We cannot pick and choose. A Muslim must believe in all the prophets of Allah. It also means to believe in the angels! We must love them all; we cannot hate an Angel say, for example, to hate Michael (Mikail) who is charge of the rain and the vegetation on the Earth, or Gabriel (Jibril) who is in charge of Revelation (brings down the scriptures to the prophets). It also means to believe in Allah's predestination of good and bad (relative to us, but to Allah, everything Allah does is good). And it also means to believe in the last day: the day of Judgement.

When is the Day of Judgement?
Only Allah knows.

Are there signs for the day of Judgement?
Plenty, plenty, plenty. Many have already occurred. To name a few,

Objects will begin to talk.
There will be much killing. The killer won't know why he killed, and the guy who's killed won't know why he's killed.
The Antichrist will come.
Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, will return.
Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) will be set free.
The sun will rise from the west (after this one, there can be no more repentance).

What about non-Muslims, do they go to heaven?
Allah only accepts Islam. He says in the Qur'an: "Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it won't be accepted of him, and he will be one of the losers in the hereafter." I would rather lose anywhere, but not lose in the hereafter. This is because Hellfire is eternal. It never ends, and we never die when we go there, if we go there.

What about someone who has never heard of Islam?
Allah is the most just. Don't even think that we can be nicer than Allah. Allah is the Most Just, and He said in the Qur'an "We were not to punish till having sent a warner." The "We" here is the majestic we used in Arabic. So if a person never heard about Islam and was never warned clearly, Allah would have a special test for that person that He knows is equal to the chance that person would have had on earth.

How do we know Islam is the truth?
It is the only religion that:

hold Allah as One, Unique and Perfect.
only worship of Allah, not Jesus, not an idol, and not an angel, only Allah.
the Qur'an does not contain contradictions.
the Qur'an contains scientific facts which are 1,300 years ahead of their time. The Qur'an, while revealed 1,400 years ago, contains scientific facts which are only now being discovered. It is not in contradiction to science.
Allah challenges the world to produce the like of the Qur'an. And He says they won't be able to.
Prophet Muhammad was the most influential man in history. Even a non-Muslim wrote a book called "The 100 Most Influential Men in History" and Prophet Muhammad was #1. Prophet Jesus was #3. Note even Prophet Jesus was a prophet sent by Allah. Would Allah allow a false prophet to be so successful? No. Even the Bible says this in Deuteronomy 18:19. A false prophet would fail!!! Yet Prophet Muhammad did not die till he completely conveyed and taught Allah's religion. He had many prophecies, and all of his prophecies have come true or are still coming true.

Most importantly is this:
Allah created us and we know that we should only worship Him. This is an instinct Allah has created us with. He did not just leave us: rather, He sent prophets for us. These prophets had miracles as proof. The miracle for us today is the Qur'an. There is no other religion that worships only Allah and believes in Him as totally perfect and believes in all of His prophets and scriptures.

Can anyone become a Muslim?
Yes, anyone can. There are two declarations which are necessary:

To bear witness that no one deserves to be worship except Allah
To bear witness that Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

This makes a person Muslim. But it should be said in Arabic.

Then what?
After a person becomes Muslim, he/she is taught about prayers (solat), fasting, the poor due (zakat), pilgrimage (haj). These are pillars of Islam.

Then What?
Muslims are brothers. A Muslim should love for his brother what he loves for himself. Allah's wealth does not run out and Allah can provide for us all. We pray for one another and love one another and love for our brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves.

Teachers' Committee 2007

2007-01-28T00:19:00.000+08:00

The new teachers' committee for the year is as follows:
Principal: Bro. Shadiq
Discipline Master: Bro. Ariffin
RK Head: Bro. Khairul
Qira'ah Head: Bro. Firdaus
May Allah give them the strength to lead DACC in yet another Blessed year.

Knowledge . . .

2007-01-17T01:48:00.000+08:00

Mu`aadh ibn Jabal, a Companion of the Prophet, said:

"Knowledge is a comforting friend in times of loneliness, it is the best companion during travels, and it is the inner friend who speaks to you in your privacy. Knowledge is the discerning proof of what is right and what is wrong, and it is the positive force that will help you surmount the trials of comfort, as well as those of hardships. Knowledge is your most powerful sword against your enemy, and finally, it is your most dignifying raiment in the company of your close companions.

Through knowledge, Allah, blessed be His Name, raises some people in rank, and He makes them leaders in righteousness and models in morality. The vestige of their faith is avidly sought, their deeds are emulated perceptively, and people will seek and sanction their opinions solicitously and unequivocally. The heavenly angels seek their company and anoint them with their wings, every fresh or withered life they pass by implore Almighty Allah to forgive them their sins, even the fish in the oceans, the beasts of the lands and every bird of prey and migratory bird pray and solicit the mercy of Almighty Allah on their behalf. This is because knowledge revives the dead hearts and drives them out of darkness into light, and because knowledge is the light of the inner eyes that cures one's blindness and restores his inner sight."

Brand New Year

2007-01-07T07:00:00.000+08:00

Assalaamu'alaikum!
Welcome to a brand new academic year!
Your beloved teachers are all excited to see you later this afternoon!
Look out for the gang of new teachers... ;)
See ya!

'Id Visitations 1427H Part Deux

2006-11-20T04:30:00.000+08:00

After the Haflah yesterday DACC-Tchers rushed off for the second part of their 'id visitations. This time they went to the northern and eastern parts of our little island namely the following residences:
* Bro. Firdaus (Woodlands)
* Bro. Erwan (Woodlands)
* Mdm. Hamidah (Jurong West)
* Bro. Ridzwan Omar (Jurong East)
* Bro. Remy (Ang Mo Kio)

Haflah Again

2006-11-19T18:10:00.000+08:00

Yups..it was Haflah again today. Kudos to all prize-winners, performers and teachers who worked hard for it!

'Id Visitations 1427H Part Un

2006-11-12T23:59:00.000+08:00

DACC-Tchers are vicously attacking without warning the following places in the east:
* Bro. Ariffin (Hougang)
* Sis. Aishah (Tampines)
* Bro. Khairul & Sis. Nurul & Mdm. Rohani (Tampines)
* Sis. Suhaily (Tampines)
* Sis. Sakeenah (Tampines)
* Mdm. Rosnah (Bedok Reservoir)
* Sis. Amnah (Pasir Ris)
* Sis. Nadia (Pasir Ris)
* Bro. Faizal & Sis. Marlini (Bedok North)

'id mubarak!

2006-10-24T10:59:00.000+08:00

i ask!

2006-09-28T01:44:00.000+08:00

Ramadhan is here again!

Tiring? No!
Take up the Ramadhan Challenge!
Go to the Ramadan Youth Challenge Portal!

Any questions on Ramadhan or fasting or Islam in general?
Shoot your questions at iask!

May U have a blessed Ramadhan!

Darul Arqam Open House

2006-09-09T23:13:00.000+08:00

Level 4 performs at the Darul Arqam Open House today.

Peer Pressure

2006-07-25T12:56:00.000+08:00

Taken from http://www.youngmuslims.ca/publications/coolfool.asp

You know You are a Victim of Peer Pressure when...

Most teenagers fall into flirting, clubbing, smoking, cursing, cheating, stealing, bullying, gambling, drinking, drugs, pornography and other immoral practices due to negative peer pressure. You know you are a victim of this pressure when you:
* are curious to try something new because "everyone's doing it"
* want to be liked, to fit in, to look cool
* worry that others will think you are weird or a coward if you resist
* say and do things in the group which you would not do on your own
* wish your parents should stay out of your "social life"
* do something without questioning the outcome

Have I Done My Part?

2006-06-23T08:15:00.000+08:00

The Universe

2006-06-21T00:31:00.000+08:00

Taken from Chapter 2 of "History of Truth - The Truth about God and Religions" Book [http://www.usislam.org/20univ.htm]

Studying the universe can be an overwhelming spiritual experience. We see pictures of our solar system, distant stars, and galaxies, but the human minds fail to comprehend the size and complexity of this huge universe.

In this chapter, you will encounter a host of theories and names. I attempted very hard to make the presented material simple, so you can get an appreciation of the splendor and grandeur of this universe. However, if you are temporarily stunned, you are sharing the astonishment of the scientists who lived through the development of their theories, and who at times saw nothing but increasing complexity with little hope of understanding. If you stick to it, you will share the excitement of the scientists, and the humility of the believers. If you keep asking questions: Who, Why, and How, you will have only one logical answer: God exists and He made it His Way."

From time immemorial, people have wondered at the starry heavens. On a clear night, the beautiful stars hang like shining jewels against the vast darkness of space. The parade of sunrise and sunset, the changing phases of the moon, and the silent convoy of the stars across the black dome of heaven have long proven a spectacle and a puzzle. The spectacle has inspired the artist, the musician, and the poet. The puzzle has intrigued philosophers and scientists. Just what is out there in the space? What is the meaning of it all? How did it start? Is there life out there? We don't know. But, who has any idea of what God can do?

The spectacle of the heaven above charges the believers with humility and faith. They realize that they are a grain of dust on a grain of dust on a grain of dust. Yet, God gives us the intellect to contemplate all of this. The recent Hubble telescope discovery increased the estimates for the known galaxies from 10 billion to 100 billion,
with each galaxy containing billions of stars, and perhaps planetary systems. When we discover new galaxies, stars and planets, this should make us aware of how great God is, and how little we know. God simply revealed some of his magnificence.

To ancient peoples the sky exhibited many repetitive behaviors. The bright sun, which divided daytime from nighttime, rose every morning from one direction, the east, moved steadily across the sky during the day, and set in a nearly opposite direction, the west. At night more than 1000 visible stars followed a similar course, appearing to rotate in permanent groupings, called constellations, around a fixed point in the sky, which was known as the north celestial pole.

Observation of the stars that appear in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise showed that the relative position of the sun among the stars changed gradually. The Egyptians may have been the first to discover that the sun moves completely around the sphere of the fixed stars in approximately 365 days.

Several ancient peoples, notably the Egyptians, the Mayans, and the Chinese, developed interesting constellation maps and useful calendars but the Babylonians accomplished even greater achievements. To perfect their calendar, they studied the motions of the sun and moon. It was their custom to designate as the beginning of each month the day after the new moon, when the lunar crescent first appeared after sunset.

Due to limited knowledge, the earliest civilizations developed inaccurate model of the universe. At about 4000 BC, the Mesopotamians, believed that the Earth is the center of the universe and that the other heavenly bodies move around it. Later, in ancient Greece, the challenge was resumed, and a new view taken of the universe. The Greek Aristotle and the Alexandrian astronomer Ptolemy expanded the nightly motion of stars across the sky from a dome to a sphere. In doing so, the Greeks took the first step towards realizing that the universe is larger than it appears. They also developed an elaborate mathematical way of describing the cyclic motion of the Moon and planets around the Earth, which, on what seemed good evidence, appeared fixed at the center of universe. The Greek astronomer Aristarchus of Samos maintained, about 270 BC, that the Earth revolved around the sun. However, because of Aristotle's authority, the Greeks regarded the colossal, heavy Earth as a motionless globe around which the universe revolved. This theory, known as the geocentric system, remained virtually unchallenged for about 2000 years due to the widely accepted model of the universe according to the famous Aristotle. Had humanity believed Aristarchus, our knowledge of astronomy would have been more advanced than our present case.

Greek astronomy was transmitted eastward to the Syrians, the Hindus, and the Arabs. The Arabic astronomers compiled new star catalogs in the 9th and 10th centuries and subsequently developed tables of planetary motion. Arab astronomers recognized the Great Nebula in Andromeda, the first galaxy other than our own, as a faint blur as early as 964 AD in the vast loneliness of the universe. Al-Battani (known also as Albatenius), leading Arab astronomer and mathematician of his time, made his astronomical observations in Syria for a period of more than 40 years. He published his work as "De Motu Stellarum" (Concerning the Motion of the Stars, 1537), and corrected errors of Ptolemy in regards to the length of the year.

In 1543, the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus published his theories "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres". The Sun, not the Earth, was put at the center of the universe, the planets were set in orbits about it, and the human beings were abdicated from their throne at the center of all creation.

Faces of DACC

2006-05-28T18:23:00.000+08:00

Sis. Sarah has left DACC to concentrate on her studies overseas. Here are some pictures she took on her last day here today. We wish her all the best for her future endeavours.

::Sis. Zarina and her students::

::some little ones::

::Mdm. Hamidah and her students::

::Sis. Nurul and her students::

::Mdm. Rohani with her class::

::Sis. Amnah's class::

::Sis. Aishah's::

::Sis. Nadia & Sis. Sarah::

::some teachers::

::Sis. Sarah & students (Aishah & Katrina)::

International Islamic Fair

2006-05-27T14:19:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow, Sunday 28 May 2006, is the last day of the term!
Where are you heading for this June vacation?
What don't you ask your mummy and daddy to take you to the International Islamic Fair?

Malaysia's First International Islamic Fair
Date: Friday 9 June 2006 to Sunday 11 June 2006
Venue: Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

EXHIBITION AND SALE (9-11 June, 10am-9pm)
Publishers - books, comics/magazines/newspapers, audio/video
TV & radio Broadcasters
Schools & universities
Language & culture centers
Manufacturers - clothes, footwear, gifts & decorations, electronics, computers
Importers / Exporters - halal foods & drinks, alternative products
Health - food supplements & health products, hospitals & medical centers
Service Providers - hajj & umrah agencies, job agencies
Retailers & franchisors
Da'wah & social works organizations
Islamic banks, finance & insurance companies
Government agencies & embassies
Nasheed groups & entertainers

GALA DINNER & CONCERT (10 June)
Dawud Wharnsby-Ali
Zain Bhikha
Cheb Ali
Raihan

CONFERENCE (9-10 June)
Dr. Mahathir (Former Prime Minister of Malaysia)
Yusri Muhammad (President of ABIM)
Nasaruddin Md Isa (Vice President of PAS)
Matthias Chang
Michael Collins Piper (Author)
Jimmy Walter (Producer of 9/11 documentary)
Yvonne Ridley (Journalist detained by Taliban)
Mohammad Ali (Director of Islamic UK TV Channel)
Dr. Jemilah Mahmood (President of Mercy Malaysia)
Prof. Malik Badri (International Islamic University, Malaysia)

Visit int-islamic-fair.com for details.

See you all back @ DACC @ 25 June 2006!

I Look I See

2006-05-16T02:16:00.000+08:00

Creations of Allah

2006-02-12T19:34:00.000+08:00

by Sarah Fatin Md Fauzi(DACC Pre-school)

New Heads on the Block

2006-02-11T12:25:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum wr. wb.

Dear Teachers,

Please find below the new Office Bearers at DACC for year 2006-2007.

Advisors to the newly appointed Heads:
Siti Nooraishah Sahud - 1 year term (Jan-Dec 2006)
Erwan Berori - 1 year term (Jan-Dec 2006)

RK Head:
Khairul Amilin Kasim - 2 years term (Feb 2006 - Dec 2007)

Asst. RK Head:
Ariffin Abdul Latiff - 2 years term (Jan 2006 - Dec 2007)
Nurulhuraizah Kasim - 2 years term (Jan 2006 - Dec 2007)

Qira'ah Head:
Firdaus Listiluhu Ismail - 2 years term (Jan 2006 - Dec 2007)

Asst Qira'ah Head:
Amnah Maamin - 2 years term (Jan 2006 - Dec 2007)

Let us give them a warm welcome as the newly appointed Heads and Asst Heads...

Thank you and wassalam

Haryanti Shahrom
Education Division
Darul Arqam

Happy New Year

2006-01-31T02:26:00.000+08:00

Today, Tuesday, 31st January 2006, is also 1st Muharam 1427H.
It is the first day of the Islamic calendar!

May all our deeds that we have done in the past year be Accepted and all our wrongdoings be Forgiven by ALLAH.
Let us pray that ALLAH also Give us strength and patience to continue striving to remain on the True Path and may ALLAH Shower us with much Blessings.
May we all have a better year ahead =)
Ameen.

A Star on the Horizon

2006-01-29T21:51:00.000+08:00

by Bibi Ayesha Wadvalla

In a world where fame is all-pervading, it is heartening to come across a young man who cares not for fame, a young man grounded in his principles, a young man unassuming enough to just be himself. Meet Hashim Amla, a young South African man who made headlines last year when he was selected to play for the Proteas, the national cricket team.

Having his face splashed across the front page of every newspaper did nothing to dent the wholesome modesty this young man possesses. Born in a small town north of Durban, Natal, Amla grew up playing outdoors under the South African sun "and getting sunburnt," he laughs.

Sport played a huge role in these outdoor games. It was when he moved to DHS — a school renowned for its sporting and academic heritage — that Amla flourished. Sport was no longer just a childhood game — it was evolving into a career. Amla was chosen for the provincial team, Nashua Dolphins; captained the U-19 South African team; and was finally selected for the Proteas at the tender age of 21 — a position lauded by the press as well deserved.

But alas, after playing in only two test matches, he was dropped from the squad. Cries of racism resounded through the country. Amla, mature for his years and firm in his faith, succinctly says, "Although it was disappointing for me not to do as well as I wanted to, it was taqdir[Fate]. I had worked hard to get there, but Allah knows best. This belief helped me overcome the disappointment."

It is this quality which makes Hashim Amla an inspiration. Most people in his situation would lap up the fame, and blame other factors for their performance. He continues to work hard at his game and seeks assistance from Allah with patience and solah. Amla is grateful to also have the guidance of the Ulema-e-Haq, of whom he says, "This association with learned and elderly people keeps me grounded."

For Amla, success comes from balancing worldy activities with Deen. Today, many Muslim youth are apologetic about their faith. Not Hashim Amla. Together with his fellow Muslim Dolphin teammates, brother Ahmed Amla, and Imraan Khan, they offer their solah on the field. Despite the rigorous heat, they fasted in Ramadhan even when playing. This has gained them great respect from both Muslims and non-Muslims. When Amla was selected for the South African squad, he asked that he be excused from wearing the logo of an alcoholic beverage sponsor. "Alhamdulillah," smiles Amla, "this request was met with consideration for my beliefs."

Questions about Islam and its practises were raised and thus, on and off the field, Amla has had excellent opportunities for da'wah work. Over the years, he has met with many curious enquiries, specifically from his teammates. Of them, Amla remarks, "My teammates have begun to understand what Islam is, what Muslims do and how we lead our lives."

Is Amla, then, both a role model for Islam and youth? Humbly, he replies, "I don't have wings, so I'm no angel. But if people see me as a role model, I am grateful, alhamdulillah." He is especially thankful for the support and encouragement from young fans. "I see the boy I once was in them," he says. "I see the dreams I once cherished, and am now realising. I would love to see more Muslim youths involved in professional sport, provided it doesn't interfere with them practising the beautiful teachings of Islam. A conservative attitude that sport is not a stable career exists. If you have faith, you cannot go wrong."

Amla adds that in a country ravaged by apartheid, youngsters should avail themselves of the opportunities denied to their elders. His good nature is exemplified when he comments, "And it is always pleasing in the heart to see a fellow Muslim do well."

On friends and family, Amla urges youths to connect with their parents. "I have learned so much from my parents by merely observing their qualities, let alone the lessons and advice they have given me. Undoubtedly, righteous friends are imperative. They play a huge role in moulding us — be it positive or negative."

In his spare time, Amla pursues knowledge by reading Islamic literature and sporting biographies. Spending time alone with his thoughts and mentally visualising his game, are integral in helping him maintain a winning streak. He reiterates that for success, youths should work hard, and use the golden key — solah and du'a.

Where does Amla see the future leading him? "I leave my fate up to the Almighty," he says with true conviction. But he prays for a cricket history which will place him in the record books. The conversation takes a personal turn. At 22, Hashim Amla says that marriage is in the plans for the future, but he's not sure how soon. The girl whom he chooses will be blessed to have him as a husband.

Hashim Amla epitomises a rare breed in today's times — a young man with excellent character. May Allah bless him in all that he strives for.

Bibi Ayesha Wadvalla is a Biomedical Science student, a freelance journalist and an active youth worker in South Africa. She can be contacted at youth_campaign@iolteam.net

Taken from
http://www.islamonline.org/English/In_Depth/volunteers/2006/01/16.shtml

Post It Here!

2006-01-19T20:10:00.000+08:00

Come contribute to this blog!
Email your contributions to dacc.tchers@yahoo.com or simply pass it on to your DACC-Tcher.

'Id Mubarak

2006-01-10T02:04:00.000+08:00

We wish everyone out there a most Blessed 'Id.
May all the sacrifices that we have made for ALLAH are Accepted by HIM.
May ALLAH also Grant us the ease to make more sacrifices in HIS Path.
Amiin.

DACC Booklist 2006

2006-01-07T22:25:00.000+08:00

Assalaamu'alaikum, children!

Welcome back to a brand new year at DACC. We hope you have had a great break and are all set for learning more about Islam :)

Yup, it's time you dig up your DACC schoolbag and ensure that you are well-prepared for the new school term. And here's the booklist for Year 2006. Remember, don't buy the books that you already have!

PRESCHOOL
Goodword Islamic Studies Grade One
Arabic Letters Activity Book

LEVEL ONE
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Textbook
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Workbook
Let's Pray

LEVEL TWO
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Textbook
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Workbook
Let's Pray

LEVEL THREE
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Textbook
Our Faith and Worship Volume One Workbook
Mercy to Mankind: Makkah Period Workbook
Let's Pray

LEVEL FOUR
Islamic Aqidah and Fiqh
Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq
Our Faith and Worship Volume Two Workbook
Mercy to Mankind: Makkah Period Workbook
Teachings of the Qur'an Volume Two Workbook
Let's Pray

LEVEL FIVE
Islamic Aqidah and Fiqh
Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq
Our Faith and Worship Volume Two Workbook
Mercy to Mankind: Madinah Period Workbook
Teachings of the Qur'an Volume Two Workbook
Let's Pray

LEVEL SIX
Islamic Aqidah and Fiqh
Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq
Our Faith and Worship Volume Two Workbook
Mercy to Mankind: Madinah Period Workbook
Teachings of the Qur'an Volume Two Workbook
Let's Pray
The Qur'an with English Translations

LEVEL SEVEN
Islamic Aqidah and Fiqh
Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq
Our Faith and Worship Volume Two Workbook
Let's Pray
The Qur'an with English Translations

LEVEL EIGHT
Islamic Aqidah and Fiqh
Islamic Tahdhib and Akhlaq
Our Faith and Worship Volume Two Workbook
Let's Pray
The Qur'an with English Translations

See you all tomorrow :)

DACC Video 2005

2005-12-23T18:11:00.000+08:00

Here is a video of DACC made by Bro. Remy. Enjoy!

Bro. Faizal & Sis. Marlini Got Married!

2005-11-27T23:04:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to our dearest Bro. Faizal Abdollah and Sis. Marlini who tied the knot on 24 November 2005! We wish them both all the best in their new phase of striving towards ALLAH. May ALLAH Grant them a most Blessed marriage with a lot of Faithful children with whom they shall dwell together in Paradise.

And among HIS Signs is this: that HE Created for you mates from among yourselves, so that you may dwell with them in tranquility, and HE Has Put love and mercy between you. Truly, in that are Signs for people who think.
~ The Qur'an, Surah Ar-Rum : 21 ~

::hey, isn't that where we had DACC last year?!::

::DACC-Tchers with the bride and groom::

Sis. Fazlin's Wedding

2005-06-04T22:51:00.000+08:00

Congratulations to our dearest Sis. Fazlin who tied the knot on 2 June 2005! We wish her all the best in her new phase of striving towards ALLAH. May ALLAH Grant her and her husband with a most Blessed marriage with a lot of Faithful children with whom they shall dwell together in Paradise.

::DACC-Tchers with Sis.Fazlin at her wedding reception::

Project Zip!

2004-12-30T15:52:00.000+08:00

ProjectZip!

. : Youth for Humanity : .

A Relief Programme for Tsunami Victims

Project Zip! is an initiative by the youth community to engage in the relief efforts of the recent disaster in Asia, in a more active, participative way. The idea is that Singaporeans come together to put into Ziploc bags, several items of basic necessities and drop them at collection centres.

Why Project Zip!??

(a)To complement the monetary contributions that have been managed by the various platforms such as Mercy Relief and Singapore Red Cross.
(b)To facilitate the logistical (buying, packaging, allocation) process that is going to be done on the ground.
(c)To encourage active participation from the Singapore community, instilling a sense of ownership as they are directly involved in the relief efforts.
(d)To provide avenues for collection which are closer in location to the local community.

Zip!Bags

We target 10 000 bags. Are you up to the challenge???
What’s inside each bag? Each Zip! Bag is recommended to contain:

Basic

500ml Mineral Water X 2

Biscuits X 3 mini-pack (more welcomed)

Instant Cereal X 3 mini-pack (more welcomed)

Sanitary Pads X 2 packs (more welcomed)

Plaster X 1 box

Additional

Raisins/Dates

Face Towel X 1

Candles and Matches X 2

Dettol Bar Soap X 1

Axe Oil / Similar medication X 1

Targetted number of youth volunteers : 1500 (yup! we want as many of us, the young ones as possible!!)

Zip! Collection

We will start collecting Ziplog bags containing the recommended items at the various Collection centres on Sat, 1st January 2005. Volunteers will be deployed at these centres to receive the Zip! Bags, manage the crowd etc.

The centres are:
WEST: Saff–Perdaus (near Bukit Gombak MRT) 2am - 9pm
EAST: PERGAS (near Kembangan MRT) 9am - 9am
NORHT: Assyafaah Mosque (nearest MRT: Sembawang) 2pm - 6pm
NORTH: Darul Makmur Mosque (near Yishun MRT) 24 hrs
EAST: Ghufran Mosque (near Tampines MRT) Sat, 1st Jan only

Zip! the Streets

Youth will be going out on the streets to encourage public donation of Zip! Bags. Roving vehicles will also be mobilised to collect items from homes, especially for those who are not able to come to the centres themselves. This will be done starting Saturday, 1st January 2005.

Zip! to School

Secondary schools, pre-University and tertiary institutions will be approached to carry out collection on the first to third day of school, January 2005 (Monday to Wednesday). Students can also approach the Zip! School coordinators if they want to pilot the project in their schools.

Things collected from the project will be transported to Aceh, Indonesia. Our contact on the ground has been confided that these are the things they require and we're working closely with these contacts to deliver the items to them as soon as possible.

Be part of the Zip! Movement.

Operating Centre:
The Fellowship of Muslim Students Association (FMSA)
150 Changi Road
Guthrie Building, #02-01,
Singapore 419973

For more information and volunteer opportunities, please log on www.miq.com.sg/zip.

'Id Visitations

2004-12-16T19:58:00.000+08:00

The following are some shots of previous years' 'Id visitations. Enjoy :)

:: DACC-Tchers @ Sis. Shahrinah's Residence ::

:: DACC-Tchers @ Sis. Nurul's, Bro. Khairul's & Mdm. Rohani's Residence ::

:: DACC-Tchers @ Sis. Aishah's Residence ::

:: DACC-Tchers @ Bro. Shadiq's Residence ::

:: DACC-Tchers outside Bro. Shadiq's Residence ::

A Friend in Deen is a Friend indeed

2004-12-08T07:13:00.000+08:00

Did you read the caption to this article? Well, read it again, carefully this time. That's right, it's not a misprint. Really a friend in Deen is a friend indeed. Let us examine why. Whether we like it or not, every moment of our lives, we are interacting with people. Our occupation, studies and activities provide us with opportunities to associate with certain groups of people more often than others.

This company that we keep definitely plays an important role in the manner we behave. Just to be with it, we tend to do what those around us are doing. A student is sometimes forced to behave in a certain manner just to claim his place amongst his peers. How often have people have to sacrifice principles of Deen to secure this kind
of friendship. How important is it for a person to be guarded about the kind of people he associates with?

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said:
A person is upon the way of life of his close companion so each of you should be careful whom you take as a
close friend.
[Hadith reported by Abu Huraira]

The effect that the kind of company you keep has on you has further been illustrated by the beautiful words of Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam).

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said:
The example of a pious companion and an evil companion is like that of a musk seller and a person blowing a furnace. As for the musk seller, he may give you some or you may purchase some from him or you would obtain a beautiful fragrance from him. As for the person blowing the furnace he may either burn your clothing or you would
obtain an unpleasant odour from him.
[Hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim]

While we ensure that we only join good company, let us for a moment think, what kind of friend have we been to our colleagues at work, classmates at school and neighbours at home? Have we been encouraging them to participate in activities that are un-Islamic?

Am I responsible for the first puff of cigarette that he took, the first taste of drugs, the first sip of alcohol, the first attempt at gambling, the first pornographic movie or magazine which has passed through his hands? If our answer to any of the above is in the affirmative, then let us ponder over the ayah in Surah Furqaan (25:26-29) wherein ALLAH Taãla says that the wrongdoer would bite his hands on the day of Qiyamah, saying, "Would that I had not taken such a person as a friend, he led me astray from the message of ALLAH after it came to me."

Who then is a sincere friend? One who sticks with you through thick and thin, through prosperity and adversity, above all, the one who is concerned about your welfare, both in this world and the Hereafter.

ALLAH Taãla says in Surah Zukhruff (43:67)
"On that day close friends would be enemies of each other except the God-conscious ones."

A friendship which earns the Wrath of ALLAH Taãla is not worth securing as it is said: "Being alone is better than having an evil companion and having a pious companion is better than being alone."

Fi Amanillah

Ur Sister in Islaam,
Bint Isma'il

Taken from http://yahoogroups.com/group/wisdom_4_u_and_me

Visit To Coordinator

2004-11-21T10:31:00.000+08:00

DACC-Tchers paid DACC Coordinator, Sis. Nadia, a visit last night.

L2's Date With Bro. Firdaus

2004-11-20T19:47:00.000+08:00

Bro. Firdaus held an 'Id gathering today attended by DACC-Tchers and some Level 2 students.

Sharing The Pain Of Others On 'Id

2004-11-11T20:12:00.000+08:00

I wonder what kind of 'Id Noor Muhammad will have this year? The young Afghan boy, hardly 12 years old, lost his eyes and both arms during US bombing strikes on villages southwest of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Will he be celebrating in the hospital, as he seeks to put together the shattered pieces of his life, now as a blind and disabled person? What will he be thinking on 'Idulfitr as other children his age receive gifts, hugs and visits from relatives and go outside to play with friends on this happy occasion? Noor will probably never be able to play the way he used to.

What about Mr. Khalil, whose entire village was wiped out in similar strikes? "The village is no more," he told New York Times reporter, Tim Weiner, in a report on the US attacks. "All my family, 12 people, were killed. I am the only one left in this family. I have lost my children, my wife. They are no more." Will Mr. Khalil be celebrating, or burying the last of his family members in a few days' time, when families around the world gather for a holiday meal together?

And what about the Noor Muhammads and Mr. Khalils in Chechnya, Kashmir, Palestine and elsewhere? How will they be celebrating this year? These people are probably the last ones on our minds as we rush to finish our last minute shopping, pick out our outfit or decorate the house for the special occasion. While much of 'Id is focused on how to make the holiday happy and special, especially for our children, we cannot neglect to share the pain of others on this day.

These are the people for whom 'Id will mean settling into a refugee camp, not decorating their homes. For thousands of them, 'Id will mean trying desperately to find food for the day, not preparing a special meal for the family.

One way to share the pain is by simply having a discussion with family and friends about the situation of people suffering the world over. There are hundreds of "hot spots" where men, women, and children are regularly killed, oppressed, raped, tortured and subjected to all kinds of oppression and humiliation. Sitting together as a family or with friends to discuss the situation, even if it's in just one specific place, will help share information, while developing sympathy and concern.

Another way is through du'a(supplication). After 'Id prayers, following the Khutbah(sermon), most Imams make du'a for the oppressed everywhere, usually pinpointing specific areas which are in worse condition or more prominent. If you normally leave 'Id prayers before the Khutbah, this year, make a special effort to stay and be part of the du'a of the Imam and the rest of the congregation. Also, don't forget to make du'a as an individual on 'Idulfitr, thanking ALLAH for HIS Blessings while praying for people suffering everywhere.

Making du'a is a powerful tool to connect us to those who are not present with us, but who deserve our love, concern and attention. This is a way for us to share the pain of those who are suffering.

Another way of sharing the pain and trying to help is by arranging to send gifts and sweets. Some relief organizations have programs in place to provide orphans, for instance, with new clothes, a gift and sweets on 'Id day. Others may have a program to provide a family with a meal of meat or some other special food.

Finally, you can share the pain by meeting with those who are from one of the "hot spots". Invite them over, ask them about their relatives and offer to help in any way you can. Doing this will allow you to see an in-person example of a suffering person who may have escaped the fate of his or her brothers and sisters, but is still naturally concerned for family abroad. He or she can be your window into the daily struggles of those suffering in one part of the world.

Taken from http://soundvision.com/info/eid/feelforothers.asp

Ramadhan Mubarak!

2004-10-15T23:15:00.000+08:00

(Have A Blessed Ramadhan!)

Ramadhan is a month full of Blessings! Do you know why?

During the month of Ramadhan…
1. Our only enemy, Shaiţan, is chained up!
2. The gates of Jannah are wide opened and the gates of Hell are all closed!
3. The Qur’an was Sent down in this month!
4. There is Lailatul Qadr (Night of Power)!

What shall we do to grasp this opportunity?

Do not miss our 5 daily Solah

Observe the fasting of Ramadhan

Remind Daddy to pay Zakah Fitrah for the family on time

Seek ALLAH’s Forgiveness

Make du’a to ALLAH to ask for whatever you wish (make sure it’s nothing bad)

Study for our exams

Help Mommy in the kitchen

Donate to charities and the unfortunate (if you can afford)

Be good children

And of course, do not forget to think about the meaning of the Ramadhan Fast. ALLAH Wants us to ponder about the sufferings of those in real need. Many of our brothers and sisters (not just Muslims, but non-Muslims too) are suffering from hunger and thirst every day in other parts of the world. They do not have enough to eat and drink. Often, they'll go to bed in great hunger and pain. They suffer in the coldness of winter as they do not have enough clothings. We here have more than enough food and clothings, we even have many choices to choose from. ALLAH Wants us to think and realise that ALLAH Can Take away any of these Blessings from us any time. So we have to be shukur(grateful) for everything we have. Have you learnt about shukur in your Akhlaq class?

Nabil's White Shoes

2004-10-11T21:05:00.000+08:00

Nabil looks into the padi field and watches the tadpoles swimming. It is the planting season and the padi field is flooded. Farmers are going to remove the seedlings from the seed beds and transplant them into the flooded fields. The warm, wet climate in the tropics is ideal for growing padi. Meantime the tadpoles are having fun swimming in the empty field.

Nabil is waiting for his father to take him to the masjid. He can hear his father calling him, "Nabil, where are you?" Nabil replies, "I am coming, Ayah." He rushes to the road to meet his father.

As they start walking they hear a sound, squiissh, squiissh, squiissh, squiissh. "What is that noise?" asks Nabil. They stop to listen, but the noise stops as well. As they start walking again, they hear the noise again, squiissh, squiissh, squiissh, squiissh. Again they stop to listen. Again the noise stops. They are very puzzled. "Is someone following us?" asks Nabil, as he looks back. But there is no one there. What could the noise be? Is it a bird in the sky or an insect in the padi field? Again as they start walking they hear the noise.

Nabil looks down at his shoes and squeals in delight. "It's my shoes, they are wet and are making this squishing sound." They both laugh gleefully. His father looks at Nabil's shoes and exclaims, "Nabil, there is a hole in your shoe. We need to buy you a new pair of shoes. Next week when I get some money, insyaAllah, I will put aside some money for your shoes first." Nabil is very excited. Shopping for new shoes will be fun.

On Monday after school, Nabil asks his father, "Ayah, can we go shopping for my shoes?" His father says, "Sabar (be patient), Nabil." Then Nabil says to his father, "Ayah, today I saw my friend Azman wearing a nice pair of black shoes." His father says, "Alhamdulillah, that is what ALLAH subhanahu wa ta'ala Has Given to him."

On Tuesday after school, Nabil asks his father again, "Ayah, can we go shopping for my shoes?" His father says the same thing, "Sabar, Nabil." Then Nabil says to his father, "Ayah, today I saw Ustaz Marwan wearing a new pair of white shoes." His father says, "Alhamdulillah, that is what ALLAH s.w.t Has Given to him."

On Wednesday after school, Nabil asks his father again, "Ayah, can we go shopping for my shoes?" His father says, "Sabar, Nabil." "Nabil, today I saw the postman wearing smart blue shoes." This time Nabil says, "Alhamdulillah, that is what ALLAH s.w.t. Has Given to him."

On Sunday again Nabil says, "Ayah, can we go shopping for my shoes?" His father says, "Yes, today after Solah Zuhur, insyaAllah, we will go and buy your shoes." Nabil performs his Solah Zuhur and quickly gets ready to go out shopping.

At the shoe shop, Nabil sees a nice pair of black shoes. "Ayah, these shoes look very smart," says Nabil. His father says, "Yes, they look great, Nabil." His father looks at the price. "Nabil, we can only spend $25 for your shoes. These shoes cost $55. It would be a waste to buy these expensive shoes. This is an extravagance. We would be spending an extra $30. ALLAH s.w.t. does not want us to be extravagant, Nabil. What do you think we can use the $30 for?"

Nabil's father then reads an ayah of the Qur'an:
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Walaa Tusri fuu
Innahu La yuhibbul Musrifeen

And waste not by extravagance(excess).
Verily, HE (ALLAH) loves not those who waste by extravagance (excess).
~ The Qur'an, Surah Al-An'am : 141 ~

"Okay, Ayah," Nabil says. We will not be extravagant." Nabil always obeys his father, he is a soleh child.

Then Nabil sees a pair of brown shoes that look very nice. "Ayah, these shoes are $27 only. Can I buy them?" asks Nabil. His father looks at the shoes and says, "Yes, Nabil, these shoes are just right for you."

As the salesman looks for the right size of shoes, Nabil wanders around the shop and soon sees a pair of white shoes that cost $17 only. He likes the shoelaces on them. There are little bells dangling at the end of the shoelaces. "Ayah, Ayah," Nabil calls as he runs to the other side of the shop in excitement. "Can I buy these pair of white shoes with the little bells on them. They are cheaper than the brown shoes; we will save money too. Do you know how much money we will save, Ayah?"

"Are you sure you want these shoes, Nabil? I don't mind paying $27 for the brown shoes, if you want them," his father says.

"No, I don't want the expensive brown shoes. I want these white shoes which are cheaper. Ayah, we must not waste money. Remember what ALLAH s.w.t. Says," Nabil reminds his father by reading the ayah from the Qur'an.

His father smiles when Nabil finishes reading the verse. He says, "Well, Nabil, now you have a new pair of white shoes." Nabil replies, "Alhamdulillah, this is what ALLAH s.w.t. Has Given me."

Nabil is very happy. He keeps looking at his new white shoes, smiles and keeps saying, "Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah."

On the way back, Nabil's father says, "Nabil you can have the $10 we saved by buying these white shoes. You can do what you want with it, but remember to do only those things that will earn you the pleasure of ALLAH s.w.t.. When ALLAH s.w.t. Brings rezeki to us, HE also waits to see what we do with it. This $10 comes to you from ALLAH s.w.t.."

Nabil's father reads an ayah of the Qur'an:
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Wama bikum min ni'matin faminallah

And whatever of blessings [ ni'matin] and good things you have, it is from ALLAH.
~ The Qur'an, Surah An-Nahl : 53 ~

The next day Nabil is thinking of what he would like to do with all that money. It is a lot of money and he has never had so much before. At first he thinks he would like to spend all the money on ice cream or chocolates or even buy that toy car he has seen at the supermarket. Just the thought of it makes him very excited. But then he asks himself, "Will ALLAH be pleased with me if I spend all the money on myself?"

Next day after school he sits down with his father and starts writing down his ideas. Nabil decides to use the money in five different ways. Nabil starts think, "How much money is there for me to use for each way if I divide $10 into five ways?" Nabil sees that he has $2 to give his mother, whom he loves very much. He can spend $2 for himself, he can use $2 to buy treats for his brothers and sisters, he can save $2 and the last $2 he can give to the poor family who lives near the masjid. He says to himself, "ALLAH will be pleased with me if I use the money in this way rather than if I spend it all on myself."

Next day he goes with his mum to visit the poor family. When they reach the house they hear some children crying. Nabil and his mum say, "Assalaamu'alaikum, Makcik Meriam." Makcik comes out and replies, "Wa'alaikumusaalam." One little girl follows Makcik and keeps saying, "I am hungry, Mak. I am hungry, Mak. Give me some food?"

Nabil's mother gives some old clothes to Makcik. Nabil gives his $2. Makcik is very happy and says, "Alhamdulillah." She immediately wispers to her son to go and buy a packet of rice so that she can cook it for his little sister. There is nothing in the house to eat. Even though she speaks very softly Nabil and his mother can hear.

Nabil is very upset and shocked that there is nothing to eat in Makcik Meriam's house. At his house there is always something to eat. He puts his hand in his pocket and feels the balance of the money. He realizes that Makcik needs the money to feed the family but he does not need the extra money. He decides to give all the balance of $8 to Makcik. He immediately sees her face light up even more as she keeps repeating, "Alhamdulillah, mashaAllah." She tells her son to buy some more rice and dried fish.

When they reach home, Nabil starts crying as he remembers Makcik's family who has no food in their house. His mother consoles him and says, "ALLAH s.w.t. Sends rezeki to whomever HE Chooses. ALLAH s.w.t. Gives more to some and waits to see whether they will spend it all for themselves or they will share with those who are in need."

Nabil looks at his new shoes and says, "Alhamdulillah, I am glad I bought this pair of white shoes and saved $10 and therefore could give it to Makcik's family."

Taken from http://www.geocities.com/mutmainaa/kids/story/nabil_shoes.html

World Of Love & Peace

2004-10-07T15:23:00.000+08:00

A world where people love to smile,
And send good wishes all the while.
A world where people offer peace,
And good words from them never cease.
A world where people do not hoard,
But give to those who can’t afford.
A world where people help defend,
And heal the wounds and try to mend.
A world where people share a gift,
And help the pauper’s spirit lift.
A world where people feel no pride,
But live together side by side.
A world where people purify,
And always on their LORD rely.
This world, we have it in our palm.
Dear people, it is Al-Islam.

by Nabeela Malik & Tanzeela Mahmood

DACC Children's Day Celebrations

2004-10-03T19:42:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah, we had Children's Day Celebrations just now. We hope you enjoyed the yourselves and the food =D
DACC-Tchers wish all the children out there, especially our beloved DACC students, a HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY!

Quiz: Halal Food

2004-09-24T16:17:00.000+08:00

Here's a quiz you can take. Ask your parents or DACC-Tchers to check the answers for you!

1. Halal food is that which is not allowed and it is bad for us. True/False (1 point)

2. Halal and haram are two words that ALLAH Has Mentioned in the Holy Quran. True/False (1 point)

3. Fish and honey are halal. True/False (2 points)

4. We can eat meat from any animal, as long as they are prepared in the special way that ALLAH Has Told us. True/False (3 points)

5. Muslims are allowed to drink wine. True/False (1 point)

6. Deer killed by shooting are halal meat. True/False (1 point)

7. Reptiles are halal, but first they must be prepared in the special way that ALLAH Has Told us. True/False (3 points)

8. Most cheese contain rennet, which could be haram. True/False (3 points)

9. Lard is a glue-like substance without any smell or taste which is made by boiling the bones, hoofs, and other waste parts of animals. True/False (5 points)

10. Gelatin is usually made from pigs and other haram animals. True/False (3 points)

11. All food are halal until haram things are mixed with it. True/False (5 points)

12. We must look for halal certification issued by Islamic organisations to restaurants whose origins we do not know. True/False (2 points)

30 points: Excellent! You really know your stuff!
20-29 points: Very good! You did a great job!
15-19 points: Good! Solid effort!
9-14 points: You did okay, but you must learn more about halal food and drinks.
0-8 points: You could do much better. Ask your teacher to give you extra lessons on this topic!

Edited from an email from Muslims and Home Education.

Be Clean

2004-09-20T18:53:00.000+08:00

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said:
Purification is part of Iman (Faith)
[Hadith reported by Muslim]

ALLAH, our Creator, Asks us to purify (cleanse) all the time. We purify our hearts and minds from ill feeling and bad thoughts. We purify our bodies and surroundings from najasah (impurities).

A Date With Bro. Erwan

2004-09-04T17:55:00.000+08:00

:: Bro. Erwan in Tunisia ::

BULLETiN: Assalaamu’alaikum, Bro. Erwan Berori! You are the Assistant RK Head and you teach Intermediate 1 Qiraah Class 2D and Level 6 Akhlaq. When did you join DACC?

Bro. Erwan: Wa’alaikumussalam. I first taught in DACC from 1998-2000. After taking a break, I returned in 2002.

BULLETiN: You attended secular government schools up to junior college. Now you have a Bachelor of Science degree from National University of Singapore. Where did you get your education on Islam?

Bro. Erwan: I attended part-time madrasah (like DACC) at Masjid An-Nur, all the way up to secondary level. And I’m still seeking more knowledge on Islam…Do not miss the opportunities to take short courses on Islam when you don’t have time for long courses.

BULLETiN: Where are you working now?

Bro. Erwan: I’m working at Masjid Al-Muttaqin in Ang Mo Kio. So, to the boys who go to school in that area, I better see your faces at Solah Juma’ah every school week!

BULLETiN: Would you like to share any significant life experience?

Bro. Erwan: Sure…recently I went on a trip to Africa…specifically, Tunisia, a Muslim-majority country…and saw how the Arabs there live…

BULLETiN: Wait a minute…there are Arab communities in Africa?

Bro. Erwan: Yes. Some Companions of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. went to Africa in the first century of the Hijrah and from then on, the Muslim community grew in Africa.

BULLETiN: So how’s Tunisia like?

Bro. Erwan: Unfortunately the society now is as liberal as Singapore’s. However, the masajid are very different – they are much bigger and they are very much like fortresses. In fact, in the olden days, each masjid was built to be a madina (city) by itself, all self-sufficient. They were built against foreign invasion. You see, Tunisia was under the threat of an invasion by the Romans.

BULLETiN: Ooohh…I guess I have to revise my sirah on Islamic civilization!

Bro. Erwan: It is good to travel to see how people of other cultures live. ALLAH Always Recommend us to travel all over HIS Earth and to get to know our brothers and sisters elsewhere. Then we’ll begin to appreciate life here in Singapore. Assalaamu’alaikum.

BULLETiN: Jazakallah, Bro. Erwan! Wa’alaikumussalam!

End Of Term

2004-08-31T13:16:00.000+08:00

The last day of the term is 13 Rajab 1425 (29 August 2004).
Classes resume on 20 Rajab 1425 (12 September 2004).

DACC-Tchers would like to wish all of you a great week of holidays!! Remember to spend more time with your beloved family, especially your mummy and daddy! Take the extra time to revise your studies. A good Muslim seeks knowledge constantly and treasures the knowledge that ALLAH Has Given him/her.

A Closer Experience

2004-08-30T20:03:00.000+08:00

by Bro. Remy

Two months have passed since DACC slowly nestled itself in the spanking Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu, exploiting the luxurious set of classrooms that have become useful for our Sunday classes.

Despite the new setting, memoirs which were harvested at the old premise, Masjid Kampung Siglap, still lingered in our minds like ripened fruits, ready to be plucked and shared amongst ourselves.

Who could forget the moments we had back at Masjid Siglap? Remember the downpour and the thrilling time we had moving from the classroom containers to the musşolah? How about the wonderful buzz during break time as we savoured our scrumptious meal together? The rush we felt when we made our wudū’ to prepare for Solah ’Aşr. Not to mention the small usrah discussions that bound us together like families.

Experiences such as above could once again be relived here at Masjid Alkaff. In fact, the opportunities of learning in these wonderful Houses of ALLAH should make us feel grateful and keener to know about Al-Khaliq, our Creator. None of this would be realized if it is not for ALLAH’s Bounty in providing excellent surroundings for us to have our lessons.

We should continue striving and learning in the new environment which ALLAH Has Placed for us. We praise HIM for Giving us the chance to explore and discover the immense beauty of this world through the Islamic lessons. It is therefore necessary for us to remember ALLAH always and recite "alhamdulillāh". Our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. told us this good news right from our Creator:

ALLAH Said, “I am near My servant when he thinks of ME. If he remembers ME to himself, then I remember him to Myself. If he remembers me in a gathering, then I remember him in a better gathering than theirs.”
[Hadith reported by Bukhari]

It is hoped that the new set of experience which we will get, insyaAllah, at Masjid Alkaff will bring us closer to know more about Al-Khaliq.

May our stay here be a memorable and meaningful one, Āmin.

d.a.c.c BULLETiN

2004-08-29T20:15:00.000+08:00

DACC had its first issue of its bulletin today! Alhamdulillah. It is no big idea, just a few humble pages of interesting discoveries for students. InsyaAllah, we'll try to upload the bulletin articles on this blog.

All teachers (including ex-teachers), students and parents are invited to contribute. Contributions to this blog and/or the bulletin can be passed to any teacher or emailed to dacc.tchers@yahoo.com.

Children Of The World

2004-08-23T16:29:00.000+08:00

by Sharifah Diyanah (DACC Level 5)

Muslims can be found all over the world. Some may be happy while some may not be because of their situation. Those people who are happy with their situation usually live in a country which is multicultural, multi-religious society and do not have wars. They always have peace. Some examples of these countries are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and many more. Some Muslims who are living in Iraq are waiting anxiously for the war to stop. These are the people whom we should show sympathy towards. We should at least help them by giving food and medicine. The Muslims who are living in these multicultural countries are not in a bad situation as the Muslims in Iraq. They are all happy with their situation. Some of these people who are supposed to help the Iraqis are just not doing their job. The purpose of me writing this is to encourage people to help those who are in need and they will repay us when we are in need too. One out of the other situations is to pay the zakah and also donate to charity to help poor and disabled people. Have you done your part?
___________________________________________________________

DACC-Tchers reply:
Thank you, Diyanah. That is very thoughtful of you. We must always thank ALLAH for the luxury and comfort we are in. The comfort we are in is a test for us – ALLAH Is Giving us a chance to be thankful for all HIS Blessings. As we become thankful, we help our brothers and sisters in less comfortable situations by giving charity to them and practising our zakah. May ALLAH Accept all our deeds and Grant our brothers and sisters patience in facing the tests they have been put through.

You Are Blessed

2004-07-13T03:25:00.000+08:00

If you woke up this morning
with more healthIf you woke up this morning
with more health than illness,
you are more blessed than the
million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced
the danger of battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment,
the agony of torture or
the pangs of starvation,
you are ahead of 20 million people
around the world.

If you attend a mosque
without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death,
you are more blessed than almost
three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator,
clothes on your back, a roof over
your head and a place to sleep,
you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank,
in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are among
the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive,
you are very rare,
especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile
on your face and are truly thankful,
you are blessed because the majority can,
but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them
or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can
offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message,
you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world
that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways
you may never even know.

Sent By:Hoda Eldin

A New Move

2004-06-27T21:22:00.000+08:00

Welcome to a brand new term at DACC!
And welcome to a new DACC premise!
We thank Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu for allowing us to have our classes there. May this move be of great benefit to all...

The Ability To Eat

2004-04-13T14:10:00.000+08:00

Last Friday (April 9, 2004), we had the opportunity to visit a sick brother in a Hospital in East York, Canada. This brother had an infection in his stomach which caused it to explode. As a result, the doctors had to remove half of his stomach through an operation. For seven days, he is unable to eat or drink anything. Nutrients are being provided to him by using specialized methods. During our visit, we told him to be patient and pray to ALLAH for quick recovery. At one point, the brother made a very important statement. He said, "Now I have understood that if ALLAH doesn't Want, we cannot eat even one grain of rice."

Being able to eat and drink is a great Blessing of ALLAH. How costly and difficult it is to digest one meal without having a stomach! We should thank ALLAH again and again for letting us digest many meals without having to go through these difficulties.

Taken from http://www.islamcan.com/cgi-bin/increaseiman/htmlfiles/ static/108172525574192.shtml

The Universe Was Definitely Created

2004-04-03T19:38:00.000+08:00

In ancient times, man's knowledge of space was quite limited. The equipment needed to explore the sky was not as advanced as it is today. Therefore, people sometimes had strange ideas about how the Universe originated. The idea that the Universe had always existed was the funniest. That is to say, before man had telescopes and instruments to examine the heavens with, some ignorant people suggested that the Universe did not have a beginning but had existed for ever and would continue to exist for ever.

However, that’s illogical! Your house and school building were built on particular dates. Similarly, you, your mother and father have birthdays. That means everything, whether living or non-living, comes into existence at a certain time. Saying, "The Universe has no date of origin, because it has always existed" is ridiculous.

Think about this: On your morning journey to school, imagine that you took a different route and found a statue. You would certainly think, "A sculptor made this statue and placed it here." What would you say if one of your friends said, "No, this statue has always been here; nobody carved it"? But every work of art has a maker!

Those who claim that the Universe has always existed have a more ridiculous way of thinking than your friend who argues that the statue has always been there. A statue is only a piece of sculpted rock, but the Universe consists of many heavenly bodies and systems much more delicate and intricate than a piece of rock.

Edited from www.harunyahya.com

Haflah 2003

2003-11-16T17:48:00.000+08:00

DACC-Tchers made bookmarks containing the following ayah as door gifts for the Haflah:

O my son! Establish as-salat, enjoin on people the good, and forbid people the evil and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Truly, these are some of the important commandments ordered by Allah with no exemption. Surah Luqman : 17

Venue: School Premise i.e. Wisma Indah Level 2

Programme:
1.15pm Arrival of Guests & Registration, Viewing of Exhibition
2.00pm Opening by MC
2.05pm Qur'anic Recitation by Top Students from Qira'ah (Advanced) Class
2.15pm Speech by AVP (Education), Bro. Jolyon Caplin
2.30pm Multimedia Presentation on DACC
2.40pm Nasyid Performance by PreSchool and Level 1 Students
3.00pm Teachers' Performance: Fitri's Choice
3.30pm Prize Presentation
3.45pm Graduation Ceremony for Level 8
4.00pm Viewing of Exhibition, End

L7 Visit Sis. Aishah

2003-02-11T23:38:00.000+08:00

It's 'Iduladha today! And some students of Level 7 paid Sis. Aishah a visit.

DACCamp Day 3

2002-06-09T14:35:00.000+08:00

preparing for the presentation

all excited

presentation by a boys group

presentation by a girls group

DACC-Tchers judge the presentations

the best girls group

the best boys group

DACCamp Day 2 - Night Activities

2002-06-08T23:59:00.000+08:00

briefing on the BBQ

dinner with parents

workshop on Children of the World

DACCamp Day 2 - Survival Cooking Competition

2002-06-08T18:50:00.000+08:00

students are briefed on the rules

and the competition begins!

there are many things to do in cooking

DACC-Tchers monitor students cooking

some students playing with Bro. Faizal Razak's & Sis. Zainah's baby

the result of the students' cooking

Level 6 with their RK teacher, Sis. Aishah

the Muslimat

the Muslimin

cleaning up the beach

DACCamp Day 2 - Morning Activities

2002-06-08T11:59:00.000+08:00

morning exercise(?!) at the park

really, i'm still very sleepy

are U ready to fall?

the boys enjoying the trust fall

briefing for the Cargo Net Case

briefing for the water games

and the water games begin!!

DACCamp Day 1

2002-06-07T23:59:00.000+08:00

It is DACC Camp for students of Levels 5-8. The camp is held at Pasir Ris Park and Costa Sands Resort.

DACC-Tchers and students meet at Masjid Al-Istighfar, Pasir Ris

students get in line while waiting for the others

DACC-Tchers and students walking to Pasir Ris Park

setting up tents at the park

DACC Zoo Trip

2002-03-28T20:57:00.000+08:00

Do you remember the DACC Zoo Trip for Lower Levels this month? DACC-Tchers would like to say a BIG thank-you to the parents who helped in one way or another. The following are some photos of the trip. Enjoy!

Good Deeds, Bad Deeds

2002-01-11T22:04:00.000+08:00

We already know that Allah (swt) wants us to be good. Our parents also want us to be good. When you do something good or bad, it is called doing a deed. A deed is something you do. There are good deeds, like picking up your toys, and bad deeds, like making someone cry.

Allah (swt) sees what we do. He also made special workers called angels to watch over us. Angels are made of light and are always good. We cannot see them right now, but they see us. Allah does not need the angels; He just made them to do jobs to help people.

Angels are friendly and kind and always love to see us do good deeds. They ask Allah (swt) to bless the nice people. The word "bless" means to want goodness for someone.

Allah (swt) told some of the angels to write down all of our good and bad deeds in a special book. That book is all about us and our deeds. Only Allah (swt) and the angels can see this book. One day after you die, Allah (swt) will look at this book and ask you about it.

One of the angels sits on your right shoulder and another sits on your left shoulder. So you have two angels with you all the time. The one who sits on the right is in charge of writing all your good deeds down. What do you think the one on the left is writing?

Yes, the angel on your left shoulder writes all your bad deeds down. Which one of your two angels is busier? We hope the right angel is busier because he writes the good deeds down!

Here is a list of good deeds that Allah (swt) loves and some bad deeds that He hates. Remember to keep doing good deeds, so the angel on your right is very busy everyday!

Good Deeds:
* Helping grandma
* Cleaning your room
* Telling the truth
* Sharing your toys
* Obeying your parents
* Doing your homework
* Playing nice with others
* Giving money to the poor

Bad Deeds:
* Telling a lie
* Fighting with others
* Stealing something
* Calling someone bad names
* Hurting an animal

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

Where Did We Come From?

2002-01-10T00:59:00.000+08:00

Allah Made all the people in the world. All the boys and girls you see are here because of Allah. We love Allah for Making us.

We love Him so much that we should say some extra special words after we say His Name. Whenever we say the Name of Allah, we should add "Subhana huwa ta'alaa". These Arabic words mean "He is more Special and Higher than everyone."

After we write Allah's Name, we also write these three letters: swt - to remind us to praise Allah. Allah (swt) is really Great!

Allah (swt) Made the world a long time ago. When Allah (swt) first Made the world, there were no people on it. There were only lands and oceans. What kinds of animals live out in the world? Do you know what an ocean is? What live in the ocean?

Imagine a world before people were here. There were no towns, cars, stores, or even houses! We call the places in the world where there are no people by a special name. We call it nature. The whole world was filled with nature before Allah (swt) Made people. It must have looked very nice. Have you ever seen a forest or a field of flowers? Those things are nature too.

After a long time, Allah (swt) Made many different kinds of trees and animals. He Made some really big animals called dinosaurs. Have you ever seen dinosaur bones? A dinosaur is a big animal like a giant lizard. Many dinosaurs were bigger than your house! Do you know any of their names? There were big ones like the T-Rex and little ones like the stegasaurus.

When Allah (swt) Made the dinosaurs, there were no people yet. People would come later after the dinosaurs were gone. It is not good for people to live around dinosaurs. Do you know why? Because they might eat us! Ouch! When the dinosaurs were all gone from the world, then Allah (swt) Made people to live here.

The name of the first man whom Allah (swt) Made was Adam. The first woman, who was his wife, was named Hawa. Adam and Hawa were the first people on Earth. Earth is the name of our world. Adam and Hawa lived a long, long time ago.

Allah (swt) Gave them a beautiful garden to live in. They were very happy there. Allah (swt) Taught them the names of all the plants and animals. They had nothing to be afraid of. But one day they did a bad thing. Allah (swt) Gave them only one rule: do not eat the fruit off of one special tree. This was a test for them. Someone named Shaithan told them to eat the fruit, so they did. Allah (swt) got Angry with Adam and Hawa. They had to leave the garden and go out into the wild world.

After a while, Allah (swt) Heard them say they were sorry, so He Forgave them, but they could not go back to the pretty garden. It was a hard life in the world, but Allah (swt) Helped them to build a house and find food.

Allah (swt) Told Adam and Hawa to stay away from the bad Shaithan. He is a jinn. Jinns are made of fire. We can't see jinns, but we can feel them in our thoughts. Shaithan is jealous of us because Allah (swt) said people were the best. Shaithan told Allah (swt) that he was better than people and that he was going to hurt us. Allah (swt) Warned us to be careful because Shaithan wants us to break all the good rules.

Meanwhile, Adam and Hawa wanted to start a family on Earth, so they had many babies. Soon the whole world was full of people! That's where we come from!

Adam and Hawa were the first parents of everyone who lives in the world today. We are all the great, great, great grandchildren of Adam and Hawa!

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

Surah Al Fatihah

2002-01-09T14:29:00.000+08:00

In the Name of Allah, The Most Caring and The Most Kind
Praise is for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds,
The Most Caring and The Most Kind,
And the Master of the Day of Judgement.
We serve You and turn to You for help.
Guide us to the straight path,
The path of people You are happy with, not the path of people You are angry with, and not the path of people who went the wrong way.

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

I Can Learn the Qur’an

2002-01-08T14:26:00.000+08:00

Every Muslim must learn some parts of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is Allah’s Words and Guidance for us. When we learn the words of the Qur’an, we are learning Allah’s Message for us.

The Qur’an has 114 chapters called suwar. Some suwar are long and some are short. The first surah is named Al-Fatihah. Al-Fatihah means the Opening of the Book. This surah is the most important one in the Qur’an because it teaches us how to ask Allah for guidance.

We can learn this surah together in Arabic and in English. Muslims say this surah many times everyday. It is one way to feel closer to Allah. Remember to say it nicely and clearly because the words of the Qur’an are Allah’s Words.

Abridged My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

Who Made Us?

2002-01-07T11:48:00.000+08:00

Allah is the Name of God. Allah is the Strongest and Most Powerful of all. We cannot see Allah right now but we can see the things Allah Has Made for us.

Allah Made the world and everything in it. Allah Gave us the land to live on. Allah Makes the best things. Allah Told us how to be good in a very special Book. Do you remember the name of Allah’s Book?

Allah Loves us and Wants us to be the best people. When we are nice to our family and friends, we are good Muslims. Do you try to be nice to everyone? If you do, it makes Allah Happy with you.

Allah is not like a person. Allah is not a boy or a girl. Allah does not need to eat or sleep. Allah is God, the Most Powerful. Allah Made all of us and Sees us all the time.

Some people think that there are many gods but there is actually only Allah. Allah is the one and only God. Only Allah is for real. Allah does not need any helper or partner. If someone makes a picture or drawing and says that it is god, then he or she is wrong. There is only one God, and that is Allah. And no one knows what Allah looks like.

We can learn a special sentence that Allah Loves for us to say so we can remember that Allah is the Only One. We will learn to say in English and in a language called Arabic.

Allah Gave us the Qur’an. The Qur’an is in the Arabic language. There are so many people who know how to speak Arabic. We can all learn it because it is fun!

The special sentence to help us remember that Allah is One is called the Kalimah Toyyibah, or “The Good Word”. It goes like this: Laa i-laa-ha il-lAllaah. It means: there is no god but Allah.

Can you learn it? This is the best sentence you can ever say because Allah Loves for us to remember that Allah does not need any helper.

Allah Wants us to be good and Allah does not want us to be bad. Our parents want us to be good too. When we behave ourselves, Allah and our parents are happy with us.

If we are mean and call people bad names, then Allah gets Angry with us. Our parents will also be angry. When we hurt other people or break things, then we are going against the teachings of the Qur’an.

The Qur’an is Allah’s Guidance for us. Guidance means learning the right way. Remember to follow the guidance of the Qur’an so you can be the best Muslim.

Allah Gave us a special job in the world. Allah Gave us the whole planet so we could be good and take care of it. If we hurt animals or plants for no reason, then Allah becomes Angry with us. If we are kind to animals and plants, then Allah is Happy with us.

Remember to be good to every person, plant and animal in the world. Allah is Good and Loves good people. Don’t you love people who are nice to you?

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

I Have Friends

2002-01-06T17:34:00.000+08:00

I am a Muslim. I have friends. I am good to my friends and I play nicely. I say “assalaamu’alaikum” to them. I try not to say “hi” or “bye” because the Islamic way of greeting is better.

A good Muslim should always share his/her toys with other children. Sharing means taking turns. If I do not share my toys, my friends will be sad. Allah is not happy with people who do not share. If I share, everyone is happy with me.

Do you know who Allah is? Allah is God. Allah is the One who made this world. He gave us the Qur’an. Allah made me and my parents Muslims.

I will share with others so Allah will be happy with me. Allah loves me and wants me to be the best person. We will learn more about Allah as the days go by.

Allah gave us the Qur’an a long time ago. The Qur’an is a very special Book. The Qur’an tells us what is good and what is bad. The Qur’an says that sharing and being nice are good.

My parents believe in Allah, and they read the Qur’an. My parents learn from the Qur’an and I will too. The word “iman” means to believe. A good Muslim always wants to have iman and learn how to be the best. What Book does a Muslim read to be the best person? Yes, we read the Qur’an and it helps us to have iman.

Remember to share your toys because Allah loves children who share. What toys will you share today?

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

I Love My Family

2002-01-05T12:46:00.000+08:00

I have a family. A family is a group that has a mother, a father and some children. Some families live together in the same house while some families live in separate houses. Every family is filled with love.

I am a child in my family. My brothers and sisters are a part of my family. Some people have big families and other people have small ones.

What kind of family do your friends in class have, big families or small families? How many brothers and sisters does each person in your class have? Why do people in a family love one another very much?

Families do many things together. They go places, eat together, do chores and play games. Families live in a house or an apartment. Where does your family live?

Your mom and dad want to keep you safe from danger and getting hurt. This is the job of parents.

Parents bring food for the family, and they buy us toys to play with. What are some of the toys that your parents have given you?

Families read books together. The best book to read is the Qur’an. The Qur’an is a Book that tells us how to be the best Muslims. Where is the Qur’an kept in your house?

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

I Love My Parents

2002-01-04T20:25:00.000+08:00

I am a child. A child has a mom and dad. I love my mom and dad. They take good care of me. They love me. I must be a good child. When I am good, my mom and dad are very happy.

My mom and dad want me to be a good Muslim. A Muslim is a peaceful, happy person who loves everybody and shares and cares. A Muslim follows a way of living called Islam. Islam teaches us the best way to be good in this world.

I want my parents to be happy. They try to be good Muslims. I will learn to be a very good Muslim, too.

A good child helps his/her parents. I can help my parents with the chores. The word “chores” means the work you do around the house, like cleaning and taking out the garbage. Boys and girls can both help with the chores. What are some jobs you can do around the house to help your mom and dad?

When we help our parents, we are also being good Muslims. A Muslim likes to help people. When we see our mom and dad, we should say “assalaamu’alaikum” to them. Hug your mom and dad after you say it to show them you love them.

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

Assalaamu'alaikum

2002-01-03T20:01:00.000+08:00

Assalaamu’alaikum! That’s what we say to one another when we meet.

“Assalaamu’alaikum” means “peace be upon you”. Peace means to be nice and safe. When we say “assalaamu’alaikum”, we are telling others we will be nice to them. It is good to be nice to people.

When we hear someone say “assalaamu’alaikum”, we should say “wa’alaikumussalam”. “Wa’alaikumussalam” means “and peace be upon you too”. This is how we tell the other person we will be nice too.

When we meet our friends, we should shake hands with them. We must use our right hand only. Boys only shake hands with boys, and girls shake hands with girls only.

Can you practise saying “assalaamu’alaikum” with a handshake? Do you remember what the person who hears “assalaamu’alaikum” has to say back to his friend? And don’t forget to smile! :)

Abridged from My First Book About Islam by Yahiya Emerick

My First Book About Islam

2002-01-02T13:33:00.000+08:00

This book is for children aged 7-9 years old.

'Id Visitations 1422H

2001-12-30T23:42:00.000+08:00

DACC-Tchers went visiting in conjunction with 'Idulfitr.

Salamz

2001-12-28T02:09:00.000+08:00

Assalaamu'alaikum & 'Id Mubarak :)

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