Six Days That Equal One Year!

By Yara Daoud

Aqsa School

It is the day after Eid Break and students’ long faces float through the halls. The most thrilling thing about being back in school is catching up with friends at lunch. During lunch everyone’s faces dance with laughter. A group of students notice a table of girls not eating. “Hey, guys, why aren’t you eating?” a girl curiously asks.

“Well, it is the month of Shawwal, and if you fast six days in Shawwal, Allah (SWT) will grant you a reward,” she replies enthusiastically.

“Wow, really? What is the reward?” the girl replies very intrigued.

“The Prophet (S) said, ‘He who fasts Ramadan and six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted a whole year.’” she states.

“That is amazing! I am definitely going to fast these six days, Insha’Allah!”

Fasting the six days of Shawwal is extremely beneficial and should be seized as an excellent opportunity to obtain by every single Muslim. If you accomplish fasting these six days Allah (SWT) will grant you with fasting an entire year, Subhan’ Allah. This shows how merciful and compassionate Allah (SWT) is to us. Fasting is not all that easy, but there are many ways to make it easier especially for us teens.

Here are some tips:

1.      Fast consecutively or else you will just get lazy and never be able to finish all six days.

2.      Fast right after Ramadan while you are still in the habit of fasting.

3.      Fast during the week because being in school will take up seven hours of your fasting time and make it easier on you.

4.       Fast with friends.  Fasting together gives you the power to keep going because you don’t want to disappoint your friends.  Breaking for Iftar with friends is a blast!

No Time to Hibernate

By Thenall Abuhasna

Aqsa School

“Make sure you’re dressed warmly before you go outside,” calls my mother from the kitchen. “Don’t worry I am,” I say.

Summer has ended, and now it’s the season of hoodies and bonfires. It’s time to hear the leaves go “crunch crunch crunch” every time we take a step. Now it’s time to take that sip of warm hot chocolate, “yummy yum yum.” The weather has become chilly as ice, which means the less activities there are to do.  Here are some activities for you to do instead of locking yourself up or hibernating in your home til next summer.

·         Ice skating: This is always  a fun way to spend a Saturday. Take your weekend for a new spin. Enjoy the laughs and smiles while you slip and fall or while your friends slip. Be sure to bundle up though. J

·         Going to apple orchards with the family: Apple picking is not only fun, but a way to introduce your family to a healthy, heart-friendly snack.  Plus when your bushels are stacked, you can come home and bond even more while baking and devouring homemade apple pie.

·         Simply curling up with a book while drinking hot chocolate: Grab a pillow, your comforter, your cup and your favorite book. Peace will flow through the top of your head to the bottom of your toes.

·         Taking a nice walk at the Little Red School-House trail walk: Walking during a nice crisp breezy fall day can be interesting. It’s a great way to breathe in some fresh air, enjoy nature, listen to the leaves crunch when they are being stepped on, and a good way to take time out to think. It’s also an excellent way to get your body moving instead of being a couch potato.

Follow the Example of the Prophet

By Ranyah Abdelrahim

Aqsa School

Strolling down the streets of Chicago with her girlfriends, Nadia spots a homeless man lying like a sick dog on his side, asking for spare change. “Spare change, please.” The homeless man asks Nadia.

“No, sorry,” She replies with a lie. As she walks away, she spots a Starbucks and goes in for a Latte. The old homeless man, hunched over, watches helplessly as the girl who just told him she did not have money on her walks out with a drink not even acknowledging his presence. Nadia did not realize that the Prophet (PBUH) would have reacted in a different manner.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a guide to all Muslims.  He was sent to perfect the morals of his followers.  The Prophet (PBUH) was always generous towards the poor.  He would treat them with respect and put them over himself. There was a story of when the Prophet (PBUH)  had one loaf of bread. He cut that loaf and gave it to the people close to him who did not have anything to eat. This shows how generous the Prophet (PBUH) was, and we should take in what he did, and try our best to be like him.

Attention middle and high school students! To submit your original islamically appropriate articles or

art work for the Community Pulse, email them to connie@mosquefoundation.org. Articles must be in

word format, art work must be in jpg, pdf or png format.  Include your name and school. All submissions

will be considered according to Community Pulse guidelines.