Islamic Friendship Association of Australia: September 2009

Facilitating the Iftar of the Islamic Charitable Association of Beirut City Inc. 5 September 2009, Jasmin 1 Restaurant, Auburn.

Notes from the opening speach by Keysar Trad:

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Welcome distinguished guests, elders and friends and thank you for joining us for this Iftar.

As tonight marks the fifteenth night of the holy month of Ramadan, instead of repeating a message that you would have heard at every Iftar, I have decided to remind you of a lesson from fasting that we don't often hear.

Fasting requires that we control our mouth, that we keep it closed to food and water from dawn to sunset. We are also required to ensure that we do not ruin our fasting by saying anything that is wrong.

All this means that fasting predominently requires the control of the mouth. When it comes to speaking, the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him told us that sometimes a person may say a word heedlessly that it may cast him into hell for seventy autumns. Words are very important and it is very important to choose our words carefully and wisely. Some people have suffered greatly in this world for ill-chosen words.

The other part of our body that we must control is the private part, the prophet peace and blessings upon him said if you guarantee me two things, your mouth and your private parts, (that you do not misuse them), then I will guarantee you paradise, or Heaven.

This is the month that trains us to control these things very well. It is the month that strengthens our soul so that it can over come the needs of the flesh. This is the wonderful month of Ramadan.