Iโm really glad to be spending my Ramadhan once again in Cairo this year alhamdulillah, particularly these last 10-15 days. The main mosques hereย open up for Qiyam al-Layl (the Night prayer) sometimes from mid-Ramadhan because they aim to complete Qurโanic recitation in prayersย for a 2nd time in this month (once already in Taraweeh).
Daily routine
I wasย also gladย to have moved apartments and settled in near Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabaah (radhiallahu `anhu) just before these awakhir (last days) set in because it meant we could go for qiyam al-layl. These days often see a total change in daily routine forย a lotย ofย people in Cairo.ย Shaykh Rida โAbdul-Muhsin is the main Imam there, he starts the qiyaam at 12am and finishes the 8 rakaโat of prayers by about 3.30am, roughly 30mins before Fajr salaah. When I say itโs real qiyaam, I mean itโs real qiyaam โ one time we stood praying justย 2 rakaโahs for almost an hour โ the Imam recited the whole of soorah Yusuf in just 1 rakaโah. It was incredible subhanallah:
โVerily, the rising by night is very hard and most potent and good for governing the soul, and most suitable for understanding the Word of Allah.โ [al-Muzzammil: 6]
After the qiyaam al-layl, we eat our suhoor and recite Qurโan/adkhar until the Fajr salaah. Afterwards, thereโs time to read some adhkar before setting off for home โ walking in peace and transquility with the rising sun.
One of the problems I find in the UK (and other places) is that the Imams donโt always recite in a steady, melodious way that actually gives you time to contemplate and think deeply about the verses โ sometimes I feel they just want to get through the taraweeh or qiyam al-layl as fast as possible lol. Those whoโve experienced these night prayers know that theyย are a different story altogether, the Imams and congregation break down and weep on different verses, sometimes they repeat a certain verse 2 or 3 times until there is no dry eye in the congregation of worshippers โ likeย itโs said, ุญุฑู ุจู ุงููููุจ โย โโฆ move the hearts with it (recitation).โ
What was even more fascinating for me was the congregation. Forget the menโs jamaโah, the women alone exceeded 200 solid easilyย (on some nights, I estimated about 300-400). My previous experiences of Ramadhan qiyam was in Masjid Salam which I lived near, the congregation was roughly about 50 women, so this is a record in our areas. Young, old, healthy and crippled,ย I remember thinking subhanallah, these are the true slaves of Allahย coming to stand before Him at a time when the world sleeps on.ย I just pray the govโt doesnโt prevent the shaykh from leading, they always seem to clamp down on the aโimma whenever they begin to attract a large no. of worshippers โ this year Shaykh Ibn Jibreen was told he canโt lead in Masjid โAmr ibn โAas anymore (as the congregation would exceed the thousands which they feared).
Suhoor
The funniest thing (only my sister will understand this) is suhoor here. Back in the UK, whenever my father and sister attended qiyam al-layl at the masjid, the brothers would order pizza for the whole jamaโah as suhoor. It was a nice gesture as the local pizzeria was owned by brothers (who would donate). I love pizza anyway alhamdulillah but my dad lol, he thinks itโs crazy to eat pizza, especially for suhoor. Well, things are not much different hereโฆ my flatmates and I always run out of time to pack our suhoor so on our way to the masjid, we regularly stop by this Juice Bar and order โBoreo milkshakeโ (the best chocolate mix Iโve ever had) ๐ then walk for 5mins and stop by the bakery to get 2 or 3 slices of pizza and zaletti (sweet dish)! Weโre so regular at these 2 places that the uncle at the bakery laughs at us, saying salaam to us and โahlan โalaa al-โaseer (welcoming our drinks) โ we got him some milkshake too in the end.
To my sister: Tell dad โitโs still pizza for suhoorโ ๐
I had pizza this morning too!! haha…
this is making me miss Cairo so much…jazakillahu khair for sharing that beautiful experience with us =) Give my salaams to Shazeaa.
Salamunalaikum…!
Alhumdulilla.It is really interesting & inspiring to read whatever u have mentioned.
The same situation is here too in INDIA-HYD(more or less) at Masjid-e-Azizia.
This ummah is a lucky nation.It was forbidden what causes distress to the soul (Music) and has been provided in replacement what brings tranquility to it.(Al-Qur’an).
As-salรขmu โalaikum
Are there any “high quality” recordings of Shaykh Rida leading the Taraweeh this year?
subhanAllah I completely agree about the qiyaams here. Alhamdulillah at my masjid, the imaam reads very slow and the ruku and sujood are very long, I really enjoy it. One time the other imaam led isha prayer, and it was about 30 mins long, reading the end of suratul A’raaf and beginning of Anfaal.
mashaAllah my cousin gave me some audios of shaykh Rida’ a few years ago, I didn’t know he was Egyptian! hafidhahullah!
Sammer, Cairo is missing you too! So tell me, nothing beats pizza right (other than ‘adas & fuul)? ๐
Aboo Uthmaan, they were selling some new recordings outside which I managed to pick up but haven’t listened to it yet. Will upload some suwar if quality is good insha’Allah
Amatullah, that’s got to be rare in the US masha’Allah! Last night’s qiyam here lasted for more than 4 hours and I think the congregation jumped to more than 3000 altogether – they managed to finish the Qur’an (in just 12 days of qiyaam), it was something else tabarakallah.
The qiyaam is incredible, its amazing experiencing such closeness and connection with the words of Allaah subhanahu ๐
p.s. you didnt mention the dogs on the streets in the night.. the scary dogs that made me run in the other direction! remember the detour we had to make to get to the masjid?! the long way round! lol, subhan Allaah still makes me shudder ๐
Yes, please do, ASAP please, LOL!
Ruqayyah, ahlan! lol forget the detour it was more embarrassing on the last day as you went to the airport ๐ you know, I think we have to come to terms with these K9’s, after all we’re in their territory!
Aboo Uthman, check this out: http://www.yousendit.com/download/bVlBN3RRQ3RENlNGa1E9PQ
If you think it’s good quality, I can upload some more on an archive insha’Allah – which suwar shall I upload?
Yes, sound quality is not bad… Please feel free to upload anything that is not already available online, which I guess means recordings from this Ramadan 1429. Much appreciated – Jazak’Allaahu khair!
assalama’alaykum sister, i’m new in cairo and have moved here to nasr city from the US with my husband and 2 young kids. I am insh’allah going to try to enroll in fajr institute for fus-ha or ‘amiyya.
In the meantime, I am interested in getting in touch with some sisters who attend fajr or another arabic learning institue in cairo.
Insh’allah if you are alright with that, please drop me an email.
oh yeh…I went to masjid bilal tonight. mash’allah it was so nice under the sky. I also met another sister who had lived in the US several years back and she said alot of foreign peepz are in that area.
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh,
Eid Mubaarak.
May Allaah accept our and your deeds this Ramadhaan.
Is it possible that you could arrange for me to get a decent quality set of Shaykh Ridda’s recitation?
Obviously I’ll pay, but let me know how much.
I’ve entered my email so maybe you can tell whoever you know to email me to arrange the payment.
Jazaaki Allaahi khayr
Assalaamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum,
There are very good Imams in London, so I don’t feel that it is fair to write them all off like that, and some of them to be fair are better than the one provided here in the mp3 format.
Imams such as Imam Ahmad Dahdouh, formerly of Brixton Mosque and currently at al-Manaar in Ladbroke Grove, is an example of this. He is an excellent Imam and recites in Warsh. Also the brother Shukri who leads at the Qatari Masjid. Not to mention Imams in other parts of London.
‘Eid sa’eed, kullu `aam wa antum tayyibeen
N-n, insha’Allah I’ll drop you an email ๐
Abu Yunus, you’re right, I apologise for the generalisation (my statement is probably still applicable to my local masjids though!).
I’ve heard about the Imam in Ladbroke Grove masha’Allah,
ุฒุงุฏ ุงููู ุฃุฆู ุชูุง ูู ูู ุงูุฎูุฑ – ุขู ูููููููููููููููููููููููููููููููู
Fulaan, yeah sure insha’Allah I can get you the CD (it’s just one CD with the whole Qur’an compilation) but will have to work out a way of safe and decent-speed delivery. Unfortunately, post/delivery here is pretty bad and at times, non-existent ๐
If you know anyone coming back to your town from Cairo I can always pass it onto them – it’s our usual style of getting things to people abroad!
Soorah al-Ghafir
Soorah Ya-Seen
Aboo Uthmaan, unfortunately, the recordings are from last year sorry!
More uploads:
Juz ‘Amma: http://www.archive.org/download/Juzamma/078-114Juzu3ama.mp3
Juz Tabarak: http://www.archive.org/download/JuzTabarak/067-077JuzuTabarak_64kb.mp3
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh,
I recently met a few brothers who live around there but don’t know them that well. I will try to get in touch with them and ask them if they can pick it up from your people.
I’ll let you know once I’ve contacted them.
By the way is the whole CD on MP3 coz that will make life so much easier.
Assalaamu alaykum
Wa `alaykumusalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
The whole CD is on mp3 insha’Allah.
Jazak’Allaahu khairan! Is it possible for you to upload the whole CD?
Assalaamu alaykum,
What is the name of the locality that Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabaah is in so I can tell my boys ?
Madinatul Nasr (Nasr City)
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah,
Jazaaka Allaahu khayr akhee.
Masha’Allah, my friend is uploading all of Shaykh Ridha’s recitations from last years Taraweeh. She’s just started, so please bear with her and keep yourselves up-to-date:
http://istighfar.wordpress.com/entire-quran-by-shreda-abdul-muhsin/
Don’t forget to make du’a for her…
Allah yakrimuk ukhti!
Masha’Allah, may Allah reward her!
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh,
Ahh, ma sha Allaah indeed. That’s good news.
May Allah reward both of you and help us to act upon whatever he enables us to recite.
I patiently await …