Month: May 2020

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Tribute to the Class of 2020

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Congratulations to the graduating class of 2020. We are so proud of all your accomplishments. You have made your family and the AIMOM Family Proud. We ask Allah to continue showering His blessing on you all….

CONGRATULATIONS

Gafar Amuda

College: University of St. Thomas – Minnesota

Major: Computer Science

Minor: Applied Statistics with honor

GPA: 3.3

Gafar Amuda is the oldest of three children. He is currently employed by US Bank as an Information Security Specialist.

He moved to Minnesota with his family at the age of five. Graduated high school as the 7th best student with a GPA of 4.7. Earned different scholarships through different organizations – Optimist Club, US Bank, Wallen Foundation, and CAIR of Minnesota. Graduated without any school loan. He tutored as a computer science tutor for his school and also for St. Paul Public Libraries on a weekly basis.

Member of Muslim Youth Awareness (MYA).

Aisha Adedayo

North High School

GPA: 4.3281

Beginning her college journey InshaAllah in Fall. Gained admission into one of the best universities in the country—Washington University St. Louis

Major: (BS/BA in Healthcare Administration (Pre-Med Track).

Aisha Adedayo was born in Nigeria, moved to the United States with her family at the age of five. She is the oldest of four children. 

She belongs to different committees during her school years:

  • Chaired the advertising committee for student council and represented her school at several regional and state conferences
  • Started a relay for life team during sophomore years and joined the planning committee for the event
  • Founded the junior optimist club in junior year, a club that promotes self-development, community service, and creating a more positive school environment 
  • Recruited to join the polar portraits team and became co-president during her senior year
  • Had the opportunity to serve on the District 622 advisory board for both junior and senior year where she represented North high students on different district policies
  • Co-founders of MYA (Muslim Youth Awareness) where she serves as the group President till date
  • Founder of the NCNMO Youth Forum a youth group that includes youth representatives from across the 50 states to advocate for youth issues and partake in NCNMO events planning committee

Aisha’s love for art had led her to win several prestigious art awards during her junior year and opened up many opportunities, including an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for winning the congressional art competition. 

Zainab Lolade Agunbiade

Carl L. Carlson School of Management

College: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

B.S.B. Finance and Risk Management Insurance

GPA: 3.4

Lolade Agunbiade is the second child of three children. She had started her own Real Estate business while in college. She likes to travel and learn about new cultures and see different places. Her favorite Nigerian Food is Iyan with red soup (Omi obe) and Ogbono. She enjoys watching movies, sports, and learning about real estate and entrepreneurship.

Bisola Yakoub

School: Champlin Park High School

GPA: 3.56

Admitted to the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

Major: Law

Bisola Yakoub started playing soccer at the age of 6 years old. She loves to model with the help of a company based in Eagan MN. She participated in gymnastics together with her sister in Twin City Twister in Champlin.

She also participated in the school track & field. She was a member of the Leo Club. She received numerous awards from different organizations like IB and Jefferson. She was selected as the student of the month from her school.

Bisola is a very caring, sweet, and determined girl. She enjoys being around babies and kids. With the help of Allah and her efforts, her junior brother now prays five daily prayers.

She is the current Muslim Youth Awareness (MYA) Vice President.

Nafisat Souli

College: Anoka Technical College

GPA: 3.00

Major: LPN-BSN

Nafisat was born in Nigeria but grew up in Togo where she had the opportunity to attend French school for 12 years. She moved to America in 2012. Speaks four languages (Yoruba, Ewe, French, English (which she learned upon arriving in America 2012 Alhamdulillah), and a little bit of Arabic Language.

Alhamdulillah, she has been married for almost three years to an amazing, God-fearing and supportive husband with a beautiful 19 months old son named Faisal Allahuma barik Aameen. She values her religion so dearly. She appreciates meaningful relationships that bring her closer to her Creator. In her free time, she loves to learn more about her religion.

She loves nature as well as photography as a way of capturing beautiful moments and connecting pictures to life. She enjoys seeking beneficial knowledge regarding her religion, and spending quality time with family especially with her son. She had been blessed enough to participate in different Qu’ran competitions and awarded some prizes Allahuma Barik Aameen.

Nafisat is a dedicated and committed member of our community. She teaches Quran and Islamic Studies in our weekend Islamic school. She is also a core member of our community events planning committee. A member of the Muslim Youth Awareness advisory committee.

We ask Allah to reward her and continue to shower her with more blessings. Amin

Taoheed Bayo

School: University of Minnesota

Major: Actuarial Science

Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a minor in risk management, statistics, and management.

Outside of school, he works part-time as a banker and a freelance model. Some of his achievements in the modeling world include features with paper magazines and Vogue Italia. Along with these works, he has an art exhibition coming up at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a runtime from August 26 – November 1, 2020.

Yekeenat Giwa

School: St. Catherine University

GPA: 3.75

Major: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Career: Nursing

Yekeenat Giwa has her first degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (2010), Zaria Nigeria. She is a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, 2011. She worked with the Voice of Nigeria before moving to the United States in 2013.

She attended Century College and earned herself the membership of phi theta kappa honors society, 2018. She proceeded to St. Catherine University and was admitted into the Nursing Program in 2018 where she became a member of the Honors Society of Phi Theta Phi, 2019. While in school, she was on the dean’s list for the most of her semesters.

Yekeenat is a mom of two kids and a loving wife. She is a quiet lady who loves to explore, so she gets excited every time she has to do research. She enjoys traveling and reading.

Her favorite slogan “……..reflect, allow surprises, be hopeful, don’t think less of yourself, and trust Allah!”

Mutiat O. Momoh

School: Minnesota State University, Mankato

Major: Psychology and Child Development Studies, B.S.

Cumulative GPA: 3.7

Honors: Magna Cum Laude, Dean’s list all semesters

Mutiat believes with hard work, dedication, and perseverance anything can be accomplished. Nothing comes easy in life; you must be consistent and work hard for what you want to achieve. She also believes that keeping God first and dedication are keys to success.

She chose to study psychology because she wants to help children to overcome challenges with trauma, adverse childhood events, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other psychological disorders using psychotherapy and counseling. After graduation, she hopes to continue her education in the field of clinical counseling psychology with a specialization in trauma and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Idris Adekunle Abatan

School: Champlin Park High school

GPA: 3.91

Admission: University of Minnesota Twin Cities (CBS)

Major: Biology

Idris is a proud member of the African American community. He is graduating with the highest honors from Champlin Park high school. While school, Idris participated in Track, Concert Orchestra, and was a proud member of Leo Club. InshAllah, Idris Adekunle Abatan will be attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities this fall.

Mohammed El Hassan Titilope

School: Blaine High School

Ambition: Military Army

Hassan has been a very wonderful, loving, and caring child since the beginning of his life. He is very kind and respectful to everyone. Alhamdulillah Rabil Allamin for his growth and progress. All the success in every factor of his life, inshallah.

He also has the ambition of pursuing his career into University for more of undetermined Carrier InShaa Allah (We ask Allah to guide him to the right career path). He is more prayerful for Almighty Allah’s guidance.

He is a member of Blackmen Society and Entrepreneurship

Semiu Oladokun

School: Columbia University

Major: Executive Masters in Technology Management

Semiu is popularly known in the community as Semmy, has contributed immensely to the progress and growth of our community. He is one of our community leaders that shows and demonstrates over the years that leadership is not about a title. It is about commitment, impact, influence, and inspiration.

He is a dedicated member who sacrifices his free time and money in teaching our future generation the knowledge of knowing their creator – Allah – every Sunday.

He enjoys playing soccer and biking.

On behalf of the entire AIMOM community members

We entrust Allah with what you have accomplished and have achieved,
May Allah bring it back to you all when you need it.

We ask Allah to be your Protector, to shower His infinite Mercy on you

We ask Allah to make your degrees beneficial knowledge

May Allah, bless Prophet Muhammad his family, and the entire AIMOM members…Amin

CONGRATULATIONS

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ZAKAT AL-FITR COLLECTION IS DUE TOMORROW FRIDAY

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Collection Due Tomorrow

Please watch the video

As-Salaam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala accept our prayers and fasting, forgive our shorting comings and grant us all goodness in this life and the hereafter, Ameen.

Please remember to pay your Zakat-ul-Fitr of $10 per person plus ($2 Paypal service fee optional) for each person you are responsible for no later than tomorrow Friday, May 22, 2020. The plan is to distribute the funds to those in need in our local community on Saturday May 23 Inshaa Allah.

You can go to http://www.aimom.org and select the donate button or click http://www.aimom.org/donations/ to take you directly to the AIMOM’s donate page. Please select “Zakat-ul-Fitr” from the drop-down list.

Jazakallahu Khairan

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Praying Eid prayer at home due to COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic

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In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon Allah’s Messenger, his family, his Companions, and those that followed.

The Eid prayer is one of the obvious symbols of Islam. The scholars’ rulings on it vary, deeming it a communal obligation, an individual obligation, or at least a highly stressed sunnah.
Because that which is easy is not voided due to difficulty, so long as it is possible, even in the most stringent of circumstances, it should not be neglected.

Similar to the Jumu’ah (Friday) prayer, which is performed within its permitted framework, even if only by the masjid administration, so too should the Eid prayer be performed. The issue of performing the Eid prayer at home for those who missed it in the congregation is rather lenient.

While the khutbah is a condition of validity for Jumu’ah, it is a recommendation (not mandatory) for both Eids. This is supported by the narration of ʿAbdullāh b. al-Sa’ib who said, “I attended the Eid with Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), and he said, ‘We are going to deliver a sermon, so whoever wants to sit for the sermon should sit, and whoever wants to leave should leave’.” Therefore, neither the khutbah nor listening to it is a requirement of the Eid prayer.

Though the Friday prayer should be primarily performed in the masjid, the Eid prayer is primarily performed outdoors, in an open space outside of the masjid. Because of that, the majority of the jurists, with the exception of the Hanafis, have declared it permissible to perform it at home for whoever missed it in the congregation. It has been narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that if he missed the Eid prayer with the imam, he would gather his family and servants, and ʿAbdullāh b. Abi Utbah would lead them in two rak’at, making takbir.

Al-Muzani related from al-Shāfi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) in Mukhtasar al-Umm, that “the individual should pray both Eids in their home, and so should the traveler, the bondservant, and the woman.”

According to the Malikis, al-Khurashy, a Maliki jurist, said, “It is recommended for whoever misses the Eid prayer with the imam to pray it. Should that be done in a congregation or alone? There are two opinions” (summarized from Sharh al-Khurashi, 2/104). Al-Mardawi, a Hanbali jurist, said in al-Insaf, “If they miss the prayer (meaning Eid) it is recommended to make it up in the manner it is normally prayed (just as the imam prays it).”

The fatwa of the Permanent Committee in Saudi Arabia is based on this.

Accordingly, there is no harm in performing the Eid prayer at home, individually or in (one’s household) congregation, for those who miss the Eid prayer in the congregation or are unable to perform it in congregation due to some constraint.

There is also nothing wrong with listening to a sermon on TV, online, and so on, after performing the Eid prayer at home, either alone or in a private congregation, as a general reminder; because general reminders are permitted regardless of the time or setting.

And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Reference:
AMJA Resident Fatwa Committee

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How to Calculate Your Personal Zakat

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Introduction

Zakat is one of the pillars of the Islamic faith. It means you donate some of your personal wealth to those in need. Zakat purifies your spirit and brings you closer to Allah, or God. Learn how to calculate your personal zakat so you can fulfill your spiritual duties.

Determining the Nisab

  1. Calculate the nisab. Nisab is the threshold or cut-off amount. If your personal wealth, or what you own, is more than the nisab, you owe zakat. If your personal wealth is below the nisab, you don’t owe zakat. You use either the current market price of gold or silver to calculate nisab. Always check current market rates, as gold and silver prices fluctuate.
  • Choose either the gold or silver rate, not both. The nisab is the cash equivalent of 3 ounces/87.48 grams of gold or 21 ounces/612.36 grams of silver.
  • For example, if each ounce of silver is currently worth $15, the nisab using the silver calculation is $315 ($15 X 21 ounces = $315). If your personal wealth is above $315, you owe zakat.

2. Determine your cycle dates. Zakat is an annual duty. It’s due one lunar year, or hijiri, from the first day you exceeded the nisab threshold or from the day you last paid zakat. For western, Gregorian and Hijri Date conversations, check out: IslamicFinder Hijri and Gregorian Calendar Date Conversions

  • If you know your personal wealth is always above zakat, select any date during the year to pay. Keep track of the date so you remember when it’s due the next year.
  • Many people choose Ramadan as the month they pay zakat. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. It’s a sacred time when Muslims read the Koran and fast from dawn to dusk. Paying zakat is another way to cleanse the soul during this holy period

3. Base your calculations on silver. Silver has a lower price than gold. Using silver for the nisab means you’re more likely to exceed the threshold. You’ll be able to meet your spiritual and moral duty to provide for those who are less fortunate.

  • For example, if each gram of silver is worth $0.66, the nisab using the silver calculation is $404.15 (612.35 grams X $0.66 = $404.15). More people would exceed this threshold rather than the gold threshold.

4. Know the difference between zakat and tax. Zakat is not a tax. It’s a spiritual act to help relieve people’s suffering. Some people believe that in many countries, paying zakat is voluntary whereas paying taxes is mandatory. However, this is incorrect. Zakat is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, and therefore, it is an absolute must on every Muslim who is able to pay it. It is attributed to the universal religion of Islam and therefore has nothing to do with the law of the land. Zakat directly helps the poor and needy.

  • Zakat teaches you self-discipline. It helps you focus on helping others rather than on your own possessions and needs. It helps you be a better Muslim and brings you closer to Allah.

Determining Your Wealth

  1. Identify your assets. Start calculating your assets, or what you own. This is the first step is figuring out how much zakat you’ll pay. You exclude the assets you use for everyday life. For example, your primary residence, car, clothes, and business equipment are not used in your zakat asset calculations. It’s based on what’s left after you take care of you and your family’s living expenses.
  • Some examples of zakat-eligible assets include stocks, savings, investment properties, cash, business income, or precious metals such as gold.
  • Determine how much your zakat-eligible assets are worth for the year.

2. Identify your liabilities. Debt from credit cards, college or other loans subtracts from your personal net worth. These outstanding debts are deducted from your total zakat-eligible assets.

  • If you obtained a personal loan of any type (car, home, cash), then look at how much you pay per month to your creditors, not the entire outstanding debt.
  • Add up how much you owe each month to your creditors. Multiply this amount by 12 to calculate your annual liability amount.

3. Determine your zakat net worth. Subtract your liabilities from your zakat-eligible assets. For example, your assets for the year total $6,000 and your liabilities total $2,000. Your zakat net worth or zakat pool of money is $4,000 ($6,000 – $2,000 = $4,000).

Calculating Your Zakat

  1. Compare the nisab with your zakat net worth or pool. If your zakat net worth is more than the nisab, you owe zakat. If it’s less, you don’t owe this year.
  • For example, your zakat net worth is $4,000. Each ounce of silver is currently worth $15, so the nisab using the silver calculation is $315 ($15 X 21 ounces = $315). You have more than the nisab so you owe zakat.

2. Give a percentage of your zakat net worth. If you’re over the nisab threshold, give a minimum of 2.5% of your zakat net worth. Give more than 2.5% if you’re financially able.

  • For example, if your net worth is $4,000, you’ll give $100 for zakat ($4,000 X .025 = $100). However, give more if you’re financially able.
  • The calculation is slightly higher if you’re using a western, Gregorian calendar vs. the lunar Hijri calendar. If you’re following the western calendar cycle use 2.557% of your net worth. If you’re following the Hijri calendar, use 2.5% of your net worth.