Archive for August, 2009

August 2009 Newsletter - Last Chance to Win! DON’T Miss Your Chance to Learn Arabic for Free!

Monday, August 31st, 2009

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3. Top 3 Most Downloaded Lessons

1. Survival Phrases #32 - How Do You Say This in Arabic?

2. Newbie Lesson S2 #7 - At the Fruit Stand

3. Video #5 - Video Vocab Lesson #5: All Parts of the Body

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ArabicPod101.com Team

Muslim / Islamic Holiday - Ramadan Begins Arabic

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

The Islamic faith consists of different times of the year that the Muslim takes time away to worship. Ramadan is one of those holy times that are an important part of the Muslim beliefs. On the Islamic calendar, this is considered to be the ninth month of the year.

The Muslim people have certain religious obligations that they have to follow and the five pillars of Islam is part of the acceptance to the religion. Ramadan is one of those five pillars. The entire month is spent in a time of fasting each day from dawn to sunset.

The process of fasting during this month is indicative of the removal of their sins. They believe that their Qu’ran was initially sent down to the earth at this time and so they consider it to be important in relation to how they practice their faith.

The Muslims believe their Prophet Mohammad’s saying that during this month, the entire heavens would remain open to them and that hell would be closed.

Muslims usually want to physically see the moon to appreciate that it is the beginning of Ramadan. Because of the location of the new moon in different countries, the celebration of Ramadan may be off by a day depending on where the Muslim worshipper is located.

It is important to note that every year Ramadan begins ten days earlier than it began the previous year. This particular month is dedicated to extreme fasting and additional prayers.

Muslim take this month very seriously as it pertains to their faith and will not engage in any form of employment during this time. They spend this time to recognize the significance of important things and people such as the wife and grandson of Mohammad, the prophet, the Torah, Battle of Badr, the Psalms, the Qu’ran, and the Injeel.

Fasting is probably the most important of all events during this time of Ramadan. They get up early and eat and then pray, but before the first prayer is announced, there can be no further eating until the announcement of the fourth prayer.

They use the process of fasting as a way to redirect their minds from the activities of the world and focus more on their god than on their own personal pleasures.

Muslim Holiday / Arabic Holiday - Lailat al Barat

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

The Night of Emancipation or the Night of Fortune is the Arabic Holiday known also as Lailat al Barat. It is a Muslim holiday that is celebrated on the fourteenth night of the month of Shabaan as depicted by the Islam Hijra calendar.

It is a special day to the Muslim faith because it is also mentioned in the Qu’ran and is a symbolic reference that is authentic to the Prophet Mohammad. It is also known as Shabe-e-Baraat in India and Iran, which demonstrates a night of forgiveness or recognition of the Day of Atonement.

The Muslims think that this Arabic holiday is a preparation for them to seek forgiveness for their sins when they pray to their gods two weeks before the beginning of Ramadan. The Prophet Mohammad pointed out in the Holy Qu’ran that this is a very significant night for those who practice the Muslim faith.

It is a time for succinct acknowledgement that they need to be forgiven so that they can be in good standing when their creator makes a decision on their health, wealth, life, death and relationships.

Some view this particular night as a serious reflection of their past and future. They think that it is the Night of their Salvation and the importance of it cannot be understated for the Muslim faith. The night is celebrated with an expectation that their destiny for the future hinges on how they worship and ask for repentance. The women prepare meals and distribute bread to those who are poor.

The Islamic faith spans countries such as India, Iran and other Arab countries so this night is celebrated in these countries as well as others. People of the Muslim faith meet in different location to observe this Arabic holiday as part of their obligation to the faith.

The Lailat al Barat holiday originated from Iran where people believed that it is on this night that the dead are remembered and their souls come back to visit their relatives.

Legend connected to this holiday indicates that it is on this night that the trees are shaken and the leaves drop with names of those who will die in the coming years.