Ramadan

One of the five pillars of Islam
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January 28, 2025 

Assalamu Alaykum Warahmatullah Wa Barakatuh Respected Brothers, Sisters, elders and children.    

The Majlis (Board of Directors), trustees, staff and dedicated volunteers of the Islamic Foundation of Toronto (IFT) hopes this letter reaches you in the best of health, spirits, prosperity and faith.   

It’s that time of year again as the blessed month of Ramadan fast approaches - a month full of blessings, virtue and joy and we eagerly anticipate its arrival.  

Alhumdulillah, Allah (SWT) has allowed us to provide much needed services to our community from nikah and funeral services to free tax clinics, and offer multiple Dawah programs on a weekly basis, such as a study of Sahih Bukhari as well as throughout the year on timely topics such as wills and estates, the history of Palestine to parenting in a modern society and many more. IFT has invited world-renowned scholars from the widely recognized Sheikh Bilal Asad as our guest Khateeb to renowned Qaari Ayyub Asif to the always inspiring Sheikh Mohammed Al-Ninowy as well as the phenomenal reciters that attended our annual Qiraat & Quraan competition. 

IFT has also been active in global relief efforts collecting and distributing aid to our brothers and sisters locally and internationally in Palestine, Syria, Sudan, Turkey and Pakistan.

Essential services IFT offered in-person included:   

  • Funeral services
  • Nikkah services
  • Food distribution to the vulnerable in the community
  • Services that IFT delivered over the past year to our community include:
  • Hifz and evening Quran classes
  • Sunday school
  • Weekly Seniors program
  • Personal and family tax services
  • Monthly Dawah sessions on pertinent issues
  • Revamped Hot Soup Program 

Alhumdulillah, we continue to provide five times daily prayers and two Friday/Jumah prayers. InshaAllah, we are planning to offer Ramadan Tarawih prayers and four (4) Eid prayers.  Please visit our website for more details including programming and timings.

Please note Eid will be on Sunday March 30, 2025 Inshallah.

Eid Salah Timings are as follows:
1st Eid Salah - 7:15 AM - IFT 441 NUGGET AVE
2nd Eid Salah - 8:30 AM - IFT 441 NUGGET AVE
3rd Eid Salah - 9:45 AM - IFT 441 NUGGET AVE
4th Eid Salah - 10:30 AM - GRAND CINNAMON 3895 MCNICOLL AVE

Ramadan is a month where many masjids collect donations which support the ongoing operational expenses for the entire year ahead. We value the contributions of our community and encourage everyone to please continue your generous support and donate through our website: www.islamicfoundation.ca. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

IFT is targeting some much needed and long overdue capital repairs this year. Of note some of the major capital projects are:

i. Repaving of ground floor parking lot with curbs including a safe pedestrian corridor
ii. Revitalization of the gymnasium
iii. Revitalization of the cafeteria
iv. Revitalization of the washrooms

IFT has always been a leader in programs and services in education, congregational prayers, interfaith activities, social services, global relief efforts and outreach programs spanning more than a half century.  IFT continues to be a leading organization for Canadian Muslims. This has only been possible with Allah’s mercy and your generous support. We commit to continue the various programs and also initiate new ones to help make a difference in the community and society at large, InshaAllah.

This year’s Ramadan goal is to raise $500,000, Inshallah. These funds are required to continue to offer our many diverse programs as well as for the day to day maintenance of the masjid for the next year including our focus on community safety. We humbly appeal to all of you to continue to contribute generously; any and all amounts are appreciated, and no donation is too small. To make matters easy, the minimum we ask for is a pledge for $1 a day. If we get 1,400 generous donors to complete the $1 a day pledge, we can achieve this goal.

We are also requesting the presence of the community at our annual Welcome Ramadan dinner, being held this year on Sunday, February 23.

Please note the first of Ramadan will be on Saturday March 1st 2025 Inshallah.

Your supplications, presence, and contributions are always appreciated during these times. IFT is always open to hearing your suggestions and feedback. We also want to thank all our dedicated volunteers, staff and the community for their continued support of the masjid.

The leadership team is grateful for your ongoing support in the path of Allah (SWT). We pray that Allah (SWT) keeps you and your families safe, healthy, and happy as we approach the blessed month and may Allah accept all our sacrifices, efforts and duaas, Inshallah.

Jazakallah Khaire,

Abdul Mateen Khan 
IFT President on behalf of the Majlis A Shura/Board of Directors and Board of Trustees

What is Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month of fasting for Muslims. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam; the others are confession of faith, five daily prayers, Zakah (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah). Ramadan starts upon the sighting of the moon, which is largely determined by the Crescent Committee of Canada.
 
Why Muslims Fast
Fasting in Ramadan is a main pillar of Islam that helps Muslim grow closer to the One God, Allah. According to the Qur’an “Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you, so that you may learn self-restraint”. Fasting, which is recognized for its health, spiritual and psychological benefits, is considered by Muslims as a means to improve their moral characters and provides an opportunity for a spiritual renewal.
 
Purpose of Fasting
The real purpose of fasting is not to make us hungry and thirsty, or to deprive us some of our comfort and conveniences but to be conscious of Allah. It is to do one's best to live by His commands and to avoid His prohibitions, fear of Allah, worship of Allah, sincerity in faith, and avoid the disobedience to Allah. Fasting is an invisible act. Only Allah and the person who is fasting know whether he or she is fasting or not. Fasting teaches how to control and discipline our desires. During fasting we learn how to say "no" to things that are otherwise permissible and good, but are forbidden during fasting. When one learns how to say "no" to that which is generally permissible, then one can easily control oneself to avoid that which is forbidden. Through fasting we taste—to some extent—the pain and suffering of those who are poor and destitute. Fasting teaches empathy and sympathy, and it takes away some of our selfishness and self-centeredness.
 
How Muslims Fast
Muslims fast from early dawn to sunset every day throughout the month (approximately 17 hours a day). The fast requires Muslims to abstain from food, drink, marital relations and ill-conduct during the fast.
 
Who Fasts
Fasting in Ramadan is compulsory on all physically and mentally healthy and mature Muslims. Those exempted from fasting are the sick, old, pregnant and menstruating women and travellers. Pregnant and menstruating women and travellers make up the missed days by fasting at a later time.
 
Typical day during the Month
The day of fasting begins with an early morning meal before dawn and ends at sunset. The evening activities include the traditional breaking of the fast usually with dates and water, the sunset prayer followed by dinner (IFTAR). Muslims would then go to the mosque for congregational prayers in which at least one-thirtieth of the Qur’an is recited. The congregation would have listened to the recitation of the complete Qur’an by the end of the month.
 
Fitrah $15.00 Per Person
Fidya is $15 Per Person