June 3, 2015

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

On behalf of the Shia Muslim Council of Southern California, it is with great honor that I extend my warmest greetings and congratulations to you and your loved ones on the auspicious arrival of the holy month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan represents the time in which Muslims come together in order to engage in an intense period of spiritual, moral, and intellectual refinement and nourishment. It is a time of reflection, supplication, sincerity, and worship. It is a time in which we return to the holy Qur’an as we recite its verses, contemplate their meanings, and implement their instructions in our lives.

The month of Ramadan is also a time in which we remember our great blessings of sustenance, health, family, and safety. It is a time where Muslims remember their very significant goal of coming together as one community in support of one another. It is a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.

As we prepare for the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, let us remember our brothers and sisters around the world for whom these times present great challenges of war, poverty, and injustice, especially in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere. During the month of Ramadan, let us devote some of our time and resources to working to find solutions and aid to those who are suffering, the refugees, the needy, and the orphans.

Let us pray to our Almighty Lord to grant strength and victory to our brothers who are risking their lives to fight terrorist groups such as Daesh (ISIS) and others. Let us pray to our Most Merciful Lord to bless the souls of those who have been killed, to grant a full and speedy recovery to the injured, and security and peace to the millions of refugees.

I pray to the Most Merciful Lord to accept all of your fasting, prayers, supplications, and good acts during the month of Ramadan and to bestow His great blessings upon you and your loved ones during this blessed month.

The month of Ramadan will begin on either Monday or Tuesday, June 6 or 7. The Shia Muslim Council will send out a confirmation email on Sunday evening after we have verified the beginning of the holy month, insha’Allah.

Wassalaamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Imam Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini

President, Shia Muslim Council of Southern California