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Imbibe Spirit Of Ramadan

We Muslims must compete with one another in righteous deeds and work to alleviate the pain and suffering of the poor and needy, inspired by the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan.

This blessed month has taught us many lessons. We have to contemplate them to learn how people should be compassionate to their fellow beings, how the rich feel the suffering of the poor, and how Muslims compete with one another to win the pleasure of God. We Muslims must imbibe the true spirit of Islam, which is a religion of love, mercy and tolerance and promotes goodness, reform and dialogue.

We Muslims should participate actively in the creation of a human civilization.

The significance of Ramadan is that in this month the first verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as guidance to mankind and a criterion to differentiate between right and wrong. “Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward from God will have his past sins forgiven.” a saying of the Prophet.

The role of Ramadan in deepening the qualities of kindness, forgiveness, mercy and showing sympathy to those who are less well off. It revitalizes the high values that our religion has taught us. It’s a month when the doors of the Heaven will be kept open and of Hell remain locked.

Virtues Of Fasting In Summer’s Heat

Since Ramadan is during summer this year, Ibn Rajab’s section in “Lata’if Al-Ma’arif” (p. 272-273) about the virtues of fasting during hot days will serve as good encouragement:

“From the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during the heat is fasting, and this is because of the thirst that one experiences in the midday heat.”

This is why Mu’adh Bin Jabal expressed regret on his deathbed that he would no longer experience this midday thirst, as other early Muslims did.

It was related that Abu Bakr would fast in the summer and not in the winter; and Umar advised his son Abdullah on his deathbed, “Try to obtain the characteristics of faith.” The first one he mentioned was fasting in intense summer heat.

And Al-Qasim Bin Muhammad said that Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) would fast in the intense heat. He was asked: “What drove her to do this?” He replied: “She would take advantage of the days before death.”

Some righteous women would choose the hottest days for fasting, saying: “If the price is low, everyone will buy,” meaning that they wanted to do deeds that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them. This is indicative of the high aspirations these women had.

Ka’b said that Allah said to Musa: “I made it incumbent upon Myself that whoever is thirsty for My sake will have his thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection.”

When Amir Bin Abd Qays went from Basrah to Sham, Mu’awiyah would ask him to tell him what he needed. Amir said: “All I need is for you to return the heat of Basrah to me to make the fasting a bit harder, as it is too easy in your lands.”

Al-Hajjaj was on a journey between Makkah and Madina. He pulled out his dinner and invited a bedouin to eat with him, and the bedouin said: “I have been invited by One who is better than you and I have accepted the invitation.” He asked: “And who is this?” The man replied: “Allah invited me to fast, and I fasted.”

Al-Hajjaj asked: “On this very hot day?” The man replied: “Yes. I am fasting it in anticipation of a much hotter day.” Al-Hajjaj said: “So, eat today and fast tomorrow.”

The man replied: “Only if you can guarantee that I will live until tomorrow.” Al-Hajjaj said: “This isn’t in my hands.” The man said: “How can you ask me to do something now when there is something of the future that isn’t in your hands?”

Ibn Umar went on a trip once with some companions, and they saw a shepherd who they invited to eat with them. He said: “I am fasting,” and Ibn Umar said: “You are fasting in heat like this, and while you are in the midst of all these plants and sheep?” The shepherd replied: “I’m taking advantage of my remaining days.”

Ibn Umar was impressed by this reply and said: “Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We’ll feed you from its meat when you break your fast, and we’ll also pay you for it.” The shpherd said: “It doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to my master.”

Ibn Umar said: “What would your master say if you told him that it was eaten by a wolf?” The shepherd raised his finger to the sky and said: “What about Allah?”

Ibn Umar kept repeating this phrase that the shepherd was saying, and when he got to the city, he went to the shepherd’s owner and bought him (the shepherd) and his sheep from him. He then freed the shepherd and gave him his sheep as a gift.

Abu Ad-Darda’ would say: “Fast the very hot days in anticipation of the Day of Resurrection, and pray two rak’at in the darkness of night in anticipation of the darkness of the grave.”

When those who fast for Allah in the heat are patient despite their intense thirst, Allah will set aside a specific gate of the gates of Paradise for them.

This is the gate called Rayyan, and whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When they enter through it, it will be locked for those after them, and none will enter through it except them.”

People Exempted From Fasting

The fasting of Ramadan is obligatory on all adult and sane Muslims, except those for whom it is too difficult or harmful to do so. They include the following categories of people:

a) Persons traveling and the ill whose illness can be made worse by fasting. It is not recommended for such people to fast but if they do so, it will be accepted from them. If they choose to heed the recommendation and not fast, they must fast an equal number of days after Ramadan to make up for the days they missed.

b) Menstruating women and women with post-partum bleeding are not allowed to fast and it will not be considered valid if they do. But they also must make up for the days in which they did not fast.

c) Pregnant and nursing women, if they fear that fasting can be harmful to their children or to themselves, need not fast. If they don’t fast, they must make up for the days on which they break the fast. In addition, they must feed a poor person for every day that they broke their fast if they broke it because they feared only for the health of their children.

d) People who are not capable of fasting, either due to old age or incurable diseases, are not to fast. It is enough for them to feed one poor person for each of the days in which they fail to fast. The more people they feed the better.

A Tool For Success

ONCE, THE PROPHET (pbuh) passed by a woman weeping beside a grave. He consoled her gently to be God-fearing and patient. (Not turning to look at her admonisher), she said to him: “Leave, for never have you been afflicted with a loss like mine.” (Silently, the Prophet (PBUH) left her be).

(Later, she was informed that her adviser had been none other than God’s Messenger (PBUH). (Mortified), She went to ask for his pardon: “I recognized you not, O Messenger of God.” The Prophet (PBUH), perfected his lesson for her: “Indeed, patience is in the very first stroke of a calamity” (Bukhary).

Three Days Later Is Not Patience
We are tried, from time to time, with varied tests and tragedies?” some as shattering as the loss of a loved one, others as apparently plain as controlling our anger. Yet be it devastating or slight, seldom is it that we exhibit the patience enjoined on us by Allah.. Much like the woman mentioned in the narration above, our tolerance arrives only after our crisis expires and a new mood transpires, when we realize that we are powerless to change Allah’s decree. And how often this comes, as in this report, when someone has reminded us of the full import of what we have done and said.

Patience is not an accident but a virtue that manifests by choice, nourished, as it is, by strong faith in Allah. It resides in our ability to hold our tongues when it is hardest to do so, on the one hand, and to inflict them with the words “to Allah we belong and to Him are we returning” (2:156) the moment calamity strikes.

Ascending to this level of patience is not easy. We are tested and tried, sometime in ways we never expect. The burden is heavy but never insufferable: “God tasks no soul beyond its capacity” (2:286). In His divine wisdom, Allah encumbers those of us who need it, just enough to make us feel our human limitation, only so much as to cause us to recall our need for Him, with the slightest sufficiency to bring forth our conscious decision to submit to and accept His will, whether for the first time, or to help us renew our faith..

Through tests, He instills in us a balance of fear and hope, an understanding of predestination and free will. Others, Allah burdens to increase their reward with Him to elevate them ever nearer to Him, for His love of them. A few suggestions follow on how we can train ourselves in patience.

Four Tips For Improving Your Patience

1. The first step to fixing any problem is to acknowledge that it exists in the first place “Indeed, Allah does not change a people’s condition until they change what is in their souls” (13:11).

2. Look for the silver lining. Remember that all humans are tested. This cannot be avoided. But we should shun the negativity we associate with our ordeals. How can we do this? Look for the means in which each trial can give you strength and make you a better Muslim. Said the Prophet, (PBUH): “Wondrous is the condition of the believer.. For, indeed, all his affairs are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him, be gives thanks (to Allah) and it is good for him. And if something harmful befalls him, he is patient and it is good for him. And such is only for the believer” (Bukhari).

3. Constantly remember the countless favors and blessing Allah has given you. Moreover, keep in mind that whatever issues you face, there are always others who have it much worse than you. Make duaa for them.

4. Place your trust in Allah and seek His help “Allah is with those who patiently persevere” (8:46). Commenting on this verse, Ibnul Qayyim remarked: “Allah has a special “with-ness”, or ma’iyyah, with those who have patience, meaning that He is present with them, protecting and supporting them.

So remember that the promise of Allah awaits those who hold firmly to being patient. Of them Allah shall say, on the judgment: “Indeed, this Day I have rewarded them for what they have endured patiently. It is they who are the (truly) triumphant!” (23:111).

(Courtesy: Al Jumuah Magazine)

Virtues Of Salat

“Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates that once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) asked his companions, ‘Do you believe that dirt can remain on a person bathing five times a day in a brook running in front of his door?’ ‘No’, replied the companions, ‘No dirt can remain on his body.’ The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) remarked: So, exactly similar is the effect of salaat offered five times a day. With the Grace of Allah, it washes away all the sins’.”
HADITH – 4(b)

“Hadhrat Jaabir (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates that he heard the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) saying:

“The likeness of five times daily salaat is as the likeness of a deep brook running in front of the door of a person who bathes therein five times a day.”

Running water is generally free from dirt, and the deeper it runs the cleaner and purer it is. A bath in such water surely removes dirt from the body and makes it clean. Salaat offered with due regard for its essentials likewise cleanses the soul of all sins. There are several Ahaadith of the same meaning, though with slight variations in expression, narrated by different companions of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). Hadhrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri (Radhiyallaho anho] narrates that he heard the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) saying:

‘Each of the five salaats expiates the sins committed since the salaat preceding it. To explain, let us take the case of a person working in a factory. His job is such that his body gets covered with dust. But there are five streams of running water in between the factory and his house and, on his return from the job, he takes a bath in each stream. The effect of five times daily salaat is quite similar. Any sins of omission and commission between two salaats are forgiven on account of ‘istighfaar and taubah in each salaat.’

The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) through such parables, aims at impressing that salaat has the wonderful power of removing the sins. If we fail to avail of Allah’s mercy, surely we ourselves are the losers.

To err is human. We are likely to commit innumerable acts of displeasing Allah and deserve thereby. His wrath and punishment, but look how relenting our dear Allah is! He has most graciously shown us the way to earn His mercy and forgiveness. It is a great pity if we do not avail of this great favour. Our Allah is always eager to show us His mercy on very small grounds. It is said in a Hadith, that if a person goes to bed with the intention of getting up for Ta-hajjud and perchance does not wake up, he receives the full reward for Tahajjud, although he has been enjoying his sleep at the time of Tahajjud. How boundless is the grace of Allah and what a tremendous loss and deprivation if we do not receive blessings from such a Giver.

Mistakes During Ramadan

Too much stress on food and drink
For some people, the entire month of Ramadan revolves around food. They spend the ENTIRE day planning, cooking, shopping and thinking about only food, instead of concentrating on Salah, Qur’an and other acts of worship. All they can think of is FOOD. So much so that they turn the month of ‘fasting’ into the month of ‘feasting’.

Come Iftaar time, their table is a sight to see, with the multitudes and varieties of food, sweets and drinks. They are missing the very purpose of fasting, and thus, increase in their greed and desires instead of learning to control them. It is also a kind of waste & extravagance. ‘and eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifoon (those who waste by extravagance)’ [al-A’raaf :31]

Spending all day cooking
Some of the sisters (either by their own choice or forced by their husbands) are cooking ALL day and ALL night, so that by the end of the day, they are too tired to even pray Ishaa, let alone pray Taraweeh, Tahajjud or read Quran, etc.

Eating too much
Some people stuff themselves at Suhoor until they are ready to burst, because they think this is the way to not feel hungry during the day and some people eat at Iftaar, like there is no tomorrow, trying to ‘make up for the food missed.’ However, this is completely against the Sunnah. Moderation is the key to everything.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach; for the son of Adam a few mouthfuls are sufficient to keep his back straight. If you must fill it, then one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for air.’ (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani).

Too much food distracts a person from many deeds of obedience and worship, makes him lazy and also makes the heart heedless. It was said to Imam Ahmad: Does a man find any softness and humility in his heart when he is full? He said, I do not think so.