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Acts Which Entitle Paradise And Remove Us From Hellfire

Narrated Mu’adh ibn Jabal: (Allah be pleased with him) I said to Allah’s Messenger [Peace be upon him] ‘Inform me about an act which would entitle me to get into Paradise, and remove me away from Hell-Fire’. The Prophet [peace be upon him] said…
You have asked me about a matter which ostensibly appears to be difficult but it is easy to those for whom ALLAH [the Exalted] has made it easy.
#1/- Worship Allah and do not associate anything with him
#2/- Establish Prayer
#3/- Pay the Zakat
#4/ Observe the fast of Ramadan and
#5/ Perform ‘Hajj’ to the sacred House… [ Ka`bah]
The Prophet [Peace be upon him] then said… Should I not direct you to the gateways of good? Listen to me… Fasting is a shield against evil. Charity extinguishes the fire of sin… just as water extinguishes fire. The Prayer of a person during the middle of the night. he then recited … ‘Who Forsake their Beds’… then he continued… Should I not direct you to the highest level of this matter to the Pillar on which it rests and it’s top?
I said…’Yes, do tell me…Prophet [Peace be upon him answered…The uppermost level of the matter is Islam, its Pillar is the Prayer,
and its Top is ‘Jihad’. Should I not inform you of the sheet anchor of all this…?
I said… ‘Yes, Allah’s Apostle of course do it. he took hold of his Tongue and said…Exercise restraint on it.
I said: ‘Apostle of Allah, would we be held responsible for what we say with it?
Thereupon Prophet [Peace be upon him] said… ‘ Mu`adh, may your mother be bereaved. will anything else besides irresponsible talk cause the people to be thrown into the Hell-Fire upon their faces or on their nostrils?

10 Green Ahadith

Did the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) say anything about saving our planet? Did he promote any ideas or practices relevant to the world’s growing concern about the future of the earth and its resources?
Below is a collection of the Prophet’s Ahadith

Plant a tree even if it is your last deed:
1. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you was holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.” (Reported by Ahmad and Al-Bukhan on the authority of Anas in Al Adab Al-Mufrad,)

Planting trees is a renewable source of hasanat:
2. Anas also reported that the Prophet said, “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.” (Bukhari)

Conserve resources even when used for rituals:
3. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-`Aas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet passed one day by Sa`d ibn Abi Waqas (May Allah be pleased with him) while he was performing wudu’ (ritual cleaning of body parts in preparation for prayer). The Prophet asked Sa`d, “What is this wastage?” Sa`d replied, “Is there wastage in wudu also?” The Prophet said, “Yes, even if you are at a flowing river.” (Ahmad and authenticated Ahmad Shakir)

Keeping the environment clean is important:
4. The Prophet warned, “Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: relieving yourselves in shaded places (that people utilize), in a walkway or in a watering place.” (Narrated by Mu`adh , hasan by Al-Albani)

5. Abu Zarr Al-Ghafari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (sadaqah).” (Narrated by Abu Dharr Al-Ghafari)

No for over-consumption! Consider recycling and fixing before buying new items:
6. Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said, “The believer is not he who eats his fill while his neighbor is hungry.” (Saheeh al-Bukharee (112))

7. Asked about what the Prophet used to do in his house, the Prophet’s wife, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), said that he used to repair his shoes, sow his clothes, and used to do all such household works done by an average person. (Sahih Bukhari)

8. The Prophet said, “Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, Allah will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgment.” The listeners asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is a just cause?” He replied, “That he will kill it to eat, not simply to chop off its head and then throw it away.” (An-Nasa’i)

Animals should be cared for:
9. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet said, “A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst, and came out. Meanwhile, he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, “This dog is suffering from thirst as I did.” So, he went down the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his mouth, and watered the dog. Allah appreciated him for that deed and forgave him.” The Companions said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He replied: “There is a reward for serving any living being.” (Bukhari)

10. Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet said, “A woman entered the (Hell) Fire because of a cat which she had tied, neither giving it food nor setting it free to eat from the vermin of the earth.” (Bukhari)
By Muhammad Fathi

After Ramadan

The Holy month of Ramadan came like seasonal rain and passed by. This rain did not water the plants and crops -it showered upon the hearts of believers. It is sad, but true, that the hearts of the majority of Muslims are stricken with spiritual drought and spiritual decadence. It is a drought caused by excessive indulgence in un-Islamic activities, immoral behavior, unjust actions, unfair dealings, etc. Drought caused by lack of rain destroys crops -drought caused by lack of piety, lack of fear of Allah, and lack of Allah consciousness destroys the SPIRITUALITY of the heart.

Ramadan’s spiritual rains brought to life the Masaajid and other prayer places. Ramadan had fanned the dying spark of charity . Ramadan had awakened the dying spirit of tolerance, patience, and sympathy for the less fortunate.

Now that we come to the end of Ramadan the big question is what to do? Did we go through all the spiritual exercises in Ramadaan in order that we may have the freedom to indulge, on Eid day, in all types of immoral, shameless, and indecent amusement? Did we restrain ourselves from halaal food, drinks, and other pleasures from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadan, so that we may return with renewed vigor to gambling, drinking, adultery, and fornication? Will the spirit of tolerance, mercy, patience, charity, and sympathy be still evident, or will these noble qualities be shelved until the dawn of the next Ramadan?

Will the Masajids which were filled on most nights in Ramadan remain the same or will they become empty wondering where the faithful have gone? Our lifestyles after Ramadaan will show whether we used the month to bring about a total reformation within ourselves or are we going to waste the valuable opportunity?

The National and international position of the Muslim communities leaves much to be desired. Muslims are lamenting the loss of lives, destruction of property, oppression, tyranny, injustice, and a host of other problems all over the world. They are wondering why the promised help of Allah to the believers is nowhere in sight. Just one glance into the lifestyles of the overwhelming majority of Muslims is sufficient to answer the question. Millions of Muslims do not have much to their credit besides Muslim names.

Allah’s help comes with action and Islamic qualities -not with names or faces – Arabs or non-Arabs, African or European, Chinese or Indians. On the other hand, every group, organization, society, or individual who talks about Islam, seems to have got its own brand of Islam. The Islamic teachings which were left behind for us, crystal clear and pristine pure, have become so adulterated with foreign customs, alien practices, and un-Islamic ideologies, that a new Muslim has to make an effort to search for the Quran and Sunnah brand of Islam or remain confused and ignorant.

May Allah Ta’ala on the occasion of Eid give us the guidance to resolve that we shall make the Quran and Sunnah our guiding lights and practice Islam as much as possible. If the non-Muslim inhabitants of our country see Islam in the lives of Muslims, they will not require much persuasion to accept our beautiful deen.

Joining In Charity With Non-Muslims

Islam is a religion that cares for the welfare of all humans and calls for participating in volunteer activities and services for people without awaiting any reward from them but only from Allah.

In this sense, volunteering is deep-rooted in Islamic teachings and practices. In Islam, doing voluntary acts is not restricted to a certain race or religion but it encompasses all human beings and even all creatures.

Every voluntary act by a Muslim to bring about a material benefit or happiness for a human being is regarded as an act of worship. Several Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) designated several forms of social services as kinds of charity: removing a harmful thing from the road or street, enjoining what is good, forbidding what is evil, reconciling two people, receiving a Muslim brother with a smile, a good word, and so on.

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) made helping others a human and social duty upon every Muslim, saying, “There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) every day the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every step taken on one’s way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqah, and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a sound chain of transmission).

Volunteering refers to doing an activity of one’s own will without being paid for it or without expecting any material reward for it.

As for Muslims, they are strongly recommended to do many volunteer acts and they should do so for the sake of Allah and with the hope of getting His rewards in Hereafter.

In fact, there is no harm for Muslims living in the West to undertake volunteer activities with non-Muslims. Furthermore, they are strongly recommended to do so in order for them to introduce Islam to non-Muslims during these activities in a very kind and peaceful manner. Muslims have to mix with non-Muslims as much as they can in order for them to call them to Islam and introduce to them the beauty and greatness of the wonderful religion, Islam.

The Prophet (peace be upon him), said, “The believer who mixes with the people and has patience and tolerance with them is better than the believer who doesn’t mix with the people.”

Da’wah (calling others to Islam) should not be limited and focused on Muslims only, it has to move around and look for opportunities and seize the chances. Indeed, there are many verses in the Qur’an which call upon Muslims to interact with non-Muslims. Almighty Allah says: “Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.” (60: 8)

He also says: “And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur’an) and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.” (9: 6)

There are also other verses which urged the Prophet (peace be upon him) him to call the People of the Book to Islam and its teachings. Furthermore, the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is full of occasions that he benefited from and used for the interest of da’wah. It was reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited a young Jewish boy who fell sick. At the end of his visit, the Prophet called him to Islam and the father of the boy advised him to obey the Prophet (peace be upon him). The boy converted to Islam.

There are many practical examples that urge Muslims to seize various opportunities to serve the cause of Islam. All in all, Islam recommends participation in volunteer activities with Muslims as well as with non-Muslims.

Death And Its Relevance To Muslims

Death is a question of ultimate concern for every human being, and Islam has a very vivid portrayal of the stages of death and the afterlife. Death is likened to sleep in Islam; interestingly, sleep in Arabic is called “the little brother of death.” The Prophet spoke often of death, and the Qur’an is filled with warnings of the dangers of ignoring one’s mortality and of not preparing for death before it is too late. In one poignant passage, the Qur’an reads,

And spend something (in charity) out of the substance which We have bestowed on you before death should come to any of you and he should say, “O my Lord! Why didst Thou not give me respite for a little while? I should then have given (largely) in charity, and I should have been one of the doers of good.” But to no soul will God grant respite when the time appointed (for it) has come, and God is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. (Qur’an, pp. 1473–1474)

Hence, the world is seen as an opportunity to cultivate for the hereafter, and time is seen as capital that human beings either invest wisely or squander, only to find themselves bankrupt in the next life. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “One of you says, ‘My wealth! My wealth!’ Indeed, have any of you anything other than your food that you eat and consume, your clothes that you wear out, and your wealth that you give in charity which thus increases in return in the next world?”

The idea of mentioning death and reflecting on death is very important in a Muslim’s daily life, and attending any Muslim’s funeral, whether known or not, is highly encouraged; for such attendance, one is rewarded greatly by God. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised, “Make much mention of the destroyer of delights,” which is death. He also said, “Introduce into your gatherings some mention of death to keep things in perspective.” This is not seen as a morbid exercise, and Muslims surprisingly accept death, resigned to what is called “one’s appointed time” (ajal). Like the telemere in biology that dictates how many times a cell may regenerate before dying, an individual’s appointed term, according to Islam, is inescapable and fated. When a Muslim survives a near-death experience, such as a serious car accident, an operation, or an illness, he or she will often remark, “My appointed time did not come yet.”

Respecting Parents

A Muslim child should respect and appreciate his or her parents every day throughout the year. Allah asked human beings to recognize their parents after recognition of Allah Himself. Throughout the Qur’an, we notice that parents are mentioned with appreciation and with respect, even if they are senile. In Surah Al-Isra’ (Children of Israel) there is a very beautiful description of how parents are to be treated. Allah (SWT) says:
“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and do good to parents. If any one of them or both of them reach old age, do not say to them: uff (a word or expression of anger or contempt) and do not scold them, and address them with respectful words, and submit yourself before them in humility out of compassion, and say, “My Lord, be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood.” [17:23-24]

The recognition and respect of parents is mentioned in the Qur’an eleven times; in every instance, Allah reminds children to recognize and to appreciate the care and love they have received from their parents. In one aspect, Allah demands that children recognize their parents by saying to them:
“We have enjoined on man kindness to parents;” [29:8/46:15]

1. The demand for recognizing parents is made more emphatic when Allah says in the Qur’an Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) the following:
“(Remember) when We took a pledge from the children of Isrā’īl (Israel): “You shall not worship anyone other than Allah; and you shall do good to the parents,…” [2:83]

2. In Surah Al-Nisaa’ (The Women) Allah (SWT) emphasized again that children should be kind to their parents.
“And serve Allah. Ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. (Show) Kindness unto parents… ” [4:36]

3. In Surah Al An’Am (The Cattle), Allah (SWT) reemphasized that people should be kind to their parents.
“Say (O Prophet to the infidels), “Come, and I shall recite what your Lord has prohibited for you: Do not associate anything with Him (as His partner); and be good to parents, …” [6:151]

Mothers
Although Islam recognized both parents, mothers are given particular gratitude and respect. This attitude of Islam is understood if we realize the hardships and the suffering that mothers experience in their lives. In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
It was narrated by Abu Hurairah (R) that a man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked him, ‘Who is to be close to my friendship?’ The Prophet (PBUH) answered:
Your mother, your mother, your mother, then your father, then the one closest to your kinship, and the one after.

Islam has endorsed respect for parents by their children even if the parents are non-Muslims. If parents strive very hard to convert their children to non-Islamic beliefs, they don’t follow them, but they are to be good to them. In this regard, Allah (SWT) says in Surah Luqman:
“We commanded man (to be good) in respect of his parents. His mother carried him (in her womb) despite weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. (We said to man,) “Be grateful to Me, and to your parents. To Me is the ultimate return. However, if they force you to ascribe partners to Me about whom you (can) have no (source of) knowledge, then do not obey them. Remain with them in this world with due fairness, but follow the way of the one who has turned himself towards Me. Then, towards Me is your return, so I shall tell you what you had been doing.”  [31:14-15]

More Respect
Islam teaches us that respect for parents comes immediately after praying to Allah and before Jihad (struggle and striving in the way of Allah). In this respect, the Prophet (PBUH) said the following:
Narrated by Abi Abder Rahman Abdullah bin Massoud (May Allah be pleased with him) saying: I asked the Prophet (PBUH), “Which deed is more liked by Allah?” He replied, “Prayers on time.” Then I asked, “Which one is next?” He said, “Goodness to parents.” Then I asked, “Then which one is next?” He said, “Jihad in the way of Allah.” (Agreed)
In Islam, respect for parents is so great that the child and his wealth are considered to be the property of the parents. In this regard, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
Narrated by Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) that a person came to the Prophet (PBUH) to resolve his dispute with his father regarding a loan given to the father. The Prophet (PBUH) said to the person,? You and your wealth are to your father.”

Final Remarks
We hope and pray that all of us will respect our parents while they are alive and even after they are dead. You may honor your parents after they died through the following methods:

Make daily Du’a’ for them
Give a charity on their behalf
Institute a perpetual charity on their behalf – such as a Masjid, an Islamic Center, an Islamic library, an Islamic hospital, an orphanage, a senior citizen’s home, etc.
Perform Hajj on their behalf or ask someone to do so.
Read Qur’an on their behalf
Distribute Islamic Literature on their behalf

Let us pray to Allah that we will do our best to respect our parents, honor them, be kind to them, help them, and please them for the love of Allah.

O, Allah! Accept our humble prayers and make us obedient servants to you.
O, Allah! Help us to be respectful children to our parents. Ameen.

Performing Haj With Gifted Money

HAJ is not obligatory except for those who are able to perform it. This includes the physical and financial ability. But if a person is given a donation through a lawful channel, then it becomes his own property and he can use it for Hajj. This consequently means that a person can give some money as a gift to another so that he can use it to perform Hajj.

It is generally allowed for a Muslim to offer his brother a gift. It is moreover a commendable act. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Exchange presents so that you would exchange love.”

The only condition in this case, when someone pays for the Haj of another as a gift, is that it should be from lawful money. Actually, a sum taken as a gift is acquired through a lawful channel of earning, and thus there is nothing wrong with it, especially if the person who offered it is known for his honesty and trustworthiness. Therefore, a sister can give her brother the costs of Haj as a gift, in the same way, she can perform Haj on his behalf if he is physically unable to do it himself.

When Allah made Haj obligatory, He made the ability to afford it an essential condition for that obligation. Hence, Hajj is not an obligation except on those who can afford it. The exact ability to perform Hajj and to prepare oneself for it is not precisely dictated in the Shariah. What is really important is that such ability is acquired through lawful channels. So, as long as the financial ability is attained through lawful means, there is nothing in Shariah to prevent one from performing Haj from the donated money or the gifts that one receives. This applies whether the financial ability is obtained through work, donation, gift, or else. So, there is nothing wrong with performing Hajj with donated money.

Also, it is permissible to perform Haj, (obligatory or supererogatory) out of the money received as a prize, even if it is intended as some kind of support so that he can perform Haj with it. Hence, a prize or a donated sum transfers to the ownership of the recipient as soon as he or she is in possession of it, so he or she can use it as per his or her wishes.

The evidence of this is the incident of Barirah; she was given some meat in charity. Then she gave it as a gift to Aishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her). Aishah cooked the meat but did not present it to the Prophet (peace be upon him), thinking that the Prophet (PBUH) would not partake of it, as it was given in charity. But the Prophet (PBUH) said: “It is a charity on her part, but a present for us.” Then he ate from it.”

Preparation Of Ramadan

Every Muslim should prepare himself/herself to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan by strengthening his relationship with the Qur’an, busing himself with the spirit of fasting, and recharging his spiritual battery to prepare himself to make the whole blessed month of Ramadan a real occasion of sincere obedience.

Ramadan is an event that occurs in the life of the faithful, as individuals and as an ummah, once a year. It is intended by Allah to help us to recharge our spiritual batteries and thus prepare us for the great mission of realizing his will on earth. Therefore, in order to benefit from Ramadan, we may do well to prepare for it by opening our hearts and minds to embrace it. let me offer a few tips:

1… We should empower ourselves by learning as much as we can about the precise laws as well as the benefits of fasting.

2… We should ensure that we gain true benefits from our fasting, let us make sure to realize the spirit of fasting: this can only be done by abstaining, not only from food, drink, and sex, but also by strictly restraining our minds, hearts as well as our eyes, ears, hands, tongue, and so on.

3… We must embrace the spirit of fasting as stressed in hadith: to be charitable and compassionate as much as we can.

4… We should strengthen our relationship with the Qur’an; for Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an.

5… We should engage in dhikr and condition ourselves to make it second nature.

6… Last but not least, we should build up our community through acts of charity and compassion and extending help to those in need as much as we can.

Let us pray that we come out of Ramadan with our faith recharged, gaining strength in our faith and commitment and relationship with Allah.

Ya Allah!
Surely we have heard a preacher calling to the faith,
Saying: believe in your Allah, so we did believe;
Ya Allah!
Forgive us therefore our faults,
And cover our evil deeds and make us die with the righteous.
Ya Allah!
Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter,
And save us from the chastisement of the fire.
Ya Allah!
Accept from us;
Surely thou art the Hearing, the Knowing

10 Goals To Set For This Ramadan

1. Eat, drink, and be moderate
Almost all of us do it – once Iftar time hits, we just keep plowing food and drink into our mouths till it’s hard to move afterward. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we’re supposed to learn self-control, not self-indulgence. Let’s try to stick to the Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third of food, one-third water, and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan.

2. Give a dollar a day in charity…or five or ten
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let’s open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it’s the intention that counts.

3. Memorize 4 new Surahs
Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a short, easy one. Once you’ve started, you’ll build momentum and may even want to memorize a longer one the following week.

4. Go to Tarawih prayers
Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day. But try your best to head out to the mosque for Tarawih prayers. Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it in the congregation is fantastic. The community spirit is part of Ramadan’s blessings. Don’t miss it this year. If going every day is not possible, try going at least one week.

5. Attend the Tarawih prayer in which the recitation of the Quran will be finished
Call the local mosque and find out which day the Imam will be finishing the recitation of the Quran in prayer. Attend to not only hear part of the Quran’s recitation in prayer but also participate in the heart-rending Duas that follow it.

6. Stop swearing and/or backbiting with a special box
It’s hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone’s upset us. Whether we utter those four-letter words or backbite about someone to our family and friends, we know this isn’t the God-approved way of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our spirituality, we’ve got to wage Jihad against our bad habits.

Try this: get a box and every time you catch yourself swearing or backbiting put some money in it. It could be a buck or less. The point is to choose an amount that makes it feel like punishment.

At the end of the month send the money to a charity or buy a gift for the person whom you’ve backbitten the most against.

7. Call/email your relatives
You’d think that given the easy access to email, competitive long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we’d keep in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems to be the case, as we get caught up in life’s “busyness.”

Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going.

8. Go on a technology diet
Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Tarawih. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.

9. Read 5 minutes of the Quran a day…just five, not more, not less
Even if you feel you’ve got absolutely no time, set a timer or the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence. The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through His revelation in the month of the Quran.

10. Forgive everyone who has hurt you
Still, got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it’s also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah’s forgiveness, shouldn’t we lesser beings forgive too?

If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people.

Reality And Obligation In Ramadan

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vanish into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom, and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslim communities, one realizes a wide gap between reality and our obligations.

Remember that Ramadhan is a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.” (Al-Baqarah 2:183).

This article is an attempt to present the essential causes of this gap and to some remedies. the primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environment without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.

Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deters against committing abominations and sins and assist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.

Strengthening willpower and acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan
the month of patience as it increases one’s will power to control his desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah’s commands. The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah said: “These are the limits set by Allah, so approach them not.” (Al-Baqarah 2:187)

Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing of everything. For this reason, Allah has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship.

Allah said in the hadith Qudsi: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundred, up to whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake..”
(Related by Muslim)

ibn al-Qayyim said: “…And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobody can find out about, and that is the essence of fasting.” (Zaad al-Ma’ad 2/29).

Relieving Muslims from life’s distractions: Eating, drinking and socializing all distract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to all types of worship Either reading the Qur’an, offering additional prayer, or making I’tikaf. For this reason, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “Fasting is a shield and a secure fortress against Hellfire”
(Related by Ahmad).

Discovering Allah’s Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.

Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.