Fasting or Something More...?

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah azza wa jal be upon you!

Alhamdullilah we are in the blessed month of Ramadan. Some of us are excited about the coming 30 days and have planned everything there is to plan while some of us are sooooooo excited that we still haven’t come up with a plan yet. :P 

But Alhamdullilah in some way or the other we are slowly getting into the spirit of this blessed month.

What picture comes to our mind when we think of Ramadan…?

Is it fasting? Or the feast after fasting? The first bite of chicken samosa or haleem is all that plays in our mind in rewind mode. :P

Anyway on a serious note, usually either fasting or taraweeh prayers or iftaar timings come to our mind when we think about Ramadan.

But that’s not what Allah (swt) wants us to think.

This is the verse that has been repeated over and over but today let’s take a closer look at it which is the 185^th verse from Surah al-Baqarah where Allah (swt) says,

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ

“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”

Allah (swt) did not introduce us to Ramadan by fasting but by saying that the Quran was revealed in this month. Religious or not, we know that in this month we work a lil extra in worshipping Allah (swt) and in getting closer to Him. And the key to get close to Allah (swt) is through the Quran itself! When we don’t put an effort in learning and trying to understand what Allah (swt) says in the Quran then we’re not actually fulfilling the purpose of Ramadan! The entire purpose of Ramadan is to celebrate the Quran.

This is the month where we need to put in that effort in understanding the Quran and introduce ourselves to it like never before.

The lazy part of us might say that it’s enough to read articles about the Quran or roughly go through it’s translation or atleast recite the Quran once during Ramadan. But that’s not enough. Why? Because the Quran is a purposeful book and how can we derive its benefits when we don’t understand what it says!

Some of us have the habit of reading the newspaper as soon as we wake up or as they say “kill” time by gazing at pictures in the magazine but we don’t pick the Quran and try to understand what Allah (swt) wants us to know through this Book! Is it that hard for us to devote at least half an hour to study the Quran and ponder over its verses? What sort of preoccupation is this where we have plenty of time to read wordly books but no time to understand the Divine Book.

Answer me this. If you receive a letter from your friend in a language that you cannot understand, wouldn’t you ask someone to translate it for you or atleast use the translate app on your phone? But little do we care to know the message sent by The Lord of the worlds for us.

In the 2^nd verse of Surah al-Jum’ah, Allah (swt) says,

 هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلْأُمِّيِّۦنَ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ

“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error.”

The word يزكيهم comes from the root word ز   ك    ي  which means purify.

يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ means when Prophet Muhammad (saws) recites the verses of the Quran to his people, it purifies them. This has two indications. Purification of –

1. Mind

2. Heart

By purifying our Minds, Allah (swt) teaches us how to think and how to give right answers. There are verses in the Quran where Allah (swt) asks us to think a certain way, to answer in a specific manner and to reflect on certain things. With every verse, He (swt) is constantly training us to think and learn lessons from them thereby purifying our mind.

And then there’s purification of the Heart. Our heart is filled with diseases like jealousy, laziness, greed, temptation and lust. As we understand Allah’s Book, these diseases slowly diminish. Allah (swt) gives us the power to control them and thereby He (swt) purifies our hearts.

There may be spiritual or intellectual books but the combination of these two can be found only in the Quran. Subhan Allah! When we understand the Quran, Allah (swt) balances our heart and mind.

Now some of us may say that because the Quran is in Arabic, it’s hard to understand and maybe to recite it as well. But there’s good news for them from Allah (swt) Himself! Allah (swt) says in Surah al-Qamar, verse 40,

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

“And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?”

Allah (swt) is asking who among you will remember the Quran… He, The Almighty, The most Powerful, your Creator is calling you to remember His Book… And we turn away from this call… That’s something that needs to be fixed. Don’t you think?

This Ramadan, may Allah azza wa jal help us build our relationship with the Quran, understand its beauty and help us remember the divine verses. May Allah azza wa jal help us purify our minds and hearts. May He (swt) fill our hearts with love only for Him and help us detach our hearts from everything that takes us away from His remembrance. May He (swt) make us among those who earn His blessings in this world and the Hereafter and may He make the path to Jannah easy for us.

Lastly, please don’t forget our Ummah in your dua. As we enter Ramadan with all the luxuries of life, there are our Muslim brothers and sisters who are entering Ramadan with not enough food for suhoor or iftaar, with no roof over their head and with constant fear. May Allah (swt) give patience to the Muslims who are going through a tough period and reward their patience by uniting them with their families in Jannah. May He (swt) accept their duas and have mercy on them. Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarak to you. :)

Assalam Alaykum.

A Gift Taken For Granted

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah azza wa jal be upon you!

Before I begin let us consider some of Allah’s gifts… Take a moment and list at least 5 things that you are grateful for… (be sure to answer this)

... ... ... ... ... Done?

I’m sure your family and your best friend must have made into the list right? ;)

Now let me ask you to imagine this. You have a friend and they consider you very close. They come to you for help, when they’re depressed and when they need a support. You being a good friend, lend a shoulder to them and always have their back. But one day, when you were the one who was in need of a listener to your problems and approached them for help, they turn their face away. Not only that, they snap at you and say they’ve got more important ‘stuff’ to do. Tragic, isn’t it? Needless to say, wouldn’t you feel worse? Your friend, whom you helped selflessly treated you like you never mattered to them… Did you deserve that treatment when you looked after your friend as your very own family?

Family reminds me… Has it ever happened to you that your mom has asked you something regarding her phone and your only reply was “Not now mom! I’m busy”. And what are you doing? Downloading some Islamic videos? Even downloading Islamic videos doesn’t give you a reason to avoid your mom. Or maybe she asked you to get a glass of water and you did run to the kitchen but with a beautiful grumpy look. When you were sick (I’m not even going to your infant stage), and asked your mom for a glass of water like ten times a day, has she e-v-e-r avoided you? When she was in the kitchen, cooking a meal for you in the heat and you like a 3 year old ask your mom “Mom can I pleaseeeeeee go out with my friends to the mall? I need to shop with them. I know you’re toooooo gooood to say no. Pleaseeeee mom?” She knows you’re just being nice to her so that she gives you permission and yet she allows you. But the very same day if she asks you to apply balm on her shoulders, you’re still busy. Why? Cause she’s toooo goooood to force you to do something you don’t want to.

This has been going on since the past 2 decades, give or take a few more years.

Our parents were able to understand our needs and wants since the time we couldn’t even utter a letter let alone a word. Neither did they complain nor do they show pretty faces that we do when they ask us to do something for them. I know they yell and get angry. But it isn’t because they like doing it, it’s because we force them to. And after they yell, they feel even more horrible than we do. Don’t we get angry? Then why is it so abnormal for us when they lose their temper. They aren’t superficial beings of course. When they’ve worked hard and are still working to bring you up in the lifestyle you prefer, fulfill not only your needs but even the useless wants, kill their desires so that they can give you the best, do they deserve to be treated the way we do? Don’t you think they at least deserve more respect and care?

What they deserve has been mentioned by Allah (swt) Himself in Surah Israa, verse 23:

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.”

And verse 24:

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

“And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”

See the word highlighted? احسان or Ehsaan. What is the big deal in this word that it’s required to be highlighted?

Ehsaan means treating our parents with respect, kindness and honour.

Imagine, Allah (swt), The Creator of everything in the heavens and in the earth, The Master, The Most Powerful, revealed a verse nearly 1400 years ago commanding you to honour your parents and treat them with kindness. We’re so used to not obeying the commands of Allah (swt) that we let this slip by so easily.

What happens when you obey Allah azza wa jal?

1. “Obey Allah and the Messenger and perhaps you will be shown mercy.” (3:132)

2. “If you obey him, you will be guided…” (24:54)

3. “Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger is with those whom Allah has blessed.” (4:68)

What happens when we disobey Allah azza wa jal?

“Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ Then if they turn away, Allah does not love the disbelievers.”

(3:32)

We’re given the title of disbelievers. Is that what you want for yourself? The choice is yours to make.

By treating your parents with ehsaan, you’re not only pleasing your parents but you’re paving your way to Jannah, In sha Allah because you’re also obeying Allah (swt).

“Paradise lies at the feet of your mother” and “Pleasure of the Lord is in the pleasure of the father and Displeasure of the Lord is in the displeasure of the father” (Tirmidhi)

Our tongue is so used to uttering these hadiths and our ears are so used to listening to these hadiths that our hearts has lost the power to feel its depth.

May Allah (swt) give us the ability to be of service to our parents and make us sadaqa jaariya for them. May He (swt) help us obey Him and our parents and may He unite us with our family in Jannah. Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.