Ramadan Reminders; Day 2

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah swt be upon you!

Daily Reminder 2:

I will begin with the Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (ra). The Messenger of Allah (saws) said,

“When the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of (Hell) Fire are closed and the devils are chained”.

[Sahih Bukhari]

According to the above hadith, this month is the only period which is free of shaytan.

What this means is that the evil deeds or sins that we would commit as a result of the evil whisperings of the shaytan, we wouldn’t be committing those deeds in this month. Allah swt has given us this month to practice and establish strong control over our desires, our desires to commit deeds that are disliked by Allah. Chaining up the devils serves as a benefit for us to exercise this control.

After a busy forenoon and afternoon schedule, we’re bound to be hit by fatigue. We feel so worn out that it seems almost impossible to do any work until iftaar, let alone work on the deen part of our lives. 

But know that this month is superior in its purity and sacredness to all other months. The reward of each and every struggle of yours, how you keep yourself going throughout the day while staying away from food and water for the sake of Allah, how you endure the heat and patiently deal with people around you is all recorded by Allah. Also know that if there was the presence of shaytan during this month, this struggle wouldn’t be as sweet as it seems now.

And when Allah has favoured us by locking up the shaytan, it is our duty and responsibility to put in that extra effort in building up the blocks of sabr and love in our hearts for Allah and His Deen. 

For as much tired and weary you feel, recite the Quran, listen to its explanation, ponder over what Allah is trying to tell you, take lessons from what you listen to, figure out how you can be implementing this knowledge in your daily lives. 

Learn new duas, new adhkaars, don’t waste even a single minute until iftaar. Because when you’re in the state of sawm (fast), you’re in a state of purity, the smell of your breath is more beloved and liked by Allah than the smell of musk, you’re now closer to Allah than you could ever be, utilise this opportunity to get even more closer to Allah and become His beloved slave. Strive to be the slave of Allah who is mentioned to the Angels by Allah Himself! 

Remember, for every step you take towards Allah, Allah takes 10 steps towards you and when you walk towards Allah, Allah runs towards you. Such a Merciful and Loving Lord He is!

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 2

Surah: Al Baqarah

Verse: 186

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.”

The one act that draws us closer to Allah and that is regarded as the most important act of ibadah is dua which is one of the things highlighted in the above verse.

Most times, when we’re upset or frustrated or crying our eyes out, we spend most of our energy thinking about the “how’s” and “why’s” of life. And by the time the realization clicks us that we could be praying to Allah for it, our energy is completely drained out, eyes are swollen red and we resort to sleep as comfort. 

But in the 186th verse of Al Baqarah, Allah speaks of the distance between Him and His slave. The distance between you and Allah is less than the distance between you and your jugular vein (Surah Qaf, verse 16). 

Why did Allah mention the “jugular” vein and not just any other vein in our body? 

Let’s speak in biology now. The Jugular vein is located on the either sides of your neck. It is the most vulnerable vein in your body and links the heart and the brain. It is only fitting that Allah chooses that element in our body which is very crucial and without which life is impossible. There is nothing closer to you in terms of distance than this vein except for Allah. Subhan Allah!!

When this is how close Allah is to His slaves, why do you think He won’t listen to you and accept your duas?

Which is exactly what Allah says after mentioning the fact that He is indeed near. Allah will definitely answer your prayers, provided you call upon Him. Tell Him your needs and desires, seek His help, expect only from Him and be assured that you will be responded. Don’t just make dua when you’re in need of it. Make dua at all times. Dua is not an option but a necessity. And Rasulullah (saws) has said, 

“Whoever does not ask of Allah, He becomes angry with him.”

[Classed as hasan by Al-Albaani. Saheeh Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, 2686]

But the part that is mentioned after this in the above verse is usually neglected.

Allah will respond but we need to prove ourselves worthy of that response. And for that we should respond to Allah and His Guidance. 

Responding to Allah is to obey Him, worship Him, follow His guidelines, stay away from things He dislikes, engage in committing deeds that He loves, hasten to salah, learn, understand and implement the knowledge of the Quran and follow the example of His Rasul.

May Allah swt entitle us to be among those who are beloved to Him and who He responds to and who He guides. Ameen.

Sunnah Challenge 2:

As easy as the challenge sounds, it surely isn't!

As our worlds have become much more compact and interconnected, having conversations have become easy as never before. 

How much time of the day do we spend speaking or texting matters that are of no use to us?!

We spend much of our energy conversing matters of little importance, sometimes we bring gossip too, which can easily destroy our deeds in this Holy month.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 

"He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent."

[Muslim]

In this Ramadan and the days to come, let us challenge and remind ourselves to refrain from chatting uselessly and speak only when it would be of benefit.

Assalam Alaykum.