Ramadan Reminders; Day 3

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 3:

How many times has it happened that you remember someone and they have no clue that you’re thinking about them? How many times has it occurred that you wanted to call someone but they aren’t available for you?

It is human nature that when we like someone, remember someone and long the company of someone, we wish that even they reciprocate to our feelings. But have you found any human being who can satisfy you in this respect? Think about it. Your friends? Family? Has it happened that each time you remembered them, showed them love and care, needed their support and they responded with similar emotions? No. But why?

Because they’re humans! Every human being is created weak. Even if they would want to remember you and spend time with you, they wouldn’t be able to because of their limited capacity. They’re bound by responsibilities which they cannot forego to be with you.

My next obvious question is, who do you think you should be remembering then? Ofcourse Allah! But why? Not me, Allah swt has answered it for you. Allah says in Surah Baqarah-verse 152,

“So remember me, I will remember you”.

Imagine, as soon as you remember Allah, Allah is thinking about YOU! Of the 7.2 billion people in this world, Allah is remembering you because you just made a dhikr of Allah! Subhan Allah what an honour!

And when Allah is telling His Angels about how you glorify Him and praise Him, He is calling you by your name, do you think there is any greater honour than that?! Do you know what that means? 

What are your feelings for someone you love? You care for them, you’d want to protect them from all kinds of harm, when they’re upset, it breaks your heart too, you’d only want to get the best things for them, even though it may not be in your power to do so. But guess what? That’s what Allah feels for you when you remember Him. And He has the power to make those things happen, to give you the best, to protect you from all harm in this world and the Akhirah, protect you from The Hell Fire! 

There are innumerable benefits of reciting dhikr of Allah. Allah also says in Surah Ra’d-verse 28, 

“Verily in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest.” 

You get sukoon in the remembrance of Allah. 

Try it for yourself this Ramadan. Instead of engaging in talks that are of no benefit, make constant dhikr of Allah and experience the peace you’ll be at. 

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 2

Surah: Al Baqarah

Verse: 255 [Ayatul Kursi]

Yes, we all know the benefits of Ayatul Kursi and we recite in our adhkaars of the morning and the evening, we recite it before we go to bed and our moms recite it for us before we leave the house but in spite of all this, I just had to pick this ayah! Because IT IS the “Ayat al Kursi”! 

A Sahaba by the name Ubayy ibn Ka’b was one of the most knowledgeable companions about the Quran. So once the Prophet (saws) went to Ubayy ibn Ka’b (ra) and asked him, “O Ubayy, which ayah in the Quran is the most blessed ayah?” Ubayy (ra) out of modesty, replied, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet (saws) insisted, “O Ubayy, what is the greatest ayah in the Quran?” So when Ubayy (ra) realised that the Prophet (saws) was seeking a response, he said, “Allahu la ilaha illa huwa al Hayyul al Qayyum…” and he recited the Ayatul Kursi.

[Sahih Bukhari]

First and foremost let’s answer this question. Why is Ayatul Kursi so important? It is but 1 ayah, 1/3rd of a page of the Quran. The Quran has about 6000+ verses, what makes this one verse stand out…?

It is because the verse deals with Allah swt, His Names and His Attributes! The most majestic and blessed verses in the Quran are the verses that talk about Allah swt because nothing is more grandiose and more beautiful to discuss than Allah. There is no topic that is worthy of being about talked about than Allah and His Praise!

That is why Surah Ikhlas is the greatest surah in the Quran because it is nothing but a praise and description of Allah’s might and majesty. That is why reciting Surah Ikhlas is equivalent to reciting 1/3rd of the Quran which is about 10 juz of the Quran!

According to a Hadith reported in Musnad Imam Ahmed, the Prophet (saws) has said, 

“Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after every Salah, the only thing preventing him entering Jannah is his own death.” 

Tell me an easier way to get to Jannah than the recitation of Ayatul Kursi after every Fard Salah?

If you make the practice of reciting this great verse after every Salah a routine, you are already a person of Jannah and nothing can stop you from entering Jannah! Subhan Allah!

May Allah swt help us in following His commands, fulfilling our obligations towards Him, forgive our shortcomings that come in the way and help us reach the highest level of Jannah. Ameen.

Sunnah Challenge 3:

Ramadan is the time of the year where we get to taste many exquisite dishes which barely gets to the table during other days.  

And it is during Ramadan that we find ourselves overindulging in food, filling ourselves to the brim during Iftaar. Because we hadn't eaten all day. And filling our stomachs again for suhoor. Because we need to withstand all day.

You promise yourself to keep a healthier diet from the next day, only to find that samosa stealing your sight (and your health too)!

Miqdam bin Madikarib said:

"I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air."

[Sunan Ibn Majah]

Eating moderately not only benefits us physically but it also impacts our spiritual self.

In the long term, moderate eating keeps the body in good health, and saves it from many lifestyle disorders such as obesity which cost a huge part of a person's life.

Keeping the portion in limited amount also helps us stay active and alert throughout the day! 

Of what purpose would our fasts be if we overeat for Suhoor and Iftaar, only to find ourselves too drowsy to perform the Salah?

Not only do we find concentration and focus, abstaining from overeating also helps us spiritually by humbling us, keeping our hearts soft and closer to Allah swt.

So challenge yourself to stick to the one-third rule, and stay healthy from outside to within, In sha Allah!

Assalam Alaykum.

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.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 1

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

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

Before anything else, Ramadan Mubarak!

May this Ramadan bring forth abundant blessings and goodness into your lives!

May Allah swt make this Ramadan a time when you get closer to Allah and His mercy and reach for success and contentment in this life and the Hereafter. 

May He protect you against all harm and worries and ease all affairs for you, accept your good deeds and ease for you the path to Jannah al Firdous!

May Allah swt forgive all our sins, grant cure to the sick, provide comfort and solace for the broken hearts and establish justice for the oppressed. Ameen.

Alhamdullilah.

All Praise and Thanks belongs to Allah swt for allowing us to reach another Ramadan. This is in itself a sign that Allah swt loves you, He wants to forgive you and bestow upon you an abode where all your needs and demands will be fulfilled, where there is no room for negativity and sadness and where you will be allowed to meet and greet your Lord. Subhan Allah!

Through the entire course of this month, I will be publishing Ramadan Reminders - comprising 3 topics:

1. Daily Islamic Reminders
2. Verse of the Day
3. Sunnah Challenge

I pray to Allah that it serves to be beneficial for you as it has been for me. 

Starting with the Daily Reminder 1:

The first day of Ramadan is usually the most challenging in terms of trying to curb the hunger and thirst. Sometimes, the climate, working conditions, work load and even travelling gets the better of us. It becomes quite hard to control our emotions and continue with the fast while maintaining its sacredness. 

At such times, we fail to utilise the fasting hours for ibadah, dhikr and Quran recitations and wait anxiously for the time of Iftar. Some of us would pass orders to kitchen as to what we anticipate for the first iftar meal of the month. :P

In this process, we become hasty and prepare a lot more food than what is actually required. 

The entire objective of Ramadan is to instil patience and self-control and to increase the love for Allah and His deen in our hearts. This will not happen if we are in a hurry to eat to satisfy our taste and waste food which is totally against the purpose of this sacred month. 

How do we expect to enjoy the benefits, the mercy and blessings of Allah if we fail to achieve the purpose of Ramadan?

Yes, it is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (saws) to hasten to break the fast as soon as the Maghrib adhaan has been called out or it is established that the sun has set. But this is with the intention that you have completed your fast for the sake of Allah and you’re nourishing yourself to worship Allah through the night. Not with the intention of filling your stomach to the full and satisfying the taste buds. 

May Allah swt provide ease during the fasting hours and reward us abundantly for fulfilling this obligation towards Him. Ameen.

Verse of the Day:

Ramadan is the month of the Quran, undoubtedly. We are encouraged to increase the number of good deeds in this month, offer voluntary prayers and recite the Quran abundantly. 

What I feel is understanding the Quran should be our focus than rushing to complete the Quran this month. Sure, for a recitation of a single letter, we’re rewarded with 10 good deeds and these 10 will be multiplied (only Allah knows by how many times) during this month.

But understanding the Quran brings forth a number of benefits. The most important according to me is applying the knowledge of the Quran in our daily lives. 

It is an undeniable fact that certain times it becomes difficult to walk on the path of the knowledge of the Quran, the reason being the shaitan ofcourse. He is on a roll when we try to understand the Book of Allah and implement the knowledge in our lives.

But since this month is free of the evil one and his whisperings, we should utilise this opportunity in learning and understanding Allah’s Book, His guidelines and walk by this knowledge.

In sha Allah we will learn about one ayah every day from each juz, and hence complete all 30 juz by the end of Ramadan.

May Allah swt make it easy for us to understand His Book and walk on the path of knowledge. Ameen.

The ayah for the first day is from;

Juz: 1

Surah: Al Baqarah

Verse: 44

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”

You might have come across the English proverb, “Practice what you preach”. In a nut shell, this ayah is exactly the same.

When we learn something new, could be a hadith or a Sunnah or verse from the Quran, we’re expected to share this knowledge. But before we do that, we should be implementing that knowledge in our lives. We can’t be preaching good when we don’t practice any of it. It is not logical when an individual enjoins those around him to offer charity or be kind to others when he himself doesn’t follow it. This is plain hypocrisy and is unacceptable in Islam.

The above verse inquires all those who do not understand that they should enjoin righteousness on themselves first and do accordingly to be as an example, and then expect others to obey or follow them.

Experience has proved that words which are uttered only by the tongue, as simple statements, physically strike the ears and perish. But reasonable speech that arises from the soul and reality, settles in souls firmly and affects hearts deeply.

Sunnah Challenge 1

How often is it that we tell Bismillah or greet Salaam before we enter our homes?

Often we rush into a haste, fail to watch which foot we set in first, and run into our comfort zones forgetting some of the most important supplications before we enter.

Invoking Allah's name before entering our homes is not only a way to remember Allah or add rewards to our account, but it is also a way to protect our homes from the Shayateen!

Jabir bin Abdullah (ra) reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying:

"If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers: `You will find no where to spend the night and no dinner.' But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says [To his followers]; 'You have found [A place] to spend the night in, and if he does not mention the Name of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: `You have found [A place] to spend the night in as well as food." 

(Sahih Muslim, Book 23, 5006)

Along with protection, by saying a Bismillah, entering our homes with a Salam could bring Rizq, protection and even open the doors of Jannah for us!!

The Prophet(SAW) said:

“There are three who are under the protection of Allah and if he lives, he will be provided for and it will be sufficient for him, and if he dies, Allah will enter him into Jannah: whoever enters his house and gives the salaam, whoever goes out to the masjid, and whoever leaves in the way of Allah.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud)

May Allah swt make it easy for us to implement the knowledge we gain, reward us and our families abundantly, bless us with peace and contentment and bestow on us the highest level of Jannah! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.