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Ramadan 2023 – Week 3
Ramadan Chapter 15 – Day of Regret
يَوْمَ يَدْعُوكُمْ فَتَسْتَجِيبُونَ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَتَظُنُّونَ إِن لَّبِثْتُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا ٥٢
On the Day He will call you, you will ˹instantly˺ respond by praising Him, thinking you had remained ˹in the world˺ only for a little while.
— Quran 17:52
The Day of Judgement is also known as the “Day of Regret”. The day when we are resurrected and we will all have something we are thinking about…
On that day people will be clearly aware of their existence in front of God.
The temporality and brevity of this worldly-life (dunya) will be abundantly apparent.
On that day everyone will look back on their lives and feel how short life was. Everyone will wish they had done more.
People who were astray will wish they’d done more good and made more of an effort to seek guidance.
Those who enter heaven will especially wish they had done more good deeds! They were already on the right path but will wish that they had spent their life drawing closer to God, and knowing Him during their time in this worldly life.
Ihsan (excellence) is the highest level of faith and it means to todo all things properly, with integrity, and mindfulness of God.
Ihsan is to do all things, worshipping and seeing God in what you’re doing. If you can’t see Him then to at least be cognisant that He sees you.
This means doing things with a mind for what is pleasing to God, what are good actions, what are bad actions and how is best to conduct oneself in light of the noble example set by our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 16 – Khidr and The Boats
Moses travelled far to study with the mysterious figure of Khidr…
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِى ٱلسَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا ۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًٔا إِمْرًۭا ٧١
“So they set out, but after they had boarded a ship, the man made a hole in it. Moses protested, “Have you done this to drown its people? You have certainly done a terrible thing!”” — Qur’an 18:71
While studying with Khidr, Moses saw him smash a hole into a boat and he could not understand this as anything other than flagrant vandalism…
Khidr later revealed His plan…
أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَـٰكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَآءَهُم مَّلِكٌۭ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًۭا ٧٩
قَالَ هَـٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنِكَ ۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِع عَّلَيْهِ صَبْرًا ٧٨
He [Khidr] replied, “This is the parting of our ways. I will explain to you what you could not bear patiently.
“As for the ship, it belonged to some poor people, working at sea. So I intended to damage it, for there was a ˹tyrant˺ king ahead of them who seizes every ˹good˺ ship by force.”— Qur’an 18:78-79
In damaging their ship a little bit Khidr saved them from losing it completely. Knowing that they would be able to fix it.
Sometimes when difficulty besets us in life or something doesn’t go our way it is because there is a greater plan at work. Sometimes a small failure protects us from a much bigger disaster.
Perhaps a short term stumble sets us up for longer term success! Allah knows best His provision for us.
We simply sit back and say alhumdullillah, praise be to God, for everything.
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 17 – Death Approaching
كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةًۭ ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ ٣٥
“Every soul will taste death. And We test you ˹O humanity˺ with good and evil as a trial, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned.” — Qur’an 21:35
What have we prepared for after our death?
رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ “
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “When a man dies, [all off] his actions come to an end, apart from three: recurring charity (sadaqah jaariyah), knowledge [by which people] benefit, and a pious son who prays for him.”
One thing that is certain in life is death, what are we doing to prepare for it?
How are we preparing our legacy for after we die? Our legacy consists of good deeds, charity, progeny in this life, as well as the deeds that will accompany us in the grave and to the day of judgement.
Our deeds will insha’Allah be a light for us in our grave, easing the burden of the grave.
Imam Al-Hadad tells us in his book “Lives of Man” about people who don’t know God in their life:
“Those whom God allowed to swerve, they will be confused and hesitating, just as in the world they had been doubtful, tortuous, neglectful of God’s orders. They will not know the answers to the questions, they will hesitate and er, their grave will be tightened around them and filled with torture.”
“As for the firm believer, who was established in faith and observance during his life, he will be given good tidings by angels, his grave will be spacious and filled with both light and delight, his good works will surround him: his prayer, fasts, charity, recitations of Qur’an, and remembrance of God the Exalted, all these things will drive away terrors or fears that may come near him.”
Ultimately our good deeds are nothing compared to God’s mercy. When our deeds are compared to the mercy God showers upon us everyday, we will see our deeds as minuscule in comparison.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Be happy for none would be able to enter Paradise because of his deeds alone.” They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: “Allah’s Messenger, not even you?” Thereupon he said: “Not even I, but that Allah wraps me in His Mercy, and bear this in mind that the deed loved most by Allah is one which is done constantly even though it is small.”
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ أَحَدًا عَمَلُهُ ” . قَالُوا وَلاَ أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ” وَلاَ أَنَا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَتَغَمَّدَنِيَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَحَبَّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَدْوَمُهُ وَإِنْ قَلَّ ”
By following God’s commandments we aim to draw closer to Him and we give ourselves a chance at tasting nearness to God.
By aiming to know God in this life, we hope to have a glimpse of Paradise and God’s eternal majesty in this worldly life, before we die.
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 18 – Good People
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ١
ٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلَاتِهِمْ خَـٰشِعُونَ ٢
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ ٣
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكَوٰةِ فَـٰعِلُونَ ٤
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ٥
فَمَنِ ٱبْتَغَىٰ وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْعَادُونَ ٧
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَٰعُونَ ٨
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَٰتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ٩
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْوَٰرِثُونَ ١٠
ٱلَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ ١١
“Successful indeed are the believers:
those who humble themselves in prayer;
those who avoid idle talk;
those who pay alms-tax;
those who guard their chastity (except with their wives)
but whoever seeks beyond that are the transgressors;
˹the believers are also˺ those who are true to their trusts and covenants;
and those who are ˹properly˺ observant of their prayers.
These are the ones who will be awarded
Paradise as their own. They will be there forever.” — Quran 23:1-11
Throughout the Quran God informs us of the good deeds performed by the righteous. Through these noble examples, He gives us a blueprint for what the good believer looks like.
He also warns us of the example of the arrogant, the evil and the wrongdoers.
God lays out a complete blueprint for us in the Qur’an. Teaching us how to live a good life pleasing to Allah — the best life.
The actions of faith, enrich our actions and bring some semblance of nobility to our lives.
Through actions of goodness – seeking to please Allah and follow the noble example of our messenger Muhammad (ﷺ), we can live the most wholesome, peaceful and enriched of lives.
Even when we slip in this path it’s important to remember that the path back to God is simple.
وَمَن تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا فَإِنَّهُۥ یَتُوبُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَتَابࣰا
“And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah properly.’’ —Quran Al-Furqan 25:71
Repentance and seeking forgiveness is the key step, as well as not allowing guilt to overwhelm us. It’s natural to slip, what’s important is our response and our continued efforts to improve:
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِی خُسۡرٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡا۟ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡا۟ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ
“Surely humanity is in ˹grave˺ loss, except those who have faith and do good deeds and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.”
— Qur’an Al-Asr 103:2-3
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 19 – Companionship
وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَـٰلَيْتَنِى ٱتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًۭا ٢٧
يَـٰوَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِى لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًۭا ٢٨
لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى ۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ خَذُولًۭا ٢٩
“And ˹beware of˺ the Day the wrongdoer will bite his nails ˹in regret˺ and say, “Oh! I wish I had followed the Way along with the Messenger! Woe to me! I wish I had never taken so-and-so as a close friend. It was he who truly made me stray from the Reminder after it had reached me.” And Satan has always betrayed humanity.”
— Qur’an 25:27-29
What can we do to ensure we’re among the successful ones on that heavy day?
A big influence on our person is the company we keep. Do our friends encourage us to be better? Do their pleasant ways and their scrupulousness rub off on us?
Good friends support us and help us to be the best ideal version of ourselves. Affirming us, supporting us and gently holding us accountable when they recognise we may be faltering.
Bad company is from the devils and the shayateen. Leading us away from our goals and actions that are important to us. Encouraging us to do evil deeds and calling us to act in ways that harm our heart, leaving us spiritually destitute.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَثَلُ الْجَلِيسِ الصَّالِحِ وَالْجَلِيسِ السَّوْءِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ، وَكِيرِ الْحَدَّادِ، لاَ يَعْدَمُكَ مِنْ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ إِمَّا تَشْتَرِيهِ، أَوْ تَجِدُ رِيحَهُ، وَكِيرُ الْحَدَّادِ يُحْرِقُ بَدَنَكَ أَوْ ثَوْبَكَ أَوْ تَجِدُ مِنْهُ رِيحًا خَبِيثَةً ”
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The example of a good companion who sits with you, when compared to a bad companion, is like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith’s bellows (or furnace). From the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the blacksmith’s bellows would either burn your body or your clothes, or you would get a bad smell thereof.” [Sahih]
أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَيْرٌۭ مُّسْتَقَرًّۭا وَأَحْسَنُ مَقِيلًۭا ٢٤
On that Day the residents of Paradise will have the best settlement and the finest place to rest.
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 20 – Helplessness
فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ٱلْمُبِينِ ٧٩
“So put your trust in Allah, for you are surely upon the ˹Path of˺ clear truth.” — Quran 27:79
Allah is the sustainer, Al-Razzaq. He is the one that feeds us and provides for us, since we were helpless infants and until we are helpless once again he continues to facilitate goodness for us.
۞ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍۢ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍۢ قُوَّةًۭ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍۢ ضَعْفًۭا وَشَيْبَةًۭ ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْقَدِيرُ ٥٤
“It is Allah Who created you in a state of weakness, then developed ˹your˺ weakness into strength, then developed ˹your˺ strength into weakness and old age. He creates whatever He wills. For He is the All-Knowing, Most Capable.”— Quran 30:54
How much were we able to protect ourselves as infants? How much will we be able to fend for ourselves as elderly individuals? It is God that protects us at all points.
In youth, God gives us means and strength by which we sustain ourselves, but ultimately all of it is from Him.
If He willed something woefully improbable for us — then it will reach us; no matter the interventions of anyone else.
Likewise if God doesn’t will something, it can never come to pass even if the entire world rallied to make it so.
God is the one that protects and provides for us, we trust in His plan and His sustenance. We pray for ease and benefit while doing good-deeds that are pleasing to Him.
Our only aim is seeking His pleasure, seeking to know Him and being satisfied with His decree. In turn His pleasure becomes our pleasure as our wills are aligned to truth, justice and tranquility.
فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَى ٱلْحَقِّ ٱلْمُبِينِ ٧٩
“So put your trust in Allah, for you are surely upon the ˹Path of˺ clear truth.” — Quran 27:79
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 21 – Prayer is a shield
ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ ٤٥
“[Prophet], recite what has been revealed to you of the Scripture; keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous and unacceptable behaviour. Remembering God is greater: God knows everything you are doing.” — Quran 29:45
On the night of isra and miraj, prayer was prescribed upon Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his ummah (community) fifty times a day. That is akin to offering prayers every 30 minutes of the day!
This tells us the magnitude and importance of prayer. We were initially commanded to be praying and dedicating our time to God every 29 minutes.
Moses through his knowledge and experience interceded for us however and encouraged the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to ask Allah to reduce it. Through repeated beseeching of Allah, He reduced it from 50 to 5 prayers a day.
This intercession tells us of the very nature of God and prayer. How He is approachable, He listens to us in our need and reduces our hardship.
The 5 daily prayers punctuate our day at regular intervals and give us a chance to reflect and worship our God. They are a time of humility and reverence. Prayer is a time of virtue and recentering. Praying this often protects us from sins and unacceptable behaviour.
We should strive to remember Allah at all times – and with only a few hours in between prayers it is hard to slip and engage in majorly sinful activities.
Prayer is a regular reminder that humbles us, reminds us of God and brings us back to meaning and purpose.
#ramadan2023
References:
- https://sunnah.com/bukhari:349
- https://seekersguidance.org/articles/quran-articles/ask-presence-allah/
Ramadan Chapter 22 – Double Reward
۞ وَمَن يَقْنُتْ مِنكُنَّ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتَعْمَلْ صَـٰلِحًۭا نُّؤْتِهَآ أَجْرَهَا مَرَّتَيْنِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهَا رِزْقًۭا كَرِيمًۭا ٣١
“And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does good, We will grant her double the reward, and We have prepared for her an honourable provision.” — Qur’an 33:31
When a person does good deeds, it is not just so they can get into heaven…
They reward themselves in this life with wholesome acts that bring them closer to God and plant the seeds of peace in their hearts.
With the right intention almost any action can be an act of worship — seeking to do virtuous acts that are pleasing to God.
Drawing closer to God in this life is the greatest gift we can give ourselves – the wholesome gift of tranquility and sakinah in our hearts.
The reward of goodness and tranquility in this life — is then doubly rewarded with good deeds that testify on one’s scales in the afterlife
#ramadan2023
Ramadan Chapter 23 – False Gods
وَمَا لِىَ لَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَنِى وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ٢٢
ءَأَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ ءَالِهَةً إِن يُرِدْنِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ بِضُرٍّۢ لَّا تُغْنِ عَنِّى شَفَـٰعَتُهُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يُنقِذُونِ ٢٣
إِنِّىٓ إِذًۭا لَّفِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ ٢٤
“And why should I not worship the One Who has originated me, and to Whom you will be returned.
How could I take besides Him other gods whose intercession would not be of any benefit to me, nor could they save me if the Most Compassionate intended to harm me?
Indeed, I would then be clearly astray.” — Quran 36:22-24
God created us, guided us and continues to sustain and help us in life.
We’re thankful for everyone and everything that has helped us along our way, but we’re not beholden to them alone…
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “He who does not thank the people is not thankful to Allah.”
لاَ يَشْكُرُ اللَّهَ مَنْ لاَ يَشْكُرُ النَّاسَ
We are thankful to anyone and everything that helps us but at it’s source all help comes from God. Everything and everyone else is simply the means and manifestation of His enacting that help.
If God wishes to help us, nothing can stop Him. And if God writes that something is not meant for us, we will never attain it.
Similarly with material wealth…
“Detachment isn’t that you should own nothing it’s that nothing should own you.”
We’re grateful for things that make our lives easier, such as our home, our job, our car.
We’re not beholden to them though. We shouldn’t get attached to material wealth and worldly status. Neither of them will follow us to our graves, nor will they benefit us after we die.
Ultimately things come and go, but God can provide for us from unforeseen avenues; from his unlimited wealth.
#ramadan2023
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