Ramadan 2023 Juz 24 – On your own  ⚖️

قُلْ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّى عَـٰمِلٌۭ ۖ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ٣٩

“Say, ‘My people, do whatever is in your power- and so will I. You will find out” — Quran 39:39

Each of us will be judged on our own deeds and our own scale.

Allah enjoins us in the Quran to do good deeds — according to what is in our power.

We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others and the good or bad deeds that they’re doing. If we see someone behaving differently, or worse to us that doesn’t make us better than them or mean we will have more good deeds on the Day of Judgement.

We never know where each of us may end up, and we never know the circumstances that each of us have come from.

If we are in a privileged position where it is easy for us to goto the mosque and pray on time, or to spend time honouring our family and giving money to charity then we should seize this opportunity.

Otherwise on the Day of Judgement God will ask us why we didn’t take this opportunity when God made it so easy for us.

If we see someone doing a lot more than us, e.g reading Quran, praying tahajjud, working on their patience — then we should say māshā’Allāh and see if it’s in our power to learn from them and emulate the good.

Some things will be too strenuous for us and we need to work towards them as a longer term goal – always aiming to strive and improve.

We should do what is our personal best according to our own capacity.

Ultimately guidance is only for our own benefit

إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ لِلنَّاسِ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَلِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۖ وَمَآ أَنتَ عَلَيْهِم بِوَكِيلٍ ٤١

“Surely We have revealed to you the Book ˹O Prophet˺ with the truth for humanity. So whoever chooses to be guided, it is for their own good. And whoever chooses to stray, it is only to their own loss. You are not a keeper over them.” — Qur’an 39:41

#ramadan2023

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Ramadan 2023 Juz 25 – When do we talk to God?

وَإِذَآ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَـَٔا بِجَانِبِهِۦ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَذُو دُعَآءٍ عَرِيضٍۢ ٥١

“When We show favour to someone, they turn away, acting arrogantly. And when touched with evil, they make endless prayers ˹for good˺.” —Qur’an 41:51

God is not just there for us to call on in times of need, asking for more. The believer constantly balances their prayers between patience and gratitude, sabr and shukr.

We have gratitude and hope for more – praying to God for only he can provide for us.

Ultimately all sustenance is from Him even if he delivers it through different means such as our job or through friends or family.

All goodness is from Him, even our ability to work and earn a living for ourselves, is a gift that comes from Him.

We have gratitude for what we already have. When things are easy we remember God and we thank Him abundantly for making things trouble-free for us. This is done while remaining cognisant that trials are always soon to come…

Every summer leads to winter and every winter leads to spring.

Just as things are easy, trials will come again — demanding us to have patience through difficulty. This is always the way.

Just as things become difficult, adversity will lead to growth and greater openings in the future.

لَّا يَسْـَٔمُ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ مِن دُعَآءِ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَإِن مَّسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ فَيَـُٔوسٌۭ قَنُوطٌۭ ٤٩

“Man never tires of asking for good, but if evil touches him he loses all hope and becomes despondent.” —Qur’an 41:49

We don’t become despondent in the face of adversity, rather we remember God in times of ease and we seek Him for patience and help in times of difficulty.

قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ كَفَرْتُم بِهِۦ مَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ هُوَ فِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍۢ ٥٢

سَنُرِيهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فِى ٱلْـَٔافَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ ٥٣

“Ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, “Imagine if this ˹Quran˺ is ˹truly˺ from Allah and you deny it: who can be more astray than those who have gone too far in opposition ˹to the truth˺?”

We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?” — Qur’an 41:52-53

God shows us His signs in all things. His divine wisdom and complexity permeates all aspects of the cosmos. His intricacies are present at a celestial and a microbial level.

God is a divine reality who is also present at all points in our life. God is sufficient for us and His multitude of favours upon us are only further reasons for us to be grateful to Him.

How can we do other than worship Him in his majesty?

#ramadan2023

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Ramadan 2023 Juz 26 – Clear Guidance, undoubtedly.

حمٓ ١

تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ ٢

“Ḥâ-Mĩm. The revelation of this Book is from Allah—the Almighty, All-Wise. “ —Qur’an 46:1-2

29 Surahs of the Qur’an begin with these unknown, secret letters.

These letters are an important part of the Qur’an that we recite and yet their meaning is completely unknown…

“الٓمٓ”

“Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.” — Surah Al-Baqarah verse 1

There are blessings in reading these unknown letters — but if Allah wanted the Qur’an to be read only for blessings and benefit, he would’ve made the whole Quran like the secret letters. Indecipherable.

The majority of the Qur’an however is easy to understand, and written in clear Arabic, a language that is preserved and clear to this day.

Allah intended the Qur’an as a book of guidance. Something that we would read, understand and actively benefit from in our lives.

During Ramadan, many of us will focus on the actions of Islam. Fasting, praying, reading Qur’an, improving our character.

All of these injunctions from the Qur’an are things we can do all year around – Ramadan gives us a glimpse of what we’re capable if we truly seek to be our best selves, follow the guidance of the Qur’an and seek Allah.

#ramadan2023

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Ramadan 2023 Juz 27 – Live Before You Die

وَفِى ثَمُودَ إِذْ قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَمَتَّعُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ حِينٍۢ ٤٣

فَعَتَوْا۟ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَخَذَتْهُمُ ٱلصَّـٰعِقَةُ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ ٤٤

فَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ مِن قِيَامٍۢ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُنتَصِرِينَ ٤٥

وَقَوْمَ نُوحٍۢ مِّن قَبْلُ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًۭا فَـٰسِقِينَ ٤٦

“And in ˹the story of˺ Thamûd ˹was another lesson,˺ when they were told, “Enjoy yourselves ˹only˺ for a ˹short˺ while.”

Still they persisted in defying the commands of their Lord, so the thunderbolt seized them while they were looking on.

Then they were not able to rise up, nor were they helped.

And the people of Noah ˹had also been destroyed˺ earlier. They were truly a rebellious people.” —Qur’an 51:43-44

We enjoy ourselves for a bit and then all life comes to an end. When we look at our lives the present may feel all-encompassing but as we look back on the decades past they seem to have raced past.

Life is short – the older we get the more we appreciate this, and the shorter life feels.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اغْتَنِمْ خَمْسًا قَبْلَ خَمْسٍ شَبَابَكَ قَبْلَ هَرَمِكَ وَصِحَّتَكَ قَبْلَ سَقَمِكَ وَغِنَاكَ قَبْلَ فَقْرِكَ وَفَرَاغَكَ قَبْلَ شُغُلِكَ وَحَيَاتَكَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِكَ

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Take benefit of five before five: Your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied, and your life before your death.

We need to be cognisant of what is pleasing to God, and after we are all gone and buried, what will remain and continue to help ourselves and others?

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ يَتْبَعُ الْمَيِّتَ ثَلاَثَةٌ، فَيَرْجِعُ اثْنَانِ وَيَبْقَى مَعَهُ وَاحِدٌ، يَتْبَعُهُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعَمَلُهُ، فَيَرْجِعُ أَهْلُهُ وَمَالُهُ، وَيَبْقَى عَمَلُهُ ‏”‏‏.

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When carried to his grave, a dead person is followed by three, two of which return (after his burial) and one remains with him: his relative, his property, and his deeds follow him; relatives and his property go back while his deeds remain with him.”

فَفِرُّوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنِّى لَكُم مِّنْهُ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ٥٠

“So ˹proclaim, O  Prophet˺: “Flee to Allah! I am truly sent by Him with a clear warning to you.” — Qur’an 51:50

#ramadan2023

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Ramadan 2023 Juz 28 – Places of Sanctity?

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ

“Do you not see that Allah knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth?” — Qur’an 58:7

Everywhere we go, God is with us and aware of our actions.

مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَىٰ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَآ أَدْنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ٧

If three converse privately, He is their fourth. If five, He is their sixth. Whether fewer or more, He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Judgment, He will inform them of what they have done. Surely Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.” — Qur’an 58:7

As people striving to please God and do good deeds we should likewise always strive to be in the best of places.

For someone found in a place of inherent vice, they may not be doing anything sinful — but to a God-conscious person the place is inherently disliked…

If somewhere is filled with acts that are displeasing to God, a God-conscious person would not even want to be seen anywhere near it.

Our aim is to draw closer and to ideally always be cognisant of Him and striving to do deeds that are pleasing to Him.

That includes always striving to do our best and to be seen in the best of places.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, and he who falls into doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful as the shepherd who pastures near a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Verily, every king has a sanctum and the sanctum of Allah is His prohibitions. Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.”

Drawing close to God and being a good person goes beyond just avoiding what is sinful but goes to trying one’s upmost to always be doing one’s best and avoiding grey areas and doubtful matters

#ramadan2023

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Ramadan 2023 Juz 29 – Life and Death

تَبَـٰرَكَ ٱلَّذِى بِيَدِهِ ٱلْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ١

“Blessed is the One in Whose Hands rests all authority. And He is Most Capable of everything.” — Qur’an 67:1

Nothing is beyond his purview, Allah is the one in control who writes and decrees all things for us.

He created us to know Him and do good to draw closer to Him.

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٢

“˹He is the One˺ Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, All-Forgiving.” — Qur’an 67:2

He created life and death as signs for us. If He wanted to He could have created the world without them, but their existence serves as a reminder of our purpose.

Our purpose is to see how we will use the time given to us. Will we invest our time to seek the pleasure of Allah and prepare for the hereafter? Or will we spend our time indulging in the temporary dunya?

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَأَجْرٌۭ كَبِيرٌۭ ١٢

“Indeed, those in awe of their Lord without seeing Him will have forgiveness and a mighty reward.” —Qur’an 67:12

We should strive to use our time wisely and make the most of every moment, seeking the pleasure of Allah and preparing for the ultimate meeting with Him.

May Allah guide us to the straight path and grant us success in both this life and the afterlife.

#ramadan2023