Ramadan: Fasting and Obedience

“Fasting & Obedience”:

By the grace of Allah, we are going to enter once again in the extremely holy and sacred month of Ramadan. First of all, we need to thank Allah the Almighty who has given us this great boon and enabled us to receive this month once again. This is indeed such a month which is worth a whole lifetime. And it is Allah Almighty who gives us this assurance. To better understand the importance and worth of this month and to help us benefit from this blessed month to the maximum, Allah says in the Holy Quran, in the Surah Al-Baqara, Verses 184-187:

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; and those who are not able to do it may effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does good spontaneously it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if you know. The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of you is present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty, and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks. And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.

Let’s analyse what Allah is telling us (in these verses):

Oh you people who have faith (Iman), Oh you believers, We have made fasting (Sawm/ Roza) obligatory upon you like We made it obligatory upon the people or nations before you.

‘la-’alla-kum tatta-quun’ – so that you may guard (against evil), so that you may tread on the right path, so that you may have Taqwa (fear of Allah).

This fasting for a determined numbers of days and those who are travelling or are sick, then they shall have to replace the missing fasts afterwards. And those people who have the means, (as expiation) they need to feed a poor.

Respect Women and Their Rights

By the grace of Allah, I thus continue my Friday Sermon on the status of the Womenfolk in Islam.

(3) A Mother's Dignity

As mothers, the status of women has been raised by Islam to such an extent that nothing higher is conceivable. As the last law-bearing religion, Islam has provided for the every right and need of the female human species, and perfected them so that these teachings represent the best of teachings for generations up till the Day of Judgement. 

The Holy Quran says:  "Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to (your) parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, do not say to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.” (17: 24-25)

It is reported by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) that when the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was questioned by a disciple as to who after God and His Messenger (pbuh) deserve his fine treatment, the Prophet said: “Your mother.” 

He then asked, “Who next?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied: “Your mother.” 

He asked again: “Who next?” He (pbuh) said again, “Your mother.” The man put the question for the fourth time and it was only then that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Your father.” (Bukhari)

This Hadith shows the paramount importance which the mother enjoys in the eyes of Allah and in the life of his children and family. She is deserving of much more respect and care, three times more than the father.

Women's Rights; Men's Duties

"Womenfolk in Islam”

History is silent as to whether there was any distinction in status between the male and the female sexes during the beginnings of human civilization. In later days no doubt the female sex was regarded as inferior to the male and the idea of inferiority developed to such an extent that the male sex not only claimed a complete superiority over the female sex, but further arrogated to himself the right to utilise and employ the female sex as he liked.

Surveying the history of the world on this point we find that in pre-Christian Europe and Greece, which was the centre of light and learning for a long time and which provided philosophical and scientific inspiration to the Europe of later days, regarded woman as something definitely inferior to man. She was a subservient creature who had come into existence solely for the purpose of breeding citizens for the state and soldiers for the army. Their opinion of women was that these creatures were deprived of any good and was instead the sources of many evils. Such degrading conceptions led to a moral degeneration which ultimately ruined the Greek society. The names of virtuous women scarcely appear in Greek history.

In pre-lslamic Arabia, the general conception of womanhood was of such a degraded type that her very existence was considered ignominious for the family. Female infanticide was consequently practiced on a wide scale. Those women who, however, escaped early death were allowed to live only on sufferance. For, an Arab woman had no rights; she could not inherit property; her person formed part of the inheritance which came to the heir of her husband, and he was entitled to marry her against her will. Hence, there sprung up the impious marriages of their sons with their stepmothers and others of an even worse character. Polygamy was universal and quite unrestricted; equally so was divorce at least as far as man was concerned.

Prophet Muhammad (sa) on Women's Rights

Such was the condition of the female sex in the world when the Holy Prophet of Islam, the Perfect Man, Muhammad (pbuh) the Saviour of womanhood, stood up in Arabia and, through the Divine Revelation of the Lord of the Universe Who created both the male and the female and Who loves them equally, preached to the world that females were just like males and that they have equal rights, equal honour and an equal status in life.

'Love One Another & Live in Harmony'

Islam & the Unity of Mankind

The Holy Messenger and transmitter of Islam, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and all his divinely-sent deputies in his Ummah till the Day of Judgement have the sacred duty to guide humanity as a whole towards Tawheed, i.e. Unity of Allah (Almighty God) and for that, human brotherhood is vital. If the body of the Ummah (i.e. the Muhammadan Ummah); nay, not only that, if the human body as a whole is divided, then that division will always cause fissures in faith and shall not be produce the excellent reunification of all souls on earth for the worship of one sole God, the Creator of the heavens and earth, the very Source of all life.

Human brotherhood in Islam is that which sees to it that Islam is not biased in base sectarianism, pre-judicial superiority or wilfully divisive. It should crystal-clear that semantically Islam means peace. Islam connotes surrender to the Will of Almighty Allah, peace with the Almighty, peace with one’s self, peace with other’s self, peace with humanity at large.

There exists presently a deliberately machiavelic distortion of the true and holy significance of Islam. It results from second or third rate if not hearsay knowledge and it stems also from wrongdoings committed in the name of Islam. Western ideology has purposely fabricated its own image of Islam and is diffusing that image worldwide, thus creating a psychosis (a disrupted and deep fear) about Islam and Muslims. This perverted image of Islam has unfortunately been corroborated by ‘extremists’; term coined by the same western prejudice to tarnish the sound image of Islam.

Our world today forgoes peace because it is obsessed with superiority complex, ethnic manipulations, materialistic quest, pantheism, territorial claims, and egoistic tendencies.

Humanistic Teachings 

Islam teaches us to practice humanitarianism. We are all human beings who belong to only one class and one group. We belong essentially to the family of human beings without any discrimination whatsoever. 

What it means to be a 'Muslim' ?

What Is Islam?

Like I explained last Friday, the word ‘ISLAM’ comes from the Arabic root “silm” which means ‘peace’. But as far as people in the different countries who have accepted Islam wholeheartedly are concerned, as they are not well versed in the Arabic language, they may not fully comprehend the exact extent and the exact denotation of Islam. So I have been thinking that today in my sermon I shall continue on my explanation on what is Islam?

My dear brothers and sisters, Islam is what makes the heart pump and which reinvigorates both the body and soul of the human race, and every creature which is found in the heavens and earth. The beautiful panorama of the heavens and the earth which we see around us carries in its bosom the testimony that it is the creation of a Great Creator. 

The Universe' Set Pattern

The existence of order and design in the universe which modern science, through intense researches, has come to teach us leads us to believing in the existence of a Supreme power and a Supreme Intelligence who is responsible for this complex but orderly design, such a Supreme Being Who brought it into existence and supplied with it all that is needed for its life and growth. New researches have also enabled the discoveries of new galaxies which are sisters to our galaxy, such discoveries which enrich all the more the knowledge of science in respect to the grandeur of Allah and His vast power. Thus, we find that even modern science through its innumerable researches have come to prove the words of Allah, as established in the Holy Scriptures – especially the last Law, the Holy Quran – as true.

Islam: Teachings for a Peaceful World

ISLAM: The Religion of Peace

Islam aims to build a peaceful society at all costs. It is because higher human objectives cannot be achieved in the absence of peaceful circumstances. The spiritual as well as moral progress of the individual is possible only in a peaceful atmosphere. Hence the atmosphere of peace is essential for the building of good society. Academic research too is possible only in peaceful circumstances. The task of the propagation of truth too can be performed only in a peaceful atmosphere. That is why one of the teachings of Islam is reconciliation. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Reconciliation is the best.” (4: 129)

In this regard Islam enjoins us to establish peace even at the cost of unilateral sacrifice and patience. An event of the first phase of Islamic history provides us with an example of this unilateralism. It was in actual fact a no-war pact which was secured by accepting all the demands of the rival group. 

'Do No Harm to Anyone'

To bring about an atmosphere of peace within the society, Islam has given a number of commandments. For instance, the Holy Prophet of Islam observed: “A believer is one from whom people feel secure as regards their lives and property.” (Tirmidhi). Another Hadith has this to say: “By God, he is not a believer from whose nuisance his neighbour is not safe.” (Bukhari) 

Islam aims at making all individuals peace-loving to the ultimate extent. That is why we are enjoined to greet one another by saying “Assalam-u-alaikum”, that is, peace be upon you. According to another saying of the prophet, the best Islam is to greet everyone you come across, whether or not you are acquainted with the person. The frequent reiteration of this phrase ‘peace be upon you’ is in actual fact an external manifestation of the desire for peace within. Islam wishes to inculcate this feeling within every individual that he should become a true lover of peace, to the point that this feeling starts welling up in his heart, finding expression wherever he meets a person.  

A Just World under Islam

Working Toward World Peace

Wa laa tufsiduu fil-‘ardi ba’-da ‘is-laahihaa wad-‘uhuu khawfaww-wa tama-‘aa: ‘inna Rahmatallaahi qariibum-minal Muhsiniin. Do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order and call upon Him in fear and hope. Surely, the mercy of Allah is near to those who do good. (7: 57)

Wa ‘izaa qiila lahum laa tufsiduu fil-‘ardi' qaaluuu ‘in-namaa nahnu mus-lihuun. And when it is said to them, ‘Create not disorder in the earth’ and they say, ‘We are only promoters of peace.’ (2: 12).

It is no longer a secret that in this age of science and technology, man has the capacity to destroy this earth many times over. If mankind wants to avoid this catastrophe then it can do so only by adopting the Islamic teachings which are based on the concept of a lasting universal peace. In fact the religion of Islam is the only faith which has severely condemned any activity which is likely to disturb peace. From the verses of the Holy Quran which I have recited in the beginning, it is clear that Islam places great importance on the maintenance of peace and deprecates all acts which are likely to disturb it whether in the domestic, national or international spheres. The marvellous thing about Islamic precepts is that they are always of universal applications. This confirms the fact that the Holy Prophet of Islam was raised as a mercy for all mankind. Almighty God says in the Holy Quran:

And We have not sent you but as a mercy for all mankind. (21: 108).

And We have not sent you but as a bearer of glad tidings to all mankind and as a Warner, but most men do not know. (34: 29).

Challenges to World Peace Today

Let us now identify some of the causes of the disturbance of peace in the world today and the remedies provided by Islam. Perhaps it would be better to start with nationalism and racism before I explain other relevant subjects like exploitation, greed, hypocrisy, class struggle, international relations and treaties.

Nationalism and Racialism: The political unit in the modern world is the nation state. The problem is to know how such a state is to be defined and what is the character of its relationship with other states? Whatever it is, nationalism has become a complex and compelling faith for which men have died and conquered. It has become more of a curse than a blessing.