Friday, April 15, 2022

Ramadan & Fasting- 2

  

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). (Al-Baqara 2: 184)


Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, we have entered the blessed month of Ramadan, and today I continue the second part of my Friday sermon that I started last Friday.

 

Hadith: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “Fasting is a protection and a powerful fortress.” (Ahmad, Baihaqi).

 

As I have mentioned last week, the month of Ramadan is a month wherein a Mumin (believer) must make a lot of sacrifice. The sacrifice he has to make is that he has to get up early in the morning to do the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud and take the Sehri. In my last week’s sermon I quoted this Hadith which shows the importance of Sehri. I also said that Roza [fasting] keeps us healthy. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Keep the fast and you will stay healthy.” (Tibrani).

 

There is also enormous benefit in Iftar. He who loves Allah will be in a hurry to have his Iftar so that he can meet Him - his Creator (in Salat). Salat is a source of blessings for us Muslims and for all of humanity. Salat prevents us from doing degrading things.

 

In times of fasting, it is advisable to do many voluntary prayers [Nafl Salat] and do Zikr to gain closeness to Allah. There is no better way to come close to Allah than through Salat and Zikr. Zikr-i-Ilaahi enables one to spiritually approach Allah (swt) and discover His beauty.

 

Abu Saeed al-Khudri (ra) narrates the following from Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh): “On the first night of Ramadhan the doors of the heavens are opened and remain open until the last night Ramadan. Any believer / faithful who prays [perform Salat] shall be rewarded 1,500 virtues for each prostration and a grand house made out of Yaqut (Red Rubies) in paradise with 7,000 doors and each door [entrance] leading to a palace of gold decorated with Yaqut (Red Rubies). On the first day of Ramadan fast all the sins between the last Ramadan and this (present one) are forgiven. Every day between Fajr [dawn] and Maghrib [sunset] 70,000 angels pray for his forgiveness and for every prostration of every prayer in the day or night he shall get a tree big enough that a rider (on horseback) will take 500 years to cross its shadow.” (Baihaqi)

 

(Let us ponder over the great extent of space of that tree and its shade for the one who fast for Allah).

 

Allah likes His servants to make efforts in His path and therefore He has established the fast which allows a Mumin (believer) to gain access to his Lord with a purified heart. The material world tends to corrupt people’s hearts. So, the benefit of Ramadan is that during this month, a believer must keep fasting to purify his heart from worldly attachments.

 

Allah says in Quran in Verse 186 of Chapter 2 Al-Baqara: “Shahru Ramazaa-nallaziii ‘unzila fiihil-Qur’aanu hudal-linnaasi wa bayyinaatim-minal hudaa wal furqaan.”

 

'It was in the month of Ramadan that the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong.'

 

So, therefore, it would be very good for our souls and conscience if we make it our duty to read the Quran in this blessed month that we are living in at the moment and we sit down and reflect on each verse that Allah (swt) has revealed. Allah loves those who are sincere in their faith and do everything necessary to understand the messages in His noble Quran.

 

Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (ra) reported Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as saying, “Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord, I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Qur’an says, ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night, so accept my intercession for him.’ Then their intercession is accepted.” (Ahmad, Tibrani, Hakim).

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “O Abu Dharr! For you to come out in the morning and learn one Verse from the Book of Allah is better for you than praying one hundred Raka’at [Nafl], and for you to come out and learn a matter of knowledge, whether it is acted upon or not, is better for you than praying one thousand Raka’at [Nafl].” (Ibn Majah).

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “If anyone recites the Quran and acts according to its contents, on the day of resurrection his parents will be given to wear a crown whose light is better than the light of the sun in the dwellings of this world if it were among you. So what do you think of him who acts according to this?” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud).

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “No one has given his children anything better than Adab (knowledge of religion).” (Tirmidhi, Baihaqi).

 

These hadiths show us the value of learning and reading the Quran and the Hadiths that our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said and practiced. The fact that Ramadan has come, thus we must take advantage of it and attract the pleasure and blessings of Allah (swt) upon us. Who would not want to gain such favors which have been mentioned in the Quran and Hadiths on the benefits of learning the Quran and putting it into practice? And as another Hadith says, to teach it to others? What importance [value] must the parents give the Quran and teach it to their children? We have seen what rewards these parents shall receive, those who dedicate their children in this path which brings Light in the heart and in the whole world.

 

Allah has also spoken in several places in the Quran about giving importance to Zakat. Zakat must be given on the capitals which we have.

 

There is also a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) narrated by Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) saying: “There is Zakat applicable to everything, and the Zakat of the body is fasting.” (Ibn Majah).

 

Zakat - like I have told you all the time - is more important than the Chanda; we must not overlook or neglect it. But that also doesn’t mean that you don’t have to contribute to the Chanda [Donations] fund. Above all, Allah is pleased that as a Muslim we fulfill our duties and one of those duties is to distribute Zakat. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) had the habit, despite poverty, of doing a lot of charity during the month of Ramadan.

 

Allah say in Quran Chapter 2, Verse 111: 


“Wa ‘aqiimus-Salaata wa aatuz-Zakaah...”  And perform prayer and give Zakat [compulsory tax]…

 

In Chapter 9 At-Tauba, Verse 60, Allah says:

 

“Alms [Donations] are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over [to Islam], to free slaves and help those in debt, for God’s cause, and for travellers in need. This is ordained by God; God is all knowing and wise.”

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: Blessed is the servant who spends out of the wealth he has earned without sin. (Ibn Adi, Bazzar)

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) fine dire: “The best of charity is when a Muslim man gains knowledge [of Deen], then he teaches it to his Muslim brother.” (Ibn Majah)

 

There is a Hadith which is mentioned in (Bukhari) where the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said that on the Day of Judgement he will be among the poor. He advised his Ummah not to attach themselves with the luxuries of this world. Thus, the month of Ramadan allows a Mumin [believer] to detach himself from worldly things, which are very temporary.

 

Hadith: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said: “Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication, and nothing increases the life-span except righteousness.” (Tirmidhi)

 

So, let us pray that Allah helps each one of us to strive towards Him (Allah) and reap His love. Let us show our children the importance of the teachings of Islam so that Allah be pleased with us as Dai-Illallah and as parents. There is no age limit to learn. May all of us, old and young, join hands together to teach the religion of Islam, teaching it to others, may them be other Muslims, or people from the different religions. Our work as Dai-Illallah is to pass on the message of Islam. It is Allah in return who gives Iman (faith). As for us, our duty is only to do our best in our duty and spread the message, be it to our children and humanity [as a whole].

 

May Allah enlighten our souls and enrich our minds with His knowledge in this noble month of Ramadan, and may each of us enjoy or maximise [the benefits of] these exceptional moments. Last year’s Ramadan was certainly different from this year and we don’t know what is in store for us for the next Ramadan. May Allah have mercy on everyone among us and grant us His blessings in abundance. Ameen, Summa Ameen, Ya Rabbul Aalameen.


---Friday Sermon of 08 April 2022 ~05 Ramadan 1443 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.