'Lailat-ul-Qadr': The Night of Destiny

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.” (Al-Qadr 97: 1-6).

When the month of Ramadan begins, Muslims perform Ibadat (acts of worship) with great enthusiasm to please Allah. The Ibadat made during this month include obligatory acts (Fardh) as well as many voluntary/ additional (Nafl) acts of worship, and the mosques are filled with worshipers, Alhamdulillah. But Insha-Allah, it is essential also that this state of things remain the same even after the month of Ramadan. In this blessed month, the tendency to help the poor and the needy is also great and very important.

The Laila-tul-Qadr

During this month, we get the night of Lailatul Qadr also called, Shabe Qadr (The Night of Power). According to the Hadiths of our beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), the rewards for the Ibadat performed during this night are equal to the Ibadat performed for more than a thousand months and if we calculate all this well and do not make any mistake in our way of counting (our math), so it is equal to 83 years and 4 months. Taking into consideration the length of human life today, it would be impossible for a person to do this great amount of Ibadat during his whole life, even if he does it day and night.

There is a story behind that Night. A person named Samsun (ra) belonging to the Tribe of Israel was a person who made a lot of Ibadat. He used to fight against the infidels and the latter feared him a lot. Allah (swt) had given him such strength that even the army of the infidels had no hold over him to defeat him, or even to wound him. So, in the life of Samsun (ra) there is a very interesting story, concerning his faith (Imaan) in Allah, his courage and the strength he possessed. He was always ready to do Jihad for a thousand months. When the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) heard the story about this extraordinary person who belonged to the Children of Israel from the Archangel Gabriel (as), his thought was for his Ummah (his community). He thought that life was short and that we would not have the opportunity to receive the same intensity of blessings bestowed upon Samsun (ra) for his devotions and loyalty for a thousand months.

Allah (swt) therefore accepted the desire of His Messenger and granted to Him and His Ummah (community) a great favour; such favour that the other Ummat (communities) did not receive; such a favour with an extraordinary prescription, that is, the Lailatul Qadr, the Night of Power. It was during this very night that the Holy Quran was revealed, that is to say, the pure revelations of Allah on His beloved prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).

Ramadan: 'Cultivate Good Manners'

The month of Ramadan leads us to cultivate good manners. In a Hadith, the Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said:

(1)  Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.) (Bukhari).

(2) Fasting does not just mean giving up food and drink, rather fasting means giving up idle speech and obscene conduct. If anyone insults you or treats you in an ignorant manner, then say, ’I am fasting, I am fasting.’ (Bukhari).

These two narrations point to the importance of truth and good manners. Thus, this blessed month teaches us not only to abstain from food and drink but also to refrain from such connexions and actions that can hurt people and violate their rights.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, when describing a true believer: “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe.” (Bukhari).

Therefore, it is up to us as individuals to examine our shortcomings, and seek improvement and bring ourselves closer to the way (Sunnah) of our Prophet (pbuh) as well as to aspire to the excellence that is mentioned in the following words (of the Holy Prophet (pbuh)): “I guarantee a house in Jannah (Paradise) for one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” (Abu Dawud).

'Roza': Three Levels, Divine Rewards

The greatness of Fasting in Islam

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. (Al-Baqara 2: 184).

You must know that in Sawm (Roza / Islamic fasting) there is a special quality that is not present in the other fasts of other religions. Allah (swt) gave the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) a special fast, which is not found in the fasts of the other prophets (as).

Even though Allah (swt) says in this verse: ʻdecreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you’, but conditions and regulations regarding observance of fasting were taught / prescribed in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). It is written (It has been taught) that a fasting person will have a great amount of blessings and rewards for every good deed he shall do during this blessed month of Ramadan, where every good deed will be multiplied by 70, more than in normal times; for example: the observance of Farz, Sunnah and Nafl Salat (the obligatory, Sunnah and voluntary prayers). These rewards will be larger compared to those good deeds accomplished in normal days and every good deed you will make will also reap other great rewards. Even in the morning when you eat the Sehri (pre-dawn meal) and also at the time of Iftaar (breaking of the fast), everything you eat to enter the state of fasting and to break the fast will have great rewards.

A fasting person (a true and sincere faster) strictly follows the fasting regulations during Ramadan and puts them into practice, and through this he demonstrates complete obedience to his Creator, and then he even receives the Creator of the Universe as reward. Alhamdulillah. The greatest reward of fasting that a person receives then is proximity to Allah. Is there any such reward in the observance of fasting in other Ummat (communities) of other prophets (as)? Allah (swt) says:

“Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it” (A Hadith-e-Qudsi reported by Imam Bukhari & Muslim).

This connection is sufficient to demonstrate the greatness of fasting (Sawm) in the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). In the same way, the Holy Ka’aba receives all its honour thanks to its connection with Allah. Allah says: “And Sanctify My House.” (Al-Haj 22: 27).

Indeed, fasting (Sawm) is virtuous because of two important concepts:

(1) It is a secret action and a hidden one; because of this, no one from among the creation can find it. And then, ʻriya’ (ostentation) just cannot touch it!

(2) It is a means to subjugate (dominate) the enemies of Allah. It is because the path that the enemies of Allah embark on to deceive the sons of Adam (as) is desire. Food and drink give them the strength to fulfil their desire. That is why they find fasting difficult to observe and seek all kinds of pretexts (so as) not to fast.

Know that there are 3 levels of fasting observance: (1) General Fasting, (2) Precise Fasting, and (3) Most Accurate Fasting.

(1) The General Fast is to prevent the stomach and the private parts from fulfilling their desires. And you will notice that it is during the month of Ramadan itself, during the very fast that Satan tries to influence you through these desires.

(2) Precise fasting is to prevent (a) the eyes from looking at forbidden things (where this can induce you to commit serious sins), (b) the tongue from saying bad things (such as unnecessary/ vain words, palavers, fights, arguments because it is with that very tongue that you swear etc.), (c) the hand/s from doing bad things (for example, raising your hand over others (beating them), stealing, cheating, etc.), and (d) the ears from committing forbidden things (like listening to things that will not bring you any divine reward, and lending an ear (to listen) to conversations that do not concern you, etc.), and (e) the other members of the body from committing wrongful acts.

(3) The Most Accurate Fasting is the abstention - by the heart - from running behind this ephemeral world, and directing our thoughts towards the distance between us and Allah. An important characteristic of fasting is to lower the gaze and control the tongue. Think a lot before talking; be careful that during your conversation you do not let out a word that may harm others. In short, a control over the members of your whole body is important. This is what the verse I recited before you refers to, where Allah (swt) says, “that you may become righteous.” (Al-Baqara 2: 184).

To receive Allah as reward is not easy. There is a lot of struggle to be done against yourselves. It’s not just that you stay without food and drink that you say you are fasting. No! It does not work that way. Fasting must be accompanied with all these good deeds. It is only after the fulfilment of all these good actions that your fasting - without food and drink - will gain all its value, all its merit before Allah (swt). The one who does not give up his bad deeds, such as: gossiping, quarrelling, spying, doubts, jealousy, lying, etc., then, Allah does not need that person, does not need you to deprive yourself of food and drink as it is reported in the Hadiths.

Another characteristic of fasting is that the person does not fill his stomach with food during the night. Instead, he eats the right measure, because indeed the son of Adam (as) does not fill a container worst than his stomach. If he has enough to eat at the beginning of the night, he will not be able to use it (that is, his body) for the rest of the night. Similarly, if he eats a lot at Sehri (the meal before dawn that signals the beginning of the fast), he will not behave well till the afternoon. This is because eating excessively brings about weakness and lethargy (that is, laziness), and the purpose of fasting disappears because of an excess of food, because the goal of fasting is to make the person (the fasting person) relish the taste of hunger and encourage him to give up his desires.

You must understand that an intelligent individual (that is, one to whom Allah has given intelligence) knows the purpose of fasting. So he takes on himself a burden of such a level where he feels capable (able) to do it, and that is especially to his advantage. (A companion of the Holy Prophet (pbuh)) Ibn Masud (ra) observed very little (optional) fasting and it was reported that he was accustomed to saying, “When I fast (i.e. the optional fasting), I feel weak in my Salat and I prefer my Salat to the (optional) fast.” In other words, he prefers a compulsory act, and gives it priority over an optional, additional act.

Some of the companions were weakened during their concentration in the recitation of the Quran while fasting. Thus, they fast (in this case, the additional fasts) less until they were able to have an equilibrium in their recitation. Each individual is aware of his own condition (health, capacity etc.) and knows the best way to recite (the Quran - and to perform other acts of worship).

A companion (Sahabi) of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) relates: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say during Ramadan: “The gates of Hell are closed, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the devils are in chains. An angel calls out : ʻO you who intend to do good deeds, have glad tidings. O you who intend to do evil, refrain, until Ramadan is completed’.” (Ahmad & Nasai).

A shield against hellfire 

Fasting the month of Ramadan is a shield against hellfire. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “When Allah created Paradise and Hell, He sent Jibreel to Paradise and said, ‘Look at it and at what I have prepared for its people therein.’ So he went and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared for its people therein. Then he went back to Him and said, ‘By Your Glory, no one will hear of it but he will enter it.’ Then He commanded that it should be surrounded with difficult things. Then He said, ‘Go back and look at what I have prepared for its people therein.’ He went back and saw that it was surrounded with difficult things. He came back and said, ‘By Your Glory, I am afraid that no one will enter it.’ Allah said, ‘Go and look at Hell and see what I have prepared for its people therein.’  [He saw it] with parts of it consuming other parts. He came back and said, ‘By Your Glory, no one who hears of it will enter it.’ So Allah commanded that it should be surrounded with desires. Then he said, ‘Go back to it.’ So he went back, then he said, ‘By Your Glory, I am afraid that no one will be saved from it and that all will enter it.’” (Tirmidhi, Hakim & other Hadiths reporters).

So, dear brothers and sisters of Islamic faith, when you realize that fasting kills desires and reduces its severity, and that desires lead you to hell, then you will see how fasting shall be placed (like a protection) between you (the faster) and hell, and you shall observe fasting during the month of Ramadan and after Ramadan also (i.e., in the form of additional/ surerogatory fasts) in the best possible way.

The Quran tells us about the rewards of fasting and there are verses (ayat) about those who obey Allah to be safeguarded against hell, and about fasting being a form of obedience to Allah. Several Hadiths of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) enlighten us in this context.

Abu Said al-Khudri relates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire.” (Ahmad).

ʻUthman Ibn Abil-`Aas relates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah places between him and the Fire a trench like (the distance) that (there is) between heavens and the earth”. (Tirmidhi & Tabarani).

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “When the first night of the month of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious Jinns are chained up and the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. A caller cries out, ‘O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist.’ Allah saves some people from Hell - and that happens every night.” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah & the other Hadiths reporters).

Jabir (ra) relates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “In every day and every night, during the month of Ramadan, there are people to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication (dua) which he can make and will be granted.” (Ibn Majah, Ahmad).

Finally, we call on Allah to make this Ramadan an armour/ shield/ protection for us against hellfire. Ameen, Summa, Ameen, Ya Rabbal Aalameen.

Salat-ul-Janaza Gha’ib

And Insha-Allah, after the Salat-ul-Jumu’ah, we will pray the Salat-ul-Janaza Gha’ib/ Salat-ul-Gha’ib (funeral prayer in absentia/ prayer of the absent) of a dear and highly respected disciple of mine from Kerala, Shareefa Beevi Sahiba (1951-2018), who was the first wife of the Amir, in South Kerala, India (Mukarram Jamaluddin Sahib). May Allah illuminate Her way to Him, so that she receives Allah as Reward. Ameen.

Insha-Allah, you can read a glimpse of her life and work on the blog of the Jamaat under the charge of and written by her dear son, Fazil Jamal Sahib.

May Allah bless all members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in the world and help you all to reach Him in a state where Allah is pleased and happy with you all, especially through your obedience to Allah and His Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and the Khalifatullah He has sent you in this era (in your epoch). Insha-Allah, Ameen.

On this end-note, I wish you all: all my disciples and all the Muslims of the whole world, Ramadan Mubarak!

--- Friday Sermon of 18 May 2018 (02 Ramadan 1439 AH) delivered Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius. 

'Keep Your Compassion Alive'

The Divine Quality of Mercy/Compassion

In Islam, mercy implies the fear of Allah the Almighty. For it is with this fear of Allah the Almighty that the highest degrees (of faith etc.) are reached, torments are dispelled, the evil influence of Satan is repulsed. According to the Quranic verses and various Hadiths, it is clear that life on earth is built on foundations and principles that engender happiness and encourage creatures to help one another with mercy foremost.

Indeed, mercy is a great quality that Allah the Almighty has given to the blessed and deprived the unfortunate. Mercy is implanted in the heart of every creature but it is up to this one to know how to keep this mercy alive for the sake of Allah the Almighty.

According to Abu Huraira (ra) the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, as reported through the pages of Sahih Al-Bukhari: “Truly Allah possesses a hundred mercies and of them there is one mercy through which all creation show mercy to one another and ninety nine are for the day of resurrection...” Alhamdulillah!

Mercy is one of the beautiful qualities of Allah the Almighty. For us, the creatures of Allah the Almighty, mercy is a quality of perfection. With mercy, creatures feel tenderness towards one another. He who is strong has pity/ compassion on him who is weak. That's mercy. The rich man never hesitates to help the poor, the destitute and the needy. That's mercy. For us (Muslims) in the Ummah, mercy is even an obligation at the level of the family as well as of society. And that pleases Allah the Almighty Who then sends His blessings on those who grant mercy (to others) in their daily occupations. 

Dealing with "Evil Eyes"

The evil eye is a reality against which we can protect ourselves. Thus, it is our duty to be aware of this fact in order to be able to fight it, Insha-Allah. So we will explain what the evil eye is before addressing the ways in which we can protect ourselves, Insha-Allah.

What is the evil eye? The evil eye is defined as the consequence when the soul arouses a persistent or malicious desire to meet or to see (stare at) a person. So the evil eye takes place when one looks with envy and insistence on a person. The evil eye can even reach a good, even a being or an entity belonging to the mineral, animal or agricultural world. Moreover, the look that one carries with insistence and wonder on a person or a thing has an effect on them. Allah says: “The disbelievers would almost cut you down with their eyes when they hear (you recite) the Reminder (i.e. the Quran).” (Al-Qalam, 68: 52). 

A Quranic verse can have many connotations and for our present subject, it also affirms that it can mean the evil eye. The disbelievers wished to touch the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) with the evil eye, and besides our beloved prophet (pbuh) has left us an enriching inheritance by warning us against the evil eye and the evil of the evil one (i.e., Satan the accursed one).

According to a Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (ra), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The evil eye is a truth, if there is one thing that precedes predestination, it would be the evil eye ...” (Muslim, Ahmad & Tirmidhi).

It is very important to emphasize the importance of protection against the evil eye. We know that this reality is dangerous for us because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to seek divine protection from the evil eye. Indeed, Abu Said (ra) reported, “The Prophet (pbuh) used to ask for protection from the evil eye of the human being.” (Tirmidhi). This proves to us that the evil eye is a reality that represents an evil for us and from which we must preserve ourselves.

The 10 ways to protect yourselves from such harm are:

1.  The first way is to take refuge with Allah and ask for His protection against the evil of the envious. In Surah Al-Falaq (Chapter 113), we find the request for protection against the evil of the envious. Indeed, Allah says: “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn, from the evil of that which He created; from the mischief of Darkness as it overspreads; and from the evil of those who spit on the knots, (i.e., perform malignant witchcraft). And from the evil of the envious when he envies.” The last evil against which we can seek the protection of Allah is evil linked to the evil eye. It is up to us to implore divine protection against such evil!

Islamic Precepts on Controlling Anger

 Anger/ Wrath

Anger/ Wrath - not to be confused with the divine wrath or the wrath that Allah makes appear on the features of His Messenger as a sign of disapproval of the actions of believers and also that of the unbelievers - is a factor through which the Devil brings men to commit sins such as insult, breaking relationships, physical aggression, or even to commit the irreparable, i.e. murder. So we have to be able to control our anger so that we do not commit such serious sins.

 Forgive Those who Wrong You

Allah says about the “Muttaqi”, i.e. those who repress their anger, in Chapter 3 (Al-Imran), Verse 135: “[...] those who restrain (their) anger and forgive the people [...]”.

Therefore, the Muttaqi - those to whom Allah will offer paradise - are those who control their anger, who despite their strength and courage manage to forgive those who have wronged them.

To control our anger is to preserve Islam. The repressing of our anger allows us to practice Islam in the best way. As long as a person manages to control his anger, his faith will be preserved. However, if the person gets carried away by anger, it will bring him nothing but regrets. “Why did I say / do that?” he will ask himself.

The Holy Prophet's Precepts

It is reported by Abu Hurayrah (ra) that a man had said to the prophet (pbuh): “Counsel me”. The prophet (pbuh) replied, “Do not get angry.” He repeated (the question) several times, and the prophet (pbuh) answered him: “Do not get angry.” (Bukhari)

“Strong” people do not hit others. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “The strong man is not the one who triumphs over the opponent in a fight/ battle, but is the one who controls himself when he has a big anger.” (Bukhari)

The Messenger of Allah said, “Whosoever represses his anger when he can give free rein to it, Allah will call him on the Day of Resurrection before all creatures and invite him to choose one of the Houris who shall please him.” (Abu Dawud).

Prayers for the Shade of God

Invocations to Allah- Part 1

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ۝

And when My servants ask you, 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. (Al-Baqara 2: 187).

Today is the 8^th of Muharram of the year 1439 AH. We Muslims, should be grateful that Allah (swt) has given us our Islamic year/ calendar and it is verily mentioned in the Quran and Hadiths that this (i.e. Muharram) is indeed a blessed month. Allah mentions in the Holy Quran that there are four sacred months for the Muslims and that peace should be preserved during these months. There should be no fight/ battle/ war, vain and endless disputes/ discussions which are aggravated for nothing! Bear in mind that all these are highly detestable in the eyes of Allah.

Beware! Let us not attract the wrath of Allah (swt) upon us because of trivial matters. We need to concentrate deeply on the deeds we are doing and see whether they are being done for Allah solely, or as a show - for the eyes of people.

I ask all brothers and sisters in Islam to make lots of duahs (to invoke Allah a lot), to ask help from Allah, and we need to unite, and not be divided. I ask you to listen to all that I am telling you. From this Muharram 1439 AH to the next Muharram 1440 AH - believe me brothers and sisters - there are a lot of happenings/ events/ catastrophes which shall occur: earthquakes, floods, lots of people shall lose their lives, atrocious crimes, wars/ fights (nations against nations), blood of innocents shall be shed. Corruption shall cause havoc in several countries; the powerful (more precisely, the powerful countries) shall crush down the weak ones, and don’t forget that Islam also is in danger. That is, the Muslims’ lives are in danger, especially wherever they are in minority.

O Muslims and Muslim countries! Listen, take into consideration the sufferings which our Muslim brothers and sisters are undergoing. Let us unite. Unity is Strength. Let us not be divided. Let us forget our difference of opinions. That which is coming ahead shall be atrocious, very hard. Let us not fight among ourselves. O Arab countries! Allah has given you lots of riches, so help your brothers and sisters who share the same faith (religion, Islam) as you and do not be beguiled by others to kill your Muslim brothers and sisters, those who share the same faith as you.

I ask you to take this into consideration and start counting - from the 1^st Muharram of this new year 1439 AH till its end. Write down all that which shall happen throughout the world and even small islands and even all that which is found in the Indian Ocean (and its vicinity) shall not be spared from divine punishment, in the form of earthquakes, floods, great wars which shall be very difficult to stop. Believe in what I am saying.

Ramadan: A Divine Favour

Ramadan is a great favour which Allah has bestowed upon us, Muslims. We shall perceive this favour only when we shall value it like it deserves, otherwise many Ramadans shall come and go without us maximising fully their benefits. The hadiths which I shall put before you show the virtues of Ramadan. Narrated by Abu Masud al-Gifari (ra) in a Hadith whereby Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) has said:

“If my Ummah (community) knew the value, the honour and the importance of the month of Ramadan properly, they would desire the entire of the year to be Ramadan.”

In another Hadith narrated by Salman (ra): 

“On the last day of Shabaan, the Noble Prophet (pbuh) delivered a sermon; he said: ‘O people there comes over you now a great month, a most blessed month in which lies a night more greater in virtue than a thousand months. It is a month in which Allah has made Fasting (Roza/ Sawm) compulsory by day, and has made Sunnah the Nafil night prayers (e.g. Tahajjud prayers as mentioned by Allah in the Quran, and the Tarawee which represents an excellent innovation which Hazrat Umar (ra) implemented for he wanted to reunite all Muslims as one congregation following one Imam and not to be divided – and besides, this is the true spirit of unity which must remain alive whereby all Muslims must come together as one, under (the leadership of) one Imam, especially the Imam whom Allah has raised for you, an Imam-e-Inquilaab, a Khalifatullah, for there should be no division and different sects, but on the contrary, it should be like in the true intention of Hazrat Umar (ra) to reunite all people who were scattered and praying alone, to put them together in one congregation, under one Imam). 

Whosoever intends drawing near to Allah by performing any virtuous deed, for such a person shall be the reward like the one who had performed a Fardh (Obligatory act) in any other time. And whoever performs a Fardh, shall be blessed with the reward of seventy Faraa-idh (Obligatory acts) in any other time. 

This is indeed the month of patience, and the reward for true patience is Jannah (Paradise). It is the month of sympathy with one’s fellowmen. It is the month wherein a true believer’s rizq (sustenance) is increased. Whosoever feeds another who fasted, in order to break the fast at sunset, for the feeder there shall be forgiveness of sins and freedom from the fire of Jahannam (hellfire), and for such a feeder shall be the same reward as the one who fasted (who he fed) without that person’s reward being decreased in the least.”

Thereupon we said, “O Messenger of Allah, not all of us possess the means whereby we can give a fasting person to break his fast.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied: 

“Allah grants the same reward to the one who gives a fasting person to break the fast a mere date, or a drink of water, or a sip of milk (for Iftar, to break his fast). This is a month, the first of which brings Allah’s mercy (i.e. the first part), the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings freedom from the fire of Jahannum. Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the hell-fire.”

“And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord (Allah), while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (i.e. recite “Laa Ilaaha Illallah”) and make much Istighfaar (i.e. repentance, seek the forgiveness of Allah). And as for those without which you cannot do, you should beg of Allah, entrance into Paradise and ask refuge in Him from hell-fire.”

“And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from my fountain, such a drink where after that a person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Paradise.” (Baihaqi, Ibn Hibban).

A faster should take 6 precautions when he observes his fast. Abu Ubaidah (ra) reports: “I have heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: “Fasting is a shield for the one who does not violate it.” (Ibn Majah, Nisaï, Hakim).

In the same way that a shield protects someone, fasting also protects man (human being) from his sworn enemy, i.e. Satan. In the other Hadiths, we learn that fasting protects from the punishment of Almighty Allah in the hereafter and it is also a protection against hell-fire. 

Once someone asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): “What annuls the fast?” 

He (pbuh) replied: “Lying, backbiting, fighting and vain disputes.”

Therefore, when you analyse these words of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), he (pbuh) said that lying, backbiting (i.e. saying bad words on others in their back), fighting, or vain disputes annul the fast just like food and drink breaks the fast. Thus, when this happens, that person loses all the blessings and rewards of fasting. All the sacrifices that he made, by waking up early in the morning and following the prescriptions of Allah and His Messenger (pbuh), at the end of the day, because of indulging in forbidden things, he loses all. This is really a grievous sin, especially in that blessed month (i.e. the month of Ramadan).

Six Points to Remember:

Therefore, there are six precautions which we should take when we observe the fast:

1.   That person (i.e. the faster) should protect his sight/ eyes by not looking at forbidden things. Our beloved prophet (pbuh) has said : “A look is like an arrow which comes from Satan.” The one who for the fear of Allah protects his sight against evil (i.e. he does not look at forbidden things/ beings), even in his talks with friends, be it through phone, mobile or email; you should be very careful, lest Allah rip away from you the mustard seed of Iman (faith) which was in your heart, and especially when Allah has chosen you to do His Deen works (i.e. the works of religion – Islam). You should behave well and not act like a hooligan. You should maintain a distance with all that are forbidden and preserve your dignity and status bestowed upon you by Allah. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “If you show such divinely-given dignity and status, then Allah shall give you such power/ force in your faith that you shall be able to taste and feel the sweetness of faith from the bottom of your heart.”

2.     A person must protect his tongue from all forbidden things such as lying, vain talks, backbiting, disputes, foul words, etc. In the book of Hadiths of Bukhari we read that fasting is a shield for a faster. That is why, those who observe the fast should avoid all vain talks, mockeries, disputes etc. If someone readies himself to fight (dispute) with us, we should simply say: “I am fasting”. In other words, we should not start a dispute on our own and if the other one seeks to start a dispute, we should not fall into this trap.

In the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), there used to be two women who observed the fast and they reached a point that hunger was so poignant that they were on the verge of dying. The Sahaba (ra) went to see them and these women were given each a bowl to vomit therein. After vomitting, there were blood and pieces of flesh which came out from them. The Sahaba (ra) were astonished and the Holy Prophet (pbuh) told them: “These two women fasted from what Allah has made licit for them however, they broke their fast with what Allah has made illicit upon them when they sat with one another to backbite others.”

It is clear from that Hadith that backbiting makes fasting unbearable. That is why those two women nearly died. In fact, all evil deeds render fasting difficult (to accomplish/ to sustain). Experience show that fasting is not difficult for those servants (of Allah) who are sincere and devoted (i.e. the Muttaqiin – those who are righteous, who have the fear of Allah in their hearts). For them, fasting is never an ordeal whereas for the sinful ones, fasting is ever an ordeal.

This sermon does not end here, but I need to stop here for today due to lack of time and the members have to return back to work. I pray that Allah gives me the opportunity to continue on the same subject of my sermon next week (next Friday), Insha-Allah. If I continue, it shall be too long, especially when the six precautions while fasting need to be explained, and I have mentioned just two of them. Insha-Allah, I shall continue on the same subject next Friday.

I wish all of you – all my disciples worldwide and all Muslims – Ramadan Mubarak. May Allah make you blessed (Mubarak) in the blessed month which is awaiting us with open arms. In return we should also open wide our arms and hug this extraordinary and special guest sent by Allah for us. It is truly a treasure which Allah has bestowed upon us, and it is now for us to use this treasure in the best way which exists, and verily the best way is to follow the Sunnah (practice) of our noble prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Insha-Allah, Ameen.

---Extracts from the Friday Sermon of 26 May 2017 (29 Shabaan 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.