The Month of Fasting

  

Ramadan is here once again. This blessed month is filled with many blessings and offers a unique opportunity to every Muslim. To fully benefit from it, it is essential to understand what this month symbolizes and what we can gain from it to come closer to Allah and His paradise.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran:

“O you who believe! Fasting has been enjoined upon you as they were enjoined upon those before you, so that you may be God-fearing (attain Taqwa)” (Al-Baqara 2:184).

 

Divine commandments, including fasting during Ramadan, aim to instil piety (taqwa) in the hearts of believers. They help purify the soul, develop patience, seek forgiveness for sins, and obtain divine rewards. Fasting during Ramadan, in particular, is a way to draw closer to Allah, strengthen one’s faith, and engage in deep spiritual reflection. It also instils values such as discipline, empathy towards the less fortunate, and gratitude for the blessings received.

Our Islamic Faith- 4

  

Ashhadu alla ilaha illallahu 

wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan 

‘abduhu wa rasuluh.

 

I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, 

and I bear witness that Muhammad (pbuh) is His servant and Messenger.

 

When we reflect upon the Deen of Allah [Islam], we realise that Allah has entrusted us, and even commanded us, to believe in everything He, our Creator, has instructed us to believe in. When He created us, He provided us with a place to reside. In this temporary world, He spread out the earth and placed within it an abundance of sustenance for our survival. He designed the skies as a canopy above us, serving as both protection and a source of water to quench our thirst, keeping both us and our environment clean. 

Thus, we recognise that Allah is immensely generous towards humanity. He tests us through various trials. There are periods of drought as well as times of overwhelming rainfall, where the sheer volume of rain can wreak havoc everywhere. We see this exemplified in the great flood during the time of Hazrat Nuh (as), when the entire land (of his nation) was submerged. Hence, a creation of Allah can be a blessing, but it may also act as a tool through which Allah imparts lessons to humanity.

The Light of 'Taqwah'

 

'O believers! Fear Allah and speak correctly. He will improve what you do and forgive your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Prophet will indeed achieve a great victory.' (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33: 71-72)

 

The essence of Taqwah (awe-inspiring reverence for Allah/ fear of Allah) lies in total conformity to all divine commandments. This involves doing all that is prescribed and avoiding all that is forbidden or disapproved. It is understandable that this is a very difficult task for people. Therefore, by following the fundamental directive of “Fear Allah and speak correctly,” Allah gives the instruction that all who claim to believe in Allah and His Prophet must speak correctly, meaning they must speak good words, words that correct and improve their own speech or conversation with people.

 

Good words transform hearts. Allah has prescribed in the Quran that while there are specific laws for believers and limits they must not exceed, respecting the barriers that Allah has set for them through Taqwah, Allah has given His Prophet superiority concerning the laws He has prescribed, which are reserved only for him (the Prophet – whether it be the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), but also all prophets who will arise within his Ummah and to whom the Quran’s instructions will apply). Allah says: “Fear Allah and speak correctly.” Do not take the Prophet as an ordinary person like all of you. If Allah gives him certain permissions that He has not given to other believers, then the believers must submit to the divine will and not speak words that could cause their faith to vanish.

Duahs for Divine Shade

 

Duah:

 

Ya Allah,

Have mercy on our weak souls

We claim to love you so much,

But we disobey You so often.

 

Ya Rahman,

Do not punish us for our actions;

We are weak and forgetful.

Ameen Summah Ameen

Ya Rabbul Aalameen

 

************

 

Duah for the Purification of the Soul

 

Allahumma Ati Nafsi Taqwaha Wa-Zakkiha

Anta Khayru Man Zakkana Anta Waliyuha Wa-Mawlaha.

 

'O Allah,

Give my soul (Nafs)

It's God - fearing righteousness (Taqwah)

And purify it.

For You are the Best to purify it.

You are its Protector And its Guardian.'

(Sahih Muslim 2722).

A Life of Humility

 

Consider the Qur’anic guidance on virtuous social conduct, righteous living:

 

‘Believers, no one group of men should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; no one group of women should jeer at another, who may after all be better than them; do not speak ill of one another; do not use offensive nicknames for one another….’

 

‘Believers, avoid making too many assumptions– some assumptions are sinful– and do not spy on one another or speak ill of people behind their backs…’

 

‘People, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognize one another. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware’. (Holy Qur’an, 49: 12-14)

‘You Are Not A Muslim’

  

Sufyan Bin Abdullah related, “I said to the Messenger of Allah, ‘Tell me a statement on Islam such that I need ask no one else but you about it’. He told me, ‘Say, ‘I believe in God,’ and be upright.’ ”  

‘One who observes the same prayer as we do, faces the same direction in prayer as we do, and partakes from the animal slaughtered by us, then such a one is a Muslim concerning whom there is a Covenant of Allah and His Messenger: so you must not seek to hoodwink Allah in the matter of this Covenant.’  

'A believer is still within the scope of his religion as long as he does not shed forbidden blood....If anyone curses a believer, that is like murdering him; and if anyone accuses a believer of disbelief, that is like murdering him...A slanderer will not enter the Garden of Paradise’. 

 

‘People, We created you all from male and female, and made you into races and tribes so that you should get to know one another [like relatives from the same origin]. In God’s eyes, the most honoured of you are the ones most mindful of Him: God is all knowing, all aware’. (Holy Qur'an, 49: 14)

Adam's Sons: Habil and Qabil

 

God's messengers and Man's free-will

 
'The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. They believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. (They proclaim) “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord! And to You (alone) is the final return.” (Al-Baqara 2: 286)

 

Alhamdulillah Summa Alhamdulillah, I continue my sermon on the Messengers of Allah and the struggle between good and evil.

 

From the Islamic perspective, all prophets and messengers of Allah deserve the respect and love of believers. When Allah established Adam (as) on earth, He granted him a wife from his own being, of his own quality and essence, to bring forth a new generation of humans. These humans have free will, with the choice to choose their path: either they choose the right path and gain divine love, or they become companions of the Satan and burn with him in Hell.

‘Trust Allah in Trials of Life’

 

Tarbiyyat Lessons- 23

 

‘The testing of a believer, male or female,

In respect to one’s person, children, and property

Will not cease until one meets Allah the Exalted

 Unburdened by any sin’ 

*****

 

‘When Allah wants good for a mortal

Allah hastens affliction in this world;

And when Allah wants ill for a mortal,

Allah leaves him be with his sin

Until his soul is taken

on the Day of Resurrection’

 

*****

 

‘Be mindful of Allah,

And you will find Allah in front of you.

Acknowledge Allah in ease,

And Allah will acknowledge you in distress.

And know that what misleads you 

will never enable you to do right,

And what enables you do right 

will never mislead you.

And know that help comes with patience,

And that relief comes with distress;

And that with difficulty comes ease.’

 

*********

The Essence of ‘Taqwah’

  

In response to a question on the real meaning of ‘Taqwah’, received from a young Muslim  from abroad, Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius offered spiritual guidance, the text of which is reproduced below for the benefit of all seekers of higher wisdom.

 

Ms. Nusrat Alibagh [Germany]: ‘Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarkaatuhu. Hazrat Munir Sahib, l want to have an answer from you: what is the real meaning of ‘Taqwah’?

 

Answer: ‘You know in the Holy Quran Allah (swt) say: ‘Verily, the Believers are those whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His signs (or revelations) are recited to them they increase their faith, and who put their trust in their Lord.’ (8:3).

Faith and the World

 

A believer needs to be mindful of God, and he should adopt righteousness and fear of God in all his pursuits in this world. Those who give preference to the Faith over their worldly concerns, they are never wasted; indeed they attract Divine grace and mercy in their life circumstances, Insha Allah. 

Several verses in the Holy Qur’an points out that Divine succour and help follow those believers who trust in God:   

‘Anyone who believes in God and the Last Day should heed this: God will find a way out for those who are mindful of Him, and will provide for them from an unexpected source; God will be enough for those who put their trust in Him. God achieves His purpose; God has set a due measure for everything.’ (65: 3-4)

 ‘You who believe! If you help God, He will help you and make you stand firm’ (47:8) 

‘God is sure to help those who help His cause– God is strong and mighty– those who, when We establish them in the land, keep up the prayer, pay the prescribed alms, command what is right, and forbid what is wrong: God controls the outcome of all events.’ (22:41-42)  

Segregation in Islam

To protect the dignity and privacy of individuals while respecting their need for engaging in social relations, the Islamic ethics of Taqwah prescribes ‘Pardah’, a code of conduct for unrelated men and women in their possible social interactions. These days such interactions take place on an everyday basis both on physical spaces- schools, colleges, universities, work places, transport vehicles, etc.- and on virtual spaces such as social media, online meetings, chatting networks, etc. This raises profound questions of practical guidance on related issues for the believers- men and women of faith. For instance, how should a boy or man behave towards a girl or woman he interacts with in the context of social media? Can a man shake hands with a woman and vice-versa in social settings? What about singing Nazms where men and women use their voices and can attract each other’s attention?

Recently, in a programme telecast over the Sahih Al Islam YouTube Channel, a number of issues of appropriate conduct and behaviour between unrelated men and women in social settings were put before Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius for guidance and clarification from the perspective of the Law of Shari’ah. 

Reproduced Below is the text of the Question and Answer session with Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) anchored by Tayyeba N.A. Saheba in July 2023.

Sin & Its Consequences

 

When you hear people say, “I feel bad about myself [litt: not to feel well in one’s skin]; I feel uncomfortable”, we can say that this person is wrong and that the reality of his condition escapes him. 

In fact, if he feels bad, it is because he is no longer in his “skin”. If we remove a fish from the water to put it in a living room with oriental rugs, from which aromas of noble leather and precious woods rise, or to place it on a tablecloth where delicious dishes are arranged, and from where we can distinguish, through huge bay windows, magnificent landscapes, will this fish jump for joy? Will it start to sing? Or, on the contrary, won’t it eventually perish after a long agony? 

We can perfectly imagine its horrible end. But why? Quite simply because it is no longer in its natural environment and has been removed from the environment which Allah has specially intended for it, from its living space. He is out of his “skin” because out of the water. By analogy, we may wonder what we are talking about when we talk about the natural environment, the living environment or even the “skin” of human beings, and especially of Muslims. It is easy to understand that it is about living according to the divine prescriptions, that is, according to the Sharia, and therefore, to do what is commanded and to refrain from what is prohibited. 

Poem: ‘A Transient Life’

  

Beware! O ye who are so watchful and by nature pure

In your greed for this world, do not ruin your faith. 

 
Do not tie your heart to this transitory abode,

For underneath its pleasure lie hidden hundreds of woes.

 

If only you had the ears to hear;

You would catch the voice from the grave singing:

 

 'O my would-be prey;

Do not agonize over the sordid affairs of this world'.

'Eid-ul-Fitr' Sermon 2020

I wish Eid Mubarak to all my disciples around the world and I pray that this Eid be a blessing for us and the entire Muslim world. Insha-Allah.

Islam uses the word “Eid” to express joy. It’s a day that comes at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting and sacrifice. It is a day when our prayers (Salaat and Duahs) are accepted, and we must make this supplication: O Allah, make this day come more often. Ameen.

On that day, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) used to praise Allah in a very special way with great love and brilliance. A question was asked: When was Eid first celebrated?

The first Ramadan was observed in the second year of the Hegira and it was during this same Ramadan that Muslims fought the battle of Badr. The Muslims weren’t even done dressing the wounds of war. It is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was so exhausted that he leaned on Hazrat Bilal (ra) and it was only with the help of the latter that he stood up and pronounced his sermon.

A few days before the celebration of Eid, he announced the Sadaqat-ul-Fitr which he had made compulsory for every Muslim. As soon as this Fitrana was announced, the companions generously contributed. The money thus collected was distributed among the poor before and after Eid festival.

However according to another tradition (Sunnah), it was during this same Eid that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had, outdoors and in a vast place celebrated the Eid festival. According to Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (ra), the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in his sermon, placed great emphasis on the glory and the Hamd (praise) of Allah. He praised Allah in an extraordinary and special way.

Laila-tul-Qadr and I'tikaaf

The Night of Destiny and Spiritual Retreat

In His infinite Wisdom, Allah (swt) has prescribed unalterable rules for His creatures ensuring them a dignified life in this world and blissful happiness in the hereafter.

Among these rules is fasting which He has ordained to successive communities of believers. Far from being reduced to abstinence from food, fasting must be accompanied by a mastery of the senses and more particularly of the tongue.

The spiritual exercise of fasting must demonstrate to man his ability to deprive himself for a [period of] time of what seemed essential to him. It must reveal to him that, in this domain, as in many others, he can have the power to do it [when there is a will, there is a way!] provided that the intention is firm and that the aim sought is the pleasure of Allah.

The purpose of such an act of worship has been clearly defined as the search for the state of reverential fear of God (piety, Taqwa) criterion of superiority of one individual over another. This quality is only measured by that of the works that bear witness to it.

'Taqwa': 'Shun the Roots of Evil'

'Ghibbat'- VIII

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, today also I continue my series of sermons on Surah Al-Hujurat, and [more specifically] the Hadiths on the subjects of “Ghibbat” (backbiting, gossips - spreading misinformation), thinking badly of others and spying on people, etc.

I now quote a second Hadith that is very long and found in [the book of] Muslim and also in [that of] Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Adab.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as saying: “Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the gravest lie in talk and do not be inquisitive about one another and do not spy upon one another and do not feel envy with the other, and nurse no malice, and nurse no aversion and hostility against one another. And be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.” (Muslim)

In another version of this Hadith, reported in Muslim, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) tells us to stay away from badzani, to think badly of a person, because badzani is a bad kind of lie. Do not stay engaged in looking for the faults of others. Do not spy on your brothers, do not be greedy for good things, do not be jealous, have no enmity for your brothers, do not be insolent. Do not break relations with your brothers. Become servants of Allah and live like real brothers. A Muslim is a brother to another Muslim. And do not commit injustice among you. A Muslim does not diminish his brother and does not humiliate him either.

And Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) also pointed to [in the direction of] his heart and said that: Taqwa is here.

‘Taqwah’ Attracts God's Mercy

Islam is an amazingly hope-inducing religion for the human soul. With its invitation to an All Powerful, Most-Forgiving and Ever- Merciful Lord who cares for His servants and believers in this very world (as well as in the Hereafter), Islam provides a fascinating framework of ideas to deal with life’s contingent circumstances, deep disappointments, hopeless situations and other abiding sorrows. The Book of God in particular allows us to let go of despair and be hopeful of Divine mercy through its wonderfully-life affirming teachings: 

‘Do not despair of God’s mercy- only disbelievers despair of God’s mercy’, (12:88). 

‘God does not deny anyone who is mindful of God and steadfast in adversity the rewards of those who do good’ (12: 91) 

‘Is God not enough for His servant ?’ (39: 37)

One of the Divine revelations vouchsafed to the Promised Messiah Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian on the auspicious occasion of the 27th night of Ramadan 1324/ 15 November 1906 reads as follows:  

Qadir hai wo baargah,

tota kaam banaaé,

Bana, bana ya tor dé

Koyi uss ka bhed na jaané

('All Powerful and Almighty is the Lord Allah. An affair that had failed and broken to pieces, He can If He wills crown with success; And He also has the power to smash it up and reduce it to nothing that which stood accomplished and complete. There is none who can read the stupendous import of His profound Mysteries').

Given this extraordinary nature of dynamic Divine Will, the believer's faith allows her to invoke the favour of God, His special Mercy and Grace, through the instrumentality of Duahs. Indeed the Qur’an points to the power of sublime supplications to bring about a million miracles in our everyday secular and spiritual life. Those who are mindful of God and invoke fervent supplications to the Almighty hope to find open the doors of special Divine mercy and grace, transforming the landscape of their material and spiritual fortunes: fatal diseases can move away; family troubles and financial difficulties may be dissolved; mountains of other problems can disappear; even an infertile woman may be blessed with an offspring. Everything is possible, for Allah (swt) is wonderful; a Seeing and Hearing God Who notices what we ask of Him, and watches over our distressed beseeching. 

'Ramadan': Some Advices

Insha-Allah, in a few days (either next Tuesday the 7^th of May or Wednesday the 8^th of May), we will observe the month of fasting of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan does not only mean fasting. The ultimate goal is to attain piety as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. So, it is up to us to make sure to increase our Taqwa and get closer to the Creator during this blessed month. All Muslims must devote more time to acts of worship (Ibadat) such as: Zikr-i-Ilahi (remembrance of Allah through meditation), and Tilawat-i-Quran (reading the Holy Quran).

Do not waste time in the kitchen to prepare several cakes and other foods and therefore letting a precious time go to waste. You should instead use this time to connect to Allah in the mandatory and supererogatory prayers. There are good numbers of Muslims who prepare “Iftaar parties” and thus do not really know the philosophy of fasting Ramadan. A crazy time is lost in the preparation of dishes of all kinds, and this concerns not only women but also men. They invite a large number of people to Iftaar as if this sacred moment is a feast, a moment of enjoyment that is far from the spirit of Ramadan!

It is true that Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) had advised Muslims to share Iftaar with a faster, but one should not go beyond limits, losing time by preparing great kinds and large quantity of food, and foregoing the time of prayer etc.

What are Iftaar Parties? It is rather an innovation because the philosophy behind the fast of Ramadan is that we must devote ourselves more and more in the spiritual field by making sacrifices for the pleasure of Allah (twa). Muslims are called by divine order to fast for the pleasure of Allah, and to make certain sacrifices that will make them feel a closeness to Allah and also to all of humanity, especially the poor.

Take Care of Your Physical & Spiritual Health

Ramadan is a sacred month, and it has a great importance in the lives of all Muslims, without exception. Wake up a little earlier than usual, before the Sehri / Suhur, and enjoy supererogatory prayers such as Salat-ul-Tahajjud and remember Allah a lot. Even for the elderly who cannot fast or who are sick and who must take medication, they are advised not to take any risks. But they (those who cannot fast) should not forget to pay Fidya. And the elderly must benefit more in this blessed month in terms of doing Tawba which is also an act through which one gets closer to Allah. Even if you do not fast, then you should maximize this blessed month in the obligatory and supererogatory prayers, the Zikr, the Tilawat-i-Quran and if you cannot read Arabic, then you can also read them in your own language, and also recite the Darood Shariff.

On 'Bai'at' and 'Taqwah'

The founder of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya, the Promised Messiah and Imam Mahdi of the Later Days, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian (1835-1908 CE) has had profound spiritual expectations regarding the people who chose to take the Bai'at- the sacred Islamic covenant of obedience to God and His Messenger (sa) and the Divinely-raised Imam of their times that devout Muslims undertake. In his book Kishti Noohu (The Noah's Ark), the Promised Messiah (as) spoke movingly about the vital importance of inner purity and sincere soul-searching; righteous conduct and just relations with God's creatures in the abiding quest of the human soul for Divine illumination- to be accepted in the presence of God Almighty. Reproduced below is an extract from the Book where Hazrat Ahmad (as) provides some of the most profound words of spiritual wisdom for the benefit of persons who chose to follow him by taking the Bai'at at his hands as the Divine Elect of the era, clearly describing what it takes to pursue the path of purity and righteousness, upholding faith above the world and what it means to be a true seeker after Divine Countenance:

'...God does what He wills. Foolish is the person who wars with Him and ignorant is the one who objects to his works and considers that they should have been otherwise. He has sent me with over ten thousand brilliant signs, one of which is the plague. So, in these calamitous times, my soul shall intercede only for such a person who sincerely enters my allegiance of Bai’at and wholeheartedly follows me and submerges themselves in obedience to me to the extent that they relinquish their own will. 

O ye people who consider yourselves members of my community! You will be counted as such in heaven when you truly tread upon the ways of righteousness. So, offer the five daily prayers in such fear and with such complete attention as though you were actually beholding God Almighty. Sincerely observe your fasts for the sake of God. Let everyone who is liable to pay the Zakat do so and anyone upon whom the Hajj has become obligatory and who face no hindrance ought to perform the pilgrimage. Do good in a handsome manner and discard vice with disgust. Bear well in mind that no action of yours, which is empty of righteousness, can reach God. Righteousness is the root of all goodness. No action that is rooted in righteousness will go in vain. 

It is inevitable that you should also be tried with various forms of anguish and misfortune, just as the faithful before you were tried. Be on your guard, lest you should falter. So long as you have a firm relationship with heaven, the earth can do you no harm. Whenever harm befalls you, it will be from your own hands and not from the hands of your enemy. Even if you lose all honour on earth, God will bestow eternal honour upon you in heaven. So do not forsake Him. You will certainly suffer pain and many of your desires will not be fulfilled, but do not lose heart in such situations, for your God tries you to see whether you are steadfast in His path or not. If you desire that even the angels should praise you in heaven, then endure beating and remain joyful, hear abuse and be grateful, suffer setbacks but do not sever your relationship with God.