Divine Union in Islam

Union with Allah 

The experience of union with Allah, as I have already mentioned in my previous sermon, is profoundly spiritual and transcends human understanding, to the extent that it cannot even be described in words. A person who experiences a connection with Allah will find that the words they (i.e. he or she) use (uses) to describe this experience do not truly capture the depth of what they have lived through spiritually. It is something that the person – the believer – feels and experiences personally, yet cannot fully explain. Only those who have personally gone through this deep connection can truly understand it, and even they struggle to convey the essence of this extraordinary experience to others.

The gift of 'Khair'

 

The Good of this World & the Hereafter

Allah, in His infinite mercy, has kept extraordinary blessings for His believing servants. Even those who have made mistakes and committed sins but later received His forgiveness and mercy are included in these blessings. These rewards exist both in this world (Dunya) and in the next life (Aakhirah). The terms used to describe these blessings are “Khair’ud-Dunya” (the good of this world) and “Khair’ul-Aakhirah” (the good of the afterlife). However, the word “Khair” does not just mean a simple blessing – it refers to a state of true fulfilment and peace for a believer. This peace, enhanced, fortified and deepened by Allah’s mercy, grants a person access to provisions specially kept for them (i.e. him or her) in this world, as well as an even greater reward beyond imagination in the afterlife. But to receive this, they must remain on the right path and die in a state where Allah is pleased with them. This state is called Al-Nafs-Al-Mutmaina (the soul at peace).

 

Every true believer in Allah and His Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh), should aim for this state of inner peace, because it is in this state that one can spiritually connect with Allah. Life on Earth is full of hardships and difficulties, yet, amidst this chaos, Allah grants some people the ability to disconnect from worldly distractions and truly connect with Him. Through Salat (prayer) and Zikr (meditation and remembrance of Allah), a person can reach a level of spirituality where, even though problems may rain down upon them, those troubles feel insignificant – like water dripping off a leaf. They feel deeply at peace, submerged in a connection with Allah, which He Himself has permitted. There is a sense of harmony between the servant and their Creator [be it for a male believer or a female believer], a deep synchronization between Allah and the one He created. This is the real meaning of Khair’ud-Dunya, where the good is not just material, but also spiritual.

The Pathway to Allah - 2

 

Today, I want to continue last week's sermon about how Allah wants us to get closer to Him through prayers, both the obligatory and additional ones. Among the billions of people in the world, especially Muslims, everyone reaches different levels of closeness with Allah. Some people, because they work hard to maintain their connection with Allah through prayers, Duahs (supplications), Zikr (remembrance of Allah), and Quranic recitations, achieve a much higher status and closeness with Him.

 

Those who reach an elevated level in the eyes of Allah, and whom Allah grants to see many things, including matters of the unseen (Ghayb) that others without such a connection do not experience, find it difficult to accurately describe their spiritual experiences in ordinary language. These experiences are so profound that they cannot be expressed in everyday words.

'Salah': The Pathway to Allah

Among all religious practices, Salah (prayer) is the most profound experience, an unparalleled means of establishing a connection between a believer and his Creator. 

Throughout the ages, humankind has found a path to Allah through Salah (prayer). This path has always been open to those who seek Allah. Before Islam was established as the perfected religion of Allah, Salah (prayer) was performed in various forms, but what was common in each Salah (prayer) was bowing and prostrating before Allah. For example, the original Salah (prayer) of the Jews before Islam was almost similar to how Muslims perform Salah (prayer) today. However, with the establishment of Islam as a Way of Life and Faith, the Jews changed their way of praying to differentiate themselves from Muslims.

 

This example highlights the true value of Salah (prayer) in the life of a true believer. When a believer stands, bows, and prostrates before his Creator with sincerity and humility of heart (Khushu), his Salah (prayer) brings tranquillity and comfort to his soul, body, and spirit. This Salah (prayer) provides true solace to a troubled mind, elevating the believer from a miserable state to one of peace and extraordinary tranquillity. Through Salat (prayers), one can attain high spiritual levels in the eyes of Allah, levels not experienced by those who lack this true connection with their Creator. Therefore, a believer who perfects his Salat (prayers) can achieve a higher spiritual status than other Muslims who have not unlocked the true potential of Salah (prayer).

The Beauty of ‘Zikrullah’

 

On the blessed occasion of the Kerala Jalsa 2024, the women’s wing of the Kerala Jamaat- the Siraj Makin- Kerala organized a special meeting of its members. Alhamdulillah, sisters assembled on the occasion recited the Holy Qur’an, recited Nazms, delivered speeches on spiritual topics. Sadr Haseena Masood Saheba, Naib Sadr Mubeena Saheba, Sofiya Beevi Saheba, Fauzia Jamal Saheba, Rajeena Saheba, Arshana Sabir Saheba, Haseena Abid Saheba, Sajitha Nasruddin Saheba, Nadheera Sudheer Saheba, Faezah Maryam Zain, and Zaahidah Rayhaanah were among the participants. 

Further more, in a special address to the gathering of women members of the Jamaat in Kerala, the ‘Sadr’ of the International Siraj Makin, Hazrat Ummul Mu’mineen Fazli Amena Varsally spoke about the significance of ‘Zikrullah’.  For the benefit of our readers, we reproduce below the Text of the Special Discourse by Hazrat Saheba:   

 

My dear daughters,

Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakaatuhu.

 

Allah says in His Pure Quran in Surah Ar-Ra’d (13: 29): 'Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Indeed, it is through the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.’

 

The Remembrance of Allah (Zikrullah) is something extraordinary and sacred. It has the power to give peace to a restless mind and soul, and give the sense of completeness to the believer.

 

Remembrance of Allah uplifts the rest of the acts of worship of the believer. This is so because all acts of worship are linked to Zikrullah. We don’t have an act of worship where we don’t remember Allah and praise and glorify Him!

'Preach Islam through Good Deeds'

 

The Duahs of the Holy Prophet ^(sa) & The Promise of Allah- Part 5

'O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify Him morning and evening. It is He Who blesses you, as do His angels, to get you out of darkness into light, and He has always been Merciful to the believers. Their greeting on the Day they meet Him will be, “Peace!” And He has prepared for them an honourable reward. O Prophet, We have sent you as a Witness and a Bearer of glad tidings and a Warner, as one who calls people to Allah by His leave, and as a light-giving lamp. Give good news to the believers that they will have a great bounty from Allah. Do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Overlook their annoyances, and put your trust in Allah. For Allah is sufficient to take care of all matters.'  (Surah Al-Ahzab 33: 42-49)

Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah, I am continuing the fifth part of my Friday sermon concerning the invocations of our beloved Prophet and the promises that Allah has made to us through him.

Prophets and Divine Love

 

The Messengers of Allah 

 

'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 resume my sermon on the subject I discussed last week regarding the creation of Adam (as).

 

So, we see that just as the angels submitted to the will of Allah when He created Adam (as), and accepted His will as His law without finding within themselves the idea to revolt against Allah’s will, and where they [i.e. not just the messengers but the angels as well] said: ‘We have heard and obey,’ similarly, all souls, even before the creation of Adam (as), whom Allah had decreed to send to earth, all of them – including us – submitted to Allah’s will when Allah decreed our coming into this world, and where He placed us among the descendants of our ancestor Adam (as) who contained within him the divine essence. Therefore, the human race also bore witness that we would be obedient to Allah and submit to His will. We must be very aware that all prophets and messengers are also included, because we too (the Messengers) must believe in the Messengers who came before us. We have the duty to confirm the coming of the prophets and messengers before us, and we also announce the coming of the prophets after us, until the final limit of the end of the world where it is in Allah’s decision to destroy the earth and create other creations, because nothing is impossible in His power.

'Eid-ul-Adha' 2024: Spiritual Retreat

 

Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International organized spiritual retreat programmes at the Noor’ul Islam Masjid at Mathra, and also at the Siraj-um-Munir Masjid in Tamil Nadu on the devotional, celebratory occasion of Eid-ul- Adha, 16-18 June 2024, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.

 

Members of the Jamaat assembled at the Masjids well ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha Day, in order to maximize Divine blessings attached to the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, with devotional practices such as Duah, Dhikr, Salah, Roza, Saduqah, Tilawat, etc. They also received the boon of a special message from beloved Imam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, who addressed the gathering through the official YouTube channel of the Jamaat:  

The Quest for the Face of God

 

‘I created jinn and mankind only to know and worship Me.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 51:57)

 

According to a famous Hadith Qudsi, God says: ‘I was a Hidden Treasure and I yearned, I loved to be known intimately. So I created the heavens and the earth so that they may know Me intimately.’

 

A true believer is a lover of God. By establishing oneself on Divine commandments and the perfect example of the noble Prophet (sa) and the Elect of God of one’s era, a true believer can aspire for a special relationship of friendship and spiritual intimacy with God Almighty through a sound, purified heart: 'The heavens and the earth cannot contain Me, but the heart of My faithful servant can contain Me'. Sincere striving with pure faith and a grateful heart opens up the gates of Divine mercy: 'So remember Me, and I shall remember you' (2:153). Indeed God loves an earnest, perfected soul when it seeks Divine nearness with a tongue always moist with the remembrance of God. In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah (swt) states: ‘He who seeks Me, finds Me; He who seeks other than Me, will never find me; Pious souls yearn to behold Me, I yearn more to behold them’.

'Zikr Allah' - II

  

"As for him who disregards the Zikr of his Lord, He will direct him to ever increasing retribution." (Ch. 72 Al-Jinn V.18)

I am continuing the Sermon which I had started last Friday on the Remembrance of Allah (Zikr Allah). The verse of the Qur'an which I have just cited is giving a severe warning to those people who turn their backs from the Zikr of our Lord. They do not remember at all their Creator, and thus Allah says that He will bring these types of people towards a severe punishment.

If one analyses well this verse, one will see that Allah is teaching us (humans) a good for our own well-being, and the words which Allah has used in this verse: "As for him who disregards the Zikr of his Lord", thus by the word: "the Zikr of his Lord"; even though Allah has not mentioned it directly here in this verse, but reference is being made to "Laa Ilaaha Illallah" — There is no god but Allah (The Creator of the Universe Who possesses all powers and Who is All-Powerful).

We must always look for those things which is a source of purity for us and with which we will stay clear from all impurities. A small example is that one must have soap to clean dirty clothes, or one usually takes shampoo or perfumed soap when bathing to keep one's body clean and perfumed — so that no dirt or other impurities may be found on his body.

Likewise, the thing which will keep our heart clean and pure is none other than the Remembrance of Allah and this Remembrance of Allah is the best alternative to purify us and rid us from all dirt which there may have been in our heart. Moreover the Remembrance of Allah protects us from the wrath and punishment of Allah.

'Zikr Allah' - I

 

“Alaa bizikrillahi tatmainnul qulub”--- Is it not in Zikr Allah (Remembrance of Allah) that the heart finds tranquillity? (13:29) 

A servant of Allah does not have the right to forget his real Benefactor. The favours and blessings which Allah pours upon us at each moment of our lives are so great that it would be impossible for us to count or compare it with other things. It is thus absolutely natural that we must turn towards our Benefactor and remember Him and thank Him for all the things which He has done and is doing for us. We must always show our gratefulness towards Him Who is The Most Generous Lord – that is, by doing Zikr Allah.

'Duah' and 'Zikr' in the Night

 

True faith in the heart leads to sincerity in devotional worship, marking out true believers from the rest. That is why, along with regular prayers in the day, Islam prescribes supplementary prayers in the stillness of the night for the truly devout who seek nearness to God. Indeed, according to the Holy Qur'an, a clear sign of the true believers is their fervent seeking of Divine forgiveness and mercy, leaving aside the comforts of rest in the night: ‘Those who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65) 'Their sides shun their beds in order to pray to their Lord in fear and hope' (32: 17). 

Divine commands exhort the believers: ‘Celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising and setting of the sun; proclaim His praise in the night, and at the end of every prayer.’ (50:40-41) In other words, true believers are ‘[T]hose who spend the night in devotion to their Lord, in prostration and standing.’ (25:65)  

‘Stand up in Prayer at night except a small part of it–half, or a little less, or a little more– and recite the Quran slowly and distinctly. Verily, We shall charge you with a weighty Word. Verily, getting up at night for prayer is the most potent means of subduing the self and most effective in speech.’ (73:3-7)

‘And wake up for it (the Qur'an) in the latter part of the night as a supererogatory service for you. It may be that Your Lord will raise you to an exalted station.’  (17:80)

Ramadan Days in the Jamaat

 

As the world of Islam observes the spirit of fasting in this holy month of Ramadan, the brothers, sisters and children of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam in India and elsewhere are maximizing spiritual blessings through engaging in various forms of worshipful remembrance of God such as Zikr, Tilawat-ul-Qur’an, Dars-ul-Qur’an/Dars-ul-Hadith in this fasting period, Alhamdulillah. 

Along with fasting and diligent observance of Divine supplications at individual and collective levels, the Jamaat members in Tamil Nadu, in Kerala, in Delhi have also been socially engaged, with visiting and spending time with people facing various misfortunes, hardships and ill health, offering them possible help and sustenance amidst the great trials of life that engulf them in their economic, social and personal conditions. 

In seeking to share and spread the light of Divine Love through compassionate outreach programmes, these brothers and sisters are bearing witness as it were, in their own ways, to the ideals of Islam as taught by the Holy Prophet (sa) and his high representative, the Imam Al Muslemeen, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb of Mauritius in this era, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.  

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).

On ‘Sufism’ and ‘Shirk’

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) came into this world with illuminating spiritual guidance to bring everyone closer to their Lord. The very purpose and pure essence of his spiritual mission was to enable people to maintain a special friendship or relationship with Allah. It was by following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet (sa) that the companions of the Prophet (sa) and those who were taught by them and those who came after them reached the stage of genuine submission of one’s soul to Allah and His commandments. 

By earnestly striving to establish a direct relationship with one’s Creator, the savants of faith reach spiritual heights of Divine love- the special nearness and communion with their Lord in this very world, and became recipients of Divine inspirations and revelations. A Hadith-e-Qudsi reveals the mystical quest of every sincere seeker in the Way: “My servant keeps drawing nearer to Me with voluntary works until I love him. And once I love him, I become his hearing, with which he hears, his sight, with which he sees, his hand, with which he seizes, and his foot, with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him” [Fath-ul-Bari by Hazrat Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani ]. 

Models of God-consciousness in inner life and performing service to humanity in every conceivable way in their social settings, the true Sufis were recipients of Divine love and revelations, enabling them to perform miracles of faith in service of the Islamic Way- rejuvenating the exemplary model of the Holy Prophet (sa) in their own times.  History bears testimony to the fact that true Sufis - or great savants of faith imbued with divine qualities following in the Muhammadan Way- emerged among the ranks of the devout Muslims in every land. 

Today, however, Sufism has come to mean different things to different people- far from its original spirit of Islamic devotional piety. Moving away from its Qur’anic foundations and Prophetic moorings, many self-proclaimed sufis and their simpleminded followers have turned graves into places of worship, and make supplications to dead objects. Dance, music and other innovations are found at Sufi shrines these days- representing the very anti-thesis of what the true spirit of Sufism entailed in its pristine phases - abandonment of the mundane enjoyments in favour of living in seclusion behind the curtain of Divine intimacy.  

Recently, Mr. Muhammad Zubair from the Maldive Islands asked a series of questions to Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius on Sufism, Urs Sharief, and Dargah worship, seeking guidance on what is lawful in Islam and what is reprehensible for the believers to be wary of in this era of syncretic rituals and confused spirituality among common folks. Reproduced Below is the extracts from the Reply given by Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) to this gentleman, along with his questions:   

Ramadan and the Light of Faith

In his Friday Sermon of 30 April 2021~17 Ramadan 1442 AH, Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius speaks about the holy month of Ramadan. Following in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet's practical ordinances concerning fasting in Ramadan, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) underscores the importance of the devotional practice with its inherent physical and spiritual benefits for those who observe it. Under the sacred Islamic teachings, Ramadan is meant to be observed as a month of patience; of caring and sharing; of charity and giving; of virtuous deeds and steadfastness in ultimate remembrance of God through the recurring undertaking of different faith rites and sublime invocations. 

Describing the ways in which ignorant and negligent people waste away the precious occasion of Ramadan for the pursuit of entertainment and social pleasures, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) points to the very many benefits of fasting as an Islamic practice, and exhorts all believers to be conscious of the Divine commandments and Prophetic teachings to fulfill duties in this regard. Indeed, an occasion for the believer to focus on the big picture of spiritual life and therefore, to abandon his vain pursuits of earthly pleasures, in favour of the enduring favours of forgiveness of sins and the open-gates of Paradise. Noting that the many disasters striking the world around us is indeed a grave sign of the Hour (Qiyamah) promised in our sacred books, Hazrat Saheb (aba) exhorts everyone to benefit from the opportunity of Ramadan fasting to bring about internal cleansing and to put things right in social relations among peoples so that we may truly gain the Light of God in our remaining moments in this world, Aameen. 

Read the Friday Sermon Below:

  

Leave the Reprehensible & Return to God

All praise is to Allah for His favours and goodness. He has favoured us by enabling us to reach the month of Ramadan and has strengthened us with the good works that bring us closer to Him. And peace and blessings be on our prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the first [in rank] in the accomplishment of good deeds, and on his family and his companions, those who believed in him, supported him and followed the light that was revealed to him. They are the ones who truly succeeded. 

Then I commend you and myself the fear of Allah [Taqwa] both in this month of Ramadan and in other months. But Allah (swt) attributes special merit to this month, since it is a unique occasion for doing good deeds. The prophet (pbuh) called on Allah to be able to reach Ramadan. 

If I am not mistaken, when the month of Rajab began, our beloved prophet (pbuh) said: Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Shabaan wa ballighna Ramadan. [O Allah! Bless for us the months of Rajab and Shabaan and make us reach [live] the month of Ramadan!] 

And the Holy Prophet (pbuh) also used to encourage his companions to make an effort in good deeds, obligatory or supererogatory, such as prayers and alms, to be good and beneficent, to be patient in the face of obedience to Allah, spend one’s day in fasting, one’s night in prayers and hours reciting the Quran and doing the Zikr of Allah. 

'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.

Service to Humanity as Divine Worship

The following is a revealed text which I initially received from Allah on 09 April 2004 at the beginning of the Divine Manifestation, in the times of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya Al Mouslemeen. Today, under divine instructions I address you, the members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam throughout the world with those same pearls of knowledge, those precious advices and revelations.

Service To Mankind: The Greatest Spiritual Practice

People today are very enthusiastic about the New year. When New year is coming, people spend a lot of money for the celebration of New Year. It is a sign of ignorance to single out one particular day in a year for celebration. For a true devotee, everyday is a festival. In fact, everyday is New Year day. Hence, we should consider every day, every minute as new and celebrate it with joy.

Service is the Highest Spiritual Practice. All that exists in this objective world is impermanent and unreal. Man should contemplate on that which is eternal and real. But man out of his ignorance, wastes his time in brooding over the past and worrying about the future while forgetting the present. The present only is real. Past is past; you cannot get it back, however much you may pray for it. The future is hidden in the womb of time. It is not possible to visualize it. Therefore, only the present is true and real. Instead of wasting your time in thinking about the past and worrying about the future, you should engage yourself in the service of your fellowmen. Service is the foremost spiritual practice. You should therefore, always engage yourself in the service of others. There is no greater spiritual practice than this. People totally forget the importance of service. They should understand that only the fruits of service are eternal. God has given us this body for service to others, and not merely for eating, drinking and wasting our valuable time in mundane activities. We must realise the truth that serving others is the most worthwhile activity for us. There is nothing greater than service to humanity. All great men redeemed their lives only through service.

Beyond Ramadan: 'Strive to Remain with Allah'

For this last Friday in the month of Ramadan (30^th day of Ramadan/ 15 June 2018), I would like to give some advices (for you all) to follow so that these Ramadan days are not wasted and that the good habit developed during this blessed month remains (strong as ever). First of all, after Jumu’ah prayer, read 2 cycles of additional prayer (A 2-Rakat Nawafil Salat). In the first cycle, after the Surah Al-Fatiha, read the Surah Al-Ikhlaas 10 times and in the second cycle after the Surah Al-Fatiha, read the Surah Al-Kafirun 3 times. And after the prayer, read the Darood Shariff 10 times.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “The supplications of a faster are never rejected.” This is because the heart of the faster is in a state of repentance. In fact, he has reached close to Allah and has obeyed Him. He has abandoned his food and drink for fear of Allah, his King, his Sustainer and Supreme Donator. The faster has restrained his desires in obedience to the Lord of the Heavens and Earth.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has said: “Supplication is worship.” Thus, if you see a servant (of Allah) seeking charity (i.e., the charity/ mercy of Allah) by praying a lot, doing long prostrations with lots of duas, then know that he/ she is close to Allah and trust (and confiding) in Him.

The companions (Sahaba) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, is our Lord near to us, so we can secretly talk to Him, or is He far, so we should call upon Him (loudly)?” Thereupon Allah the Almighty revealed this verse: 

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Al-Baqara 2: 187).

Moreover, the Messenger of Allah has said: “Truly, you do not call to one deaf or absent, but truly to One who hears and sees; and He is with you; and He to whom you pray is nearer to you than the neck of your camel (riding beast).”

Allah (swt) requires us to ask of Him, to call upon Him. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.” (Al-Arraf 7: 56).

In another verse of the Quran, Allah says: “Your Lord says: Call upon Me and I will respond to you. Verily, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell in humiliation.” (Ghafir 40: 61).