October 28, 2009 by funxonemails2

Reaping Thr Benefits of Ramadan

September 9, 2009 by funxonemails2

Reality and Obligation in Ramadan

Reality and Obligation in Ramadan

Al-Jumuah Magazine, Volume 8, Issue 9

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds
vansh into the night, leaving only emptiness.
When one contemplates the texts on fasting,
its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality
of the Muslim communities, one realizes a wide gap
between the reality and our obligations.
Remember that Ramadhan is a bounty that Allah blessed
His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety
(Taqwa). Allah said: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious."
(Al-Baqarah 2:183).
This article is an attempt to present the essential
causes of this gap, and to some remedies.
primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals
of fasting and the wisdom behind it.
Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting.
Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environmet
without contemplation.
If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah
and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter,
one will not apply it in the right way.

Goals of Fasting

Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting.
Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and
mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome
these two desires more easily. This deter against committing
abominations and sins and assist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.

Strengthening willpower and acquiring patience:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan
the month of patience as it increases one’s will power
to control his desire and the selfishness of his soul.
This training allows him to be strong in following Allah’s commands.
The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward.
The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping
at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention.
Allah said: "These are the limits set by Allah, so approach them not."
(Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food
and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and
strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is
all-knowing of everything.
For this reason Allah has made the reward for fasting greater
than for any other type of worship.

Allah said in the hadith Qudsi:
"Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards],
the good deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundreds,
up to whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it.
He abandons his desire and his food for My sake.."
(Related by Muslim)
lbn al-Qayyim said:
"…And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them,
but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for
the sake of God is a thing that nobody can find out about,
and that is the essence of fasting."
(Zaad al-Ma’ad 2/29).

Relieving Muslims from life’s distractions:
Eating, drinking, and socializing all distract a person and
weaken ties with Allah.
It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as
not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities.
Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when
devoting themselves to the all types of worship Either reading the Qur’an,
offering additional prayer or making I’tikaf.
For this reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress against Hell fire"
(Related by Ahmad).

Discovering Allah’s Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor.
He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him
with His bounty while others are deprived.
This should make him more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty.
The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship.
More able to concentrate and meditate.
He should then be able of this devotion all year long,
a blessing he should thank Allah for.

Acquiring strength and endurance:It has been discovered that
depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense
and endurance mechanism.
This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.

Remember that fasting is not only dependent on abstentions:
Many believe that fasting consist only of certain abstentions,
forgetting that Allah established certain acts of worship with fasting.
Among which are:
Qiyamul-layl: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadhan
out of belief and anticipating God’s rewards, will be
forgiven his previous sins."
(Related by Muslim).

Performing Umrah: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"An Umrah during Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me."
(Related by al-Hakim).

Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted..
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him,
except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished."
(Related by Ahmad).

Reading and completing the Qur’an:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Fasting and [reading] Qur’an will intercede for the person:
fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking
so let me intercede for him, and the Qur’an will say:
I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him,
" he then said: "So they will intercede."
(Related by Ahmad).

The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to recite the
whole Qur’an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.

Giving in charity:
Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said:
"The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was
the most generous among people, and he was
more generous during the month of Ramadhan."
(Related by Muslim).
I`tikaaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer
and invocation leaving the worldly activities.
Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said:
"The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to perforrn
I’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan."
(Related by Muslim).

It is surprising that many people have abandoned I’tikaf though
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam never abandoned it
from the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.

Supplication:
In the verses dealing with fasting, Allah said:
"And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me,
then answer them, I am indeed near to them.
I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me."
(Al-Baqarah 2: 186).
This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase
his invocation.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Three invocations will be answered:
The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed,
and the invocation of the traveler." (Related by Muslim).

Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah,
for it is a time when the devils are chained, and when many people are
saved from hell fire every night by the grace of Allah.

Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan:
Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days come,
he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam would pray most of the night and
wake his family, and apply himself, and tighten up his loincloth.",
and she also said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam
used to strive in the last days of Ramadhan more than he did
during the other days." (Related by Muslim).
Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward
of fasting although they do not annul it.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and
drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk,
so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting."
(Related by al-Hakim)

and he also said: ‘Whoever does not abandon lying,
then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink."
(Related by al-Bukhari).

Common errors made during Ramadhan

Excessive spending: Ramadhan should be a time to avoid
being wasteful, and learning to be prepared in facing harder
times by distinguishing the needs from the luxuries.
Unfortunately, many people go beyond their limits to spend during
Ramadhan.
Whether in the varieties of food that they savor each night,
or by the other types of spending.

Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day:
Some people sleep during most of the day when they are fasting..
Ramadhan is not a time of being lazy, and this do not allow the
full benefit from the experience of fasting.
It is as if they have only inverted their nights into
days and vice versa.
In addition, some may spend a great portion of the night
indulging in eating and drinking and socializing

Spending more time in socializing:
Because people invite each other more often during Ramadhan
they do tend to spend more time socializing with friends,
and relatives.
While it is a good deed to feed the fasting person,
this should not result in precious time lost in vain talk.
Use the occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional
prayers, and for the Da’wah to Allah.
Insisting on performing a certain number of Rakaas during the
Tarawih (night) prayer to the point of not praying behind the Imam
and thus forfeiting the benefit of congregational prayer.
This might also bring hatred and disagreement between
the Muslims of one community.

Reading Qur’an too fast:
Some insist on finishing the whole Qur’an once or more,
even if they have to read very fast.
Although reading the Qur’an many times is desirable, this
should not be done hastily, especially during the Tarawih prayer
without pondering upon its meaning.
Allah ta’ala said: "This is a Book which We have sent down to you,
full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses,"
(Saad 38:29),
and the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:
"Those who read the Qur’an in less than three days do not grasp
[its meaning]"

Socializing in l’tikaf:
Many people are eager to do I’tikaf but some confine themselves
in the masjid not to pray and worship Allah but to talk and socialize.
The ways of doing good are numerous in Ramadhan Many people
try to perform more than they are able to.
By going beyond their capabilities, they end up
not performing any deed in the desired way.

Scholars and Dai’ahs should assume a more prominent role
in educating the people – both by talking to them and by
giving the best example in their behavior which should comply
to the Shariah and following the Sunnah.

The Muslim should realize that his priorities dictate that
he does what benefits him in the Hereafter and should not
put worldly interests first.
The Muslim should apply himself to deepen his sense of
following the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam,
in every aspect of his life, at all times and especially during
the month of Ramadhan.
This necessitates seeking more knowledge about the Fiqh of fasting
and its etiquette, assimilating the wisdom and goals of fasting,
and facilitating the means that allow all the Muslims to
benefit from their fasting.
Reality and Obligation in Ramadan

September 3, 2009 by funxonemails2

Ramadan Month of Qur’an

Ramadan Month of the Qur’an

The first part of this is based on an extract from Ibn Rajab
al-Hanbali’s
Lata’if al-Ma’arif (pp. 179-182),
quoted by Fahd bin Sulaiman in Kayf Nastafeed min Ramadan
(pp. 48-50).
The advice given in this article is all the more important now that
we are in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Imam Bukhari reports from ‘Aishah that the Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
would tighten his waist-cloth (i.e. detach himself from his wives), spend the
night in worship and awake his family, during the last ten nights
of Ramadan.
Ramadan is nearly over, so make the most of this precious opportunity!

Ramadan has a special relationship with the Qur’an, of course:

"The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Quran was sent down,
a guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance,
the Criterion;
so whoever amongst you witnesses this month, let him fast it."
(cf. Surah al-Baqarah 2:185)
The word ‘so’ (fa) in this ayah leads to the following paraphrase of
one aspect of its meaning:
"Fast this month because it is the one in which the Qur’an was sent down"

Ibn ‘Abbas narrates "that the Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the
most generous person, and he would be at his most generous
in Ramadan because Jibril would come to him every night and
he would rehearse the Qur’an with him."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Eng. trans. 6/486)

This hadith contains recommendation of the following:

Studying the Qur’an in Ramadan;
coming together for this purpose;
checking (one’s memory/knowledge of) the Qur’an with
someone who has
preserved it better; increasing recitation of the Qur’an in Ramadan;
that the night time is the best time to recite, when other preoccupations decrease
and it is easier to concentrate, as in Surah al-Muzzammil 73:6.
Further, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated from
her father
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace),
who told her that Jibril would rehearse the Quran with him
(in Ramadan) once every year, and he did so twice in the year
of his death.
(Bukhari 6/485)
After mentioning the above aspects of the Sunnah,
Ibn Rajab talks about the
situation of the Salaf (the early Muslims) during Ramadan:
"… Some of the Salaf would complete reciting the whole
Quran during the night prayer of Ramadan every 3 days,
others every 7 days e.g. Qataadah,
others in 10 days e.g. Abu Rajaa’ al-Atardi.
The Salaf would recite Quran in Ramadan in Prayer as
well as outside it.
Al-Aswad would finish the Quran every 2 nights in Ramadan;
Ibrahim an-Nakh’I would do likewise in the last 10 nights specifically,
& every 3 nights during the rest of the month.
Qataadah would regularly finish the Quran in 7 days,
but in 3 days during Ramadan,
when he would study the Quran especially, and every night
during its last 10 days.
Al-Zuhri would say when Ramadan began, ‘It is recitation
of the Quran and feeding of people.’
When Ramadan began, Imam Malik would cease narrating
Hadith and sitting with the
people of knowledge, and stick to reciting the Quran
from its pages, while Sufyan al-Thawri
would leave other acts of worship and stick to
reciting the Quran.
‘Aishah would recite from the pages of the Quran at the
beginning of the day in Ramadan (i.e. after Dawn),
until when the sun had risen, she would sleep.
Zayd al-Yaami would bring copies of the Quran when Ramadan
began and gather his companions around him. …"

Ibn Rajab later continues,
"The forbiddance of completing recitation of the Quran
in less than 3 days applies to this being made a regular
practice, but as for favoured times such as Ramadan,
esp. the nights in which Laylat al-Qadr is sought, or
favoured places such as Makkah for the visitor,
it is recommended to increase reciting the Quran to
avail the time and place.
This is the view of Ahmad, Ishaq & other Imams,
and the practice of others indicates this too."
The purpose here is not to discuss whether or not the
latter view is correct or not,
since that is purely academic for most of us, as we
do not get anywhere near reciting
the whole Quran in three days! However, the practice
of the Prophet
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace),
his Companions, and those who followed their path, should be
clear enough.
As a further example, Bukhari (3/79) quotes from the
noble Companion Zaid bin Thabit
who answered the question, "How much time was
there between the pre-dawn meal and the Dawn Prayer?"
by saying, "Enough time to recite fifty ayat";
since the practice of the Arabs was to measure time in
terms of everyday actions,
this shows that the Sahabah were pre-occupied
with the Qur’an, especially in Ramadan.

Compare all this with our sad state, when we talk so much
about establishing Islam,
implementing the Quran, etc. and yet have such little
contact with it, maybe not completing
its recitation ever at all since childhood,
or perhaps never!
Hence we become imbalanced in our understanding
of Islam, because there are ayat which we rarely
or never hear or think about; we repeat
only certain selected
ayat over and over again; we lost the context of
the verses, the overall flow, argument and
balance of the Quran, all of which is beautiful
& miraculous.
Because of this ignorance we go astray from the
Straight Path, split up into sects,
lose the blessings of Allah …

"We took a covenant from those who said: we are
Christians,
but they forgot part of the message which they
had been reminded, so we ingrained amongst them
enmity and hatred until the Day of Judgment…"
(Surah al-Ma’idah 5:14)
In Sahih Bukhari (6/521), there is an amazing piece of
advice from the Prophet
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace):
"Recite the Quran as long as your hearts agree on it;
if you disagree about it, stop reciting it
(for the time being)"

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