Ramadhan - Rabetah

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Ramadhan 2 0n a sweltering hot day your throat has become dry. You are in the privacy of your home and the refreshingly cool water is within hand‘s reach. You desire to drink it, but you do not. Why? Simply because you are fasting and while fasting you cannot eat and drink. If somebody prompts you to nevertheless drink it and says: ―Nobody is watching,‖ you will immediately rebuke them with the words: ―But Allah is watching!‖ Subhanallah! Allah is watching. Allahu Akbar! Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing, He is Omnipresent. He sees and knows when we cheat while fasting, thus we resist all temptations of food, drink and lawful conjugal relations from dawn to dusk. We have learnt the lesson of Taqwa. We have learnt that lesson which the fasting was meant to teach us. Allah is watching! Yes, Allah is watching! Every time there is an urge to eat or drink while fasting, the voice from within cries out: ―Allah is watching!‖ Dozens of times daily for an entire month this reality is reaffirmed. Allah is watching. So deeply is it embedded in the heart that by the time Ramadhan is over, a person becomes conscious of Allah to such an extent that he is now guided by an inner force that propels him in the direction of righteousness and turns him away from sin. TAQWA. The fasts of Ramadhan were prescribed for the purpose and object of attaining Taqwa. This is clearly declared in the Qur‘an-al-Kareem. Taqwa simply is to obey the commands of Allah Ta‘ala and refrain from all sin, the increased rewards for ibaadat (worship) in Ramadhan and all the blessings of this great month should be considered as the bonus. The object is Taqwa. If one performs an abundance of Salaah, completes the recitation of the Qur‘an thirty times and engages in many other acts of ibaadat, but fails to give up sins – one has failed to achieve the object and purpose of Ramadhan. One has failed to firmly embed the reality of Taqwa in the heart, the Taqwa that cries out ―Allah Is watching‖ whenever one contemplates committing any transgression. TEMPTATION. The dictates of Taqwa are not restricted to abstaining from drinking, gambling, adultery, transacting in interest and other such vices. Indeed Taqwa demands that while abstaining from all the above vices one also observes Taqwa in one‘s business. When the temptation to cheat the customer beckons, or when one is tempted to buy stolen goods or to indulge in fraud, at that time also the heart should cry out ―Allah is watching‖ and it should restrain one from the sin. RIGHTS. Similarly, Taqwa demands the fulfillment of the rights of the husband/wife; It also demands the joining of family ties. It demands respect for the elders and kindness for the young. Taqwa entails, among other aspects, being honest and clear in all monetary dealings and social interactions. Hence when there is a wedding or funeral, or at the time of distributing the inheritance of the deceased, the same level of Allah consciousness must be displayed as was apparent when refraining from drinking the cold water while fasting. PURDAH. Likewise, when the laws of purdah are violated, does the heart cry out ―Allah is watching?‖ Or when one intends to watch something on TV, which will most definitely involve one in zina of the eyes and ears, does one hear the voice from within: ―Allah is watching,‖ as a result of which one refrains from that sin? The same pertains to the Shar'ee‘ aspects of appearance and clothing. How often have we done things to appease and please even the enemies of Allah and Rasulullah ? How often have we abandoned the dictates of Taqwa in order to earn a few coppers? Now is the time to sincerely repent. It is the time to say, ―Allah is watching.‖ and to do everything to please Him. It is a time to acquire Taqwa. ABSTAIN FROM SIN. This then is the object of Ramadhan. This will only be achieved if we conduct ourselves in this great month with Taqwa. Or else the object of Ramadhan will be defeated. Hence Rasulullah is reported to have said: ―He who does not forsake lying and other futile actions, Allah Ta‘ala has no need for him to give up his food and drink.‖ Thus together with fasting, performing Salaah, reading the Qur‘an, serving the cause of Deen, etc... one must totally abstain from every sin in the month of Ramadhan and adorn oneself with Taqwa. Insha-Allah this will then carry one along for the rest of the eleven months to abstain from all sins. May Allah Ta’ala enable us to make this Ramadhan a month where we will truly attain Taqwa. Ameen The wonderful season of spring greets us with the blessings of lush vegetation, delicious fragrances of beautiful flowers, and trees laden with fruit. Likewise, the holy month of Ramadhan is a month of springtime for the believer, where Allah‘s blessing and mercy surrounds the believer at every point throughout the day and night. Hence, surrounded by such awesome mercy, this is truly a golden opportunity for anyone wishing for nearness to Allah and forgiveness from sin. It seems that the phrase GOLDEN OPPURTUNITY was coined with the holy month of Ramadhan in mind, because this phrase perfectly fits the description of this month. Issue 31 www.rabetah.com Sept/Oct 2010
Virtues & Actions It is related by Abu Hurairah hat the Apostle of Allah said ―When the month of Ramadhan comes, the Gates of Heaven are thrown open and the Gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are put behind bars‖ In another report, the ―Gates of Mercy‖ are mentioned in place of the ―Gates of Heaven‖. [Bukhari and Muslim] Commenting of this Tradition, Shah Waliyullah (born in Delhi on the 21st February 1703 AD. Out of Hazrats many works the most monumental task he performed was to translate the Quran from Arabic to Persian which was the language spoken by the Muslims at that time in India) remarks that as the devout bondsmen apply themselves to worship and good-doings during the month of Ramadhan and spend their days in Godremembrance and recitation of the Qur‘an while Fasting, and a major part of their nights in Taraweeh and Tahajjud, supplication and repentance, under the influence of their high spirituality and devotional exertions the hearts of the common Muslims, too become more inclined towards prayer and piety and they, on the whole succeed in abstaining from good many sins. Owing to the generation of the atmosphere worship and virtue in the Islamic circles, people who are not wholly disregardful of transcendental truths develop a fondness for things that are pleasing to Allah and an aversion for acts that are repugnant to Him. moreover, in this blessed month the recompense on even smaller acts of moral goodness is made much greater by Allah than on other days. In consequence of all this, the gates of Paradise are opened and of Hell are closed for such people and the devils are not left free to tempt and mislead them. It would be clear that all the three things – the throwing open of the gates of Heaven, the shutting up of the gates of Hell and the binding of the devils in chains – are in respect only of the bondsmen who feel disposed towards good-doing in the month of Ramadhan, and out of the keenness to partake of its blessings engage themselves enthusiastically in worship and other religious duties. As for the Apostates, the negligent and the heedless who care little for Divine injunctions and produce no change in their daily lives at the advent of Ramadhan, these tidings do not apply to them. When they have opted out, of their own accord, for the path of error and omission and taken willingly to follow Satan and doing his bidding there is nothing for them except disappointment with Allah as well. It is related by Abu Hurairah that the Apostle of Allah said, ―When the first night of the month of Ramadhan (comes), the devil‘s and defiant Jinn are bound in chains and all the Gates of Hell are closed and non of them remains open and all the Gates of Heaven are thrown open and none of them remains closed and the heavenly herald announces, ―O seeker of goodness and virtue! come forward; and O lover of wickedness and evil-doing! Halt, and do not come forward‖ and a large number of (sinning) bondsmen are released from Hell at the command of Allah (i.e., decision of forgiveness and deliverance is taken for them), and all this takes place on every night of Ramadhan.‖ [Tirmizi and Ibn-Majah] Abdullah ibn Abbas narrates that the Apostle of God was superior to all men in generosity and the doing of good to the people in general, but in the month of Ramadhan his benevolence knew no bounds. In Ramadhan, Hazrat Jibraeel came to him every night and the Prophet recited the Qur‘an to him. During Ramadhan the Prophet appeared to be faster than the wind in generosity and benevolence. [Bukhari and Muslim] From Meaning and Messages of the Traditions By Shaykh Mohammad Manzoor Nomani (RA). 4 things to do in Abundance Prophet said four things you should continue to perform in great number in this month of Ramadhan; 1. Recite the Kalimah Tayyibah Laa llaaha illallaah. 2. Make much Istighfaar (beg Allah's forgiveness) with Astagirfirul-laah). 3. You should beg of Allah for Jannah. 4. Ask for protection from Jahannam. At certain times during the year, vendors arrange sales of various items at their stores where items such as shoes and clothes can be bought at relatively inexpensive prices. Women in particular are often very attracted to such sales since they can save a lot of money on items that are on sale. An examination of the Holy Quran and Hadith reveals that Allah offers Paradise For Sale during the holy month of Ramadhan through His infinite mercy. Allah says in the Holy Quran: But Allah calls to the Home of Peace [10:25] Allah opens wide the gates of mercy and invites His servants to Paradise. Thus, they need to make every effort to work righteously and earn the right to go there. O Creator, we ask from You Paradise and seek refuge from the Fire [Hadith] Issue 31 www.rabetah.com Sept/Oct 2010 3
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Ramadhan - Rabetah

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