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You will not be able to count the Blessings of Allaah !
Following are the Excerpts of a speech given by Dawud Adib about seven years ago but edited for www.salafitalk.net
Before coming here today, I thought of how I would get through this talk with my voice being affected by hoarseness due to the dry heat in my apartment.
And then I began to ponder upon those who could not speak at all.
My car on the way here seems to always have some problems; tires, alternator, engine, transmission but then I quickly remembered those who do not have a car.
Growing up as a young man in the ghetto, sometimes you are teased and taunted for a variety of reasons.
I can still remember the children laughing at me, taunting and teasing me because of the size of my shoes. I used to run home and my mother would comfort me, drying the tears from my face and remind me of the old man down the street who had no feet!
Allaah has informed us in many, many places in the Qur’aan what He has done for us and of the favors He has bestowed upon us.
“He has created the Heavens and the Earth with truth (and He is) high above all those things they have associated with Him”
“And He gave you all of that which you asked for and if you were to count the Blessings of Allaah you would not be able to count them, surely the human being is an extreme ingrate, a disbeliever” Soorah Ibraaheem 14:34
The Prophet Muhammad, alaihes salaam has given us a du’aa that is the Master of ad’iyah (pl. du’aa) for seeking forgiveness. A line from that du’aa is:
“…I recognize Your ni’mah (blessings or favors) that you have bestowed upon me…”
Brother’s and sisters reflect upon Allaah’s statement:
“Has there not been over man a period of time when he was nothing to be mentioned?”
The Prophet, alaihes Salaatu was Salaam one day spit into the palm of his hand, and then wiped his (noble index) finger across the spittle and said:
“Surely Allaah Azza wal Jalla has said:
“O Son of Aadam! How is it that you (try) to render Me powerless, when I have created you from something like this (i.e. the spittle)? I have created you and fashioned you perfectly, and given you due proportion….
In other words brothers and sisters, He could have created us with our mouths on the bottom of our feet, or our eyes between our legs or our ears near our navels, but he perfected us, giving us a beautiful form!
He Azza wa Jalla continues: “But you are walking in your clothes [the clothes that He gave us], walking proudly, stomping your feet, shaking the Earth. You accumulate and accumulate, then you hold back (giving of the wealth that I have bestowed upon you). UNTIL…your souls reach your throats, then you say: “I’ll give charity now!”
“NOW IS THIS THE TIME FOR SADAQAH?”
Collected by al-Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad, al-Imaam ibnu Maajah in his Sunan, Ibnu Sa’d in his Tabaqaat from Hareez ibn Uthmaan from Abdur Rahmaan ibn Maysarh, from Jubayr ibn Nufayr from Busr ibn Jahhaash al-Qurashee, with a saheeh chain, inshaa Allaah.
Let us remember, my beloved brothers and sisters in Deen, that we used to be something unmentioned. Allaah reminds us of this:
“Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was nothing to be mentioned?
“Indeed, We have created man from a nutfah (drops of mixed semen) in order to try him, so We made him hearer, seer”.
“Verily We showed him the way whether he be grateful or ungrateful.”
Sooratul Insaan [76:1-3]
We will never, ever be able to enumerate the ni’am (pl.ni’mah ) He has granted us.
Let us look at some of them.
The Human Ear:
It is so sensitive – may Allaah allow you to hear His call – that it can perceive sound waves with an energy of only one ten thousand trillionth of a watt, and the pressure of the barest audible sound is ten billion times less than the atmospheric pressure at sea level. The threshold valley is so low that it is close to the energy of thermo motion.
In other words – may Allaah direct you to correct worship – if our ears were just a little more sensitive, we would always hear a background noise, like the molecules colliding in the air!
When a paper clip hits a wooden floor and a rocket ship takes off, they both cause vibrations or sound waves in the air. If Allaah had not created them for us out of His infinite mercy and bounty, we would be able hear the squeaking of our bones, the flowing of our blood, the beating of our hearts!
However, Allaah has created for you and I something as simple as sound waves. So now, you can hear my voice speaking to you, your baby crying, your husband or wife say: “ I love you!”
In spite of this (and that was not mentioned associated to the human ear), we still use our ears to listen to backbiting, slander gossip, music etc. instead of using them to listen to the Qur’aan, the authentic Sunnah, the myriad of adhkaar (pl. dhikr) and the words of the Ulamaa.
The Human Eye:
Just the small muscles around the lens of our eyes are used more than 100, 000 times each day. If our leg muscles tried to do that much work, they would have to go on a 50-mile hike!
Eighty (80%) percent of the raw sensory information that is a basis for our knowledge is provided by our eyes.
Eighty percent of that is received into our brains.
Many of you brothers and sisters are old enough to remember the outer space expedition of Vikings I and II that occurred between 1976 and 1980. During that trip, more than 50,000 images of the Planet Mars were captured. In addition, Voyages I and II transmitted about 70,000 images of Saturn and Jupiter back to Earth.
All of this took approximately two years. Combined they gathered 387 billion bits of information. Not million brothers and sisters but billions!
But that creature – the Human Eye – that Allaah, the Best of Creators gifted us with can do more than that in 6.75 minutes!
Yet, we use this gift, the gift of sight, to stare at women (and men), look at shows on television, movies, read magazines that we should not look at!
Allaah’s Prophet, alaihes Salaatu was Salaam has given us a du’aa, to be said in rukoo’ which reminds of us of this ni’mah, the ni’mah of (hearing) and sight:
“O Allaah, to You I have bowed, and in You I have believed, and to You I have submitted My hearing, sight, mind, bones, tendons, and what my feet carry are humbled before You!”
The Human Adult Heart:
It pushes every minute one and one half (1/12) gallons of blood, eighty seven (87) gallons every hour, 2,100 gallons every day, 766,600 gallons per year, and more than 56,000,000 gallons in a average life span of someone 74 years old.
The Human heart uses enough energy each day to lift 2,000 lbs, to a height of forty one (41) feet. By the time you are fifty years olds, your heart has done enough work equal to lifting 10,000 tons to an altitude of 142 miles!
But dear Muslims – may Allaah make your hearts firm on His Deen and His obedience - why do we use those hearts to love that which Allaah and His Messenger, sallaahu alaihi wa sallam hate and hate what Allaah and His Messenger, sallalaahu alaihi wa sallam love ?
We spend more time cleaning our homes, clothes, cars and the like than cleaning and polishing our hearts!
The Human Skin:
We completely change it every 27 days, it keeps in body fluids, it keeps out the foreign agents, and it shields us from dangerous rays, it cools us off when the rays increase. It conserves heat in the body, and without it, you and I would not be able to feel the touch of your husband’s or wife’s hand.
The skin – may Allaah protect yours from the Fire – takes its own shape and repairs itself when damaged.
But that same skin, you do not pay enough attention to it when perform wudoo making sure that you don’t leave any parts of it unwashed. Some of you (women) do not cover it properly with the clothing you were commanded to utilize. Some of us pay more attention to the type of lotions and creams we desire to apply upon it to please the creation, than the One who created it!
We could go on and on dear respected Muslims. We could talk about the brain, and the blood cells, the human eyelashes and eyelids, and the fact that Allaah designed them to blink when something is hurled at them, to protect our eyes.
Imagine not being able to blink!
Dear Muslims, reflect more upon what you have instead of what you do not. Look at those who are beneath you instead above you and be grateful for what you have, for if you were to attempt to enumerate the blessings of Allaah you would not be able to calculate them.
Fa tabaarakallaahu ahsanul Khaaliqeen (So blessed be Allaah, the Best of Creators)!
Taken from : http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=11&Topic=176&sortby=desc
Related Links : (Must Read)
- Oh Musa, Now you have Showed Gratitude
- How our Prophet thanked Allaah, and how Dawud thanked Allaah
- To attain TRUE thankfulness TO Allah, there are 5 affairs that a person must have
- The Three Arkaan (Pillars) of Gratitude/Shukr
- Al-Hamdulillaahi ‘alal Islam wa Sunnah – Shaikh Khalid Ar-Raddadee (hafidhahumullaah)
- Have You Thanked Allah? – by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Taken from “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen” by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
This article contains advice from the Salaf on remembering and being grateful for the blesseings that Allah is constantly showering us wit.
Why was Ibrahim, peace be upon him, afraid? – Explained by Shaykh Fawzan
Why was Ibrahim, peace be upon him, afraid?
Explained by Shaykh Fawzan
[Watch Video with EnglishTranslation Here]
Question:
The questioner says: Noble Shaykh may Allah give you success. We want from you to clarify for us the statement of Ibrahim—prayers and peace are upon him—when he supplicated to his Lord to distance him from idol worship, despite the fact that he—prayers and peace are upon him—was infallible?
Shaykh Fawzan:
He feared for himself. He did not laud himself. This shows that man should not admire himself, and he should fear misguidance and he should fear deviance. This is a great subtlety; that the person fears deviance, he fears misguidance. How many scholars have gone astray! How many worshippers have deviated and disbelieved! Thus the person fears for himself as long as he is alive. And he does not admire himself. When things increase; when things increase the person fears for himself. When the fitna increases the person fear for himself that he will fall into and it will afflict him.
Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
Masjid Tawheed wa Sunnah
http://mtws.posterous.com/why-was-ibrahim-peace-be-upon-him-afraid-expl
Related Links:
- “Keep me and my sons away from worshiping idols” – Quranic Supplication
- “Oh Turner of the Hearts, keep our Hearts firm on Your Religion”
- Seeking Istiqaamah - from Al-Istiqaamah Magazine, Issue No.2
- Satan talking to Imam Ahmed on his death bed - Good Story
O Mankind! Worship Your Lord Who Created You – Shaykh Rabee (hafidhahullaah)
Shaykh Rabi’ Tafsir of Ayats 21-22 of al-Baqarah
Translated by Abul Hasam Malik Adam al-Akhdar (hafidhahullaah)
[Download PDF]
Courtesy of : http://rahmaniyyahpublishing.wordpress.com
Uploaded with Permission from Abul Hasam Malik (hafidhahullaah)
“Whenever I waiver and become indecisive” – Ibn Taymiyyah
“Indeed whenever I waiver and become indecisive in my mind about an issue, or about something or a situation [which is problematic for me] then I ask forgiveness of Allaah the Most High, a thousand times or more, or less until He opens my chest for me and solves the problem which I was confused about. Even if at that time I was in a market place, or in a masjid or in a mountain pass or a school, that does not prevent me from the remembrance [of Allaah] and asking for forgiveness until I achieve my objective.”
If Allah test a person does it means He loves him? – Explained by Shaykh Sulayman Ruhaylee
If Allah test a person does it means He loves him?
Explained by Shaykh Sulayman Ruhaylee
Question:
The questioner says: If Allah loves a person He tries him with adversity, therefore if a person is befallen with misfortune is this proof that Allah loves this Muslim?
Shaykh Sulayman Ruhaylee:
Pay attention brothers. Trials and tribulations, as it relates to them in general, have reasons.
The first reason is due to the deficiency of the person because of his sins. So he will be afflicted with calamities due to his sins.
And the second reason is the shortcomings of the Muslim. Meaning: Allah desires for the slave a position in paradise but he is not able to reach it by his actions. Thus Allah says to the Angels; pour down upon him calamities in abundance. This is in order to raise his status; and these are two affairs.
And if a calamity befalls a person then he should have a good thought about his Lord and a bad thought about himself. So when he looks from his own perspective he says: “This is from my sins.” And we all make mistakes. (And looking at it in this way) will allow him to leave off the sin. And when he looks at the situation as it relates to Allah the Glorified and Exalted he says: “Perhaps Allah wants good for me, perhaps Allah wants a high position (in paradise) for me.”
Some of the scholars; we have heard them say; the individual as it relates to himself he views it due to his sins, and as it relates to others he views it due to them being elevated in status. Meaning, if a trial befalls you then you view that you have been afflicted based upon your sins. And if a trial befalls your brother then you view it as Allah desires to elevate his status, this is from the angle of having a good thought about your brother. And this is a good affair.
Some of the people, when a calamity befalls his brother they add to the calamity. Rather than giving them condolences and improving the situation, they inflict more punishment. If the person’s child dies, if the person is in an accident, he comes and says: “Brother this is from your sins!”
And this is incorrect, even if the statement could be true. Rather he should improve the situation and give him condolences and approach him with good manners and say: “O my brother, there are some trials that contain a reward which was not sought after, so it they occur they are better for the person.” For example the death of a child; the death of a child contains a great reward but this reward is not sought after. “The person does not want for his child to die, but if he dies there is a great reward. A house will be built for him in paradise. And I hope that this will be the case for you as it relates to your trial.” “And we are deficient, and we are sinners, perhaps we have committed some sins and Allah desires to pardon us for our sins; and all praises belong to Allah.” (He should say) something along these lines.
Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee
Masjid Tawheed wa Sunnah, Durham, NC
http://mtws.posterous.com
The One Who Teaches Good and Evil to The People – al-Allaamah Zayd al-Madkhalee
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The One Who Teaches Good and Evil to The People
Question Posed to al-Allaamah Zayd al-Madkhalee (may Allaah preserve him)
Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
Q. Oh noble Shaykh, may Allaah preserve you. Is the man who teaches the people some of the affairs of their religion rewarded for that while at the same time he spreads in their minds poison, partisanship and matters of innovation?
A. The one who teaches the people the legislated knowledge there is no doubt that he is rewarded. That is because the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The one who guides to the good is similar to the one who has performed the good.” (Musnad of Ahmad)
He also said:
“Indeed Allaah, His angels, the people of the heavens and earths, even the ants in their holes and the fish at sea send the Salaah upon the one who teached the people the good.”(at-Tirmidhee/ Authenticated by Imaam al-Albaani)
He has a tremendous reward. A reward which is better than the reward of the one who gives charity with the gold and silver. That’s nothing except the virtue of knowledge and its nobility (over other than it).
As for the person being one who spreads amongst them the falsehood, this is not accepted. This is whether he spread amongst them an innovation or a mistake. All of it is considered to be from causing corruption in the earth…Therefore it is not permissible for anyone as I mentioned before to spread amongst the people the innovations which are in opposition to the Sunan. Nor is it permissible to defend the people of innovation or their books. This is from the crimes (in Islaam) and not from the affairs of bringing about rectification in no way.
Therefore take caution, take caution from inciting evil and calling the people to it. Whoever incites evil and calls the people to it then he has patterned himself after the Shaytaan and the refuge is sought with Allaah from that. Allaah has mentioned:
“The Shaytaan threatens you with poverty and commands you with the indecencies. Allaah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty.” (al-Baqarah: 268)
Therefore those who teach the people the good they have followed their Lord and their Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). As for those who spread amongst the people the affairs of evil, like secret organizations, Hizbiyyaaat, (evil) coalitions and matters that are in opposition which the legislation (of Islaam) does not approve of. These individuals are sinners that go about bringing evil to the people. They are calling to the Fitan. They indeed have done so and the Fitan has taken place.
This is a tremendous sin and major corruption. The door of repentance is open for every sinner. Therefore let the person repent to Allaah and praise Allaah for giving him the success to make repentance while he is still alive.
Taken from “Nuzhatul-Qaari fee Sharhi Kitaabil-’Ilm min Saheeh al-Bukhaari” pg. 206-207 By al-Allaamah Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhalee
Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah USA NYC
10th day of Ramadaan/ 29th of July 2012
http://multiply.com/gi/31097:journal:136
Important means to assist the woman during Ramadan by Sheikh Fawzan
Bismillaah, wal-hamdulilaah, was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa rasoolillaah,
as Salaamu ‘Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh
Important means to assist the woman during Ramadan by Sheikh Fawzan
Translated by Rasheed Barbee (hafidhahullaah)
http://mtws.posterous.com
Question:
What are the most important means that will assist the woman upon obedience during the month of Ramadan?
Answer:
(Sheikh Fawzan) The means that will assist the Muslim upon obedience to Allah whether they are male or female are as follows.
1. Fear of Allah سبحانه وتعالى and to believe that He is observing the creation in all of their actions, and statements, and intentions and that He will take them to account for all of that. Therefore if the person is cognizant of this reality then he will busy himself with the obedience of Allah and leave off sins and he will hasten to repent from his wrongdoings.
2. Increase in the remembrance of Allah and the recitation of the Quran because this will soften the heart. Allah the Exalted said, (what can be translated as) ‘Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction’. (Chapter 13 verse 28) And Allah the Exalted said, (what can be translated as) ‘The believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts’. (Chapter 8 verse 2)
3. Avoiding the distractions that harden the heart and distance the individual from Allah, and this is every sin and mixing with evil people and eating from the impermissible and being heedless of the remembrance of Allah the Exalted, and watching the evil films.
4. The woman remaining in her home and not leaving her home except due to a need and then returning quickly to her home upon completion of her need.
5. Sleeping during the night because this will assist the person in waking up during the last part of the night. And sleep a little during the day, this will allow the person to perform their prayers in their respective times, and to busy their time with the obedience of Allah.
6. Guarding their tongues from backbiting and tale carrying and he said she said, bearing false witness and impermissible speech, but rather they should busy their tongue with the remembrance of Allah.
Article Link : http://wp.me/p1VJ3-1l9
Explanation of the hadith… “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting” By Sheik Fawzan
Fasting is for Allah
Explained by Shaykh Fawzan
Translated by Rasheed Barbee
Explanation of the hadith… “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting” By Sheik Fawzan
Q: In the hadith Qudsi, “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me and I shall reward for it.” (Related in Sahih Bukari, hadith of Abi Hurarrai) I would like an explanation to this hadith. Why is fasting singled out with this specification? A: All praise is for Allah. This is a great hadith and it has been established that the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, has narrated this hadith from his Lord the Mighty and Exalted. “All the actions by the son of Adam are for him, except fasting for verily it is for Me and I shall reward for it.”
This hadith contains the great virtue of fasting, and its great merit in comparison with the other deeds. And Allah singled out fasting for Himself, from amongst the deeds of the son of Adam. The people of knowledge have answered the statement of Allah, (“Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it”), with a number of answers, from them is the one who said the statement of Allah, (“Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it”), means that a person’s good deeds may leave him pending retribution between him and the one that he oppressed; so the one that he oppressed will take retaliation from him on the Day of Judgment by taking something from his good deeds and his charity. This is as appears in the hadith that a man will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds like a mountain. But he insulted this person and he struck this person and he consumed the wealth of this person. Therefore they will take for this wrongdoing some of his good deeds, and for that wrongdoing some of his good deeds, until when the person does not have any good deeds left then they will have to take the sins of the ones they oppressed, so all of these sins will drop upon them and they will be flung into the fire. Except for fasting, for verily it will not be taken by the creditor (meaning the one who was oppressed and is due retribution) on the Day of Judgment. But rather it shall only be preserved and saved by Allah the Mighty and Majestic for the one who observes it and He shall reward him for it.
The proof is His statement, “All of the actions of the son of Adam are atonement for him except fasting, for verily it is for Me and I shall reward for it.” Meaning that a person’s good deeds may leave him pending retribution between him and the one that he oppressed, and the oppressed person will take from his good deeds on the day of Judgment if he oppressed them, except for fasting, for verily Allah will protect it and He will not give the oppressed person authority over it but rather the good deed of fasting shall be for its companion with Allah the Mighty and Majestic…
And it is said that what is meant by the statement of the Exalted, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it”, is because fasting is a hidden action that no one knows except for Allah the Glorified and Exalted. Therefore it is an intention of the heart as opposed to the rest of the actions, because they are apparent and seen by the people. As for fasting then it is a secret action between the slave and his Lord the Mighty and Majestic. And for this reason He said, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it, verily he gave up his desires, his food and his drink because of Me.” So the person giving up their desire and food for the sake of Allah is a hidden action and a hidden intention that no one knows except for Allah the Glorified and Exalted; as opposed to giving charity for example, or praying or hajj and those apparent actions that the people see, as for fasting then no one sees it, because the meaning of fasting is not giving up food and drink only or leaving alone those things that break the fast; but along with that it is a must that one fast sincerely for Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Therefore the statement, “verily he gave up his desires, his food and his drink because of Me.” Explains His statement, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it.
Some of the Scholars have said that the meaning of Allah’s statement, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it” to mean that shirk is not associated with fasting as opposed to the other actions. This is said because the pagans used to put forward acts of worship to their false gods, such as slaughtering, and vowing and other types of worship, like supplication, fear, and hope, so many of the pagans would seek to get closer to their idols and their objects of worship with these types of deeds, as opposed to fasting, because it has not been mentioned that the pagans used fast for their idols or their objects of worship. Therefore fasting is exclusively only for Allah the Mighty and Majestic, so for this reason the meaning of His statement, “Fasting is for Me and I shall reward for it” means that shirk is not associated with fasting because the pagans did not use it as a way to seek closeness to their idols but rather fasting is only used to get close to Allah.
Translated by Rasheed Barbee
http://mtws.posterous.com
What is Befitting that the Time Be Occupied with during the Blessed Month of Ramadan
Lesson Four:
What is Befitting that the Time Be Occupied with during the Blessed Month of Ramadan
By: The Noble Scholar Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan
Translated by: Raha ‘Azeezuddeen Batts
http://mtws.posterous.com
All the Hamd is for Allah for His Bounty and Beneficence. He has favored us by allowing us to reach the month of Ramadan and established for us therein from righteous actions which bring us closer to Him. May the prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the first to proceed in good actions, and upon his family, and companions, who have believed in him, helped him, aided him and followed the light with which he was sent. They are the successful. As to what follows:
I advise you and myself to have Taqwaa of Allah within this blessed month and other than it from the months. However, this month has a status with which Allah has particularized it, for it is a season of good actions. It has been narrated that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to invoke Allah for the reaching of Ramadan. So he would say when he entered the month of Rajab: “O Allah bless us in Rajab and Sha’baan; and let us reach Ramadan.”(Bayhaqee and others. Al-Albaanee declared it to be weak.)
It has also been narrated that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would give his companions glad tidings of its approach and clarify to them its virtues; saying: “O people, a great and blessed month has come upon you.”[On the authority of Aboo Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Ramadan has come upon you, a blessed month. Allah the Mighty and Majestic has obligated upon you its fast. The doors of the heaven are opened therein and the doors of the Hellfire are shut and the rebellious devils are chained up. Allah has a night therein which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good is truly deprived.”](Ahmad and others)
He would urge his companions to strive hard therein with righteous action, from the obligatory and the supererogatory; from the prayers and the charity; and striving in goodness and ihsaan; and patience upon obedience of Allah; spending its day with the fast, its night with standing in prayer and its hours with reciting the Qur’aan and remembering Allah ‘Azz wa Jal.
So do not squander it with heedlessness and aversion, as is the case of the wretched ones who have forgotten Allah so He caused them to forget themselves. So they do not benefit from the passing of the time of good nor do they recognize its sanctity. And they do not give it its just due.
Many of the people do not recognize this month except as a month for alteration of the eating and drinking; so they exaggerate in giving their souls what they desire and they frequently purchase luxury items of foods and drinks; and it is known that abundance of eating and drinking makes one lazy from doing actions of obedience. That which is required of the Muslim is that he eats and drinks little so that he will be active upon obedience.
Some of the people do not recognize the month of Ramadan except as a month of sleep during the day and wakefulness during the night upon that which is of no benefit or that which is actually harmful. So he stays awake most of the night or all of it, then he sleeps during the day even (neglecting) the obligatory prayers; so he does not pray with the Jamaa’ah nor in the times of the prayers.
Some of the people sit at the table for Iftaar, abandoning salatul-Magrib with the Jamaa’ah.
These groups from amongst the people do not know the worth of the month of Ramadan nor do they refrain from violating its sanctity, they are vigilant upon the Haraam and they abandon the obligations. They do the forbidden acts and with regards to this group, they do not recognize the month of Ramadan except as a month for trade, laying out the commodities and seeking after the fleeting dunyaa. So they are active in buying and selling so that they cling to the marketplaces and they make hijrah from the masaajid. And if they go to the masaajid, they are in a hurry and reluctant, they do not stay therein; because the coolness of their eyes is in the marketplaces.
Another group from the people does not recognize the month of Ramadan except as a time for begging in the masaajid and in the streets. So that one passes most of his time going and returning; travelling here and there and moving from land to land to gather wealth by begging. He makes himself look as if he is in need while he is actually rich; and as if he has an ailment in his body while he is actually healthy. He denies Allah’s blessing upon him of richness and health, and takes the wealth without due right. He wastes his valuable time in that which is harmful to him so nothing remains of virtue for Ramadan with these groups.
Slaves of Allah, Allah’s Messenger(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)would strive hard in this month more than he would strive in other months; and he, upon him be prayers and peace, would be serious in al-‘Ibaadah during all of its times. He would remove himself in this month from most distractions which are in actuality worship, but he would remove himself from the virtuous acts for that which was more virtuous than it. And the Salafus-Saalih would follow his example in that and would particularize this month with an abundance of importance and they would dedicate themselves therein to righteous actions. They would spend its night in Tahajjud and its day in fasting, remembrance and recitation of the Qur’aan. They would spend time in the masaajid with that; so let us compare our affair to their affair and what is the extent of our knowledge with this month. And let us know that just as the good deeds are multiplied therein, the sins committed therein are likewise and their punishment is increased. So let us fear Allah the Glorified and honor His sacred things: “And whoever honors the sacred things of Allah that is better for him with his Lord.” (Al-Hajj 22:30)
May Allah grant success for all righteous statements and actions, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
–
The above article was formatted by AbdurRahman.Org with paragraphs and coloured for better presentation purposes. You can read the original PDF translated by brother Raha Batts here
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