بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Talha said, ‘I saw in my dream that I was at the door of Paradise when behold, I was with both of them (the two men). Someone came out of Paradise and allowed the man who passed away later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the martyred one to enter. Then he returned and said to me, ‘Go back, for your time has not come yet.’
Talha woke up and began to inform others about this and they were all surprised. This reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and when they informed him of it, he said:
He ﷺ said, ‘What are you surprised about?’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Out of them both, this one strove harder (in Jihad) then he was martyred but this other one was entered into Paradise before him.’
We want our faith to increase before entering the month of Ramadan.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"من صام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا، غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه"
"He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven." [Agreed upon]
And in another narration:
"من قام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه"
"He who observes optional prayer throughout Ramadan, out of sincerity of Faith and in the hope of earning reward will have his past sins pardoned." [Agreed upon]
In these two Hadiths, the Prophet ﷺ connected forgiveness of sins with observing fast and praying at night, while fulfilling two conditions:
1) إيماناً
2) إحتساباً
إيمان
From the first day of Ramadan you have to ask yourself for whose sake your fasting. If you ask many Muslims why they're fasting, they'll say it's because it's Ramadan, or because everyone else is fasting. This isn't a good intention.
Fast because you believe in Allah, your Lord, who commanded you to fast, and you're carrying out His command. Fast because you're seeking nearness to Him. Fast because you're seeking His pleasure, and nothing else. Remind yourself of this everyday during the month.
إحتساب
This is derived from the word "حساب" - the action of counting.
What are we counting? What you hope to attain of reward.
You fast hoping Allah will free you from HellFire, you fast hoping Allah will make this fast a protection for you from HellFire, to be an intercessor for you on the Day of Judgement, for Allah to be pleased with your act, to add it to your scales. Let all these hopes be alive in your heart for the full 30 days of Ramadan.
Many people think it's easy. But the beginning of the month they're so enthusiastic and energetic, and then slowly relapse, until they reach the middle of Ramadan, as if it's any normal day. They're thinking of Eid, and the long vacation after Ramadan, and completely forget about the rewards and virtues of Ramadan. It's not easy except for the true believers.
The more attentive your heart is; the more you aware of your intention, and the reward you hope to get from Allah, and the Judgement Day - the more reward you'll get for your good deeds.
This means that we need to beware of heedlessness (الغفلة). Don't fast, pray, and perform good deeds while your heart isn't attentive - unaware of why you're doing the action, what you hope, and about the Day of Judgement. And the غافل isn't the person who doesn't fast and pray. He prays and fasts and does many good deeds but his heart isn't there. And most of the people, إلا من رحم الله, are like this.
Remember for whose sake you're fasting for, and think of the hereafter all the time. Think of the Day of Judgement, when your fast and the Qur'an will come and intercede with Allah for you.
الصِّيَامُ وَالْقُرْآنُ يَشْفَعَانِ لِلْعَبْدِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَقُولُ الصِّيَامُ أَيْ رَبِّ مَنَعْتُهُ الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّهَوَاتِ بِالنَّهَارِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ وَيَقُولُ الْقُرْآنُ مَنَعْتُهُ النَّوْمَ بِاللَّيْلِ فَشَفِّعْنِي فِيهِ قَالَ فَيُشَفَّعَانِ
"Fasting and the Quran will intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: O Lord, I prevented him from food and drink during the day, so allow me to intercede for him. The Quran will say: O Lord, I prevented him from sleeping during the night, so allow me to intercede for him. Thus, they will both intercede for him.” [Musnad Ahmed #6587]
The difference between people is the attentivity of their hearts; and this affects their amount of reward.
From the first night of Ramadan, remember the following things:
1) The Blessings of Allah upon you
Allah bestows many favours upon His servants. Remember them one by one, as much as you can. This is an act of worship, which Allah commanded us to do in the Qur'an. In [7:69]:
If you remember the blessings of Allah you'll be successful.
What is success?
"تفوزون بالمطلوب و تنجون من المرهوب" - As-Sa'di
Allah will grant you what you're seeking of reward, and save you from what you're afraid of. He'll protect you from the HellFire and admit you into Paradise. What more do you want than that?
The companions of the Prophet ﷺ and the Salaf used to call each other to gather solely for the purpose of remembering the blessings of Allah. It's an act of worship that we'll be rewarded for.
And from the greatest blessings is that Allah made us Muslims. He is المنان. He gave it to us without us asking Him, and this requires us to thank Allah profusely.
He is the One who endeared faith to us; made us love Him, the Angels, the Qur'an, the Prophet ﷺ. He is the One who made us hate كفر, disobedience, الشرك. It's not you. It's not because you're coming to class. So many people attend the lecture, but it doesn't affect everyone. It's Allah who made you love إيمان and hate disbelief.
In [49:7]:
When you see yourself loving to cover yourself, loving to pray, fast, attend the class, etc. then know that it's because Allah is المنان. He is the One who made it beloved to you, and no one else. So remember these blessings and thank Him alone.
Don't just remember this in the month of Ramadan, remember it throughout your life
And whoever acknowledges the blessings of Allah, Allah will increase him in it. In [14:7]:
And whoever attributes the blessing of Islam and faith to Allah, and knows very well that if Allah hadn't guided him, he wouldn't be guided, will be very afraid of having his faith taken away from him. So he'll seek the means of increasing his faith, and won't be like the hypocrites, - whom Allah guided, showed them right and wrong, the articles of faith - but didn't take the means of increasing their faith, until the light of faith slowly diminished in their hearts until they outwardly looked like Muslims but were inwardly hypocrites.
What are the means of increasing faith? Reciting the Qur'an, understanding the Qur'an, pondering over the Qur'an, acquiring knowledge - especially knowledge about Allah, obeying Allah and increasing in good deeds. The more you increase in doing good, the more your faith will increase - because faith increases with obedience and decreases through committing sins.
2) Thank Allah profusely for allowing you to reach and witness this month.
In [2:185]:
شهود الشهر is a great blessing from Allah.
But who truly feels this blessing? The person who reflects over the year before, and remembers people who were alive last year with him, and died without reaching this month. That is the person who will truly appreciate Allah prolonging his life to reach this month.
And not just to be alive, but to be healthy. There may be people who reach the month of Ramadan but aren't able to fast due to some sickness.
And there may have been people who witnessed and fasted last Ramadan with us, but during the year, doubts entered their hearts and caused them to deviate - such that they no longer pray or fast.
Remember these blessings very well. Allah prolonged your life to witness Ramadan, made you healthy, and protected your heart from deviation. These are great blessings.
Talha ibn ‘Ubaydallah reported that two men came to the Prophet ﷺ who had accepted Islam at the same time. One of them used to partake in Jihad more-so than the other, and so (one day) he fought in a battle and was martyred therein. The other remained behind him for another year, and then he passed away.
Talha said, ‘I saw in my dream that I was at the door of Paradise when behold, I was with both of them (the two men). Someone came out of Paradise and allowed the man who passed away later to enter first. Then he came out again and allowed the martyred one to enter. Then he returned and said to me, ‘Go back, for your time has not come yet.’
Talha woke up and began to inform others about this and they were all surprised. This reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and when they informed him of it, he said:
He ﷺ said, ‘What are you surprised about?’ They said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Out of them both, this one strove harder (in Jihad) then he was martyred but this other one was entered into Paradise before him.’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Did he not remain behind him for one year?’
They said, ‘Yes (he did).’
He said, ‘Did he not reach Ramadan, fast and pray with such and such number of prostrations in the year?’ They said, ‘Yes.’
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘So the difference between them is greater than what is between the heavens and the earth.’ [Ibn Majah #346]
3) Rejoice when you reach the month of Ramadan.
In [10:58]:
Allah commands us to rejoice with His فضل and رحمة, the greatest of which is the Qur'an, Faith, and Knowledge. These blessings should make us happier than amassing the Dunya and wealth.
If you have a daughter who loves acquiring knowledge and making Da'wah and isn't interested in working and the Dunya, what should make you happier? Some parents become sad because they're daughter isn't working, contradicting the command of Allah in this verse.
People become happy with money. But faith and acquiring knowledge doesn't cause them to rejoice. This is how much our thinking is contrary to what Allah wants from us.
4) The days of Ramadan are more virtuous then the nights of Ramadan, with the exception of the last 10 nights.
We fast during the day in Ramadan, and fasting is more beloved to Allah than Tarawih, because it's obligatory, and Allah loves the obligatory acts more than the voluntary ones. So don't be heedless during the days of Ramadan and sleep throughout it. The time is more virtuous, and the acts of worship you perform while fasting are more rewarding to Allah than after you break your fast.
And we have a long day this year. Starting from Fajr until Maghrib, almost 14 hours of reward. We have to take advantage of it as much as we can.
Even if you're heading towards the end of the day and losing your energy, can't even move your tongue, then sit down and remember Allah with your heart. Remember His blessings, the Day of Judgement, hope for His rewards, forgive whoever offended you, have good wishes and intentions for future good deeds, etc.
And we miss out on a good environment and good people around us to remind us when we forget. We have to thank Allah if we have good children and good people around us, who can remind us when we forget.
And we have to thank Allah that we are in a Muslim country, where we can hear the Athan, where men can go easily for congregational prayer, where no one can stop you from gathering to remember Allah, wearing Hijab, etc. Where you can hear the recitation of the Qur'an everywhere. The true believer rejoices seeing all these acts of worship, and all his brothers and sisters in Islam performing them. The hypocrite, however, feels constricted and unhappy. He's counting the days when Ramadan will be over.
Those who really feel and appreciate these blessings are those who live in non-Muslim environments. So thank Allah for it, so He increases and continues it for you.
And know who you're dealing with.
E.g. You want to go for Omra in Ramadan and you can't either because you can't afford it, you have no Manram, etc. Remember that you are dealing with Allah الشاكر الشكور. If you are truthful, and your wish is a truthful wish, Allah will surely reward you with the same reward as the one who went to Omra. You just have to be truthful with Allah.
5) Remember that your performance of good deeds is not by your حول and قوة. It's Allah who granted you the strength to fast, to pray late at night. You won't be able to take advantage of the month of Ramadan, and the opportunities to perform good deeds, unless Allah helps you.
He is the One who gives الحول and القوة. Don't think you're fasting because you're strong, young, and healthy. Don't rely on the means, the food, you're strength, etc.
As soon as you do, Allah will make you fail. You see strong people sick in bed during Ramadan, because they relied on themselves.
So what should we do? We have to say لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله. A treasure from Paradise.
Many people become angry and irritated at the end of the day. Say لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله. Ask Allah to help you.
You wonder how old people, above the ages of 70 and 80, enter the month of Ramadan and observe fast, and come out without falling sick. And you wonder how healthy, young, strong people, face difficulty in fasting, become sick, and have health problems.
Perhaps the older people prayed and prayed before the onset of Ramadan, begging Allah to grant them strength to fast it. This was their concern. And Allah will never let down nor disgrace the one who seeks His help.
But how many of the young ones asked Allah to enable them to fast the month of Ramadan? They take it for granted. It's always "I can do".
So many plan and have schedules at the beginning of Ramadan, and in Ramadan they may not accomplish even half of what they planned. No one except Allah can help you to carry out what you plan.
We're not saying not to have plans. But don't rely on your plans, rely on Allah. He is the One who'll help you take advantage of your time, day, and the month. Don't be the person who relies on the means. Rely on Allah, because in [1:5]:
Your عبادة is related to استعانة. You won't be able to worship Him, unless you seek His help. You won't be able to establish fasting, be guided to establish the night of Qadar, without Him. Even if you have your period and establish this night with good deeds, you may have more reward than the person who stands in prayer while his heart is distracted.
Don't rely on yourself. Remember that Allah is looking and watching your heart. He doesn't look at your physique. If your heart turns left and right, Allah knows about it. So bring it back. And you won't be able to bring it back unless Allah helps you.
Look at our state nowadays. We pray and remember Allah and yet our heart is everywhere . This is the biggest problem we are facing nowadays: The distraction of our hearts. لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله. Only Allah can help you. All the good is in His hands. Rely on Allah and free yourself from relying on yourself.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ فَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ وَفَرْحَةٌ حِينَ يَلْقَى رَبَّهُ"
"There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy of when he meets his Lord." [Tirmithi #766]
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