Day 23: Pursuing the Truth

Ibn Abbas narrated that whenever the Prophet offered the night (Tahajjud) prayer, he used to say, "O Allah! All the Praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. And all the Praises are for You; You are the Keeper of the Heavens and the Earth. All the Praises are for You; You are the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is therein. You are the Truth, and Your Promise is the Truth, and Your Speech is the Truth, and meeting You is the Truth, and Paradise is the Truth and Hell (Fire) is the Truth and all the prophets are the Truth and the Hour is the Truth. O Allah! I surrender to You, and believe in You, and depend upon You, and repent to You, and in Your cause I fight and with Your orders I rule. So please forgive my past and future sins and those sins which I did in secret or in public. It is You Whom I worship, None has the right to be worshipped except You."  (Bukhari)

Our entire life must therefore be spent on seeking and spewing the truth. In fact, as the world progress, speaking the truth becomes even more difficult, hence Allah says, “By (the Token of) time (through the Ages), verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith and do righteous deeds and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth and of Patience and Constancy.” (Qur'an 103v1-3)

Standing by truth in a corrupting world is really hard; as such the few who uphold it will be specially rewarded. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "He who abandons lying (to cover up), having already done something wrong, will have a castle built for him just within Paradise. He who abandons disputing (cantankerous argumentation), despite speaking the truth, will have one (a castle) built for him in the middle of Paradise. He whose character is good will have a castle built for him in the highest part of it." (Tirmidhi)

However, although you may be speaking the truth, you have other things to consider: what do I intend to achieve? Is it the right time to speak? Is this the right place? Am I saying it in the right way? We must be careful because even the truth can hurt - even the speaker! "Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its jagged edges." — Herman Melville

People who are affected by the truth we speak might want to naturally feel bad about what we say, but most of the time, it is the way “the truth” has been presented to them. Some people present the truth carelessly; in fact, sometimes deliberately to hurt. Truth doesn't always have to be bitter; it can be delivered in a palatable way, a humane way. Ultimately, the bigger picture, our ultimate goal should be our focus, when presenting the truth.

As Muslims, we are taught to control our tongue, even when speaking the truth, we must be careful of the fitna (calamity) that may arise from poor presentation. We should weigh our words and think through the consequences and implications of our utterances and consider whether silence is the best option or delayed response will better achieve the desired result. When we talk, we should speak with respect for the person we are addressing and for their feelings. We must learn to do these naturally and not hypocritically because our non-verbal communications speak volumes more than the words we utter. This is when we will get the rewards for speaking and pursuing the truth is a world that triumphs on hiding it.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK. 2011

Day 12: What Will Matter More

Recently, @IslamicTeaching shared the following quotes on Twitter:

”What will matter more is not what you bought, but what you built.

What will matter more is not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter more is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter more is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter more is not how many people you knew,

but how many will feel lasting loss when you’re gone."

These quotes are very impacting as they address our struggles and attainments, throwing some lights on our chosen path in life.

"What will matter more is not what you bought, but what you built." Whereas we love to spend and adorn, those are transient and are temporary pleasure. The pleasures that will be remembered and for a long time are the relationships we build with families, friends, relatives, neighbours, colleagues, online and offline. Build your families and your relationships on faith and fairness. Allah says: “O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel are human beings…” (Qur'an 66v6) The instruction to build goodness in the community starts form home but it does not end there. “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.” (Qur'an 3v104)

"What will matter more is not what you got, but what you gave." Although we live in a consumer world where the attitude is 'what's in it for me', no one likes the selfish self-serving snob. Even in the sight of God, it's about what you give and what others benefit from you. Yes, give money but also more. Give time (volunteer), show skills (mentoring), share knowledge (teach & train), offer resource (links & networking) and give a legacy as your contribution to humanity for the sake of God not for any personal benefit. “Say: "Truly my prayer and my service of sacrifice my life and my death are (all) for Allah the Cherisher of the Worlds” (Qur'an 6v162)

"What will matter more is not your success, but your significance." Real Success is what you benefited yourself as a result of benefiting others. How significant you are to people around you is the measure of your success, ultimately; not your personal acquisitions. In Islam, success is in having a good relationship with God and with people whom God has placed around you and whose provisions He has kept with you. Will you give back and be successful or will you keep to yourself and be selfish?

"What will matter more is not your competence, but your character." Your character is formed from your habits, which in turn is a culmination and collection of your thoughts, deeds and perception. What is the use of your competence if you are not approachable or are unwelcoming? If your character dispels rather than attracts, you are of little benefit to hardly anyone. This is why despite the assured message of the Qur'an, our Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) had to have an excellent character; most who knew or met him, loved him. And indeed, he is our mentor and motivator.

"What will matter more is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel lasting loss when you’re gone." All life will end sooner or later, how will yours and in what situation? How long after your death will your name or legacy still be a reference point? Within weeks, months, years, decade or a lifetime?

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

Day 10: Ramadan is Here Again – Time to be Humble (Part 3 of 3)

My Brethren! A window of opportunities is flung open to you to seek repentance, put your needs/requests before your Lord and for other benefits too. What are you planning to do? Will you maximize your harvest or will you just sit and watch? Do not be a loser but be determined to reap the maximum benefits from the month.

O servants of Allah! Why is it that we are refusing to improve our deen? Why are we always looking for excuses to justify our wrong doings? Is it not time for us to change our ways and be in compliance with Allah’s injunction. Verily, know that Shaytan has no effect upon you in this period of Ramadan. If you continue in your evil ways of the past, then there is no doubt that you are truly a shaytan among man. Please let us check ourselves while you give thought to the following verse of the Qur’an:

‘Is it not time that the hearts of those who believe should be humbled to the remembrance of Allah?

We pray:

O Allah! As the Ramadan comes to us, we ask You for the good of what we give, the good of what we do, the good of what we do in secret and what we do in the open. We ask You for the attainment of the higher degree in Jannah.

O Allah! Forgive all our sins and faults. Provide abundantly for us, help and guide us to carry out goods and strengthen our morality.

O Allah purify our hearts from envy and desires of the world and clothe us with honour and longing for your Ridwaan, O Lord of the Worlds. Aaamiin.

Aquulu qawliy hadha wastaghfirullah liy walakum.

This ends my discussion and I ask ALLAH for forgiveness for you and myself.

Wa aakhiru da’awana anil hamdu lillahi rabbil aalameen.

- Contributed by Ustaz Suleiman Zubair, Abuja, Nigeria.

Day 8: Ramadan is Here Again (Your Neighbours) (Part 2 of 3)

In the pursuit of the taqwa agenda, we should also remember our neighbours whose welfare we have not shown interest in the past. Goodness to neighbour in the form of generosity and kindness is an act of worship which is a commandment of Allah as He (SWT) said:

“Worship Allah and worship none with Him and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (whom you meet) and those (slaves/servants) whom your right hand possesses. Verily Allah does not love those who are proud and boastful.” Q4:36

Kindness to neighbours entails sharing in their joy and sadness; sharing your food with them; visiting them when they are sick; etc. It is also important to add that these duties are not in any way reduced due to the fact that your neighbour is not a Muslim. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that the Apostle of Allah (SAW) slaughtered an ewe and had it cooked. He asked (his household), “did you give a part of it as a present to our jewish neighbour?” He repeated this question three times. Then Abdullah added: I heard the Prophet (SAW) saying: “(Angel) Jibril continued to admonish me to treat the neighbours kindly and politely to the extent that I thought he will order me to make them my heirs.”

We are particularly encouraged to share with our neighbours the provisions we have made for the Ramadan especially where they lack the wherewithal. We should give our neighbour whatever he needs that is within our capacity as long as it is not harmful to our interests.

An additional requirement on good neighbourliness is be patient if one is harmed by his neighbour. In this regard, Al-Hassan Basri (RA) said: “Being good to one’s neighbour does not stop at abstaining from harming him, but rather to be patient if one is harmed by his neighbour.” In Ramadan, the Muslim is particularly challenged to exhibit the highest level of patience. The Prophet (SAW) was reported to have admonished the Ummah that when you are provoked or hurt in Ramadan, you should simply tell the assailant that: “I am fasting”. This explains that rancour, quarrelling and fighting while observing the fast is not encouraged. Please be guided and take heed.

If, perchance, you are not yet convinced to change your paradigm on how to treat your neighbour then consider this statement of Rasulullah (SAW) when he categorically stated that:

“On the Day of Judgment, a person will grab hold of his neighbour saying; O Allah! You made him rich while I was poor. There were nights when I slept on an empty stomach while he would go to bed with full stomach. Ask him why he closed his door on me and why he deprived me of the wealth that you blessed him with.”

It is reported that “the Prophet (SAW) was naturally the most generous of people and he used to be more generous than ever in the month of Ramadan”. (Sahih Bukhari). Please start your generosity from your family then to the nearest of neighbours and then others.

- Contributed by Ustaz Suleiman Zubair, Abuja, Nigeria.

Day 6: Ramadan is Here Again - Piety Prescribed (Part 1 of 3)

We thank Allah who has shown us His path and made us worthy of being a Muslim. This gratitude becomes more incumbent upon us when we reflect that Allah told His Prophet (SAW) to inform us all: “count not your Islam as a favour to me (the Prophet). Nay, but Allah has conveyed a favour upon you that He has guided you to the Faith if you indeed are true.”

O brethren! Gratitude has become our lot beyond the Faith Allah has given each and everyone of us. To delight His Prophet and show abundant magnanimity to his Ummah, we have been given the month of Ramadan, which Rasulullah calls “the month of my ummah”. It is so titled because the amount of rahmah and reward that the servant receives is beyond his imagination. To underscore the greatness of Ramadan, Allah categorically state that: “fasting is for Me and I will reward it”.

Alhamdulillah for the level of awareness and preparedness of the Ummah for this august (indeed August) visitor. I am aware that we have received many illuminating nasihah on the Ramadan. My concern here is an exposition of the objective of the fast and all activities associated with the Ramadan.

Allah admonishes that “O Believers, fasting is prescribed for you just as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious”. Q2:183 The operating words in this verse are:

1. Prescribed: This means ordained and it is mandatory for all qualifying adults but children/minors can be encouraged as part of the training before attaining adulthood.
2. Piety: This is the objective of the whole gamut of rites performed in the month.

The purification of the heart, which scholars called tazkiyatun-nafs, is the centre of spiritual training that translates a Muslim to a Mu’meen and eventually a Muhsin. Fasting is one tool that Allah has ordained for soul training in order to restore the wavered soul to its pure origin to enable it attain the essence of its creation. So each and every soul who wishes to engage in the activities of Ramadan should have ikhlas (sincerity) and ensure that everything is done for seeking Allah’s ridwan (pleasure). When and only when we do this that we reap all the bounties that Allah promised. Aside from the Ramadan, one who has attained taqwa is promised thus:

Verily, those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious (Allah) will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers). Q19:96

Verily, Allah loves the Muttaqun (the pious). Q9:7

And whosoever fears Allah and keep his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And will provide from (sources) he never could imagine. Q65:2,3

And whosoever fears Allah and keep his duty to Him, He will make his affairs easy for him. Q65:4

The benefits of taqwa are numerous as can be seen from the above Qur’anic verses. As we prepare for the fast, we must be guided by its objective of getting better and closer to Allah by incorporating the quality of taqwa into our lives. It is this approach that will lighten the burden of hunger and denial fully assured of Allah’s ridwan.

- Contributed by Ustaz Suleiman Zubair, Abuja, Nigeria.

Day 5: Counting The Benefit (Part 3 of 3)

There is the benefit of financial or material improvement for millions who would be beneficiaries of Muslims’ generosity during this month through Sadaqah, Zakatul-Fitr and the obligatory Zakaah. This is a direct benefit for their purse/wallet. In organised communities, the institution of Zakaah is used to elevate people from poverty. The Zakaah is given generously to some to set them up for life (enabling them “to learn and catch” the proverbial fish themselves and not just “giving the fish” to them just to survive), thus becoming self-sufficient and who themselves are in a position to give Zakaah.

This benefit also takes account of gifts and provision of food for the fasting person with which to fast or break their fast. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person’s reward.” (Tirmidhi) The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was regarded as “the most charitable amongst the people and he used to give even more in the month of Ramadan…” (Bukhari) What we give in Ramadan is multiplied in folds. Allah says in a hadith qudsi, “The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times.” (Bukhari)

The companions understood this perfectly well. Abdullah Ibn Umar used to prefer breaking his fast with the poor of Madinah and whenever he broke his fast in his home, he would never ate his fill anticipating a poor person coming around to share his iftar meal. Then he would give sweet snacks as charity. When asked why he gives so much, he said, “I am aware of the words of Allah which says: ‘never shall you attain to true piety unless you spend on others out of what you cherish yourselves; and whatever you spend - verily, God has full knowledge thereof.’ And Allah knows that I love these sweets snacks.”

Imam Shaafi’i once said, “It is beloved to me to see one increasing his acts of generosity during the month of Ramadan, following the footstep of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and for his/her own good. There are many people who are preoccupied with their fasting and prayers, forgetting the other benefits (of generosity) of the month of Ramadan.”

Moreover, the feeding of others is actually firmly instituted in Ramadan. Some category of Muslims who are unable to fast (like those who have terminal/long term illness, due to old age etc.) must feed others in lieu of their fast. “(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will, - it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.” Qur'an 2 v 184

Many people count their benefits from Ramadan in terms of savings on spending, loss of weight, ability to meditate, improved health etc. These are genuine benefits as long as they are not the aims of Ramadan.

Whatever you do, let Ramadan benefit you. State the goal and benefits you wish to derive from Ramadan and strive to achieve them. A companion of the Prophet once said “Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you did not fast are the same.” This amounts to a complete loss. May Allah reward us immensely and give us the benefits of Ramadan in this world and in the Hereafter.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK. ©RamadanMessage 2007.

Day 4: Counting The Benefit (Part 2 of 3)

Ramadan also helps you to develop a good personality inwardly and outwardly. The religious activities including the consciously discharged iba'dah (worships), the personal meditation and reflection on the Qur'an, the discreet charitable deeds, the deliberate abandonment of sins, the purposeful aspiration to be better, all combined to change you from within (internally). This is an important condition for reformation. Allah says: “…Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves…” Qur'an 13 verse 11  

In addition, the genuine way you related with people, the sincere offers you made to others and the kind gestures you received without ill-thoughts, all these encouraged by Ramadan, help to strengthen social bond within the community. The selflessness is highlighted and encouraged and the show-off and selfishness are discouraged and minimised.

A polished manner and a truthful nature are results of a successful Ramadan experience. “Fasting is not merely giving up food and drink, but abstaining from ignorant and indecent speeches…” (Haakim)  It is stated that the Rasul (peace be upon him) also said, “Whosoever does not give up falsehood in words and action, then Allah has no need for his giving up foods and drinks.” (Bukhari).  Those who are not transformed by Ramadan are obviously losers. The Rasul said of such, “It may be that a fasting person receives nothing from his fast but hunger and thirst.” (Ibn Majah)

Another benefit of this month is ‘patience.’ Over a period of a month your patience is tested severally. Combined with determination and strong will, patience sees you through the many difficult experiences of Ramadan. Patience quietens the hostility; cools the temper and curbs the tongue. Patience halts the gratification of instant personal desires in exchange for an aspiration for a more fulfilling long term goal.

Patience is synonymous with the month of Ramadan, hence the blessed Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The Month of Patience and the three days of every month are times for fasting.” (Ahmad & Nasa’i) “The meaning of ‘the Month of Patience’ is the month of Ramadan. …Fasting is called patience because it restrains the soul from eating, drinking, conjugal relations and desires” as explained by Al-Hafidh Ibn Abdul-Barr (d.464AH) in the book At-Tamhid.

Patience is to bear or tolerate; it is to accept and persevere; to condone or excuse. Patience under pressure is ensuring calmness even in difficult circumstances. Patience is to be able to accept Allah’s Will, Tests and Trials. Patience to endure injustice and abuse, even oppression particularly from the position of weakness (as the Prophet experienced in Makkah for 13 years until Allah opened for him the door of Hijrah).

Such patience combined with prayers and spiced with tawakkul (trusting in Allah) is a recipe for Allah’s support. “Seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit.” Qur'an 2 verse 45 (also verse 153) The month of Ramadan is for patience at obedience and in character keeping in mind that “…Victory comes with Patience; relief with affliction and ease with hardship.” (Ahmad & Tabarani)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK. ©RamadanMessage 2007.

Day 3: Counting The Benefit (Part 1 of 3)

There is the goal and there are the benefits derived from attaining the goal. For the Muslims, the benefits of fasting are different from its main goals. The obvious goal of fasting in Ramadan is two sided. One side is acquiring self-restraints through constant consciousness of Allah (taqwah) as stated in the Qur'an: “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint.” (Qur'an 2 verse 183)

The other side is to gain nearness and closeness to Allah thus becoming His friend. The implication of this relationship with the Creator is such that, as Allah stated in a hadith qudsi, “Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than the obligatory duties that I have placed upon him. My servant continues to draw nearer to Me with optional deeds so that I shall love him.” (Bukhari)

However, the benefits of Ramadan are numerous. For starters, you get all your sins forgiven. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated that “Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari)

So let us imagine coming out of the other end of Ramadan sinless, with a clean slate, purified like a newborn baby. Sins are like the debt you carry about like a burden. You can’t pass it to others. Now imagine all your debt wiped off completely. Imagine the liberty and freedom from the burden of debt. How light and happy would your heart and head be? Part of the benefit of Ramadan is to shed off those burdensome weights of fatty sins. During this Ramadan, seek forgiveness a lot particularly at the point of breaking the fast, after each salaah (prayer-worship), after each recitation of the Qur'an, etc. Also, seek forgiveness for others; perchance others may seek Allah’s forgiven and mercies for you.

Of course there is the benefit of acquiring knowledge and friendship. During the month of Ramadan, there are a lot of activities centred on knowledge about Islam or the verses of the Qur'an. You are also encouraged to read up about Ramadan, the rules of fasting and other things related to fasting. It is said that more books are written, more speeches are made, more programmes are organised during Ramadan more than at all other times put together. And this is the same all over the world. Indeed, Ramadan is unique. There is greater efforts to perform the salaah in the mosque, this regular fellowship in the mosque will surely bring us in contact with people whom we would otherwise have not met. Our circles of friends are thus increased. We invite families and friends to our home for iftar, and we accept invitations from others.  We compete healthily to satisfy each other’s needs and hoping for Allah’s rewards alone. Therefore, Ramadan creates the opportunity to expand our knowledge and our network of friends.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK. ©RamadanMessage 2007.

Day 2: The Right Fast

The Right Fast

Of course, there is a right kind of fast and a wrong one. Which are you having? If the fast does not achieve the correct objective, surely it will be the wrong one. So right from the beginning, we must know and work towards the objective of the Ramadan fast. The stated goal is “attaining taqwah.” (Qur’an 2:183)

What is “taqwah”? Taqwah is not a badge of honour, nor is it in your dress or outlook. It is a state of being! Taqwah is a state of consciousness; a level of awareness of the Creator’s presence and ambience. It is a heart high in humility which motivates towards high and noble deeds and which prevents from low and sinful deeds.

Taqwah has been described as walking through a narrow path with thorny bushes on both sides. The person with taqwah navigates through this narrow path avoiding the thorns as best as he or she could. Taqwah is the torchlight (flashlight) with which one sees in the dark. Allah says: “O you who believe! Have Taqwa (consciousness) of Allah and believe in His Messenger; and He will provide you with a light by which you will walk.” (Qur'an 57:28)

But why tie taqwah to Ramadan? Ramadan helps to train the soul towards obedience and trim the desires towards moderation. Greed and selfishness are destroyed by Ramadan, while desires for selflessness, fellow-feeling, humility and patience are strengthened. These are the qualities of taqwah. These are not mere gloss-over actions, but actions sincerely from the heart. This is how Ramadan re-formats our hard-disk.

Taqwah is to obey God’s commandments and abstain from His prohibitions and treat the people with utmost justice and care. It is so important that Allah warns: "O you who believe! Have Taqwah (Consciousness of Allah), as you should have of Him and do not die except as Muslims (surrendered him/herself to God)." (Qur'an 3:102)

Taqwah is the criterion by which God judges human: “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has Taqwa (God-consciousness, fearing Allah). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Qur'an 49:13) Therefore, it is not surprising that “taqwah” is the main attainment goal for Ramadan. Little wonder then that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) noted that Ramadan “is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him.” (Baihaqi)

People who have developed “taqwah” are ever truthful and patient and God is ever with those who are truthful and patient. They are also ever easily forgiving and ever compassionate, reliable and dependable; hence Allah forgives them, rewards them and is merciful to them. They have no problem distinguishing right from wrong, truth from lies. (Qur'an 33:70; 3:76; 65:5 and 8:29).

Taqwah is the natural texture and only outcome of a truly acceptable Ramadan fast. How much transformation will Ramadan make to your nature? If you will not become selfless, soft-hearted, humbled, detached from materialism, in control of your desires and be attuned to the frequency of one who is a permanent quest of Allah, you would not have fasted the right way. You would not have attained the sole objective of Ramadan. This beginning of Ramadan is the best time to keep the end in mind.

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

www.ramadanmessage.blogspot.com/

Day 1 - Ramadan Preparation

“For He will pay them their reward nay He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty; for He is Oft-Forgiving Most Ready to appreciate (service).” Qur'an 2 verse 197.

Glory be to God as many as His creatures. Praise be unto Him to the extent of His pleasures. Yet again, another Ramadan is here. Monday 1st of August 2011 is the 1st of Ramadan 1432. There commences the auspicious month of uniqueness. We are blessed with this month, whose beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness and its ending is salvation.

The Prophet of Mercy, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he knows this month truly well, said: “O People! (Ramadan)…is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which is the best of months with Allah. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered.” (Baihaqi)

How do one start to prepare for such a beautiful and most rewarding month? Yet, the Shaytan whispers into our hearts to divert us from preparation. He reminds us of the long days of hunger and thirsts, of the hardship and the impossibilities. Why worry when Allah does not need our perfection. He simply wants our efforts, devotion, sincerity and our permanent spiritual migration towards Him. This is the purpose of Ramadan. It is a month to teach us to reach Him through reading and understanding his words (the Qur'an), through feeling the hunger pangs that many live permanently with and feeding the poor, through making efforts and sacrifices against our desires and purely for unselfish reasons. This is why “Ramadan is for Allah and only Him will reward for it.”

Everything we can do to take advantage of this month is worthy of our consideration. Please request for the two-paged documents which helps to set-up targets for Ramadan. Set some targets for yourself and see how you measure up. Do this sincerely so that Ramadan can work for you in this life and in the hereafter.

The purpose of Ramadan is to re-format your system. Please allow it. Remember, your task is easy because the instructions are simple and straightforward: you have been “…commanded no more than this: to worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in Faith)…" (Qur'an 98 verse 5).”

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK.

www.ramadanmessage.blogspot.com/