Is it enough to give up food? (Issue 1, 2012)

“He will pay them their wages and increase them of His grace; for He is Oft-Forgiving Most Ready to appreciate (service).” Qur'an 35 verse 30

There are lots of write ups and messages being shared during this august month of Ramadan. Ramadan Message was not going to publish because it is not our intention to repeat what is already being said, or to add to the piles of resources competing for your meagre time. However, there is a lot of focus on giving up food and drinks during the long hours of the day, as if this is precisely the goal of Ramadan. Therefore we have decided to publish Ramadan Message again and ask the important question: is it enough to give up these things to fulfilling the objectives of Ramadan?

The desired objective of Ramadan is well known by all as stated in Qur'an chapter 2 verse 183 is to “achieve taqwah”. The verse reads thus: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become muttaquun (those who have taqwah or piety)."  It is obvious that becoming pious or having piety has little to do with food. Temporarily giving up something is not the end in itself, but a means to the end. If we concentrate on the long hours of not eating and drinking, do we not run the risk of focusing on the means, at the expense of pursuing the end?

Fasting in Ramadan like all other acts of worship requires that you give up what is legally right for the sake of Allah. In a free world, we sacrifice our independent freewill and free-thoughts only to entertain the codified Iman (belief) in God’s Oneness and Supremacy. We give up our precious time to pray the Salaah five times in a day. We give up our wealth to share with others through Zakaah every year. We give up ourselves to undertake the hajj pilgrimage. We also give up our desires to consume and copulate during the day time of Ramadan. We do these only for the sake of Allah.

Yet, Ramadan demand more than that. Allah demands that we give up lewd talk and evil speech to free our tongues from flaming the ambers of Hell. Allah demands that we give up vain pursuit, envious attitude and belligerent qualities to free our soul from the shackles of Shaytan. Allah has made Ramadan an ample instrument of refining our character, reforming our heart and refraining from lowly desires.

To this end, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) cautioned, “Whoever does not give up false speech and offensive speech and behaviour, Allah has no need of his giving up his food and drink.” (Bukhari) To emphasis the significance of getting the fast right, the Prophet (peace be upon him) further added, “there may be a fasting person who gets nothing more from his fast that hunger and thirst…” (Ahmad). The goal of the fast is not deprivation; it is elevation of the self from sins, from slavery to passion and from servitude to Shaytan, whose eternal purpose is to undermine our journey towards Allah and His Paradise.

The Rightly-Guided Caliph Umar echoed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) by explaining: “Fasting does not mean abstaining from food and drink only, rather it is also abstaining from lying, falsehood and idle speech.” Similarly the Ansari Jabir ibn Abdullah explained: “When you fast, then let your hearing, sight and tongue fast from lying and sin and stop abusing servants. Be tranquil and dignified on the day of your fast, and do not let the day you do not fast and the day you fast be the same.”

As we are discouraged from following the path of sins, we are encouraged to engage in a plethora of noble deeds, including closeness to the Qur'an in our recitation and application, seeking opportunities to help the vulnerable, attaining selflessness and purifying the soul.

Therefore, far from the pains of thirst, pang of hungers and emotional paroxysm of unfulfilled passion, Allah requires that in Ramadan, we take steps to get closer to him with our deeds and in our character and we refine ourselves. Allah demands that deep in our heart, on our tongues, in our relationships and within society that we become better. Therefore the question is: are you willing to give yourself up to Allah this Ramadan? What will you do, what step will you take, what in your character will you improve and what in your attitude will you change purely and permanently for the sake of Allah this Ramadan? That is the crucial question. Once you are able to do this during Ramadan and maintain this after Ramadan, then you will have truly fasted and fasting would have truly impacted on you.

“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)

- Contributed by Shamsideen AbuSuad, UK. 2012  www.ramadanmessage.blogspot.com

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.