Revive 7 Sunnahs this Ramadan!

There are many places in the Qur’an where Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) commands us to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) for example Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) tells us, the meaning of which in English is: “He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah… ” (4:80)

As we are currently in the month of Ramadan, committing ourselves to following the Sunnah of Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him), even in the smallest of actions is a great way to take advantage of the vast reward available to us in the great month! Here is a list of 7 easy Sunnahs to implement and revive this Ramadan.

1. To recite Surah Al-Kafiroon & Surah al-Ikhlas

It was the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) to recite in the Sunnah rak’ah before Fajr & after Maghrib these two surahs.

Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) be pleased with him) mentioned, “I cannot count how many times I heard the Messenger of Allah recite, in the two rak’ah after Maghrib and in the two rak’ah before Fajr ‘Say: O disbelievers,’ (Surah Kafiroon – 109) and ‘Say: He is Allah, the One.’ (Surah Al-Ikhlas – 112).” (Related by Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi)

As well as the report of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) be please with him) who said; “The Messenger of Allah recited in the two Sunnah rak`ah of the Fajr prayer Surah Al-Kafiroon (in the first Rak`ah), and Surah Al-Ikhlas (in the second Rak`ah).” (Reported in Muslim)

Not only was this the habit of Muhammed (peace & blessings be upon him) but it was also something he praised and encouraged in others; “He (peace and blessings be upon him) heard a man reciting the former surah in the first rak’ah (Surah Kafiroon), so he said, “This is a slave who believes in his Lord.” Then the man recited the latter surah in the second rak’ah (Surah Al-Ikhlas), so he said, “This is a slave who knows his Lord.” (Al Albani in “The Prophets Prayer Described”)

2. To be generous

Ibn Abbas said, “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous of people and he was at his most generous during Ramadan.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 6)

The Prophet Muhammed (peace & blessings be upon him) was of the best in conduct and character, and whilst we often seek to emulate him in worship most of us often neglect to follow his example of beautiful character and conduct. There are many opportunities for us to be generous during the month of Ramadan; to be generous with our food and share it with other people who are fasting and to be generous with our wealth and spend it for the sake of Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala). So in keeping with the Sunnah and example of the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) we should increase in our generosity this month, and of course be generous towards others outside of Ramadan as well.

3. To use the siwak

It was reported on the authority of ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) said regarding the siwak that it “purifies the mouth and is pleasing to the Lord.” (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 5; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i) [See also: 6 Ways to Kill Bad Breath Whilst Fasting]

The Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) also said regarding the siwak, “Were it not that it would cause hardship to my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak for every prayer.”(Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah)

This shows that using the siwak is a highly recommended Sunnah at all times especially before the Salah after making wudu and is, insha’Allah, something we could easily implement.

4. To shake hands when greeting each other

The Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) taught us that, “There are no two Muslims who meet and shake hands with one another, but they will be forgiven before they part.” (Abu Dawood 5212)

Because of this, it was common practice amongst the Sahaba to shake hands when greeting.

Imam Nawawi stated a consensus amongst the scholars on shaking hands when greeting one another to be a Sunnah. (Fath al-Baari (11/55))

This is something that is so easy to implement, especially during the month of Ramadan where so much of our time is spent meeting with other Muslims; whether it is in the Masjid or even when arriving home to meet our families, and yet the reward is so great as it becomes an expiation for our sins! Allahu Akbar!

We must remember, however, that it is not from the Sunnah for men to shake hands with non-related women and vice-versa. For it is reported in the Sunnah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not shake hands with women. (Narrated by al-Nasaa’i (4181) and Ibn Maajah, 2874; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2513)

5. To seek forgiveness

The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to repent to Allah and make istigfar over 100 times a day! So it is from the Sunnah that we should make istigfar regularly throughout the day.

The month of Ramadan is a perfect opportunity to seek forgiveness from Allah (Subhanhu wa
Ta’ala) for all of our shortcomings and bad actions. It is a month of many names one of them being the “month of mercy”.

A good du’a to memorize and use is the supplication of Yunus (peace be upon him): “There is no god but You alone, Glory be to You, surely I was one of the wrongdoers”.

6. To put the right shoe on first

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If one of you puts on shoes , let him begin with the right. And when he takes them off let him begin with the left. And let him take them both off or leave them both on.”

This is, subhan Allah, such an easy Sunnah to implement. We put on and take off our shoes at least once a day if not more and with the correct intention of following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) we could be rewarded for it!

7. To take advantage of the accepted hour of prayer

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told us of an hour on youm el-Jummah (Fridays) where Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) responds to the supplication of the Muslim. It is an hour between ‘Asr and Maghrib salah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, “Du’a is worship” (in an authenticated hadith reported by Ahmad and others from Nu’man ibn Bashir as reported in Saheeh al-Jami #3407) and Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) has said, the meaning of which in English is, “Verily, your Lord has said “Call upon Me, and I will answer you!” Those who are arrogant to worship Allah will enter Hell, humiliated.” (Qur’an, 40:60)

So insha’Allah Ta’ala this opportunity to ask Allah should not be ignored.

Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) says what means in English, “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammed) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. ”

So let us start to follow this example from today insha’Allah Ta’ala.

About the Author
The ReviveASunnah blog project aims to encourage the following of the most beautiful of examples by reminding us of actions from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) which we can easily implement into our daily lives. Insha’Allah Ta’ala, check out: http://reviveasunnah.wordpress.com/

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=992

The Ramadan Technology Diet

While we are cleansing our souls and bodies during Ramadan, why not take this opportunity to cleanse our schedules as well? Ramadan is the perfect time to go lean and cut away the unnecessary activities that lead us to a reduced state of productivity.

Now that’s a broad area to handle. So for this article we will just look at freeing up chunks of time that are taken by our various technology addictions. Perhaps some of it is not really addiction but obligation rather. Yet there might be ways that we’re wasting our time even with these “obligatory” activities. Take a look and see if you can apply some of the following tips.

Calls – Phone calls can take a large chunk of our time. Try to reduce the habit of answering EVERY phone call and instead focus on incoming calls of those you really need to speak to. For everyone else, setup a voice message service on your phone so they can leave a message if it’s really urgent. When you have to make a phone call, plan what you want to get out of the call in advance so that you don’t get side tracked and waste time.

Turn off your mobile phone/Blackberry/PDA when you’re not using them – Yes that’s right. As painful as it may seem at first, just get used to turning them off when you sit down to recite the Quran or engage in some Dhikr or go to the mosque. Turn them off when you go to sleep so that your short resting time isn’t shortened further by inconsiderate callers or bleeping notifications.

Prune your RSS – If you’ve been letting your RSS subscriptions overflow, now would be a good time to go through them and unsubscribe from the ones which have ceased to provide any value for you. Keep only beneficial RSS that will boost your eman and productivity during Ramadan (e.g. ProductiveRamadan.com!).

Have mercy on your inbox – Set up filters and/or folders to neatly separate your e-mail. That way you can leave the unimportant e-mails for later or just trash them all in one go. Unsubscribe from newsletters and notifications that you hardly cast a second glance at. And use the ‘delete’ button freely.

Reduce Facebook frequency – This doesn’t just apply to Facebook. Reduce the frequency with which you log in to any social networking service. Resist the temptation to “be in the know” about everything that’s happening in your circle of friends 100% of the time. Ease off from forums, myspace, Twitter, etc. I’m not suggesting that you drop these completely. I’m suggesting that you allocate time once or twice a week for these activities instead of engaging in them every day. Sort your friends and followers into lists so that you can easily check on the most important people and avoid the larger stream for when you have more time. Step into your privacy settings area and reduce the number of notifications that you have allowed so that you don’t get bogged down by these unnecessarily.

Use technology to keep you on the technology diet – Make use of distraction prevention software or Internet blocking software to keep you focused on your current task and curb the urge to surf for “just a little while”. We all know how easy it is to get lost on the Web through one click after another once we give in to this urge. Try out options like Read It Later or Ghoster to help you overcome distractions.

Don’t waste those tiny gaps of time on technology – The time that you spend waiting in queues or while traveling should not be spent sending that tweet or updating your facebook status, rather it should be spent on some silent dhikr or dua, or just some spiritual reflection. Perhaps you could listen to some Quran on your phone/mp3 player and get ahead on your recitation/memorization.

Let people know – It helps if people know that it’s a special month and that you won’t be available all the time as before. This way you can cut down on distractions that are coming from outside. How you communicate this is up to you – be it through status messages on your chat client or status updates on your social networking websites or just by saying it directly – just make it known politely.

Enjoy flicking the switch off on technology for the month (at least partly).

Don’t worry, the world can wait.

About the Author:
Fathima Nafla is a Technical writer for a global ERP solution provider and a freelancer. She is also the owner of Alfan Enterprises. You can find out more at http://fathimanafla.wordpress.com/

Source:
http://productiveramadan.com/?p=695

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Check out http://productiveramadan.com/?page_id=934 for more information.

10 Effective Tips for Controlling Your Tongue in Ramadan

Many ahadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) have warned us against letting the tongue be free, yet we still find amongst us many struggling to leave back-biting, slander, swearing, cursing, lying and all those traits which are not befitting for the character of a Muslim.

This Ramadan is an opportune time for you to restrain your tongue just as you restrain your body from food and drink and its desires.

Here are some tips to control your tongue and gain the most of your fasting, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)” [Bukhari]

1. Leave that which does not concern you

The first tip to master is to leave that which does not concern you. Don’t enquire about something that is not necessary like what someone else may have said or done wrong.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “From the excellence of a man’s Islam is leaving that which does not concern him.” [Bukhari]

2. Remember ‘Silence is golden’

Before you speak, start by asking yourself a few questions: 1. Will this benefit or harm? 2. Is it necessary? Often it takes this mere moment of reflection to identify whether your speaking is necessary or useless. And as the proverb goes: ‘If talk is silver then silence is gold’.

3. Conceal faults of others

Covering the faults of others is part of the virtue of safeguarding the honor of Muslims.

Once the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked: “O Messenger of Allah, which of the Muslims is best?” And he said, “He who the Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand.” [Riyadh as-Saliheen]

We’re quick to disclose others’ faults and conceal our own, yet we should remind ourselves of the time when we would wish our faults would be concealed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever conceals (the fault of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal his fault on the Day of Judgment.” [Muslim]

Our society is filled with many rumors that create disunity as well as animosity so always presume good of others and be part of the solution.

4. Eliminate unproductive ‘chit-chat’

We are all culprits of talking rubbish at times, yet as Muslims we know that Allah is always listening to us. Ask yourself what topics often come up in your conversation? Are they about matters which would be pleasing to Allah or are they just about worldly matters and boastfulness?

We have to ensure it is not always the latter, instead discuss topics that are beneficial, it may be social awareness, about a hadith you have learned, about Muslims who need help. Often I plan mentally in advance what I may say to someone new I am meeting, or consider topic areas of interest we may discuss at gatherings.

A slip of the tongue?

Our societies are fragmented and our families sadly ‘not on talking terms’ (See How to Rebuild Kinship Ties this Ramadan) because someone said something without thinking or in a heated moment. We know from the narration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) it is prohibited to stop talking to one who has displeased us for more than 3 days; yet some Muslims go years on end without talking to relatives/family members despite the curse incurred as a result of cutting off such relationships. Often it occurs on the basis of what can be a ‘slip of the tongue’ – so take it upon yourself to say sorry if you wronged someone or forgive them if it was a slip of the tongue.

5. Don’t spend your ‘free minutes’ on talktalk

Our social culture and major mobile corporation networks tell us that conversing is ‘free’ so we should take advantage of it – but every minute comes at a big price to your deen, dunya and akhirah. Check what your going to say is beneficial and the time spent- otherwise you just fall into the trap of talking without any meaningful purpose.

Cut out your talking time after iftaar and whilst your fasting and don’t let a minute be wasted. Instead, use those minutes to see how your family are, call to speak to those who you have not been in touch with for a while and get in touch with others to invite them to good. Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la) says in Surah Al-Asr: ‘Verily by time, man is in loss, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience’ [103: 1-4].

6. Evaluate how much time you’ve spent talking

Here’s an experiment to try for one day: Equipped with a timer, keep a tab on how many hours/minutes you speak each day, ideally per topic you cover as well. Then at the end of the day, evaluate your results looking at total time spent talking, how many hours/minutes spent on productive talk vs. unproductive talk, etc. The results can be revealing.

7. Sponsored silence

We all know a friend or two who has the ‘gift of the gab’ as they say, or you might be thinking “that’s me!” – try a sponsored silence day this Ramadan! Where you don’t talk to anyone from dawn to sunset (Facebook barred too!). You can raise for a cause and learn a new trick (how not to talk..) which can help you to reflect on exactly how useful silence is. Indeed the prophetic teachings tell us that we should remain silent especially if we do not have anything good to say: “Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak good words or be silent” [An-Nawawi].

8. Check before you send!

With the advent of technology, our conversations have evolved such that we ‘speak’ to people via email conversation, skype, teleconferences, mobile, video messaging, facebook, twitter etc. The speed of it all makes us sometimes hit the send button before we evaluate what we have to say.

Here’s a quick tip to avoid this:
1. For e-mails, save the message in draft and read after one hour before you send it.
2. For Instant Messaging, switch to something else (a small 10 minute task for example) then switch back and see if you still want to hit the send button. Always check before you send!

9. Replace the bad with good

One way to atone for any slandering/lying/backbiting is identifying who you spoke about wrongly, and either seek their forgiveness this Ramadan (or if this will cause more animosity), mention them well and praise them in the same circles of people you use to slander/lie/back-bite them in.

10. Mention the name of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la)

Make it your habit to make mention of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la) in your conversations. Without this there is little protection from falling into the traps of Shaytan and us losing control of our tongues. Every word we say will be held to account, and as Ibn Qayyum Al Jawziyyah says: “Every gulp of air that goes out in a cause other than the cause of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la) will turn to sorrow and regret on the Day of Judgment.” Don’t let your speech be the source of regret in the Hereafter and as the hadith says: “Make your tongue moist with remembrance of Allah”.

11. Seek protection from the Hellfire

As mentioned at the beginning of this series, our tongues are the cause of our destruction or our salvation, so protect yourself from saying that which is wrong. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Do you know the thing which most commonly brings people into Paradise? It is fear of Allah and good character. Do you know what most commonly brings people into Hell? It is the two hollow things: the mouth and the private parts.” [Bukhari]

Source:
Part 1- http://productiveramadan.com/?p=831
Part 2- http://productiveramadan.com/?p=869

16 Ways to Kick Bad Habits

“Change” is the vogue today. “Change” is being chanted by the presidential candidates to rally up public support; “Change” is being demanded by the masses suffering due to skyrocketing fuel and commodity prices; “Change”, a drastic one indeed, is what we are witnessing with awe in the global weather patterns.

For Muslims, Ramadan is the prime time for change. This intense, one-month boot camp dramatically alters our routines and schedules. From tight sleep schedules, to starvation for extended hours, to reduction in consumption of junk foods, to a technology diet, to withdrawal from caffeine addiction, to lengthy standing in Taraweeh prayers at night, to extensive listening to the Quran. What a change indeed!

Beyond Routines and Rituals

The real change, however, Ramadan demands of us is the internal change – a change that positively transforms our lifestyle, character, attitudes, conversations, and habits. Allah has described this change in the month of Ramadan as follows: “So you may exercise self-restraint (Taqwa)” [Quran 2:183].

Slavery to Ramadan?

If our change is limited to outer physical practices only, we become slaves to Ramadan, instead of being servants to Ar-Rahman (Allah, the Merciful).

Prophet Muhammad has warned us about those who don’t fast from bad behavior: “Allah has no interest in any person’s abstention from eating and drinking, if that person does not give up lying and dishonest actions” [Sahih al-Bukhari].

Ramadan Resolutions

Every Ramadan we make resolutions and tell ourselves: “This Ramadan will be different. I’m going to change my habit.” “I will give up such and such a habit” or “I will take my practice of Islam to the next level”. But how many of us are really able to follow through? Plenty of good intentions, many amazing wishes, but sadly enough, life goes on as usual the morning of Eid.

Ask yourself, how is my fasting benefiting my spiritual connection with Allah? How is my extensive worship in Ramadan helping me discipline my tongue (taste and speech), eyes, ears, and habits?

Are you ready to take that first step to transform your bad habits into good ones?

16 Ways to Kick Bad Habits

Few things are more demanding than eliminating bad habits, since they are part of our daily routines and personality. It takes days of patience and practice to break old habits.

However, the good news is, Ramadan offers a perfect and natural environment for moral training. Interestingly, researches from “positive psychology” (scientific study of successful people) have repeatedly shown it takes 30 days to kick a bad habit and develop a new one.

In addition to the physical discipline in the 30-day boot camp of Ramadan, the increased spiritual exercise and connection with Allah, can transform your habits for life.

Try these proven techniques for a successful positive change in your habits (during Ramadan and beyond!):

1. Acknowledge and identify your bad habits: First step is to admit you need to change. If you are in a state of denial, you won’t recognize that you have a bad habit to change.

2. Pick a habit for 30 days: Prioritize your bad habits and focus on one for 30 days. Take a 30-day trial to re-condition your habits. If you are committed to changing at least one habit, you will see remarkable results, God-willing.

3. Realize that it’s in us to change: Don’t believe the old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” You can break a bad habit if you really want to. No one else can change your habits, if you don’t want to.

4. Remember, Allah loves those who commit mistakes and repent: Prophet Muhammad said: “By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them.” [Sahih Muslim]

5. Intention & plan to change: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” A healthy process of change in character requires a gradual pace, which entails planning. Develop concrete milestones to measure your progress.

6. Replace a bad habit with a good one: Completely eliminating a habit is more challenging than replacing it with a more productive habit. Moreover, it’s crucial to replace the lost natural needs, such as the need to socialize and to be entertained with something healthy.

For instance, it’s easier to replace or balance your addiction to TV with a physical workout or reading, than to suddenly remove the TV from your life. Interestingly, Prophet Muhammad, the greatest ‘psychologist’ of humanity, illustrated this principle in these words: “Fear Allah wherever you may be; follow up an evil deed with a good one which will wipe (the former) out, and behave good-naturedly towards people.” [At-Tirmidhi]

7. Change your environment: Resist the negative peer pressure by finding a better company of friends. Collective action to change is very powerful. Prophet Muhammad explained this peer pressure effect with this analogy: “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]

8. Exercise (physical and spiritual): A habit of regular physical exercise is obviously important for lasting weight loss. But you may not realize that exercise helps in eliminating a number of bad habits. For example, among smokers who become competitive runners, for example, over 80% give up smoking.

Moreover, exercising your will power (struggle to fight temptations) for 30 days helps you kick all kinds of bad habits and form new good ones. Willpower is like a muscle; the more you exercise it, the more you strengthen it.

9. Think of yourself as a changed, different, new person: This simple psychological shift in your thinking about your own image can do wonders. Tell yourself, “I can’t continue this ill-behavior. I am better than that. I am stronger. I am wiser.”

10. Reward success: The most fundamental law in all of psychology is the “law of effect.” It simply states that actions followed by rewards are strengthened and likely to recur. Unfortunately, studies show that people rarely use this technique when trying to change personal habits.

Setting up formal or informal rewards for success greatly increases your chances of transforming bad habits into good ones, and is far more effective than punishing yourself for bad habits or setbacks. As Muslims we should also remember that the ultimate reward is Allah’s pleasure and Paradise in the Hereafter.

11. Schedule/limit your bad habits: If you are really struggling to kick a bad habit, try limiting the habit to a specific time and place. Research and case studies confirm that this rather unconventional approach can be a useful first step in changing bad habits or learning new good ones.

12. Tell someone about your effort to change if it helps: He or she may keep you on track.

13. Resolve to continue on and follow up: Giving up bad habits or learning good habits requires regular maintenance and determination. It is a long, ongoing process, also known as “Tazkiyyah” in Islamic terminology. It’s more difficult than the first few steps of change. (“How many times have I dieted, for example, only to gain the weight back?”)

14. Remind yourself of death and Hereafter often: “Remember often the terminator (or destroyer) of all the pleasures [i.e. death],” the Prophet once stated. [At-Tirmidhi.]

15. Develop a relapse strategy: How do you ensure not to return to your bad habit you are trying to change? Some people donate money to a good cause every time they return to sinning or a bad habit. This reminds them of the ‘cost’ of going back to old bad habits. Others try physically demanding acts to deter them from reverting to old ways.

16. Ask Allah for help: Last but not least, make asking for Allah’s help an integral part of the overall change process. Ask for Allah’s help before, during and after every attempt at kicking a bad habit. Do so sincerely, even begging and crying, like a child does when he or she really wants something. Allah is Ever-Willing to help and to respond to our needs, but it is us who must take the first step towards Him.

“And whosoever is conscious of Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He (Allah) will make a way for him to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine.” [Quran 65:2-3]

References for Further Reading:
1. How to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones – Stephen Kraus
2. Tazkiyah: The Islamic Path of Self-Development – Abdur Rashid Siddiqui
3. Purification of the Heart – Hamza Yusuf
4. I want to Repent, But…. – Saalih Al-Munajjid

Note from ProductiveMuslim:
Don’t forget to use our Ramadan Habitator to kick your bad habits this Ramadan!

About the Author: Taha Ghayyur
His name might not jump at you, but he’s behind one of the best Muslim community projects in Canada and abroad, including: The Famous “Friday Nasiha” Mailing List, Muslimfest.com, TorontoMuslims.com, Wordmatters.ca. This is in addition to his day job as Development Manager at the Islamic multimedia company, SoundVision. He blogs at MyInkspirations.

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=774

Kicking the Habit – The 6-Step Ramadan Advice

I would like to take this opportunity to greet you, to congratulate you on the advent of blessed Ramadan, to make my sincere dua for you, to express my deepest friendship and love for you and my sincere care and support for you and your families. I make a sincere dua to Allah alone that He makes this month a means to ease your worries, that he replaces it with goodness and transforms your world into a Jannah in this life. May Allah give you what your heart desires and amaze you with His bounty and grace. I wanted to share with you my answer to something that people ask every Ramadan, namely: How can I make this Ramadan special? The answer quite simply is: By developing good habits in this month.

We all have habits that we may not like or that which may not be liked by Allah. As a result of this, we feel its negative effect in our lives. By its nature, a habit is basically something ingrained and hardwired in our mind. The best way to get over it, is not to try to stop the habit straight away, rather by starting and working on a counter habit. If you want to lose some weight for example – don’t start by stopping to eat, rather start developing a habit of regular exercise and then slowly work on cutting down on the food. This is more effective, more lasting and will probably bring in the result you want. You see, it is difficult to overcome habits that are and have been long standing, but relatively easy to start new ones.

I wanted to share with you a process that I follow to work on starting a new habit that counters a bad habit that I have. It is the following 6 steps. These steps are essentially taken from the simple Islamic process of making repentance – firstly remembering the sin, regretting it by thinking about its implications, making a resolve to not repeat it, doing a good deed that will wipe out the sin, then surrounding yourself with ways of doing good and closing all doors to the bad and lastly being thankful to Allah for having guided you to the good and remembering that if you do the sin again, it is only going to be a new sin and not harm your previous repentance inshaAllah. In the context of habits, the steps are as follows:

1. Firstly, make yourself aware of that negative habit, when, where and how frequently do you happen to do it. How can you effectively make yourself aware of it? By telling others to spot it, by monitoring yourself as closely as possible, by jotting down every time that you remember that you did it. Example: Habit of missing the sunnah prayers.

2. Then, ask yourself about what impact that habit has on yourself and on your perception, personality and relationship with Allah. The more you focus on this, the more this becomes the lever of change. Example: Constantly missing the sunnah prayers makes a person a miser with his ibadah, not love the sunnah, legally removes his status as being just, removes the reward of having a new palace built for him/her in paradise daily – the more you focus on the problems of this bad habit, the more it will make you want to change it.

3. Next, focus on how willing and committed you are to making a change and on doing a counter habit. Think over the fence into the future – how it would be to not have the negative habit and to replace it with a positive one.

4. Then write a specific action that you will do to counter the habit and start the good habit. Be very specific and try to make it regular so that it actually becomes a habit. Remember – a habit is something that you do regularly! Example: specifically you will come to prayer 10mins early so you can do the sunnah prayer on time.

5. Next, support yourself to develop that new good habit. How? Hang around good friends, put up reminders anywhere and everywhere, get your family and friends to support you by reminding you about it.

6. Lastly, reward yourself every time you do a good habit and don’t be too hard on yourself if you end up doing the bad habit here and there. Remember, habit happens!

Remember that Allah loves those simple deeds that are done regularly rather than the major ones done irregularly. I invite you to use the above to remove a negative habit that you may have and then to develop a new good habit in this month. So make this Ramadan special by starting a new habit of making dhikr constantly; reciting surah ikhlas 30 times a day so you get the reward of reciting the whole Quran 10 times a day; helping one poor person with a daily meal; sponsoring an orphan; getting up for qiyamul layl in the last third of the night every night of Ramadan; making dua only for Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa salam), etc. Whatever habit you work on, believe me, you will certainly find tremendous barakah and become truly beloved to Allah, if you focus on making it less adhoc and more regular and constant – a true good habit!

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/09/02/kicking-the-habit-ramadhaan-advice/

5 Short & Sweet Ways to Make Dua

As we all know, Ramadan is great time to spiritually recharge! It’s also a great time to make dua.

Every year for the past 3 years I’ve made a dua list. At the start of Ramadan I write down a list of 7 to 8 things that I would want the most and I memorize them. I make dua for each item on the list every day of Ramadan at the times that dua are accepted the most. I can personally tell you all that it does wonders. Honestly, things I’ve asked for which I had no clue how they’d come true… have come true.

It’s incredible. I look back and can’t believe I’ve gotten so many of things I asked so desperately for, Allah truly does not leave the hands of a believer empty when raised to Him. I get excited every year around this time because I get to make that wish list again.

I would highly recommend making a personal dua list of your own! As an incentive, our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything” (Tirmidhi). Why make Him mad?

Some things to consider when writing your dua list:

1. Write it all down – Put down what you want to ask for on paper or on your phone so for the first few weeks you don’t miss a single item. It can be as long as you want!! It can be private and you don’t need to share it with others so feel free to only make a list of keywords to remind you of each item.
2. Ask anything & everything that is good – When choosing your items, imagine that Allah is asking you to ask Him for anything and everything you’ve ever wanted! Imagine the possibilities. Write down everything you want to ask Allah with no limitations (but keep it halal!). Remember folks, you’re asking Al Mujeeb – the One who responds and is the Supreme Answerer.
3. Organize – Try separating your duas into categories so you know that you’ve properly hit each one. I would recommend: dunya, akhirah, ibadah, the ummah, and relationships. For each category, think about what you would like the most and start listing them.
4. Make the dua when duas are most likely answered – These times include right before breaking the fast, during your salah, Qiyam ul layl, the last 10 nights, etc. I personally make mine right before breaking my fast during iftaar.
5. Remember the etiquettes of dua – There is a right and proper way to make dua. Remember that we must praise Allah first, ask for blessing on our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and then make our dua. Here is a list of 14 tips that you should learn: http://dailyreminders.org/etiquette-of-making-dua-14-tips/

I pray you all have a meaningful and successful Ramadan full of barakah. May Allah preserve you all to reap the benefits of such a Holy month and bring you closer to Him. May He give you all strength, knowledge, patience and humility. Ameen!

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=411

5 Ways to Give ‘Physical’ Sadaqah

The verb ‘give’ doesn’t necessarily denote voluntary charity as having to give away money, yet most of us absolve our obligation for charity by spending lots of money during Ramadan to various causes. Though these are all noble acts, what about other lasting charity acts that we can do physically?

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: “Every good deed is charity.” (Bukhari)

He also said: "On every person’s joints or small bones (i.e. fingers and toes), there is sadaqah (charity) due every day when the sun rises. Doing justice between two people is sadaqah; assisting a man to mount his animal, or lifting up his belongings onto it is sadaqah; a good word is sadaqah; every step you take towards prayer is sadaqah; and removing harmful things from pathways is sadaqah.” [Muslim]

So based on the hadeeth above, here are five ways you can start to give ‘physical’ sadaqah this Ramadan. The list is hardly exhaustive however as you read, ask yourself how you can implement these acts of charity in your daily schedule to increase your good deeds inshaAllah.
1. Always start with a smile

We can never underestimate the wonders behind a smile. The Prophetic teachings tell us that every smile is charity.

So step one is to make sure you smile; often opportunities in the day arise where we can effortlessly smile and spread the salaam, such as when your on the road traveling, going to work, at the mosque, when you pass by a homeless person, when you meet guests or see children (as often it brings a smile to their face too!)

2. Remember Allah frequently

To remember Allah is to give sadaqah with your tongue. The value and weight of dhikr are heavy and outstanding, and is our key to being rich in our relationship with Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la). In an amazing narration the Prophet advised the one who could not give money to charity, or offer anything from their possessions, to increase in performing dhikr as a better equivalent.

Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la) says in Surah Al-Baqarah: ‘Remember Me, and I will remember you’ [2:152].

You might wonder where you can start as there are so many adhkars for so many occasions. Here’s a simple step by step process to engrain daily remembrance of Allah in your day to day life:
1. Visit MakeDua.com or purchase the Fortress of the Muslim Dua book and learn 2-3 adhkar for 2-3 occasions, e.g. what to say when you wake up, what to say when you sleep and what to say when you put on clothes.
2. Repeat these adhkar on a daily basis initially from the book/website and eventually from your memory. Continue for at least a week.
3. Repeat the above process looking for new duas/occasions for supplications.

Al-Hamdulillah nowadays you can find the Fortress of the Muslim in many bookstores and even phone applications.

3. Remove harm from the pathway

A noble act we often overlook is to remove something harmful from others’ pathway. It may be a piece of glass that is dangerous on the road, a needle on the floor, or a disturbing rock on a busy school road where children may trip and fall.

This simple act can be a means of forgiveness as many Hadeeths narrated the benefit of removing harm from the road. Moreover, this will increase your social alertness and help improve your surroundings/community to make it a pleasant place to be.

4. Say good words

Our tongue can be the cause of our destruction or our salvation, yet we often speak before we think (see 5 Ways to Control your Tongue). Ask yourself if your words will be a source of benefit or comfort to someone? Have you mentioned the name of Allah in your conversation? Good words are like a plant that flourish with many fruits, as the Prophet (p.b.u.h) said: “It is also charity to utter a good word.” (Bukhari)

You can alleviate someone’s suffering by reminding them to ‘be patient’, to ‘have trust in Allah’ or say ‘Alhamdulillah’/’JazakAllahu khair’. You can share knowledge in a conversation about something new you’ve learnt thus benefiting others. In social psychology great emphasis lies in using optimism when talking to people so if you know of someone in hardship this Ramadan console them and assist them through your goodly words and efforts.

5. Donate your talents/skills/strength

This Ramadan donate your skills/talent/strength to your community:
1. Help setup Iftar places and moving carpets around.
2. Use your computer skills to help local dawah/charity group with administrative work.
3. If you’re good at speeches/dawah, be the ambassador for the Muslim community in dawah events/Ramadan ceremonies.
4. If you fall into the arts and craft category, design cards for Eid, then sell them for a worthy cause. (You’ll probably be starting up a good business without realizing).

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=548

Ramadan. The “Little” Deeds That Count

As we (at MM) were thinking about Ramadan, we thought it would be a good idea to collect a list between us and you about 30 deeds (1/day) that are not the “usual” ones that we kind of all know about. Something other than the norm– little deeds, yet heavy in the scale. Of course, this does not mean we underestimate or ignore the usual good deeds and rituals that are part of Ramadan.

So, here’s the list generated from reader comments so far:

1. Give a gift to a brother (or sister) that you have a “tense” or unfriendly relationship with in order to “reunite” the hearts. Even a small gift. So, think of someone that you believe has been unfair to you or unjust to you or vice-versa (but it is obviously harder when you have to be nice to someone who hasn’t reciprocated that same niceness).
2. Keep a track of your sins. Then for every sin you commit, give $1 in charity. Don’t think it’s ok to sin because of that dollar you’ll give after. Try your best to refrain from the sin but when it happens, for each tally give money. Note that $1 should be much more if you can afford it. Make it $5 or $20 depending on how well off you are. $1 per sin will burden some, and $1000 per sin won’t burden others, so just customize it for yourself, but don’t make it less than a dollar really.
3. Spend some time with someone from the community who is lonely or depressed. Invite them over for iftari or pick them up to pray tarawih together. I know in many communities you have “senior citizens” who are kind of lonely in the sense that their own children live away and don’t spend time with them. You can fill that gap, albeit for a little time.
4. Start Ramadan with assigning a special day during the week where you can have iftaar with your friends. Pray taraweeh together and do qiyamul-layl and also pray tahajud, instead of the usual friends meetings insha’allah.
5. Invite your neighbor over for iftar (especially) if they are non Muslim.
6. Make a firm intention that no matter what on earth happens, every day of Ramadan you will recite salawaat on the Prophet (p.b.u.h) at least 10 times. InshAllah, this way you will show your love for the blessed Prophet (p.b.u.h). Surely, Allah loves those who love His beloved!!
7. Email the editor of your local newspaper about the month of Ramadan. Give them a contact who they can ask questions to, like the local Islamic school principal or an articulate Mosque representative. Similarly e-mail them about Eid.
8. If you’re in public school or university, contact your teacher/ principal/ administration to see if they’ll allow you to do a “Ramadhaan Awareness Day/Week". Sort of like Islamic Awareness Week, but focused on Ramadhaan and being a source of knowledge and benefit for both Muslims and non-Muslims.
9. Many Masaajid and MSA’s are fond of doing “Fast-A-Thons” during Ramadhaan because not only do they help teach others about Ramadhaan, but they can raise money for a local food bank as well.
10. Make a point of being nice(r) to your siblings!
11. Try to distance yourself from people you hang out with whom you know are relatively bad influences, e.g. if they swear, curse, get up to mischief regularly and you’re one of those people who get sucked into doing it also, then try to stay away from them for Ramadhaan (at least). Instead of wasting time with them, seek the company of Muslims who will be of benefit to you.
12. Turn off the TV, and keep it off! Only 30 days a year, we are sure you can survive. But, at the least, make effort to do so for one or two days a week.
13. Cut down on the amount of time you spend on the Internet, either checking your emails or just surfing the ‘net pointlessly.
14. No matter what happens, we will not bad mouth/talk back to our parents, inshaAllah.
15. We will do something nice for our neighbors, like bake/cook something and take it to their doors, especially to the ‘mean’ ones!
16. Go to the Mosque for Fajr and after the prayer, sit in your place and say nothing except what is good. After the sun rises wait until shurook (about 10-15 mins. after sun rise) and then pray 2 rakat. Hadith: “Whoever prays Fajr in jamaa’ah, then sits and remembers Allaah until the sun comes up, then prays two rak’ahs, will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘Umrah.” (al-Tirmidhi, 480).
17. Smile more often.
18. Go to sleep in a state of wudu. Or even better, always be in a state of wudu.
19. Make wudu before every Salah and ponder over its rewards.
20. Don’t just read Qur’an without understanding it, read accompanying a tafseer. Commit to at least one juz this month that you understand its meaning properly.
21. Take some activities like coloring books or toys to the Masjid to keep the children busy and stop them from running around whilst the adults are praying Taraweh [the Masjid Admins. will love this one! But really, whoever does so is helping increase the khushoo of all those remaining musallies].
22. Don't let the food go to waste after any iftar (whether its at your house or at the Masjid) Take that food and give it to the less fortunate. And yes there are less fortunate Muslims near you!
23. If you don’t live with your parents (marriage, work, college, etc), then make it a point to go online, find something that your mom and dad would like and have it delivered to their house at least once a week (preferably on Fridays)! It’s easy, it’s super thoughtful and how can you not imagine the smile and joy your parents would show upon receiving these “secret packages”. Be not just a good child, be a great child and then pray for yourself and your parents that Allah bestows upon us all His Mercy and Compassion. [If your parents are abroad, there are a bunch of gift-delivery services that you can use. If it's too expensive to do it once a week, how about at least one time?]
24. Make a Ramadan resolution to sponsor at least 1 orphan! (and if you are able to, then however many your heart desires).
25. Donate some of your “good” things for the sake of Allah. Your favorite jilbab or khimar. Or encourage your children to give up their favorite clothes for the poor children in their community.
26. Making Ramadan baskets for new Muslim converts! So many of our new brothers and sisters are probably abandoned by their families and need love and support, especially during this holy month. Maybe put together a basket with a few goodies such as CDs, books, gift cards, cookies, brownies, hijaabs, anything creative. Insha’Allah, it will bring a smile to their face and you will definitely feel the love of brother (and sister) hood!
27. Committing to memorizing just one or two dua’s in the month? Like Syed al-istighfaar and the simple dua for the morning and evening?
28. Help your mother in the kitchen!
29. Re-connect with family members you’ve lost touch with via phone/email/visits.
30. Wake up at least one morning and prepare suhoor for your family.
31. Make dua’a for your parents.
32. Do not have ill feelings against *anyone*. Remove them.
33. Attempt to join the hearts between 2 Muslims.
34. If your Masjid/ Islamic centre has iftaar, then help with the clean-up!

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/2007/09/08/open-thread-ramadan-the-little-deeds-that-count/
Check out http://www.fastramadan.com/calendar/tasks.php for a list of suggested good deeds you can do in Ramadan by using Ramadan Reminder's Personalized Calendar.

ProductiveRamadan's Weekly Naseeha - Episode 2: A New Approach to Good Deeds!

Common Errors Made During Ramadhan

Excessive spending: Ramadhan should be a time to avoid being wasteful, and learning to be prepared in facing harder times by distinguishing the needs from the luxuries. Unfortunately, many people go beyond their limits to spend during Ramadhan. Whether in the varieties of food that they savor each night, or by the other types of spending.

Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day: Some people sleep during most of the day when they are fasting. Ramadhan is not a time of being lazy, and this does not allow the full benefit from the experience of fasting. It is as if they have only inverted their nights into days and vice versa. In addition, some may spend a great portion of the night indulging in eating and drinking and socializing

Spending more time in socializing: Because people invite each other more often during Ramadhan they do tend to spend more time socializing with friends, and relatives. While it is a good deed to feed the fasting person, this should not result in precious time lost in vain talk. Use the occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional prayers, and for the Da'wah to Allah.

Insisting on performing a certain number of Rakaas during the Tarawih (night) prayer to the point of not praying behind the Imam and thus forfeiting the benefit of congregational prayer. This might also bring hatred and disagreement between the Muslims of one community.

Reading Qur'an too fast: Some insist on finishing the whole Qur'an once or more, even if they have to read very fast. Although reading the Qur'an many times is desirable, this should not be done hastily, especially during the Tarawih prayer without pondering upon its meaning. Allah ta'ala said: "This is a Book which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses," (Saad 38:29), and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Those who read the Qur'an in less than three days do not grasp [its meaning]"

Socializing in I'tikaf: Many people are eager to do I'tikaf but some confine themselves in the Masjid not to pray and worship Allah but to talk and socialize.

The ways of doing good are numerous in Ramadhan: Many people try to perform more than they are able to. By going beyond their capabilities, they end up not performing any deed in the desired way.

Scholars and Dai'ahs should assume a more prominent role in educating the people, both by talking to them and by giving the best example in their behavior which should comply to the Shariah and following the Sunnah.

The Muslim should realize that his priorities dictate that he does what benefits him in the Hereafter and should not put worldly interests first.

The Muslim should apply himself to deepen his sense of following the Sunnah of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), in every aspect of his life, at all times and especially during the month of Ramadhan. This necessitates seeking more knowledge about the Fiqh of fasting and its etiquette, assimilating the wisdom and goals of fasting, and facilitating the means that allow all the Muslims to benefit from their fasting.

We ask Allah to accept our fast and our good deeds.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=413714196515

Reading the Qur’an in Ramadan

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy

“(It is) the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed as a guidance for mankind, clear proofs giving guidance, and the criterion (for distinguishing right and wrong). So whoever of you witnesses this month, let him fast it.” [2:185]

The month of Ramadan, the blessed month in which the Qur’an was revealed, is now upon us. To mark the significance of this momentous occasion – the revelation of the Qur’an – we fast during the day and pray at nights, particularly Laylat al-Qadr, the night the Qur’an was revealed, as Allah tells us: “We sent it down on a blessed night: We have ever been sending warnings.” [44:3]

The reward for fasting and praying in this month is so great, that the Prophet (S.A.W) states, “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping for reward, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayer on Laylat al-Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for reward, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Agreed Upon]
And he states, “Whoever prayed at night during it (Ramadan) out of sincere faith and hoping for reward, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Agreed Upon]

These are three opportunities that we have been given to attain forgiveness for all our sins. The spiritual doctors of the heart are in agreement that fasting softens the heart, making it more receptive and humble to the recitation of the Qur’an. Perhaps this is the wisdom that links together fasting and night prayer, the two most distinctive acts of worship in this month.

It is important to note that our relationship with the Qur’an in this month should not be limited to just the nightly Tarawih prayers, we must devote ourselves to studying the Qur’an outside of prayer as well.

Ibn ‘Abbas narrates, saying, “The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) was the most generous person, and he would be at his most generous in Ramadan because Jibril would come to him every night and he would study the Qur’an with him. Truly, when Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) would meet Gabriel, he would be more generous than a fleeting wind.” [Agreed Upon]

Additionally, al-Bukhari reports from Fatima that the Prophet (S.A.W) told her in the last year of his life, “Jibril used to revise the Qur’an with me once every year, but this year he has revised it with me twice. I do not suspect but that my time has come. And you shall be the first of my household to join me.”

Our Relationship With the Qur’an

Unfortunately, the majority of us do not have any relationship with the Qur’an. Since we are in Ramadan, the blessed month of the Qur’an, and the devils have been chained up, now is the opportunity to change this sad state of affairs.

Given the state of most Muslims today, any discussion about the maximum recommended amount to read daily, in Ramadan or outside Ramadan, would be purely academic. I doubt any of us will attempt to read the Qur’an 60 times every Ramadan as Imam al-Shafi’i used to do or to spend the night reciting the entire Qur’an in a single rak’ah as Uthman b. Affan did (yes, it’s really authentic; in fact, Sa’id b. Jubayr and Imam Ahmad have done it as well). I won’t regale you with all the narrations about how much the Salaf used to recite the Qur’an during Ramadan, both inside prayer and outside it (for those interested, you can probably find them all over the internet already anyways).

To do as they did is something far beyond any of us given that most of us hardly read the Qur’an at all. However, as a side note, I would like to share this one account for all of us to ponder: The Khalifah, Walid b. Abd al-Malik, used to complete the Qur’an every three days and he used to read it a full seventeen times during Ramadan. [See his biography in Siyar A'lam al-Nubala']

Now, to the real issue, what should we do to rectify our situation? For those who are already in the habit of reading the Qur’an every Ramadan, try and make sure to complete the entire Qur’an, if you have not been doing so in the past. Also, take this as an opportunity to get into the habit of reading the Qur’an daily even when Ramadan is over. If you have not been reading the Qur’an during Ramadan in the past, then decide how much time you can reasonably take out of your schedule to read Qur’an on a daily basis. Don’t push yourself to do too much, otherwise you’ll end up right back where you started: not reading the Qur’an at all. Also remember, “The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done regularly, even if they are small.” [Agreed Upon] Therefore, it’s very important that you make a Ramadan schedule that you can stick to.

Is There a Minimum One Should Read? What Do the Scholars Have to Say?

Well, some scholars – such as Imam Ahmad and Ishaq b. Rahuyah – have disliked for a person to not complete the Qur’an at least every 40 days, based on a hadith of `Abdullah b. `Amr in which the Prophet (S.A.W) instructed him to recite the Qur’an in forty days. Another narration gives the minimum as once a month. However, this should not be taken as something obligatory, particularly for those who are not in the habit of reading Qur’an at all, or are not proficient in reciting the Qur’an, such as new Muslims. For them to attempt, all at once, to start reading the entire Qur’an once a month would probably become a barrier to them reading the Qur’an at all.

I asked Sh. Ghassan al-Barqawi about this issue, and he recommended that, as a bare minimum, one should study ten verses a day. He based this on the narration of ibn Mas’ud that the Companions used to learn the Qur’an ten verses at a time.

How Should One Proceed?

Since the hunger and thirst brought on by fasting softens the heart and makes it more receptive, this is an excellent time to try and read and contemplate the Qur’an. For that reason, I would highly recommend not merely reading the Qur’an, but studying it. It was the Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W) to study the Qur’an nightly with Jibril. It was this sort of thoughtful study of the Qur’an that had an impact on the quality of the Prophet’s (S.A.W) deeds. He was already the most generous of all human beings, yet study of the Qur’an in this month increased him in generosity.

Study Tools

For those who know Arabic, I would highly recommend that as they read the Qur’an, they refer to a short Tafsir. In particular, I would recommend one of the following:
1. Zubdat al-Tafsir, Sh. Muhammad Sulayman al-Ashqar
2. Tafsir al-Karim al-Rahman, by Sh. al-Sa’di
3. Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar, a committee of scholars

You should make it an eventual goal to finish the Tafsir entirely, preferably highlighting or marking all the important points you come across for quick reference in the future. The idea is to be able to be able to read the Qur’an such that the explanations offered in the Tafsir become ingrained in your mind. This will make your Qur’an reading easier, more enjoyable, and more thought provoking. It is also an excellent foundation for any future Qur’an study.

For the English only crowd, it is important to read the Qur’an along with a translation, as Allah tells us: “It is a Book that We have sent down to you blessed, so that they may contemplate its verses and so that people of understanding may take heed.” [38:29]

It is good to recite the Qur’an, even if you do not understand it, but the ultimate purpose of its revelation was for us to imbibe its teachings and incorporate them in our lives.

It is important to pick a good translation that suits you. Personally, I like Pickthall. Sahih International and Muhsin Khan’s translation are also good. I should note, that while I am a big fan of Pickthall’s translation, his style of language may seem a bit archaic and therefore be unsuitable for some readers. In any case, it is probably a good idea to have two translations to refer to in case the meaning is not clear in one translation.

There is another translation out which is relatively new and quite distinctive written by MAS Abdel Haleem and published by Oxford University Press. This translation has been written in very clear and extremely simple English that makes it easy and pleasurable to read. The downside is that he has given “creative” interpretations of some verses to make it more “suitable” to the Western mindset. For that reason, I am hesitant to recommend it. If one uses this translation, he should definitely cross check it with a more reliable translation such as Pickthall, etc.

Maulana Mawdudi’s introductions to the surahs are also a useful tool and can be found here:
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/maududi/index.html

They give you a good overview and background information for each surah before you begin.
Another useful resource, at least for research purposes, is the Summarized Tafsir ibn Kathir, available from Dar-us-Salam in ten volumes or accessible from here: http://tafsir.com/

Unfortunately, there is no good, clear, short commentary on the Qur’an in the English language that I can recommended.

Finally, as a closing advice, do not lose heart. Keep the following hadith in the back of your mind: “Recite the Qur’an, for on the Day of Resurrection, it shall come as an intercessor for its companion.” [Muslim]

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/09/06/reading-the-quran-in-ramadan/

8 Easy Steps to Finish the Qur’an This Ramadan by Haafidha Rayhaanah Omar

It has been said that everything has a beloved & that the month of Ramadan has a beloved, too: the Glorious Qur’an. And so for the duration of this month, Muslims worldwide honor Ramadan’s beloved & aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’aan.

In this article you’ll learn how you too, can work towards achieving this noble goal, inshaAllah.

Step 1: Establishing an intention

Our beloved Messenger (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) taught us – through his words & actions – the importance of ones intent or purpose. Establishing one’s intention is an effective catalyst to implementation. Once your intention has been established, remember to renew it often. Whilst reciting & even upon completion of Qur’an, recall your intention & renew it, thus ensuring that it is constantly purified & you are seeking His divine acceptance, inshaAllah.

Step 2: Don’t be overwhelmed

For some, as much as they aspire to complete the recitation of the Qur’an during Ramadan, they are overwhelmed by the number of pages or the length of some Surahs. Remove ‘I can’t’ from your vocabulary & eliminate negative thinking for the believer puts their trust in Allah matched by striving with their actions. Remind yourself that you are (Allah willing) fully capable of achieving your Qur’aanic aspirations, whether it be completing 1 or 5 times the completion of al-Qur’an. This second point is key. Put your heart into this accomplishment & reap the rewards throughout, inshaAllah.

Step: 3 Plan ahead

Prior to commencing with your recitation, it’s important to plan around your routine and block out time for your Qur’an goal (e.g. your work hours, rest hours & any other commitments which you may have). Structure a realistic plan of how to complete the recitation of Qur’aan within the month by dividing each Juzz up per day. Draw up this personal plan, review it constantly, and put it into action!

As you put your plan to paper, consider past Ramadans and ask yourself if there have been instances where you were unable to complete Qur’anic recitation. Reflect over why & how this occurred? Is there a different mechanism that you could put into place? How could you enhance your daily Qur’an routine if these distractions were dealt with?

Take the first opportunity that comes, to begin your Qur’anic quest. So when the moon is sighted & the announcement has been made for the 1st Salaatul-Taraweeh, begin in earnest, with Surah al-Fatiha, Surah al-Baqarah, etc.

Step 4: Understanding Qur’an

Read the translation of the Juzz you will be reciting daily. Having a basic knowledge of the theme, topic, message & meaning of what you are reciting makes the recitation of the Qur’an an incredibly uplifting experience that you do not want to miss out on!

Step 5: Find Qur’an buddies & compete in good

Develop close bonds with brothers/sisters who are known for their attachment to the Qur’an. They’ll be your spiritual friends. Engage a Qur’an buddy in your noble Qur’an productivity goals. Request that they remind you to fulfill your goals & spiritual aspirations so they can help you at times of slacking.

In life we compete with many materialistic goals and race one another but what about following the footsteps of the best generations that had come before us in a competition this Ramadan? In striving & competing with our friends & colleagues, in a good-natured way, towards our noble goals we can motivate ourselves to finish our Qur’an goal.

One of the common aspects which deter a Muslim from completing this task is excessive communication. Often, many of us spend too much unnecessary time surfing the net, chatting, texting, etc. Reduce this even by a third & you will see, feel and witness the blessings in your time, inshaAllah.

Step 6: Seize the moment

A deeply inspiring story with ‘lessons from the waiting room’ – where a mother who has taken her unwell child to the hospital waits for the doctor to see to her child. She notices a young Muslim who uses his time in the waiting room, in a most effective & spiritually rewarding way, reciting from a pocket-sized Quran. Lesson to be taken here: Invest in a pocket-sized Qur’an and make it your best friend this Ramadan. Seize every opportunity & moment to be with Allah (S.W.T) through your recitation.

One of the best times at which to recite Qur’an, is after Suhoor. Having partaken from the Sunnah meal, and with a hour or two still to go before work or school this is the ideal jumpstart to your day. The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) asked Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala) to bless our Ummah in the early hours, and you will also be more likely to memorize ayahs at this time. Research shows that morning study creates better performance in students, so don’t miss the morning recitation!

Time Tip: Salah followed by Qur’an

Consider the following option that has worked well for numerous people in past Ramadans. Try reciting 6 – 8 pages of Qur’an (depending on the Mus-haf that you are using) after each of your 5 daily Salah. Add Qiyaamul-Layl as a 6th addition, and you will reach the end of Ramadan, having completed your Qur’aan recitation with ease & perhaps, even before the last 5 days of Ramadan so long as you remain committed.

Time Tip: Recite before going to sleep

Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala says: “Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing (the soul) and most suitable for (framing) the word (of prayer and praise).” [73:6] Reciting during the day is also beneficial, however the night time recitation is easier as well during Ramadan as there are less distractions and noise.

Step 7: Remain steadfast & consistent

The key to any success is consistency. Once you’ve mapped your plan, stick to it. Remind yourself of the greatness of this month, of the opportunities that it provides for your spiritual growth & your relationship with the Qur’an. Don’t be willing to compromise it in this month.

Step 8: Make Dua’a to Allah (Subhanhu wa Ta’ala)

Nothing can be achieved without the aid & guidance of Allah (‘Azza wa jal). When making your intention to complete your memorization of Qur’an, supplicate to Allah (‘Azza wa jal) to ease this noble pathway & to crown your efforts with success, inshaAllah.

That’s 10 ways I wanted to share with you on starting and completing your journey through recitation of the Qur’an this Ramadan. Indeed Allah (S.W.T) says in Surah al-Baqarah: "This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah" [2.2] Let the Qur’an be your means for attaining Tawqa this Ramadan.

In the hours of the days & nights of this sacred month, may the Qur’an be your companion of light & guidance, resonating through your words, actions & life mission. May your relationship with the Qur’an be strengthened, enriched & enlivened with the profound wisdom & divine message from Allah the Most High.

About the Author

British-born Haafidha Rayhaanah Omar is an international award-winning radio personality, certified life coach & consultant for Muslimaat, assisting them to develop their lives spiritually & emotionally. As the founder of Fee Qalbee, her passion lies in mentoring Muslimaat seeking to memorize Al Qur’aan, thereby enriching their lives through this noble journey. Rayhaanah has studied aspects of oratory & mass media communications both privately & at college level. She memorized the Qur’aan in less than a year & has since then, furthered her Islamic studies in numerous countries around the world. Her interests & specialty lies in ‘Uloomul Qur’aan, Seerah & Ahaadeeth. For 6 years, she served as the principal of Darul Qur’aan Linn-Nisaa’, an academy of Tahfeedhul Qur’aan, Itqaanul Qur’aan & Uloomul Qur’aan, with a student enrolment of 400 learners. An established, motivational speaker, Rayhaanah has successfully consulted to thousands of women on: confidence building, time-management, goal-planning & emotional healing. She has lived, studied abroad & traveled extensively with her husband. They have an 8-year old blogging son, Mu’awiyah & are currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=36

Goals of Fasting

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vanish into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslim communities, one realizes a wide gap between the reality and our obligations. Remember that Ramadhan is a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious." (Al-Baqarah 2:183). This article is an attempt to present the essential causes of this gap, and to some remedies. Primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environment without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.

Achieving Taqwa: This is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deters against committing abominations and sins and assist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.

Strengthening willpower and acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam called Ramadhan the month of patience as it increases one's will power to control his desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah's commands. The most important command being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah said: "These are the limits set by Allah, so approach them not." (Al-Baqarah 2:187)

Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing of everything. For this reason, Allah has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship. Allah said in the hadith Qudsi: "Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundreds, up to whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake.." (Related by Muslim) lbn al-Qayyim said: "...And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobody can find out about, and that is the essence of fasting." (Zaad al-Ma'ad 2/29).

Relieving Muslims from life's distractions: Eating, drinking, and socializing all distract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to the all types of worship Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional prayer or making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress against Hell fire" (Related by Ahmad).

Discovering Allah's blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able to have this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.

Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn protects the body from certain diseases.

Remember that fasting is not only dependent on abstentions: Many believe that fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting that Allah established certain acts of worship with fasting. Among which are:

Qiyamul-layl: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadhan out of belief and anticipating God's rewards, will be forgiven his previous sins."(Related by Muslim).

Performing Umrah: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "An Umrah during Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim).

Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad).

Reading and completing the Qur'an: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede for the person. Fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the Qur'an will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will intercede." (Related by Ahmad). The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to recite the whole Qur'an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.

Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the most generous among people, and he was more generous during the month of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim).

I`tikaaf (to confine oneself in the Masjid for prayer and invocation leaving the worldly activities): Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to perform I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim). It is surprising that many people have abandoned I'tikaf though the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam never abandoned it from the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.

Supplication: In the verses dealing with fasting, Allah said: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." (Al-Baqarah 2: 186). This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase his invocation. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Three invocations will be answered: The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler." (Related by Muslim).

Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah, for it is a time when the devils are chained, and when many people are saved from hell fire every night by the grace of Allah.

Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan: Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days came, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would pray most of the night and wake his family, and apply himself, and tighten up his loincloth." She also said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to strive in the last days of Ramadhan more than he did during the other days." (Related by Muslim).

Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting although they do not annul it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) He also said: 'Whoever does not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari).

Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=412908761515

What is a Successful Ramadaan? by Shaykh, ‘Allaamah Saalih Al-Fawzaan

Translated by Hassan As-Somali

The piety and humility of the Salaf

When Ramadaan came to a close, the rightly guided predecessors (As-Salaf As-Saalih) used to frequently seek forgiveness, repent to Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – and fear that their deeds would not be accepted. They used to exert themselves (in worship) in Ramadaan and outside of Ramadaan, afterwards they would be fearful that none of this will be accepted.

How the Salaf behaved when Ramadaan was approaching and when it left

They used to seek the forgiveness of Allaah and repent. So much so that it was reported that they would supplicate to Allaah for six months that He would allow them to reach Ramadaan. If He allowed them to reach Ramadaan, they would fast, pray at night and supplicate for the next six months that He accepts the month of Ramadaan from them.

Signs that Ramadaan has been accepted

Following good deeds with good is a sign that an act has been accepted, whether it is pertaining to Ramadaan or other than it. If the Muslim is in a good state after Ramadaan, performing many good deeds and righteous actions, then this is a proof of acceptance.

Signs that Ramadaan hasn’t been accepted

If the opposite is true, and he follows good with evil, and as soon as Ramadaan is over he follows on from this with sins, heedlessness and turning away from the obedience of Allaah, then this is a proof that it hasn’t been accepted.

Every person knows their true situation after Ramadaan. So let them look, if they are in a better state, then let them thank Allaah, as this shows that it has been accepted. If their state is worse, then let them repent to Allaah and seek the forgiveness of Allaah, as this is a proof that it hasn’t been accepted and it is a proof of negligence and carelessness.

Do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah

But the slave should not lose hope of the mercy of Allaah. He should not close the door that is between him and Allaah and despair of the mercy of Allaah.

“Say: O my slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins). Do not despair of the Mercy of Allaah: verily Allaah forgives all sins. He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Az-Zumar: 53)

It is upon him to repent, seek the forgiveness of Allaah and return to Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic. Allaah – the Mighty and Majestic – accepts repentance from those that repent.

“And He it is Who accepts repentance from His slaves, and forgives sins, and He knows what you do.” (Ash-Shura:25)

And the peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=406886481515

Top 10 ProductiveRamadan Tips

I know most of you are super worried about your productivity during Ramadan especially in the first few days, so I want to give you the top 10 tips you’ll need to stay productive during Ramadan right now!

Top 10 Productive Muslim Advice for a Productive Ramadan

1. Have sincere intentions, work hard and make lots of dua for an ultimate productive Ramadan!
2. Plan your day, each day of Ramadan, the night before. Choose 3 important tasks you want to achieve the next day and record it in your diary or our ultimate taskinator!
3. Never EVER miss Suhoor, wake up at least 1 hour before Fajr and have a filling balanced meal.
4. Start working on your most important tasks right after Fajr and get at least 1 or 2 done.
5. Try to get an afternoon nap, not more than 20 minutes either just before Dhuhur or after Dhuhur.
6. Plan your Ramadan days (and life!) around Salah times, not the other way round!
7. BLOCK at least one hour for reciting Quran each day.
8. Break your Fast with dates and milk or dates and water, go pray Maghreb, then come back for a light meal.
9. Give lots of ‘physical Sadaqah’; get involved in organizing community iftars, charity drives, helping orphans, etc. earn rewards working for others.
10. Don’t miss an opportunity for Dawah! When someone asks you why you’re not eating, give them a beautiful explanation of Ramadan and Islam.

There you go, 10 tips to get you started. If you need to find more detailed explanation of some of the above, keep visiting the site or sign up to our mailing list (on the right of link) for daily reminders and productivity hacks!

Source: http://productiveramadan.com/?p=186

Important Lessons to be Learnt From Ramadhan

http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=143

Allah - the Most High - said: "The month of Ramadhan is when the Qur'an was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance of the criterion between right and wrong. So whosoever of you sights the crescent for the month of Ramadhan, he must fast that month." [Surah al-Baqarah 2:185].

Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Islam is built upon five: Testifying that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the Prayer, giving the Zakah, performing Hajj to the House, and fasting in Ramadhan." (1)

He sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "There has come to you Ramadhan, a blessed month, in which Allah has made it obligatory to fast. During it, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained. In it is a night (Laylatul-Qadr) which is better than a thousand months. He who is deprived of its good has truly been deprived." (2)

From the many important lessons to be learnt from fasting are:

1: Gaining Taqwa

Fasting has been legislated in order that we may gain Taqwa, as Allah - the Most High - said: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed upon those before you in order that you may attain Taqwa." [Surah al-Baqarah 2:183].

Talq ibn Habib (d.100H) - rahimahullah - said: "When fitnah (trial and tribulation) appears then extinguish it with Taqwa." So he was asked as to what Taqwa was, so he replied: "Taqwa is to act in obedience to Allah, upon a light (i.e. Iman- faith) from Allah, hoping in the Mercy of Allah. Taqwa is also leaving acts of disobedience to Allah, upon a light from Allah, due to the fear of Allah." (3)

"This is one of the best definitions of taqwa. For every action must have both a starting point and a goal. And an action will not be considered as an act of obedience, or nearness to Allah, unless it starts from pure Iman (faith in Allah). Thus, it is pure Iman - and not habits, desires, nor seeking praise or fame, nor its like - that should be what initiates an action. And the goal of the action should be to earn the reward of Allah and to seek His good pleasure." (4) So fasting is a means of attaining Taqwa, since it helps prevent a person from many sins that one is prone to. Due to this, the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield with which the servant protects himself from the Fire." (5) So we should ask ourselves, after each day of fasting: Has this fasting made us more fearful and obedient to Allah? Has it aided us in distancing ourselves from sins and disobedience?

2: Seeking Nearness to Allah

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Allah said: 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." (6)

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadhan and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then may Allah distance him." (7)

So drawing closer to Allah - the Mort Perfect - in this blessed month, can be achieved by fulfilling one's obligatory duties; and also reciting the Qur'an and reflecting upon its meanings, increasing in kindness and in giving charity, in making du'a (supplication) to Allah, attending the Tarawih Prayer, seeking out Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power and Pre-Decree), a night which is better than a thousand months, attending gatherings of knowledge, and striving in there actions that will cause the heart to draw closer to its Lord and to gain His forgiveness. Our level of striving in this blessed month should be greater than our striving to worship Allah in any other month, due to the excellence and rewards that Allah has placed in it. Likewise from the great means of seeking nearness to Allah in this month is making I'tikaf (seclusion in the mosque in order to worship Allah) - for whoever is able.

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)- rahimahullah - said: "Allah also prescribed I'tikaf for them, the objective being that the heart becomes fully preoccupied with Allah - the Mort High -
concentrated upon Him alone, and cut-off from being preoccupied with the creation. Rather, the heart is only engrossed with Allah - the Most Perfect - such that loving Him, remembering Him, and turning to Him takes the place of all the heart's anxieties and worries, so that he is able to overcome them. Thus all his concerns are for Allah, and his thoughts are all directed towards remembering Him and thinking of how to attain His pleasure and what will cause nearness to Him. This leads him to feel contented with Allah, instead of people. This in turn prepares him for being at peace with Allah alone, on the day of loneliness in the grave, when there will be no one else to give comfort, nor anyone to grant solace, except Him. So this is the greater goal of I'tikaf." (8)

3: Acquiring Patience

Imam Ahmad (d.241H) - rahimahullah - said: "Allah has mentioned sabr (patience) in over ninety places in His Book." (9)

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The month of patience, and the three days of every month, are times for fasting." (10)

Ibn 'Abdul-Barr (d.464H)- rahimahullah - said: "What is meant by the month of patience is the month of Ramadhan. So fasting is called patience because it restrains the soul from eating, drinking, conjugal relations and sexual desires." (11)

He sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "O youths! Whoever amongst you is able to marry, then let him do so; for it restrains the eyes and protects the private parts. But whoever is unable, then let him fast, because it will be a shield for him." (12)

So fasting is a means of learning self restraint and patience. With patience we are able to strengthen our resolve to worship Allah alone, with sincerity, and also cope with life's ups and downs. So, for example, with patience we are able to perform our Prayers calmly and correctly, without being hasty, and without merely pecking the ground several times! With patience we are able to restrain our souls from greed and stinginess and thus give part of our surplus wealth in Zakah (obligatory charity). With patience we are able to subdue the soul's ill temperament, and thus endure the ordeal and hardships of Hajj, without losing tempers and behaving badly. Likewise, with patience we are able to stand firm and fight jihad against the disbelievers, hypocrites and heretics - withstanding their constant onslaught, without wavering and buckling, without despairing or being complacent, and without becoming hasty and impatient at the first signs of hardship. Allah - the Most High - said: "O Prophet, urge the Believers to fight. So if there are one hundred who are patient, they shall overcome two hundred; and if there be one thousand, they shall overcome two thousand, by the permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient ones." [Surah al-Anfal 8:65-66].

Thus, without knowledge and patience, nothing remains, except zeal and uncontrolled emotions, shouts and hollow slogans, speech that does not strengthen, but rather weakens, and actions that do not build, but rather destroy! So in this month, we should strive to develop a firm resolve for doing acts of obedience, and to adorn ourselves with patience - having certainty in the laying of our Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam: "And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship." (13)

4: Cultivating Good Manners

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Whosoever does not abandon falsehood in speech and action, then Allah the Mighty and Majestic has no need that he should leave his food and drink." (14)

He sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "Fasting is not merely abstaining from eating and drinking. Rather, it is also abstaining from ignorant and indecent speech. So if anyone abuses or behaves ignorantly with you, then say: I am fasting, I am fasting." (15)

These narrations point towards the importance of truthfulness and good manners. Thus, this blessed month teaches us not only to abstain from food and drink, but to also abstain from such statements and actions that may be the cause of harming people and violating their rights, since the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said whilst describing the true Believer: "A Muslim is one from whom other Muslims are safe from his tongue and his hand." (16) Thus it is upon us as individuals, to examine the shortcomings in our character, and to then seek to improve them, modeling ourselves upon the character of the last of the Prophets and Messengers, and their leader, Muhammad sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, aspiring also for the excellence which he mentioned in his saying: "I am a guarantor for a house on the outskirts of Paradise for whosoever leaves off arguing, even if he is in the right; and a house in the centre of Paradise for whosoever abandons falsehood, even when joking; and a house in the upper-mort part of Paradise for whosoever makes his character good." (17) So by shunning oppression, shamelessness, harboring hatred towards Muslims, back-biting, slandering, tale-carrying, and other types of falsehood, we can be saved from nullifying the rewards of our fasting, as Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "It may be that a fasting person receives nothing from his fast, except hunger and thirst." (18)

5: Sensing Muslim Unity

The Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Fast when they fast, and break your fast when they break their fast, and sacrifice the day they sacrifice." (19)

Imam at-Tirmidhi (d.275H) - rahimahullah - said: "Some of the people of knowledge explained this hadith by saying: Its meaning is to fast and break the fast along with the jama'ah and the majority of people." (20)

Thus, in this blessed month we can sense an increased feeling of unity and of being a single Ummah due to our fasting and breaking our fast collectively. We also feel an increased awareness about the state of affairs of the Muslims and of the hardships that they endure, because: "During the fast, a Muslim feels and experiences what his needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel, who are forced to go without food and drink for many, many days, as occurs today to many of the Muslims in Africa." (21) Indeed, the units of the Muslims, and their aiding and assisting one another, is one of the great fundamentals upon which the religion of Islam is built, as Allah - the Mort High - said: "And hold fast altogether to the rope of Allah and do not be divided." [Surah al-'lmran 3:103]. Allah - the Most High - also said: "The Believers, men and women, are friends and protectors to one another." [Surah al-Towbah 9:44].

Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728H)- rahimahullah - said: "The welfare of people will not be complete, neither in this world, nor in the Hereafter, except with ijtima' (collectiveness), ta'awun (mutual cooperation), and tanasur (mutual help); mutual co-operation in order to secure benefits, and mutual help in order to ward off harm. It is for this reason that man is said to be social and civil by nature." (22)

Thus we see that Islam lays great importance in bringing hearts together and encouraging ijtima' (collectiveness). This is not only reflected in the month of Ramadhan, but also in the other acts of worship as well. So, for example, we have been ordered by the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam to pray the five daily Prayers in congregation, and that it has been made twenty-seven times more full of reward than praying it individually. (23) Likewise, this similar collective spirit is demonstrated in the act of Hajj (Pilgrimage). Even in learning knowledge and studying it, blessings have been placed in collectiveness, as Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "No people gather together in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it amongst themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them to those that are with Him." (24) Likewise, even in our everyday actions such, as eating, Islam teaches us collectiveness. Thus, when some of the Companions of the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to him: O Messenger of Allah, we eat but do not become satisfied. He replied: "Perhaps you eat individually?" They replied: Yes! So he said: "Eat collectively and mention the name of Allah. There will then be blessings for you in it." (25) Indeed, even in the etiquettes of sitting, the spirit of collectiveness is demonstrated. So, one day the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam came across the Companions who were sitting in separate circles, so he said to them: "Why do I see you sitting separately?" (26) Similarly, Abu Tha'labah al-Khurhani radiallahu 'anhu said: Whenever the people used to encamp, they used to split-up into the mountain passes and valleys. So Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Indeed your being split-up in the mountain passes and valleys is from Shaytan." Thereafter, whenever they used to encamp, they used to keep very close together, to such an extent that it was said: If a cloth were to be spread over them, it would cover them all. (27)

Thus, Ramadhan is a time to increase our sense of unity and brotherhood, and our commitment to Allah and His religion. And there is no doubt that this sense of unity necessitates that: "We all work together as required by Islam as sincere brothers - not due to hizbiyyah (bigoted party spirit), nor sectarianism, in order to realize that which is of benefit to the Islamic Ummah and to establish the Islamic society that every Muslim aspires for, so that the Shari'ah (Prescribed Law) of Allah is applied upon His earth." (28) So we must examine ourselves during the month of Ramadhan and ask: What is my role, and each of us has a role, in helping this precious Ummah to regain its honor, and return to the Ummah its comprehensive unity and strength, and victory that has been promised to it! Likewise, we should reflect upon our own character and actions and ask. Are they aiding the process of unity and brotherhood, or are they a harm and a hindrance to it!

So we ask Allah to grant us the ability to change ourselves for the better, during this blessed month, and not to be of those who are prevented from His Mercy and Forgiveness. Indeed He is the One who hears and He is the One who responds.

Footnotes (summarized):
1. Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
2. Saheeh: an-Nisaa’ee, authenticated in al-Albaanee’s Takhreej ul-Mishkaat
3. Ibn al-Mubaarak in Kitaab uz-Zuhd and ibn Abee Shaybah in Kitaab ul-Eemaan
4. Risaalatut-Tabookiyyah of Imam ibn al-Qayyim
5. Hasan: Ahmad, authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh ut-Targheeb
6. Al-Bukhaaree
7. Saheeh: Ahmad and al-Bayhaqeee, authenticated by al-Halabee in Sifat us-Sawmin-Nabee
8. Zaadul Ma`aad of Ibn al Qayyim
9. Related by Ibn al Qayyim in Madaarij us-Saalikeen
10. Ahmad and an-Nasaa’ee, authenticated by al-Albaanee in Irwaa al-Ghaleel
11. At-Tamheed of Al Haafidh ibn Abdul Barr
12. Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
13. Saheeh: Ahmad, at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer, authenticated by al-Hilaalee in as-Sabrul Jameel
14. Al-Bukhaaree
15. Saheeh: Ibn Khuzaymah and al-Haakim, who authenticated it.
16. Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
17. Saheeh: Abu Daawood and al-Bayhaqee, authenticated by al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah
18. Saheeh: Ahmad and ibn Maajah, authenticated in Saheeh ut-Targheeb
19. At-Tirmidhee, authenticated by al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah
20. Jaami`ut-Tirmidhee
21. From the words of Shaykh Bin Baaz, as occurs in Majmoo` al-Fataawaa wa Maqaalat Mutanawwi`ah
22. Al-Hisbah fil-Islaam of Ibn Taymiyyah
23. Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim
24. Muslim
25. Hasan: Abu Daawood, authenticated by al-Haafidh al-`Iraaqee in Takhreejul-Ihyaa
26. Muslim
27. Saheeh: Abu Daawood and Ibn Hibbaan, authenticated by al-Albaanee in Takhreej ul-Mishkaat
28. Suaalu wa Jawaabu Hawla Fiqhil-Waaqi` of Sh. Al-Albaanee

Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine, Issue No. 5, Jan 1997