In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.
Assalamu alaikum dear Muslim brothers and sisters. I hope all of you are reaping benefits in this blessed time of the year, despite the pandemic that have hit us badly in various aspects of our life. Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala is testing us with a trial and we are patient in our lives so let us all be grateful and give thanks to Allah first and foremost for this life of our's and the fact we are striving to perform our deeds in the best way possible. Allah is Witness to Everything. May Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala send His Peace and Blessings upon His beloved Messenger, Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, his companions radhiallahu anhum and on his household and family. Ameen.
Today, I share a small letter which I had completed when I had reached the end of the previous Ramadhan.
How fast has the time of Ramadan(1441 H/2020) been. Little did I have any clue of it.
A strong soothing breeze swirled around me, taking my worries away as I soaked myself
in the remembrance of my Lord, The Only One worthy of being Worshipped.
He showered His Mercy upon us and bestowed upon us His Favours endlessly.
We continue to drown in the pool of miseries and tragedies as people pass away in front of
our eyes. How sudden deaths baffle us and yet, how easy has it been for our wretched
souls to have forgotten them. So swift and strange this period of coronavirus stricken
pandemic has become. A dreaded world we didn’t choose for ourselves but who could
we ever blame other than ourselves? Who were we kidding? Didn’t we already know
that Allah is Ar-Raqeeb, watching over everything that we do? Then how did we think
we could escape from Him? Indulging in unwanted evils and sins, this is a Sign
of His telling us that it is time to repent and turn to Him before it’s too late. Why
are we still hell bent on thinking that we are free to choose to do whatever we want?
We are not free in this world. As a renowned scholar said, we are either
enslaved to Allah or to Shaytan and it’s up to us whom we choose to be enslaved
to. Being an Ubudiyyah to Allah is my choice and I can’t thank Him enough for showing
me the Right Path-the Path to Salvation and Jannah. This is my choice but what is
your’s? Are you still procrastinating and thinking that the coronavirus will simply just go
away with time and we can all go back to how it was, all though this was all just a scam,
a tomfoolery? Our destinies are preordained by Allah and it will occur that way.
We have no knowledge of what will occur. Our Duas can benefit us in the long run and
perhaps that’s the way it will happen, according to Allah’s Will. And It will definitely
only happen what Allah has willed to happen. The question we need to keep asking
ourselves is do we want to die when we are sinning or die a wretched death while doing
something extremely ugly and sinful, falling into the evil temptations and lustful desires?
Is that what we really want? Or do our hearts desire a serene death, one surrounded
by merciful angels who’ll show us our castles in Jannah? Or Lord is the Most Merciful.
Don’t despair of His Mercy even if you have heaps of sins. Ask for forgiveness now,
even if it is just a day remaining in this blessed month of Ramadan for you never know
if you’ll be blessed with another Ramadan or not.
A lot has changed over the months as a result of the long days and nights of the long lasting
affliction we are facing around the globe right now. However, despair not of the Mercy of Allah
azza wajal, The Mighty and Majestic. As long as we accept the fact with certainty in our hearts
that everything lies in the Hands of Allah, and none can guide us to the Truth except Him
nor can anyone harm us or protect us except by Allah's Will, there is no place for fear in our
hearts. Islam will reign in the hearts of the true believers and it will emerge victorious. Wait
for that day while being patient and obedient to Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala. I leave you with
the quotes of our Salaf-us-Saalih(pious predecessors).
It is reported that Muʿlā b. Al-Faḍl – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
They (the Salaf) used to supplicate to Allāh for six months asking Him
to get them to the month of Ramaḍān; and they used to supplicate for six
months that Allāh accept [their fasting and other worship in Ramaḍān].
Abul-Qāsim Al-Aṣbahānī, Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb article 1761.
Umar’s Instructions on the First Night of Ramadan
It is reported that on the first night of Ramaḍān, ‘Umar – Allāh be
pleased with him – would pray Maghrib, then say (to the people):
Sit down. Then he would give a small address: Verily the fasting
of this month has been made a duty upon you, and standing in night prayer has not been made a duty upon you, but those amongst
you who can stand in prayer should do so, for it is from the extra
good deeds about which Allāh told us: so whoever cannot stand
in prayer, let him sleep on his bed.
And beware of saying: I will fast if so and so fasts and I will stand
in night prayer if so and so stands in prayer. Whoever fasts or stands
in night prayer, he must make this for Allāh. And you should know
that you are in prayer as long as you are waiting for a prayer.
Minimize any vain or false speech in the houses of Allāh (mosques;
he said this two or three times). Let none of you fast a few days before
the month (in order to avoid missing the beginning of the month; he
said this three times). And do not fast until you see [the crescent of the
new month] unless it is overcast. If it is overcast, count [the previous
month] as 30 days. Then do not break your fasts until you see the
night upon the mountain (i.e. you are sure the sun has set).
‘Abd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣan’ānī, Al-Muṣannaf article 7748.
The Salaf and the Quran in Ramadan
It is reported that Al-Aswad [b. Yazīd Al-Nakha’ī] used to complete the recitation
of the Quran in Ramadan every two nights; sleeping between al-maghrib and al-‘ishā.
Outside of Ramaḍān, he used to complete a recitation every six nights.
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 1:250.
It is related from Al-Rabī’ b. Sulaymān, “Muḥammad b. Idrīs Al-Shāfi’ī used to complete
reciting the Quran in the month of Ramadan sixty times, all in the prayer.”
Ibid. 4:107
It is reported that Abul-Ash-hab said, “Abū Al-Rajā` [Al-Aṭārudī] would complete with
us a recitation of the Quran in the night prayers of Ramadan every ten days.”
Ibid. 1:348
It is reported that Qatādah used to complete a recitation of the Quran once every
seven nights, and when Ramadan came, once every three nights. During the last ten nights,
he would complete a recitation every night.
Ibid. 1:364
It is reported that Al-Bukhārī used to complete a recitation [of the Quran] once a day
in Ramadan, and would pray after Tarāwīḥ every night, completing another recitation
every three nights.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 12:439
Notes
After mentioning some similar examples from the Salaf, Ibn Rajab says in Laṭā`if Al-Ma’ārif
p319:
The prohibition of reciting the Quran in less than three days [found in some ahadith] refers
to doing so regularly [throughout the year]. As for virtuous times, like Ramadan –
especially the nights in which it is hoped Laylatu Al-Qadr will occur – or virtuous
places, like Makkah – for those who enter it and are not residents there, then it is
recommended to increase in reciting the Quran, making the most of the time and the
place. This is the position of [Imam] Aḥmad, Isḥāq [ibn Rāhūyah] and other Imams,
and the practice of others [from the Salaf] indicates [they held the same position].
These are some amazing examples to follow, my dear brothers and sisters. These are amongst the sayings from the best of generations(Sahabah, Taabi'een, Tabiut-Taabi'een), the most knowledgeable amongst all generations so take heed in their advices and follow them.
In shaa Allah, may we live up to see this upcoming Ramadhan and strengthen our conviction and dedication to our perfected Deen, which Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala has preserved. May Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala bless us with many more Ramadhans in shaa Allah and may we live upon Tawheed and depart with Tawheed. Ameen.
I leave you with Suratul Asr, a common practice upheld by the Sahabahs. It is a comprehensive
surah which consists of almost everything we need in our life as a Muslim: Belief(Ilm/Knowledge)
and Righteous deeds go hand-in-hand, enjoin good and forbid evil and most importantly,
patience in following the Deen and being steadfast upon it despite the number of people
who may oppose you.
May Allah subhanahu wa Ta'ala bless us and our dear parents, keep us healthy and nurtured
in the path of Islam. May He forgive all of our shortcomings and deficiencies in the deeds
that we do and save us from a great torment that He had warned us of in the Holy Quran and