Sayyidinah Imam AL Ghazali r.a.
The Book of Fasting / Ihya’ Ulum Ul Deen
Notes from A lecture by Al Shaykh Afeefuddin Al Jailani
At Masjid Mukarramah – Bandar Sri Damansara on 27 June 2013
Alhamdhu’lillah, with Allah’s barakah, Almighty and Glorious is He, insha’Allah, we are going to spend these blessed moments together and we pray that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, bless you all with acceptance and the best for our dunia and the best for our akhirat, insha’Allah. Ameen ya rabbilalameen.
As we are very near to the month of Ramadhan we pray that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He will help us to do our best in terms of worship, taqwa, hidayah, solat, and to be a perfect mu’mineen during the month of Ramadhan. And because we are so near to this blessed month of Ramadhan, I thought of making some changes tonight but still within the teaching of Imam Al Ghazali, Allah be well pleased with him.
Tonight I am going to take part of the book Ihya’ ulum ul deen / Revival of Religious Sciences and in particular the Book of Fasting which he calls The Secrets of Fasting. What is fasting and what are the secrets of fasting. What is the meaning of this form of worship.
For us to stop with what is normally halal starting with Suboh, from Adhan Suboh, until Maghrib, has become haram for you to eat. This worship is to stop, by command of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, the normal things of your life. That which you are accustomed to doing for the other 11 months of the year. But, during the holy month of Ramadhan, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has decreed that the Muslims must fast. No food. No drink. No sexual intercourse, and by this I mean, of course, the otherwise legal/halal activity with your wife. Until Maghrib.
So. Why? Is Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, in need of our food? He is Ar Razaq. The only reason Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, created us is to worship Him. And He is Ar Razaq, Almighty and Glorious is He, the Sustainer. Our provenance is from Him. So, in that case, what is the meaning of this worship.
And further, why has Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said All worship of the sons of Adam is for him except fasting. Fasting is Mine. And what does He mean when He says this, Almighty and Glorious is He.
So, insha’Allah, tonight this is what we are going to swim in the sea of knowledge of Imam Al Ghazali, Allah be well please with him. To understand the meaning of fasting, following the book of The Secrets of Fasting.
Of course, Al Imam Al Ghazali, in this book explains at the beginning about the benefit of fasting, and lists the Qur’anic verses that have been revealed about fasting, and some hadith of Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. The hadith which talk about the rewards of fasting.
For example, Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace was heard to say
Patience is half of faith.
Imam Al Ghazali, Allah be well pleased with him, said that this is in reference to fasting. Because in order for you to fast, you require patience. To stop eating, drinking and whatever, and with all of the attendant difficulties you need to be patient.
And Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, spoke about fasting and patience. So Imam Al Ghazali, Allah be well pleased with him wrote that he was speaking about fasting in this.
And the reward will be from Him for fasting with patience. And the reward will be multiplied many number of times. Why? We are talking about patience now. The reason we say that fasting is the epitome of patience is this. If you fast alone you will find it difficult to do so. Such as if you fast Mondays and Thursdays – not obligatory – or the three days of the middle of the month, the supererogatory (additional, non-compulsory) fasting, you will find this difficult. Why? Because there will be food everywhere. People will invite you for coffee, or a meal. Or you return home and see your family eating. So you are alone. You must really strive to maintain your fast while be patient.
If you maintain your fast – alhamdhu’lillah, you will be rewarded. By the devil will say to you My friend this is optional. If you continue you will be rewarded. But if you slip, you still will not incur any penalty.
And there is a hadith of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in which he is reported to have said:
The person who is fasting an optional fast is his own commander.
Most people find it very difficult to maintain an optional fast. Only those with the inner strength of character, and the desire to please Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, can maintain an optional fast on a regular basis.
People such as Sayyidinah Abdullah ibn Umar, Allah be well please with him. He used to fast every day. And every night either qiam ul lail, or at the least tahajjud prayer every night. Daily fasting, and nightly prayer. Until his family complained to Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He was essentially neglecting his family. So Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him to come to see him. He came. He said Ya Abdullah, don’t pressure yourself so much. To which he replied Ya Rasulullah, I am very happy with fasting! I really like it. I never care about this food. It is ok for me. So, after some discussion, Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, instructed him to fast the fast as Sayyidinah Nabi Daud, peace be upon him. To fast every alternate day. So he did that until his death. And there are people who are able to do this, insha’Allah.
Now Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace was specially gifted by Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. He was able to fast for 3 or 4 days straight without breaking his fast. When the companions asked if they could follow his example he forbade them. He said that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, ensured he got the necessary nourishment and strength directly from Him but that this was for him only, Allah bless him and grant him peace.
There were other things which for Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, was obligatory, but for his ummah was option. Solat Dhuha. Fasting the three days in the middle of the month. And others.
But, during Ramadhan it is different. Everyone is fasting. Everyone at home is refraining from food until Maghrib. Restaurants are closed. People find less reason for wanting to eat. No company. Hard to find the food. So fasting becomes less arduous. This is from the blessings of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. But this is the mandatory fasting. You must fast. Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. The Scholars have said that if someone, for no valid reason, breaks his fast during this time, he is worse in the site of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, than a fornicator or drunkard. May Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, protect us from this sin.
Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is reported to have said:
By Allah, the odour of the breath of the one who fasts is, for Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is more beloved than misq min kasturi.
Because it has a spiritual source. We don’t know the meaning of it. The meaning is only for Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
And Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, will think he has left his food, his drink, his desires, for Me, so fasting is for Me and I am the only One who will reward it.
For mandatory fasting everybody performs it uniformly and to the same degree. For prayer, one person may pray more supererogatory prayers. For Hajj, someone may go every year, while another goes sometimes, and still others go only once. Zakat, I may be poor and receive zakat while someone else is wealthy and pays zakat. But fasting is common to all. The same mandatory days, the same time. All Muslims regardless of country must fast following the same rules. No difference.
The difference here is, if you perform more acts of worship, during the period of fast, then you differentiate yourself. So, if you are fasting, this is already an act of worship. Everyone must do this. From the time you start fasting at Suboh, you have entered into the worship of fasting. From Suboh to Maghrib it is like praying the whole time. The meter of blessings starts turning. So imagine from Suboh to Maghrib and you start praying. For the worship of prayer, can you do anything else at the same time as you are praying? Can you answer your phone, for example? This is a time with Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. If you are distracted in this way, your prayer will be canceled immediately.
During the fasting period you cannot do anything wrong. Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: if anyone disturbs you while you are fasting simply say “I am fasting. I am fasting.” So if you are disturbed in your fast, the failure will be on the person who has distracted you. And who will recompense the failure – Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. Upon the one who was disturbing. And if the person has any reward coming to him, that reward will go to you, by the command of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
And, we said there is a meter to measure the blessings you are getting. The more the worship, the faster the blessings accrue. The meter is running and adding to your blessings all the while you are fasting. And, if you read the Qur’an while you are fasting, the blessings come at a much higher rate. If you pray Tarawih. If you sit in a Majlis Dhikr’ Allah. If you give charity. The more you do, the faster the blessings accrue. And the meter is running even when you sleep. Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said the blessings of fasting continue even when you nap . But that doesn’t mean you should sleep the entire day from Suboh to Maghrib, only to wake up to break your fast.
Fasting is for Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, a spiritual worship that is between you and Him only. Nobody knows what the reward will be. Nobody knows how Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, will reward you.
In a Hadith of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he was reported to have said:
Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He will say to the young boy, the one who is fasting, Oh young man, you have left your food, your drink, and bodily desires for Me. You are for Me at the level of my Angels.
We say young boy because it is more difficult for them to fast. Those of us who are older are more seasoned and accustomed to fasting. Why? When we say bodily desires, this is the same as the animals – fulfilling their lusts at will. Drinking, eating, rutting. But Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is saying that the person who is fasting is above that. We are human, one level under Angels, and a higher level than animals. And if you perform more acts of worship, your level will be higher. Because we perform special acts of worship. Angels do not fast. They pray but they do not fast. Fasting is only for the sons of Adam. Angels do go to Hajj but we go to Hajj.
Angels, when they pray, they qiam (standing upright), or rukuk (bowing), or sujud (prostration). Not all three. Only one of the three. And always the same one. From the time that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, until the end of days, always the same. And subhannallah wal hamdhu lillah wa laa ilaha il Allah wa’ Allahu akbar non stop. This dhikr is like breathing for the sons of Adam.
But our prayer is a combination of the three and we choose the recitation from the Holy Qur’an. And the dhikr in between positions. And when did prayer become mandatory? During the ‘israq wa’l mih’raj. The night journey of Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the audience with the Lord of all creation, Almighty and Glorious is He.
Why did it become an obligatory act at this time? Because Prayer is wasilah with Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, and number 2 because Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw how the Angels prayed and Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, told him this is the prayer of Angels, but the prayer of your ummah is a mixture of all of these as a gift for you. And to whom do we pray? To Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
If you are in need of something and you go and ask somebody for help, you will feel slightly ashamed of your need to ask. But when you ask Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, you ask Him with both hands raised in supplication – no hint of bashfulness. Ya Allah!! And you are happy.
So we perform acts of worship that are special for you. Our prayer is special. The five times prayer daily is special for you. There is tahajjud, there is dhuha, there is sunnah, and so on..
And Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said that no one knows what Allah has prepared for you for your fasting.
Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is reported to have said
If my ummah knew of the blessings they are going to get, the reward they are going to get from Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, from Ramadhan, they would ask Allah to make all the year Ramadhan.
To have fasting be not only for a month but for the entire year. But we don’t know. Because, although we perform this spiritually, we don’t know the meaning of it.
We speak of prayer. When pray, the meter starts running. When you pray in congregation, the meter runs much faster. Tarawih, tahajjud, qiam ul lail, tasbih. These all have a different taste in Ramadhan, praise Allah. So when it comes time for the reward for these acts of worship, the reward is known only by Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. Any act of worship you perform during Ramadhan will be doubled for you.
Why?
Those who are patient, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, said that they will be rewarded with an open account. Like a blank cheque. Fill in the amount. But how much? Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, will enter it for you.
So, how is it? For other acts of worship, like charity, or prayer and there is a scale by which the reward is calculated. But when the patient come, and they have been fasting and performing other acts of worship simultaneously and are dedicated to seeking the pleasure of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, while they are fasting. Fasting is not simply to refrain from eating and drinking and then to sit at home and watch television and then spend too much time browsing for your food for breaking your fast. This is not the fasting of the patient. This is fasting just to break your fast. Scheduling your month of Ramadhan around who you will break fast with, where you will break fast, and what you will eat when you break fast, is not engaging in acts of worship. This is wasting your time.
Ramadhan needs spiritual food. Taqwa’Allah. The food for your spirit is fasting. The food for your physical, your body, is incidental. But now, your spirit is weak. But when you fast, it energizes your spirit.
When someone asks him What do you like from this life? He said: Three things. Then came the question: What are they? Now listen to the answer. Of course, these three things you won’t like.
He said Sickness. Fasting. And Death.
Why?
He said: With fasting my physical will be calm but my spirit will be active. With sickness I will be close to Allah. With death I will be with Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
His understanding is different than ours. May Allah bless us with Rahmah.
Fasting is not only refraining from food and drink. You are engaged in an act of worship with Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. What are you going to do?
Have any of us made a plan for Ramadhan?
If Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has permitted you to fast for the month of Ramadhan, and he has blessed you with the one night – the Night of Power. One night during which your acts of worship are equal to eighty six years of dedicated worship, daily fasting and nightly qiam ul lail. Eighty six years.
So then your plan for Ramadhan. Your list. And where you are going to pray. Do you select your Masjid based on how many cycles of prayer they follow for Tarawih prayer. Do you check for the length of the Qur’anic verses read for each cycle. Do you make excuses for praying only eight cycles rather than the full twenty cycles. This is your worship of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. How long are you going to waste your time. If you attend a short Tarawih prayer, or worse yet, miss Tarawih entirely, you go home after Isya’ for what? To watch television?
Ramadhan is the month of worship much more than any other month. Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, wants you to be rewarded. He forces you to be rewarded, Almighty and Glorious is He. He forces you to be among the inheritors of paradise.
Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, once was sitting with the companions and he smiled. Sayyidinah Abu Bakr said that when he smiled it was like the light of heaven coming from his mouth, Allah bless him and grant him peace. So the companions asked him why he was smiling. He replied:
There are people who are going to enter paradise by force. Allah will force them to enter paradise. They will be dragged in chains into paradise. The companions asked who these people were. He said Whoever obey me and Allah will enter paradise. And who does not, he will not enter paradise
There are people who argue that Tarawih prayer is only eight cycles of pray so why do we do twenty? If you don’t want to pray twenty cycles, don’t try to pretend to be a jurist. Simply accept that you are lazy and be done with it. But, what will you do at home by getting back earlier? You will check the food, see what is on television. Maybe even sleep early. But what about your worship of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. Fasting is for Me. He said, Almighty and Glorious is He. Ramadhan is His gift to you, Almighty and Glorious is He.
If you want to pray, there are two possible (spiritual) cheques for you for praying Tarawih. One is for eight thousand Ringgit. And the other is for twenty thousand Ringgit. Which one do you want.
For worldly matters if they tell you that you have a choice of these two cheques you will select the larger of course. And if they tell you you have to stay longer, you will be ready to stay all night to get the larger cheque.
Do you think that by our prayer, or our fasting, or neglecting to do either of these, do you think Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is going to lose anything? Who is the loser in this? We ourselves are the losers if we miss this opportunity. You need to remember that the meter will run for you faster with each additional act of worship you perform during this extra-ordinary month. Just as your electricity meter will run faster, and cost you more, with each light you turn on, and with each air-conditioner you turn on.
But with Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, the reward will also be for you, it will not cost you anything but your effort.
Those who diligently fast, will have a special light in their graves. This is the heavenly light that accompanies those who fast even after death. The others in the graveyard, those who are less diligent, and who have not been given this light, they will see when someone dies and is buried, that they are accompanied by a special light. They will ask What is this light? They will be told This is the light of those who fasted.
Fasting. Qiam ul lail. Standing to prayer at night. Not Niam ul lail. Sleeping all night. Especially during Ramadhan. Again I emphasize that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said that the reward for this worship is for Him to provide, Almighty and Glorious is He.
So, now we need to struggle. Mujahada – fasting is jihad – a struggle in the name of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. And those who fast are Mujahada – those who struggle for the sake of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. Mujahada when you fast. Mujahada when you pray. Mujahada when you complete a full reading of the Holy Qur’an.
How many of us will complete one full reading of the Holy Qur’an during the month of Ramadhan? How many of us plan to complete one full reading of the Holy Qur’an during the month of Ramadhan?
If you manage to complete one full reading of the Qur’an it will be common knowledge. You will tell everyone. But there are people who, during the month of Ramadhan, they manage to completely read the Qur’an ten times. Alhamdhu’lillah. These are people who know how to spend their time.
Others, when they go home after prayer, they say they have to sleep. They plan to pray Tahajjud, but they sleep so soundly that nothing will wake – they may even be late for sahul. Even those who have extreme difficulty sleeping, if you advise them to pray Tahajjud, the very night they plan to follow your advice, they will sleep the night through. Because when it comes to worship, the devil will come and do his most to prevent you from starting, or continuing with your worship.
There are people who repent, sincerely, to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, during this blessed month of Ramadhan. Alhamdhu’lillah, this is great. When you repent to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, you get two things. First, you become a beloved of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, because Allah loves the repentant. Second, you declare war against Iblis, Lucifer, shaitan, the devil, call him whatever you like, he is your declared enemy. You make a public declaration Ya Shaitan, I declare war against you. I am going to fight you. Shaitan will say Wait for me after Ramadhan.
After Ramadhan, our brother on the first night it will Allah opened the door for repentance, come to prayer at the Masjid. Plus many other acts of worship. Reading the Qur’an, Dhikr’Allah, wirid, istighfar – seeking forgiveness. But when Ramadhan is finished, he is finished. The first day, all worship is gone. You come to the masjid – barren. If you come to Tarawih – you will find many brothers praying and this is not obligatory, it is optional. But when Ramadhan is finished, where are they. For the mandatory prayer, they don’t come to the Masjid. We pray the optional and we forget about the obligatory.
Shaitan will declare war. He won’t allow his disciples to go missing.
But, if you use Ramadhan, which is the best time for your supplication to be accepted. Why? We said earlier that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said that fasting is for Him. Fasting is for Me.
Ayatul siam, in Surat Al Baqarah,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-
أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَن تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ الصِّيَامِ الرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَائِكُمْ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ فَالْآنَ بَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَابْتَغُوا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ الْخَيْطُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْخَيْطِ الْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ الْفَجْرِ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا الصِّيَامَ إِلَى اللَّيْلِ وَلَا تُبَاشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَاكِفُونَ فِي الْمَسَاجِدِ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves; but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah: Approach not nigh thereto. Thus doth Allah make clear His Signs to men: that they may learn self-restraint.
Surat Al Baqarah – 183:187
These five ayat talk about fasting. And talk about supplication. Inserted into the middle – Ayat 196 – talks about supplication. And then continues with instructions for fasting. The single Ayat (186) in the middle, does not talk about fasting, it takes about supplication. Why?
Listen to this because it is very important. For each act of worship, when we fast, when we give charity, when we help others, when we forgive others, when we pray five times, and so on.., this is all for us to be close to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. Each act of worship that you perform, with sincerity, brings you, step by step, closer to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
During Ramadhan it is a different story. What happens? He said, Almighty and Glorious is He:
Ya Mohammed. If My servants ask you concerning Me, I am very near. I will definitely answer the supplication of the one who asks Me.
Other than in Ramadhan we are trying to be near to Him, Almighty and Glorious is He. During Ramadhan, He is near to us, Almighty and Glorious is He.
This is like if you go to a wedding in which the King will be in attendance. And you are seated on the fringes because you are not one of the VVIPs in attendance. But you want to be near to the high and mighty so you attend. So think of your reaction if the King, seated at the Head Table on the Dias, spots you in the crowd and asks his Personal Attendant about you. And the next thing you know, you are being escorted to be seated next to the King for some reason. Everyone would be a state of wonderment. But think even further of the same event but, instead of being escorted to sit with the King, the King himself leaves his seat at the Head Table and comes to join you at your table. This would cause an even greater commotion.
In this Ayat, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said that He is going to be near to His servants. During Ramadhan, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is going to be close to you more than you are going to be close to Him, Almighty and Glorious is He.
Everyone here wants Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, to be near to us. But what are we going to do about that desire? What is your position in fasting? What is your position during the days of fasting? What do you do for the one or two before Maghrib while waiting for the adhan? What is your position in Tarawih Prayers? What is your position in qiam ul lail?
Now I want to hear from you. Lailatul Qadr is a great night. One night of worship which is equal to one thousand months of worship. Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has given this to the ummah of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, wherein the worship of one night is credited with the equivalent worship of one thousand months, night and day.
That would be like you working for a company for one day and they decide to award profit sharing to employees. And the employee who has worked there for forty years gets one million, and you also get one million. Strange you would think. This is Lailatul Qadr.
No need to ask what night is Lailatul Qadr. It is one of the last ten nights of Ramadhan. For the profit of one thousand months, night and day, you can invest the effort of ten nights of worship to be guaranteed you worshiped on the correct night.
If you do this every year, that spend the last ten nights of Ramadhan in sincere worship, you will be sure to have covered lailatul Qadr each year. And if you do this for ten years and have always been sincere, you have accumulated ten thousand months of night and day sincere worship. Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is so generous. Allah Kareem.
And in fasting there are three degrees. Al Imam Al Ghazali said:
Saum (fasting) is three degrees. General public fasting – stop eating, drinking, bodily pleasures. Special fasting – also includes the first, but adds fasting of the eyes – not to see what Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has forbidden to be seen; not to hear frivolous, or senseless material. And the third is the Special among the Special fasting – also includes the previous two but adds that your heart fasts from everything other than Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. And your mind to fast from everything other than Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. You love to be exclusively for Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
And the Scholars have called this third level ihsan. They also have said that whoever, during their day of fasting starts to think of their breakfast, of what they are going to eat, for the level three – the special of the special – such a thought will be considered a sin against the faster. You trust in Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, and you still want to think of your food?
There are those who fast but gets nothing from fasting, only hunger. And from qiam ul lail, only sleepy.
That’s all. No reward. Remember Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has said Fasting is Mine. And your life could be changed for ever. Your life could be changed to become mu’mineen. Where do you get the degree of friend of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He? Who knows?
Al Hassan al Basri, may Allah be well pleased with him, was fasting one day when a beggar came to his door. He asked his servant what food was available and he replied ten eggs. Hassan al Basri told him to give the beggar all ten eggs. Leaving himself with nothing with which to break his fast. The servant, thinking to help his Sheikh, held back one of the eggs and gave the beggar nine eggs. Later in the day, Just before the time for breaking fast, someone came to the door and delivered ninety eggs which he handed to the servant. When Hassan counted the eggs he saw that there were ninety. He asked where the other ten were. He asked his servant how many eggs he gave to the beggar and he admitted that he gave only nine. He said See. We lost ten because of you. Such unshakable faith and trust.
Not like us. They are al muqineen. When you pray to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, you must have full faith – yaqeen – otherwise nothing will work for you. If you are 100% sure He will give you what you ask for you will get what you want.
And for Ramadhan, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is the One who gave it to us. So, either you are going to use Ramadhan, or you are going to lose Ramadhan.
وَالْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
The month of fasting is coming. Don’t say next year I will do…. Try your best from know. I know people who prayed with us last year during Ramadhan and they fasted with us. Before this Ramadhan arrives, we have prayed Jenazah for them. They passed away already. And they were hoping to fast in Ramadhan.
This is your chance. If Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, blesses us to fast, do your best to avoid disputes, to avoid jealousies, don’t think of anything except to get near to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
Ahlu jennah. They are a group of ahlu jennah who are going to enter Paradise but once there, their aim is not to enjoy Paradise only. For these people, if they are not going to meet Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, while in Paradise, they will scream in Paradise as the lost souls scream in Hell. Because they want Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
When I read the history of South East Asia, I see that this land has delivered great names among the Soliheen. People who have changed the lives of the people in this land. In some ways, they are like us. But they have one thing different – ikhlas. Sincerity. And love for Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He. We have good in many things but we are not good in ikhlas.
Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, has provided us with the month of ikhlas, Ramadhan. And He says Fasting is mine. It is for me. Spiritual worship. Altogether. If you want your life to change, here is the time. If you want you supplications to be accepted, Ramadhan is the open door, insha’Allah. So stand for Ramadhan from now. Plan to have a group of you to meet at the Masjid every day, insha’Allah, three, four, five, as many as you can. Plan to meet for dhikr, istighfar, reading Al Qur’an with the exegesis (translation, plus meaning). This in itself is great.
One day Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out from his house and there was a group of people at the Masjid sitting together. He came up to them and after giving salaams, he demanded to know why they were sitting there. He was in an agitated state. Those there meekly responded that they were only sitting and remembering Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, and praising Him for his mercies, and thanking Him for having sent His Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to them, Almighty and Glorious is He. Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, pressed them By Allah, is that the reason? They confirmed, by Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, their intent and action. He then smiled. He said: Wa Allahi, I did ask you because of something. But Jibreel, peace be upon him, came to me. And he said ‘Ya Mohammed, Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, said to you “Go to these people, this halaqah adh dhakireen, and tell them that Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, is very proud of them, before all of His Angels. An act such as this, during the month of Ramadhan, your supplication will be accepted and He is proud of you, Almighty and Glorious is He.
Why, when Ramadhan comes, sometimes we listen to lectures and the speaker is warning his audience about Hell. To beware of Hell. And the Hellfire. Trying to frighten everyone.
No. We don’t want to worship Allah because we are afraid. We want to worship Him because we love Him, Almighty and Glorious is He. This is the worship of slaves. When we read Al Qur’an, what do we start with. Ar Rahman. No Jabar. Al Mutakim. We read, Ar Rahman, Ar Raheem. Al Latif. Al Kabir. That is the beautiful thing. Sometimes in our Ratib we recite Al Latif, Al Kabir, Subbhanallah. This is beautiful. And this is the way of Sayyidinah Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace. We sent you only as a mercy to all mankind. Bi’l Mu’mineen ar Ra’ufur Raheem. Not what you’re hearing.
Be within the circle. Be like those great people in Islam.. Al Imam Al Ghazali, Sayyidinah Junaid.al Baghdad. Hassan Al Basri. Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al Jailani. Imam Al Haddad. Be like the companions – Sayyidinah Abu Bakr, Sayyidinah Umar, Allah be well pleased with them all. These are the great people.
Don’t waste you time. Worship Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, with love. Allahu Akbar.
If you have a problem to have khushuk – reverent attention to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, during your prayer. I will give you a good solution for this.
When you prostrate, you sujud, to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, the time when He is very near to you, especially during Ramadhan, and even more so at night, and because you are fasting, say Ya Allah. I am your servant. I am very weak. As shaitan is very determined. I have so many distractions with problems in my life. Ya Allah Help me. Clear these for me. Guide me.
Say whatever you want to say. Don’t try to remember the supplications from the books. Be yourself. Ask what you need from Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, in your own way. Ya Allah. Please help me. I want to be a good man. I want to be near to you in Paradise. I want my sins to be forgiven. I want my book of life to be opened for me and I see all goodness and no transgressions. Do this every night and He will bless you for sure, Almighty and Glorious is He. Maa sha’Allah. And by the will of Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, your life will be changed. Because you are praying to Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He.
May Allah, Almighty and Glorious is He, bless us all with rahmah and barakah fi dunia wa’l akhirat.
Ya Allah, during the month of Ramadhan bless us with sincere repentance. Bless us with Your Mercy. Double our reward for us. Be near to us. Accept our supplications. Help us to fast. Help us to use our day to worship You. Our night to use it to worship You. To be among those who fill the night of power, lailatul qadr, with worship. To be among those who give generously in charity. To do all of the things that will draw us near to you ya Allah.
Ya Allah, this is the time for us to purify our hearts. Ya Allah, help us to clear our heart from all the spiritual sickness. From all the physical sickness, ya Arhama Rahimeen.
Ya Allah, there are many people to whom the doctors have said You have a life threatening disease and there is nothing that can be done for you. But, ya Allah, You are the one who heals all sickness. You are our Doctor, ya Allah. Help us to recover from physical and spiritual sickness, ya Allah.
For those who have shortcomings and difficulties in their lives, bless them with ease and reward them ya Arhama Rahimeen. Bless us to be the guest always in Your house. You are our Host. Bless us whenever we have time to be at Your house. Sujud to You. Ruku to You. Qiam to You. To remember You. Dhikr. Istighfar. Ya Arhama Rahimeen.
Ya Allah, bless us to feel that You are with us all the time. Bless us to have the first and the greatest moment when we are going to meet You, ya Arhama Rahimeen, at the end of our lives.
Bless our children with hidayah, taqwa and iman. Ya Allah, guide us. Bless us to follow as Soliheen. Al Mu’mineen.
Allah, ya Allah, be merciful to us. Bless us with Your Rahmah and barakah. Bless us with protection. Bless us always with happiness in this world and everlasting happiness in the afterlife and husnul khatimah Ya Arhama Rahimeen.