Ibraheem Menk – The Last 10 Nights Of Ramadan – Laylatul Qadr

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. Inshallah, we will be starting a new series wherein we
will be sitting down and discussing different topics mashallah we are in the month of Ramadan and
firstly we thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for having granted us this opportunity to witness another
Ramadan, we ask Allah to make us from those who are successful those who are freed from the fire and
those who are entered into the highest pass of Jannah. Ameen. We are almost into the last 10 nights
of Ramadan Inshallah, today we will be discussing the last 10 nights of Ramadan speaking a little
bit about the Quran, as well as Les little title. I'm joined by Sheikh Ibrahim mink, Salam aleikum,
		

			welcome, Lake wa salam ala la Barakatuh. It's a pleasure being here and Hamdulillah. Once again, we
back to our discussions. I know Previously, we had some discussions a few years ago and of
Hamdulillah that went quite well. Actually looking through Instagram and YouTube. A lot of people
have been asking, it's been about two years now after the pandemic, people ask when are you going to
sit together with Sheikh Ibrahim and discuss different topics? So Alhamdulillah we back together?
Sheikh I wanted to ask you, do you have anything to say when it comes to the month of Ramadan as a
whole? How can a Muslim benefit from this month what should they be doing? What should they be
		

			staying away from what's the actual virtue of this month? You know, Subhan Allah, Allah subhanho wa
Taala tells us learn the content tekun The reason for fasting is so that we are God conscious of
Allah subhanho wa Taala we become more conscious of the fact that he is watching us He sees us He is
all knowing, etc. So this is the primary reason for Ramadan, you know, for a person to fast the
month of Ramadan. But having said that, the thing that I've been trying to focus on this Ramadan is
to say, Why am I hungry? Why am I thirsty? And what does this do in the grand scheme of things. So
it's instituted once a month, once a year, every year, and it's for one month. Now, this one month
		

			can actually be a training process for the rest of the year. And our Ramadan's all together should
be a process within which we actually benefit for our entire lives and we change our entire lives.
So this is what I've been trying to do to almost look at it as a bootcamp where you go for a short
period of time, it's intensive, you keep away from that which is usually halal, your usual halal
foods, halal drink Halal desires you keep away from that and simply because you know that out of the
month of Ramadan, I can't do certain haram things. Yes, masha Allah, when pondering over the reason
behind this month, obviously there's many as you mentioned, law, Allah commanded the home so you may
		

			attain Taqwa. I think also what we can take from this is look at how every single year, so 11 months
and then there's a month of Ramadan, that comes 11 months a month of Ramadan that comes and it's
like, as you mentioned, the bootcamp it's a reset, and it shows us that yes, this when it comes to
this is when it comes to fasting, but also when it comes to other things in our lives especially are
very bad. It's important to take account of ourselves every every so often. So for example, your
Salah mashallah you perform your Salah. Once in a while, at least take account is my salah in order
Am I performing Salah in the best of manner? You look at your business, for example, am I following
		

			the business principles that Islamically compliant look at your character and conduct person may
feel that so many months ago mashallah I made a promise with Allah, that I would have good character
and good conduct and they went through it for one month, two months, and then at times because they
don't renew that pact with themselves. People tend to lack and as the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam says in a hadith, that Eman, it weighs away. So a person should renew their Eman. I think
that's where a lot of us actually go wrong. We think that our image should always be on a high and
it should always be such that it is the best. Now obviously, we strive for that we want that. But
		

			it's not always the case. As human beings it's up and down. We end up making mistakes and our iman
you know dwindles and then you renew that faith. So renewing the pact with yourself as you
rightfully Queen date you know is actually very, you know, very well said because if you look at
that,
		

			we constantly going through these cycles of sin and then towboats and Tober or you make a mistake,
sometimes it's not necessarily a big sin that you're committing, but it's something where you've
slipped up. Now the most important thing in that situation is to turn back to Allah subhanho wa
Taala and ask His forgiveness. And this actually leads to a purification
		

			process that becomes dear to a person because you feel distant from Allah subhanho wa Taala the
minute you do a let me turn back to Allah subhanho wa Taala let me repent. And sometimes it's not
even a sin that you've committed sometimes you're just going about your day to day life and chose
and you become heedless of Allah subhanho wa Taala and this is where I find like the five Salawat
they play a big role in reminding us of Allah, Allah Bucha is that you are jealous. So for a person
who doesn't pray, that person generally becomes more and more heedless because he doesn't respond to
the call of Allah subhanho wa Taala yet someone who perhaps after the fact fragile Salah is began
		

			the day on a high of faith, and then he goes by 910 o'clock he's you know, he's dwindling he's now a
bit more heedless is involved in the dunya with his business or his his job or whatever it is, come
time for Salah to Salah Toto. You hear the unknown you remember Allah subhanho wa Taala you go back
and you actually reconnect with your Maker. So I think that's something that is of utmost
importance. You know, when Allah subhanho wa Taala spoke about Ramadan being compulsory upon us
immediately in the next verse, he says, Shadow Ramadan, a lady on Zillow V Hill Quran, a month of
Ramadan is the month where in the Quran was revealed. Somebody asked the question, they said, how
		

			can we become people of the Quran? And at the same time, I want to add to that question is what
would you say to a person, especially in the month of Ramadan, who's trying their best, and
obviously, there's people people at different levels, those who can't recite at all, they still need
to learn those who can recite a few verses those who have memorized a little bit, those have
memorized more, what would you say to all these people, you know, something that I'm a big proponent
proponent of is to start small, but be consistent, because it's very easy for a person to say, let
me sit for five hours today and read the Quran. But are you going to be consistent with that, if
		

			you're going to be them variant fine. But if you're not, then do half an hour, 20 minutes, you know,
I believe in the five minute rule where you start something for five minutes a day, because you're
overcoming that mental block of saying, I've got to sit and start on this whole thing. And it will
take me so much time. I'll just read five minutes of Quran today. And tomorrow, five minutes and the
following day, but I'm consistent with those five minutes. And what happens with time, naturally,
you actually increase that, and now you've already overcome that mental block. I remember there was
a guy who said that, I know it's a bit of an extreme example, but he said he traveled I think about
		

			20 minutes to get to the gym, it's been five minutes in the gym, and he'd be out.
		

			So it could be out of the out of the gym. And he did that for three weeks or four weeks after which
he actually became consistent. And then he started going to the gym for much longer time. So if we
take that into our lives and and inculcate it into our Islamic, you know, traditions or a bladder,
etc. I think we can actually benefit from that in a great way. Yes, I think as you mentioned, also
when it comes to the Quran for person to become a person of the Quran, they've obviously got to
start reciting stuff more importantly, understanding what Allah subhanho wa Taala is saying. Even if
you can recite in Arabic, start reading the translation, start listening to those who've actually
		

			explained the Quran, those who have Quranic lessons in depth Quranic lessons, and mashallah, there's
a lot of people who teach like that, because you find a lot of the times the translation,
		

			translation of the Arabic language, and it's just the verse as it is. A lot of the times people who
only read the translation don't know the reason of Revelation, they don't know the different stories
or the different incidents that actually occurred. And what are some of the rulings behind these
verses at times, there may be a difference of opinion when it comes to a scholar speaking about a
certain ruling, etc. And just knowing all this makes you a lot more or it helps you appreciate the
Quran as well as the deficit. What you mentioned is true because
		

			Allah subhanaw taala tells us that the Quran is a message for us, it's a message from him to
mankind. So, if we look at it as that, then it's the most important aspect would be to understand
that message from Allah subhanho wa taala. I mean, you, you might have a person who is disbelieving,
for example, or is a person of another faith and they read the Quran, but they don't understand it.
That person is not really benefiting from it. But the person who understands the message and doesn't
actually read the Quran would be better off because he understands the word of Allah subhanho wa
taala. Obviously each each one has its place and its importance, but of utmost importance is to
		

			understand what Allah subhanaw taala is saying.
		

			Talking to us. And having said this, you know, funny enough we come across individuals who tell us
no don't listen to, you know the tafseer or don't look into the serial be confused etc. I think such
people want to control the way you perceive Islam or you understand Islam, so they don't want you to
look through it, they want you to take it from them. But if you look through this regularly, then
where you are confused you turn back to those who have more knowledge and you ask them, but it's the
word of Allah subhanho wa Taala is the word of your creator for you. What better way to interact
with the Quran to engage with the Quran? Yes As Allah says a fella yet at the Barun Al Quran calling
		

			the people literally it's encouraging people to ponder over the Quran and reprimanding those who
don't wander over the Quran, Allah is saying Do they not ponder over the Quran? In another verse,
Allah says Kitab on Anza Allahu La como para Kalia the bottle at this is a blessed book that Allah
revealed. Why did he reveal it? So the people ponder over it. You know, there's one interesting
point I want to touch on. And that's when it comes to we obviously mentioned recitation and we
mentioned understanding when it comes to the month of Ramadan as a person is encouraged to do both
as best as possible. At times you find some scholars who may mentioned that it's, it's more
		

			befitting or it's better for a person to recite more during the month of Ramadan and that is a valid
opinion. And there's those who say no, whatever you recite, try to ponder over it and understand it
is so everybody has the HDX heard and their opinions as long as a person in sha Allah is engaging
with the Quran understanding the Quran and building as you mentioned a habit a habit that is
		

			a habit that habit that is consistent such that he's able to carry on even after the month of
Ramadan so personally I don't feel that there's anything wrong in Ramadan if somebody wanted to go a
little bit more so they wanted to read instead of one Jews to Jews or three Jews and four Jews and
then after the month of Ramadan, they would go back to one juice back to half a juice. I would think
there is no problem in that but the problem occurs when you return juice or you read one juice then
after Ramadan, you leave your Quran completely till the next month. Yeah. Know
		

			what you've said is absolutely true And subhanAllah we have also the night of Les little huddle,
coming up. And what I find amazing is that we literally said we starting Ramadan just now it feels
like it was yesterday, yesterday and today we were talking about a little huddle in the last 10
Nights. So what would you say with regards to the Riba and what we should do etcetera. So obviously,
as Allah says, Lay little cuddly hiraman Alfie shall lay that will cover is better. When 1000 months
Allah said better. He didn't say 1000 It could be 2000 10,000 1 million more than 1 million Allah
subhanho wa Taala rewards, how he sees befitting and he is the most kind and the most generous.
		

			Also, if you if you ponder over the amount of time that's specified, you would find that that is
equivalent, if not more to a whole lifetime of worship, a whole lifetime of worship, it's important
for a person to seek this night and try their best to make the most of it. Obviously, the debate
always occurs when is Les little clutter, there's so many different opinions at the end of the day,
these are all he had that this is somebody had an opinion they may be right they may be wrong,
somebody may say the 27 based on some Ahadi some may say the 29th based on somebody, some may say
the ordinance based on a lot of Heidi some may say that even though it's based on other ahaadeeth So
		

			Allahu Allah, Allah knows best but their opinion I lean towards Moses, just try your best in the
last 10 Nights completely odd or even more likely the odd and some mentioned more likely the 27th to
the 29th. And maybe you can tell us some of the EBA that person should actually be engaged, you
know, try their best to do when it comes to the site. You know, from from the Sunnah of Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we find that he would recite the Quran he will perform Salah at night.
And this is how the tarawih Salah that we performed today it was you know began originally where he
stood up and he performed the Salawat etc. And in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, we find that he
		

			became much more engaged with Allah subhanho wa Taala he really is shut delaneys Or he tightened up
his belt meaning to say that he left let go of the world the desires and looked at or focused on
Allah Subhana Allah to Allah during those last 10 Nights. So I think that that would be the primary
way to worship Allah subhanho wa Taala your ADKAR remembering Allah subhanho wa Taala and you can
		

			switch between different Ibaadat when you get tired of one, or you feel like you're a bit bored,
take a bit of a break. Think of Allah subhanaw taala that's enough to actually be in arriba that you
know, remember Allah subhanho wa Taala within yourself. Remember Allah subhanho wa Taala generally
when it comes to Laila to edit and the last few nights, it's a bother that's being performed on your
own. Usually a lot of people are just, you know, performing solo on their own. But you can gather
your family for for a funeral car together, lead them in prayer, there is sincerity, there is
goodness in that and imagine being surrounded by the melodica being surrounded by the angels with
		

			your family in an intimate setting. I think that's something that we should look towards. Yes, as
you mentioned, also the Hadith of the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where he would wake his
family up so that they could also actually benefit and make the most of this night. So for those who
have families, it's encouraged you encourage your children, encourage your parents, if you're living
with them, encourage your husband or your wife, whoever it may be, to actually make the most of this
night and search for it, look for it and a person searches for this night by making a bed. And as
you mentioned, there's many different Ibaadat and acts of worship. For those who are able to go to
		

			the masjid it's encouraged for them to go to the masjid and also for those who are able to perform
at Caffe. So erotica is where the messengers Allahu alayhi wa sallam is mentioned that he would
seclude himself in the masjid, he would be in the masjid for a mother for acts of worship, for Salah
etc, when he was informed that Leila to cuddle is in the last 10 nights of LaMotta. And then he
would make a decaf in the last 10 nights. And we find that he did this after he was informed about
it. He did it every year. So it's highly encouraged, especially for those who are able to do it.
Yes. Something that came to my mind was that how the last that that night of Leila, to cuddle. That
		

			night of Leila to cuddle is actually better than 1000 months. And that is literally giving us the
opportunity to get to the lives of the people of the past. And we've mentioned this before, it's
been mentioned by scholars, etc. Where the people of the past lived for 1000 years, you know, one
and a half, 1000 years, however long it was. Sometimes we may feel like we don't have that
opportunity. But Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us a better opportunity in the sense that we can
spend one night and reach more than 1000 months, 1000 months. So
		

			really, and truly, that's the father of Allah subhanho wa Taala over us His bounty over us in the
fact that in the sense that we don't have to actually spend that number of years, but within a short
space of time, you can, you know, reach that entire lifespan or even more than that. So we really
have to be grateful for that. Now there's one point I want to touch on. In the month of Ramadan, we
find a lot of business people, they give out the zakah they compulsory charity during the month of
Ramadan. What's important to mention is a lot of the times this pillar of Islam is occur is often a
neglected pillar of Islam in the sense that it's either people they forget, or they don't know about
		

			Zika at all, or they just become lazy. They say some people say there's nothing like Zika Zika is a
pillar of Islam. For those who generally we're not saying you have to take out your Zika in the
month of Ramadan. But generally we find people take out there as a kind of month of Ramadan because
it's easy to you know, keep track with the Islamic calendar with the lunar calendar. So it's highly
encouraged to give your compulsory charity, it's highly encouraged to give charity and if you're
somebody who gives you a compulsory charity, make sure it's given and as well as voluntary charity,
maybe you can give us some of the virtues and benefits of voluntary charity. So Rasulullah
		

			sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the most generous during the month of Ramadan. And I actually
modeled the ALLAH and he tells us you know, the famous Hadith kind of I shall do Java dominantly
Helmore Salah that he was more generous than a person, you know, then the wind that was passing so
the wind affects everybody, everybody actually benefits from the wind. And this was Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam we know that when he received something, his first thought would be how
to distribute it, how would he give it to the people etc. Because this is what he did. Immediately
he gave out whatever he had. And this is what we can learn from. We know that sadaqa actually taught
		

			we all have about rub that it gets rid of the anger of Allah subhanho wa Taala or it extinguishes
the anger of Allah subhanho wa Taala to put it in a better way. So when we feel like we're distant
from Allah subhanho wa Taala or you've committed a sin or done something wrong, give out a sadaqa
because that extinguishes the anger of Allah subhanho wa Taala and
		

			Really and truly it doesn't reduce our wealth in any way, but it actually increases it. Allah
subhanho wa Taala says em help Lucha Libre or you will be sadaqat Allah uses the word for riba
because it means interest, which means to grow. He actually says Allah destroys Riba. And then he
says, and you will be and he makes a rebirth of your sadaqa. What does that mean? Mean him meaning
he makes your sadaqa grow. So when you look at the two,
		

			when you actually receive rebirth, rebirth in reality, you're actually receiving money so your money
grows. That's the reality apparently of it. But yes, apparently, but the reality is that rebar
actually destroys your wealth. And how cool Lucha Libre Allah will destroy that, well, they will
become nothing eventually. And while you're with Sadat, and your sadaqa actually makes it grow. But
apparently, when you look at your sadaqa, you had $1,000, you gave 100, you only have 900 left. So
you feel like it's reduced. But with Allah subhanahu Attallah it's actually growing, and it becomes
much, much greater than you can imagine. Yes, and there's a lot of Allah puts baraka and He blesses
		

			that wealth, how many a time we see people who have millions, hundreds of millions, billions, and
they still not content, the wealth cannot get cannot get them what they want, especially when it
comes to internal happiness. And also you find that a lot of people like that they end up
squandering everything, I think they back down to rags. So it's extremely important to give out
sadaqa also, to look after the poor wherever you're able to. And that doesn't only mean monetarily,
these famous Hadith where the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is speaking about the reward of
somebody who gives a fasting person, some food or something to open or break his fast with. So I
		

			think it's extremely important for us to also look when it comes to feeding the poor and helping
them in any other way.
		

			Along Is there anything else you'd like to mention or add when it comes to this? halacha maybe when
it comes to, I don't know, eat or just before eat anything to mention when it comes to that? Yes,
yes. I don't know whether it's a hadith that says, Lisa Lee Deulim and Akella, Labatt enamel, Ido
lumen other development. I think that's a line of poetry, or line of poetry. So, you know, it is not
for the one who just is looking forward to eating and enjoying and, but it's for the one who really
worshipped Allah subhanho wa taala. And this read is known as a dual filter. And as we, you know, I
think we highlighted it previously, but
		

			I feel like the fasting they can be similar rised to your entire life. And if you look at how you're
deprived through this past, from the time that you begin to the time that you end, and then when you
end,
		

			despite all the hunger and the thirst and everything, you now take that first sip of water, water
and it goes down your throat, you actually feel that coolness spreading throughout your body. And
similarly, a person who fasts sorry, a person who goes through life, he deprives himself throughout
his life. And the day that he dies is actually the day that he his first little, you know, his day
of meeting with Allah subhanho wa taala. And the Hadith ties in quite well to this way. Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tells us, this saw me for Hatton that the first fasting person has two
points of happiness, but how to name the field three or four how to indelicate that a happiness when
		

			he breaks his fast and a happiness when he meets his load? So what's the tie between the two?
Perhaps if you look at it, in that sense, in that light, then you could actually gather that when a
person dies, they meet Allah subhanho wa Taala they're happy because they deprive themselves
themselves throughout their life, similarly to similar to a fasting person who's deprived himself
from water, drink and desires throughout the day. So yeah, it will filter is a time of happiness for
those who have actually worshipped Allah subhanaw taala been hungry and thirsty and kept away from
the desires for Allah subhanho wa Taala they really enjoy that aid now, because they're doing it for
		

			Allah as well. You know, we may not have another session during the month of Ramadan. So maybe we
could just touch on the six facets of Shawwal also that come after that. Maybe you could mention
some of the virtues and the Hadith of the messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam Yes, one sama Ramadan
bar who sit them into one kind of calcium in Doha, like the one who has fasted Ramadan and when he
first six days of a show, well, then it is as though he has posted the entire year. Now, having
fasted the entire year
		

			It literally means every single day of that year would have been. You fasting for Allah subhanho wa
Taala this is an opportunity that we shouldn't miss this is an opportunity that we should really get
hold of, and to be honest with you, fasting is not my strong suit. So I'm not a person who would,
you know, naturally just going fast. But I every every year, I make that intention and I say, You
know what, I'm going to try and fast I'm going to make that intention. So if you sincerely and
genuinely make that intention to fast, then perhaps based on your intention, at least you will
receive the reward of that intention or the reward of those acts of worship. Obviously, the person
		

			who actually goes through and carries carries on, you know, and actually carries out the fasts
would, it would benefit more, and they would be high end reward.
		

			With the month of Ramadan, so far this year, do you have any highlights anything different that
maybe you could share something of benefit that you learned this time around where it maybe didn't
happen before?
		

			I've been trying to focus on how to serve and so like the fact that you think of Allah subhanho wa
Taala rewarding you for your hunger for your thirst for your iba. So the one who fasts Ramadan,
		

			the one who stands up at night, try and focus on the fact that Allah subhanho wa Taala is going to
reward you for that. And if you focus on that, that in and of itself, is a means of the reward and
the pleasure of Allah subhanahu Attallah. So just by thinking of something, you can actually attain
a lot of reward. I think that would wrap up for the session. Inshallah. In the next session, we'll
come up with a new topic, but even Allah, for those who follow, we would really appreciate if you
could share different topics you want to hear even questions maybe at the end of every session, any
questions, we could touch on those questions before I forget, or before this ends, when some of the
		

			Messiah a lot, some of the things we spoke about in the month of Ramadan, there's a lot of fifth
hemosol that come up when speaking about the so for example, long debate of eight and 20, less than
eight more than a 220 or more than 20, etc. Also, when it comes to fasting, the six days of Shawwal
What if a person has a BA, et cetera? As we mentioned before, there's a difference of opinion this
scholars who have different opinions, and I think the best would be for a person to look for a
scholar that he trusts it could be in your locality somebody you have access to. And if you feel
that they've given you a an opinion and you're happy that to hold this person between you and Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala and you feel they've given you or you're making the best decision when it comes to
your deen and you take from that
		

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