Irshaad Sedick – On Ramadaan Preparation

			Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim preparing for Ramadan. I think when people hear this phrase preparing
from Oban. We have very different ideas about what this means. For some it may mean painting the
house, getting rid of all the garbage in the yard, stuck in the feed with dates, perhaps some Zamzam
getting the thought pleats ready and stuck in the freezer with all sorts of delicacies. For others,
it may mean a more spiritual insight of Ramadan, increasing in the recitation of Quran making more
Salah being in the masjid, fasting more so that we can get used to it. So these are all ideas of how
to prepare for Ramadan. And I'd like to share my own. My understanding of debating for Ramadan is
		

			the number one, understand the objectives of Ramadan. What is Ramadan supposed to give us? What is
Ramadan supposed to be about? Number two, finding out how does Allah azza wa jal bring about those
objectives in our lives through Ramadan? In other words, what are the mechanisms that are utilized?
And then thirdly, to expedite this process, to make sure that we make this happen as best as it
possibly can, and don't get in its way don't get in the way of the prophecies actually taking place.
So let's look at it. The objectives of Ramadan are quite simple, very obvious. We've heard it so
many times. That acun so that you may attain taqwa? What is the Aqua? Aqua is that quality hiya
		

			Malika tune tamiu Sahiba it encourages and drives its its owner. LMT thoroughly our Mariela to
embody all of the commands of Allah. Watch Tina benowa he and to refrain from all of his
prohibitions. It's a conscience of God. It's a internal alarm that signals that evil is is nearby,
stay away from it, or that goodness is nearby, approach it. This is the internal quality known as
taqwa. That's the objective of Ramadan, the ultimate objective of Ramadan. How does Allah bring this
quality about in our lives? We see in the month of Ramadan, that we are supposed to fast and
therefore fasting will bring us to taqwa. We see that we are supposed to spend our time with the
		

			Quran, because this was the habit of Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, he would read the Quran every
night study the Quran every night with gibreel Allah Salatu was Salam and finish the entire Quran or
whatever was revealed of it during the month of Ramadan. And number three, we find certain acts of
worship over and above fasting like salata, we, and the Hajj, Jude and Sadako, to fitted and other
forms of charity during the month of Ramadan. And we find other things like staying away from sins
and speaking badly about others and foul language etc. So the objective is clear. We understand the
mechanisms. How do the mechanisms bring us to those objectives. If we understand that Ramadan
		

			supposed to bring about taqwa. And then we look at the mechanisms of fasting, we see that fasting
deprives as a food drink and sexual intimacy from the time the sun comes up in the morning, the time
the sun goes down. So essentially, we are depriving our animalistic instincts, our basic essentials
of life for a certain time period to a certain degree, so that we can get this quality of taqwa. And
just this mechanism alone can teach us something that by depriving some of our normal activities,
even our essential activities, we allow other elements within us to flourish and to grow, for tasks
to take place for growth to take place. So imagine if we expedite this process. We don't only stay
		

			away from food, drink and physical intimacy. But we also stay away from other things that we may not
even assume to be bad for us, such as indulgences, entertainment, not watching movies and CDs in the
month of Ramadan, not listening to music and radio programs in the month of Ramadan, limiting our
social media interaction in the month of Ramadan. And through this, we actually expedite the process
of this deprivation for growth to happen. Remember, the basic verse in the Quran, Allah says that
you will never attain the land general Dora had that in Fukushima to head bone. You will never
attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love. So the more you sacrifice and deprive
		

			yourself of during Ramadan, the more growth you'll experience and that growth is taqwa, Allah to
Allah grant us taqwa and allow us to pray, prepare ourselves for the month of Ramadan
		

			and hamdulillah