Ramadan – Getting Focused

Hamdu lillahi rabbil aalameen or salat wa salam ala shuffelin be even more saline. Say Edie now when a beginner or mo learner Mohammed in sallallahu alayhi wa sallam why? Early he was Sufi a Jemaine As salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Oh praise and thanks to you solely to Allah subhanho wa ala tree Spiess blessings and salutations upon our Master and exempla Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa either early or Safi wa Salaam. Today we looking at

what we do now we are a few hours away from Ramadan potentially if the moon is cited and of course if it is not installed it is but a few hours away.

I chose today to look at four bits of advice by emammal had dad because it was the article hi dad that was the subject of our classes for the last couple of weeks. And of course we have a strong connection to Imam Al Haddad, whose full name was Shay and Habib Abdullah ibn Ali Al Haddad al hydro Mia Shafi and then one additional bit of advice that I've added to this

in how a fasting person should conduct themselves. But really what what he's talking about here is

not a set of instructions, but a mindset. A hotseat how to get into the Ramadan zone, how to put yourself that I think we will learn much theory about Ramadan and we will be discussing in sha Allah Allah a lot of that year.

But what should be our state of mind in our state of heart as we proceed with this blessing and gift from Allah subhanho wa Taala so he begins by first and foremost reminding us about this essential bit of advice to give us the higher the condition that we supposed to be in. Man sama Ramadan, Eman and Rottie Serbian ofuro Allahumma taka dem Amin Dombey, Aman Kamara, Madonna Eman and rocky Saba who fear Allah Houma, Taka dam in Dombey. We've heard this from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam before whosoever fasts in the month of Ramadan, because of the faith in other words, in the condition of having faith, and in the condition of expecting reward.

These two words he man and the Serbian accompanies the days of Ramadan and the nights of Ramadan. And they really set the tone for how we should be, how our hearts should be, how our mind should be, how our lives should be.

We go into the month of Ramadan with firm faith that what we are doing is divine decree, it is divinely decreed from Allah subhanho wa Taala that we should fast. It's not just some human endeavor, it's something that Allah had decreed for us. And secondly, we go in with the expectation of reward from Allah with the expectation of reward. In other words, we should want we should desire we should be covered this Avi reward from him subhanho wa taala. And this sets the tone for how we enter into the month of Ramadan.

The Prophet alayhi salaatu wa salam gave us certain a tickets that we've incorporated here locally, we used to say our forefathers used to say, you know, material Plaza Vatra Marquis, for those of you who don't understand Afrikaans it means don't make your fast votary.

That's doesn't quite work in the English language. But this would be a completely different set of rules.

To the right, in fact, we discuss what breaks the fast what doesn't break the fast the do's the don'ts, the YG been the mcru and Sunnah. But this set of rules is different. This speaks about a level beyond that. And I know that many of us can recall growing up, you know, yesteryear, if somebody is fasting and they sway for them, they practically have to reverse that they may poison says Kubrick, if somebody is fasting and they lose the temper, they lose the cool, you know, the blower gasket. For them, it is as though they broke the fast on that day. It's not that they're going to eat now. But many people would actually repay that day, just because of that moment of

losing it. And this comes from an impetus in the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in which he says to us, that MALAMI adacko Lazuli while melebihi Well, Jalla Felisa de la hydrogen v a year that I thought Emma who was a robber, anyone who doesn't leave off bad speech, evil speech in Ramadan. Allah doesn't need that person deliver the food and drink

this

A very strong word from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is teaching us that look, the bare minimum is to abstain from food drink and physical intimacy from one time in the day till the other time that's that's the mechanics of fasting. But somebody could do that and gain no reward for it whatsoever. They could get nothing laser Rupa saw me laser means to me lol do while outage many of us think person they get nothing from the fast except for hunger and thirst for rope Baka Imlay some in Korea me in Lhasa, many a standing person who performs that are we and makes that they get nothing from it except fatigue. Why is this? This is because of the heart set the mindset, the zone

that the Prophet alayhi salat wa salam wants us to get into for the month of Ramadan.

So number one, in in relation to the advice by a mammal had is to prepare ourselves, that my tongue

my tongue is going to go into a fasting state. As of now,

that what I used to speak about haphazardly Ichikawa, when you start speaking about this one, as you can see, and then you start speaking about that one that the Rebbe, that's gonna stop that lying with it be what we consider to be white lies or other forms of Lies, lies are lies, right is very limited forms of, of excuse to permissible lying.

We're going to abstain, swearing, insults, right? Humiliation, verbal abuse, we're going to pose that because we don't just want the hunger and thirst we want a level beyond that.

Number two, he says refrain from looking at things that may lessen our reward of fasting. The pious predecessors used to say it assumed

it assumed to rather for anger Elashi in

the room.

If I fast and I look at something that is haram, that is not permissible for me to look at, then I've broken my forecast. The same concept, right? It's a fluke requires us to break is it broken? Is it broken? In a sense of fifth? Is your fast broken? Do you need to repay that day No. But at a level beyond

too fast and weakened ones fast with the bad habits, the bad character, that makes you fast weak. So it is as though one broke one's fast. This is a level beyond what is necessary, right? Some scholars refer to this as water. The CoA is the basics, right? to abstain from the Haram and to do that, which is why Jim,

but what our is to go above and beyond that. So watch the tongue, give the tongue a holiday, give the evil tongue or holiday, the tongue is going to go into sabbatical. Right the tongue is going to be reformed.

Because we want to fast not only with our stomachs, you want to fast with every organ, with every sense in our body. To the extent that in our fic Obeah matter about which the scholars have differed, some scholars say don't use perfume when you're fasting. Right. When in the Shafi school, that is a view as well don't use perfume while you fasting. I'm not saying that you must follow this view this is the only view I'm just mentioning that they have an understanding that fasting is beyond just that of abstinence from food drink and physical intimacy. It's a state it's a spiritual state.

Now with the first two words of advice by mammal had dad

how do you how do you accept a type of fast we in?

We first thing what we watching also to movies while we fasting?

And all these images are getting into our hearts and into our minds. What type of fast is that? worse though, the first thing of the person who neglects the sila, the first thing of the person who indulges in illicit speech and behavior all day, every day. What do you consider that type of fasting to be?

What type of benefit would you think is going to be derived from Ramadan through that?

But instead, as Imam Al Ghazali has explained, you get different levels of fasting you get the fasting of the general masses but you get a special type of fasting, where the person doesn't only abstain from the basics, but they abstain from sin, so that they can derive the maximum pleasure the maximum bliss of Ramadan

number three

Don't think I don't think everybody's going to like this one, right? But number three, stay active in Ramadan. Fasting must not be an excuse for us to sit back, relax and say no, I can't do anything because

some of us we guilty of this sometimes right? So a task comes up an activity comes up something that needs to be done let's say the house needs to be cleaned or some chore needs to be taken care of. And we say no, we can't do it today because we fast thing.

I'm

Don define that took place in

has the same Ramadan, in which the Battle of beider to placing another event that took place in Ramadan, albeit

a few years later in the eighth year after the Hegira. That was the second year in the eighth year after the Hegira another battle or not really a battle but another major event in our history took place. The conquest of Makkah, Fatah Makkah, which is also in Ramadan. Do you imagine that the Sahaba said, can you fit that back clinic? Basa? You know, I can I can verify to them. I'm busy fasting, Ramadan and fasting, the fasting person goes above and beyond. But wouldn't that lead to exhaustion? Wouldn't that lead to fatigue? Wouldn't that make us

somewhat vulnerable to be weaker at the end of the day to be more tired at the end of the day? To feel it more to be more hungry? Absolutely. It would. But that's what we want in Ramadan.

If you're looking for the type of Ramadan, we don't feel the hunger don't feel the thirst and don't feel the fatigue.

I think we need to look elsewhere I

embrace it. Because lanthanide will be raw Hatha tune Fukushima to hip bone. Not even related to Ramadan. Allah, Allah, Allah says in the Quran, you will never attain righteousness until you spend of that which you love. This is not in relation to Ramadan. But think about it. If we don't go through a period of sacrifice, of putting ourselves in a certain level of difficulty, how will we grow spiritually? How will we grow psychologically? How will we grow emotionally, so let's not be babies about it. And when things get tough in the center icon today, because I'm fasting, I can't do that because I'm fasting instead, do the opposite. If it does comes up, if a joke comes up, if

something needs to be done, let the fasting person be the first person to say no, Mister, I'm ready. I'll do it. Why? Because I'm fasting. It's the month of Ramadan. And this increased baraka and productivity in my life in my life.

Number four,

we first need to address the fact that unfortunately, there are still people who imagine I don't know it's probably because of our perception of fasting, right. Growing up I heard and I knew of many people who would fast because they've always fasted, but unfortunately, they haven't always been making Salah. So even in the month of Ramadan, they don't make Salah. So you actually get people who would wake up for so hold to eat, because they're going faster than eating and then go back to sleep and not make budget. And you would get people who would break the fast right for Iftar have Booker and have a nice party. And then everybody just continue sitting in Missouri passes by

and nobody prays mockery, nobody prays. I share that is completely unacceptable. And I won't even waste everyone's time by addressing that year. We all know there's no possible way that they can be any goodness in that. Is that person's fasting valid per se. Is the fasting still intact from a fifth level? Yes. But if it makes once fast, watery to Sui, whatever the person who doesn't perform the salah, right? So we're not going to speak about that. That's intolerable. Ever we will speak about what many of us do fall prey to and that's the slump in Ramadan that happens about 24 hours after they cite the moon. Okay, because we full of vuma They say the moon has been cited Allah Akbar

it's Ramadan everybody goes to the masjid the masjid is full the next night not so full anymore. Why? Because that burst of energy that that excitement is not enough to sustain us throughout the month of Ramadan.

Let this year be the year that we realize the more we put in the more we get out and every sooner that we can follow in Ramadan of the Prophet alayhi salaatu wa salaam to boost our

souls to boost our Eman to boost our chances in the akhirah

80 But we need to dive at that opportunity we need to embrace it with with open arms. This includes helping others break free fast. If you've never been involved in Ramadan charity in a way people are fed, you make food you prepare goodies and you share it with others. And this isn't the sharing with neighbors that should continue. That's our local practice cultural practice. Please do continue that revive with if it if it's if it's somewhat dormant in your community. Nobody else she is cookies with you. It's okay. still give them cookies, right.

But beyond that, go to those underprivileged Muslims who don't really know if there's going to be much to eat, when it's time to break free fast. If you don't know where to go, go to your local Masjid. Simple as that. If you don't know where to go, go to your local masjid for Iftar. Take a bunch of goods with you and feel what it's like to feed the fasting person or at least contribute toward feeding the fasting person. It's a phenomenal feeling. But it's not for that person. It's for you. It's for me. It's for us.

Because the prophets Allah Allahu alayhi wa sallam told us whosoever feeds the fasting person, he will get the reward of that person's fast and nobody's reward will be diminished in the least.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam

Alhamdulillah for the last couple of years in this year as well Fajr is late Mercury is early and so is the I share

I urge you not because I'm going to get paid to see the message in full I urge you because I want for you what I want for myself. Let's pull the message for salatu tarawih this Ramadan let us make that a priority. Because make the near that if we've never done this before oh it's been ages since we've accomplished this. Today we make the NIA Oh Allah accept as to be from among those who are present in salata, Tara we, every single night of Ramadan.

And for those of us who find this to be daunting, don't exclude yourself just yet. probeer try how we lose just a little bit. If you can't manage to interact. It's okay. Kung Fu a tracker. If a tracker it sounds like it's too much kung fu to rocket. If to record sounds like it's too much. Just come for salatu Ayesha, but I urge you, as a community, we owe it to ourselves, we owe it to ourselves to appreciate this gift of Ramadan more this year, because Alhamdulillah it appears as though things are coming back to normal to what we consider to be normal before but it does not go back to the type of Ramadan we three we three rows of masala stand before Allah Subhana Allah Allah

on nights that the prophets of Allah Allah wa sallam say whosoever stands in the nights of Ramadan, because they believe and hoping for reward, all of these sins will be forgiven,

who don't want to miss such an opportunity? Furthermore,

let us go out of our way

to spend time with the Quran. This Ramadan. Now I know it's difficult for many people, some people, they struggled to learn to betcha. And then they didn't really keep up with it because they were never really proficient. So often you find Muslims who are unable to recite,

or you find Muslims who can recite but they they struggle with the recitation. And it's a daunting task to complete an entire Hotham of the Quran in 30 days if you are not

somewhat fluent in your recitation. And often people who struggle and they push through that they don't quite connect with the Quran because they they busy just trying to get through the words in or just trying to piece the words together.

A simple strategy for us to take if we find that these struggles prevent us from spending time with the Quran in Ramadan, I recommend that instead of looking at the quantity that you finished per day or that you finished for the month, look at the time that you spend, make the NEA today that I can afford to spend my friend for example, a half an hour 45 minutes, an hour, one and a half hours, whatever the case may be, but I intend to spend that time for the Quran for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala every day in the month of Ramadan, even if you finish one year.

Allah will reward you

for your near and for your future.

Alma hereinbelow Khurana Sephora till caramel Bharara will levy Jaco will Khurana who Alicia Quwata ofI Fela giran remember the Prophet alayhi salaatu wa sallam said the expert with the Quran will be with the angels and the person listen to the words the person who decides to Quran were to die Delphi, how does that sound

like a starter and they start doing at site they gone, you know, they struggle. And it's difficult for them fella who are drawn, they will get through rewards. So instead of looking at the quantity, just make the knee for a time. If it's 20 minutes, 20 minutes these Mel accepted from you. What's more important is that we do it every single day. Number two, don't just make it the month of bacha. Right Pacha as much as you can, but don't only betcha don't only recite. It is very important for us to connect to the meanings of the Quran,

to connect to the feelings of the Quran, find a way to do this, be creative about it. Not everybody is going to have the self discipline and the self motivation to study by themselves. So no problem Allah has given us many means today. And we are very blessed here in in the Cape of Good, we've got so many different programs at the different masajid we're in after all, we we get a decent lecture about something of the Quran year in this Masjid Inshallah, our intention is to do the verses covering the life of Nabil Ibrahim Alayhi. Salatu was Salam and his family on the Hajj every night. And the lecture is usually between 10 and 15 minutes, we try not to, to keep it any longer than

that. But there are other masajid where they cover different aspects, my only my only sort of caution there is go where you know that you are actually going to get a decent lecture, where you're going to get a decent lesson where you can walk away with something valuable that you can apply in your life. And there's some preparation that goes into the doors, right? So everyone that's capable of that to every machine that offers that. So find it, pursue it and grab a hold of it. It's free Subhanallah for our brothers and sisters who are at home for some reason or the other. Right or perhaps the study time or the time of the Quran is not at night after the Torah we pray, I recommend

you utilize the means that Allah had given to us with all the technology that we have available. Okay. Switch off your DSTV for the month of Ramadan. You don't need the subscription to access the Islamic channel in case you were trying to use that as an excuse to switch off your Netflix subscription for the month of Ramadan. You serious about Allah, if you're serious about wanting Jana, if you serious about wanting to gain the maximum benefit from Ramadan, I challenge you to do that. Show allah how serious you are. Who's ever takes one step towards Allah, Allah will take 10 steps towards them make the effort Allah will make the change for you.

But beyond that, keep your internet on. Right? Because you can still gain so many benefits from the lessons from scholars around the world.

And I say that, while knowing full well that people are a bit strange when it comes to scholars from around the world, right? Because we think that for some reason or the other, a person with an accent is going to give you a better form of Islam than a person with your own accent. And that's a very apartheid way of thinking of things. But the point is here, you can benefit from any scholars who offer these beautiful lessons often for free online. But the most important element is you're coming to the lesson, your attendance of that lesson. Your dedication to that lesson with the NIA at Oh Allah as Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam spent time in Ramadan with these teacher Gibreel

Allah salat wa salam revising the Quran, I too will choose the teacher and spend time albeit a few minutes per day to benefit from the beauty of the Quran from the majesty of the Quran, from the Rama of the Quran. Every sooner that we can possibly gain in the month of Ramadan. Let's jump to it this year. If you've never if you've never thought it's never even come onto your radar to think of erotica. If I challenge you this year, make the intention for Ethica. Even if you can't manage 10 days, even if you can't manage full time still make the intention for ethic F in the Shafi school it's actually very easy. Every time you come into the Masjid. You can have an intention for Antica.

You don't need to stay for a certain period of time. You don't need to be in a fasting state. You don't need to have Okay, what do I you know, what can I leave for what can't I leave for it's very easy in the Shafi school of thought, as opposed to what many people think. But if you can manage the last 10 days of Ramadan in the masjid for Attica, walla Hill, our beam

can potentially change your life. I've seen it many, many times before. You want to change your life. Imagine you tell the world business people, you tell them your 10 day retreat, it will guarantee change your life, how much will they be willing to pay for it?

Africa is free. Africa is free. It's not for everyone. And it's not also compulsory upon everyone.

But for those who want, it is there for the taking. Finally, and this, we've now gone through emammal had dad's advice, which was, again, God your tongues became full of what you say in every sense of the word. Count your words in Ramadan. He said, refrain from looking at the haram. All of these things, all forms of sin weakens the fast. We see that macroporous avetta. Right. Doesn't necessarily break your fast. But what type of fasting is that? What type of spiritual benefit is there? Number three, he said remain active in Ramadan don't become lazy. Don't become

a slob. And when the excuse is non fasting, it's Ramadan. You see things are tough, it's difficult, unless of course you have an excuse some illness, etc. That's different. Number four, practice as many of the Sooners as you can, because if we were to only do the follow of Ramadan, just imagine, just think for a second right only the followed you only do your five outside as you only fast as in stay away from food, drink and intimacy. Right. No good and recitation because that's not followed. You don't even open up the Quran in Ramadan. You don't attain the masjid once not even once not even for eat because that's not followed. Not even for taraweeh or for Ayesha, that's not for imagine

that type of Ramadan. So the type of attitude where I'm just gonna I'm gonna wing it just go with the bare minimum it's not going to get us anyway rather have the opposite way can I get more good deeds because I want to maximize my month of Ramadan?

I don't know. I don't know if Allah is going to take my life away in this coming year. I don't even know if I'm going to make it till the month of Ramadan. But we've seen this lives are lost those people who passed away between last Ramadan and this Ramadan

how many of them do you think had the thought in the minds last Ramadan? That this is the last Ramadan of my life?

Honestly, how many of them

Subhan Allah, if that is as Allah let this Ramadan be enough.

My last addition to emammal had dad's advice is this. Don't wait for inspiration. And then the action. Action comes first most of the time

we often wait around for some divine in GB rerelease letter, Sam is not going to come to you brother, who is cut off, right? By Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. If you're waiting for the angel to pick you up and take you to the masjid, it's not going to happen, right? It's not going to happen if you're waiting for the most half to fall from the summer into your lap and open up on the page that you supposed to decide. It's not going to happen. If you're waiting for the staircase to Jana to come down so that you can climb straight to Allah. It's not gonna happen. The way it works with inspiration is not that we wait around and then inspiration comes in then we act No, no, no.

Allah dynasties,

mangia Dafina

then the unknown Cebu Lana, those who strive in our pathways, we will guide them to our paths. The striving comes first. The prophets of Allah Allah wa sallam said that Allah says we say if it takes one step towards me, I take 10 steps towards them, who's the terms first? Allah's 10 Or your one? First step is my step. First step is your step. And Allah will come the rest of the way. All Allah wants from us is to make a little bit of effort. So without plans that we've been discussing, without battle plan and without understanding of what happens with rawhide, we'll be looking at the next couple of hours gives us time to get into the zone, to get focused, to really think about the

state of being that we will be in at work at home with our families at night, in the morning at the masjid, how exactly we're going to conduct ourselves in terms of our tongues.

Eyes in terms of in terms of our practices and our habits, how are we going to fit in all the hierarchy that we desire from Ramadan, and then we need to get into the zone and get focused because now's the time to reap every fruit that alota had granted us in this Blissett month of Ramadan, this gift from the Divine this month, that those in the graves

would give up every penny every single Rand and st that they ever owned in this dunya they would give up all of that, that they had in their lifetimes, just to replace with one day of Ramadan, that Allah Allah is going to grant us if you think about that, think about somebody who's in the grave right now, what they would do, what they would give from what they had in this dunya to just have one moment of the month of Ramadan so that they can invest

for the grave. We have that opportunity before us may Allah subhanaw taala grant this is the week in the understanding and that we take advantage full advantage of the sacred month of Ramadan, I mean your enemy in this Masjid insha Allah just very briefly the program will be as follows

the time of Asia on the calendar, just know that five minutes after that they are then will be sounded in the mass media and immediately after the Sooners upgrade for that event we followed that will take place so there will be no waiting period as they used to be in the previous years. This is to accommodate those who usually come early and then have to wait an extended period of time and what we've observed is that those who come early are usually those who come most regularly so the the consideration will be will be given inshallah Tada and then what else we usually recite the Hoffa Jews we usually recite the offer Jews yet this masjid and we usually end of early anyways but

we'll probably be ending even earlier because of the the no waiting period after the other than even the lighter either and the talk is going to take place after the salata, we as I mentioned, our theme for this year is a life of NaVi Ibrahim Alayhi Salatu was Salam and his family and the Hajj and that will be between 10 and 15 minutes on an on a nightly basis. The same talk will also be posted on to the magics Facebook page for your families at home inshallah data dates are still for sale as in the edible kinda ugly assignments me to make sure that you know it's not dates with English and it's the dates that you can eat insha Allah but the funds for that the proceeds for that

will be towards the masjids Ramadan activities with Elijah Allah. Allah subhanaw taala Kurata subleases Ramadan and grant us the best of what it has to offer. May Allah grant us forgiveness for our sins. Allah Allah knows that we are in desperate need of Ramadan to save our souls and to make dough and supplicate yeah Rob how much don't we need to pray and beg Allah for for this OMA for the sake of this Omar for the state of the world today. And for the pain and suffering the illness, poverty and war that we face? We can all see Kiama on the horizon. Yeah, Allah make us ready for that time. Make our families ready for that time, predict our own map predict our youth, our family,

our children, our wives, our mothers, our fathers, our brothers, our sisters, our omad law job. Allow us all to reap of the fruits of Ramadan and yeah Allah even though we are not worthy of the gifts that you have in so fast for Ramadan Yeah, Allah you are Kareem. So please, shower us with your nobility and your generosity in this Ramadan allow us to eat of the fruits of Jannah as we break our fast allow us to shave off those those sticky stubborn sins and habits that we've been that we've been cursed with and retrieve cursed ourselves with throughout our lives that Allah allow us to just depart from all of that make us from the true Maharajji ruin those who make Hegira away

from the bad habits in the bed since y'all on this day, as we await the sacred month of Ramadan returned to you in supplication and We beg of you please forgive our parents who have passed on from this world and grant them the highest places in Jannah. Allah grant all our forefathers, those who contributed to the OMA today and to our Islam granting the highest places in Ghana and make the graves gardens of Paradise, Allah Our parents are still alive. Allah bless them, guide them, protect them granting good health, grant them all the best that this world has to offer and be with him Yara Bellami Allah we make dua for all of those who are suffering any form of suffering or pain. Those

who suffer in silence those who suffer knowingly those who suffer out loud all of those who are undergoing any form of oppression yeah Allah, remove all the difficulties alleviate the difficulties and bring about the ease. Amin aerobar Alameen wa sallahu wa ala Sayidina Muhammad Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen Assalamu alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh