Mirza Yawar Baig – Spirit of Ramadan #04
AI: Summary ©
The importance of pursuing Allah's promises and embracing his teachings is emphasized in the transmission of Allah's teachings. The transmission uses the Quran as a guide for the muttaqeek process, emphasizing the importance of fasting and avoiding Iran's stance. The importance of knowing one's attitude towards Allah's words and actions is also discussed, along with the need to study and practice Islam to improve behavior and address money and money management issues. It is emphasized that action is not the only thing and that one should be pleased with their actions.
AI: Summary ©
To become conscious
of Allah
SWT in everything we say and do in
our lives and to become eligible
for all the promises of Allah SWT
which are for the Muttaqun.
This process
of becoming a Muttaqeek
begins with
Istafar and Tawah. It begins with accepting
that there is a need for change.
It begins with accepting that Allah
is in our lives
and that Allah
to please Him is
not just important but the most important thing
in our lives.
Allah SWT said in Suratul Huwath,
which means so seek His forgiveness
and turn to Him in repentance.
Surely my rub is ever near
and all responsive to prayers. Allah
responds to
Dua. Harib and he's closed and he responds
to Dua.
Seeking forgiveness must be followed up with turning
away from sin.
We need to change the basis of our
choices,
keeping the rida,
keeping the pleasure,
the approval of Allah SWT
as the criterion for all decision making.
If it pleases Allah, we do it. If
it doesn't please Allah, we don't do it
and if we don't know whether it pleases
Allah or not, if there is doubt, then
we clarify the doubt before attempting to do
whatever it is that you are thinking of
doing.
Al Quran Al Kareem
begins with a reminder of taqwa. Suratul Fatiha
reminds us what the glory and majesty of
Allah Subhanahu WaNam,
our creator, sustainer, maintainer,
protector
and defines our
connection,
with him,
Jalajalu.
And tells us that he is interested enough
to send us
and to teach us
a way of life,
which if we lead it, will result in
a society
that is based on justice and compassion.
The Quran reminds
us that
one day we will return to Him Jalajirala.
Just as we had no choice about coming
into this world,
so also we will not have a choice
about leaving it and meeting Allah.
Death is inevitable, comes to everyone and so
is resurrection. When we stand before Allah
nobody
will escape.
But Allah
gave us the choice to make that meeting
the best meeting of our existence because unlike
this life,
what will come after that meeting is forever.
That way is called Al Islam.
Al Fatiha is the Surah of Hashiatullah,
of the awe and majesty of Allah.
It is the Surah of Shukr, of thankfulness.
It is the Surah of Tawah, of returning
to Allah
Al Fatihah is the Surah of Dua
for guidance to the path of the prophets
which leads to Jannah.
The people to whom this will be granted
are the muttaqoor,
those whose single criterion
for all decisions is, 'Does it please
Allah?
Taqwa is the fear of displeasing the one
that we love the most.
Only for such people,
Allah SWT promised guidance.
Allah said, dalikalkitamoolaaree
baafihi
hudalil muttaqeen.
This is the book in which there is
no doubt
and this is a guide for the muttaqoon.
To help us to become muttaqoon, people of
taqwa,
Allah
prescribed fasting and He sends Ramadan
for us over the years.
Allah said, O believers, fasting is prescribed for
you
as it was prescribed for those before you,
so that you may become.
You will have you may develop,
the consciousness
for the pleasure of Allah SWT.
Consciousness to please Allah SWT.
Fasting helps us with Kalkid Taqwa
by emphasizing the fact that when
in this month we could stay away from
even the halal
only because Allah SWT commanded us, how much
more important it is to continue to obey
Allah's
commands
about His prohibitions
throughout our lives.
The reason Muslims fast is because Allah
commanded it. There is no other reason.
Therefore,
everything a Muslim does in his or her
life must also be for the same reason
which is that Allah commanded it.
We know Allah SWT, we love Allah SWT
and we know that to Him is our
return.
So we do only what pleases Him. This
is the basis of our existence
as Muslims
and this is the basis of all virtue
that leads to Jannah.
Taqwa is critical because it is the first
right of Allah
It is His right that His creatures
recognize Him, obey Him and worship Him alone.
He declared,
He said,
O believers,
have taqwa of Allah in
the way that suits His Majesty and grace,
in the way that He deserves
and do not die except in a state
of full submission to Him, except in a
state of Islam.
So what therefore are the signs of taqwa?
How do I know if I have it
and how strong it is?
Allah
SWT gave us a gauge
to measure Taqwa
which is the sign of our living heart.
He said,
Allah said which means the true believers are
only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance
of Allah
whose faith increases when His revelations are recited
to them
and who put their trust in their Ram.
They are those who establish prayer
and donate from what we have provided for
them.
They spend in the path of Allah
from the bounty that Allah has blessed them
with. Let us ask ourselves what happens to
our hearts when Allah
has mentioned.
How many times a day do we think
of Allah?
What happens to us when we listen to
the Quran?
What happens to us when we read the
Quran?
With what attitude do we read and listen
to the Koran?
What is the state of our heart with
respect to the world
and its tests?
Are we afraid or are we content that
the one who can do anything and who
owns everything,
the one without whose will not a leaf
can fall,
controls our affairs
and has decreed for us that which is
beneficial for us even if we don't see
it ourselves.
When there is a command of Allah
to be obeyed, do we try our best
to obey
it in the best possible way,
or do we look for excuses to disobey
or to do the least we can do?
Are our hearts content and filled with the
light of Khashiatullah,
with the awe of Allah
or with the darkness of fear and depression
and despair.
What is our attitude towards salah? Do we
see it as an honour, a time to
connect with Allah
to affirm our allegiance to Him and to
ask Him for our needs, to tell Him
our story, or as a burden to be
discharged
if there is no other way to delay
or avoid
it. Likewise, for all that Allah
made false.
Do we keep
Allah's prohibitions uppermost
or do we look for ways to bypass
them like the one Israel did with the
Sabbath?
When we have an opportunity to spend in
the path of Allah, do we rejoice or
do we complain?
Do we look at an opportunity to help
someone and thank Allah for giving us that
opportunity or do we say, why does he
need so much?
Do we ask ourselves, why do I need
so much?
Do we keep track of our investment in
our asset,
mistakenly called charity?
The same way as we do for our
investments in the stock market,
property, and so on.
Is the fact that we will have to
leave everything behind real for us?
Is the fact that we will have to
meet Allah
real for us?
Is the fact that we will be questioned
about our actions real for us?
Allah
has sent us His Rasool, His Messenger Muhammad
for us to obey Him and emulate Him.
Do we
do that
with joy?
Finally,
what is the action evidence? The action evidence
for all the answers that we give ourselves.
The text of this whole thing will be
in this video, so take your time.
Go over it question by question, and
let us examine ourselves.
My brothers and sisters, I remind myself and
you that all of Allah's promises are for
the Muttaqoor, for the people of Taqwa. Allah
sent Ramadan for us to become muttaqo.
We are halfway through Ramadan.
How many of the qualities of muttaqo have
we been able to inculcate in ourselves?
I remind myself and you that in the
end,
it is only action that counts.
We will not be
asked, what did you know? We will be
asked, what did you do? We will not
be asked, how much did you know? We
will be asked, how much did you do?
Knowledge that is not acted upon will become
witness against us. Let us not be those
who knew but did not act.
Allah
defined the
In Suratul Zariyat, Allah
mentioned the quality
of the believers.
Allah said verily the Muttaqoon will be amid
gardens and springs
in Jannah.
So Allah SWT began with telling us the
benefit of being a mutaqi that we will
get, InshaAllah Jannah,
taking joy in the things which their Rabb
has given them. Verily,
they were before this mercy no one. They
were people who acted well.
They used to sleep but little by night,
invoking their rab
and praying with fear and hope.
Number 2. And in the hours before dawn,
they were found asking Allah
for forgiveness.
3
And in their properties
there was the right
of the one who asks the beggar and
the mahro
the one who who is in need but
does not ask.
And on
earth are signs
for those
who have faith with certainty,
and also in yourselves.
Will you not then see?
Now in these ayat of Surah Zaria Allah
mentioned 4 qualities of mutukkum. So let's see
what we have. Number 1, Allah said they
spend time with their Rabbin Salah in the
night and in Tahajjud.
In another place in Surah Al Saadat,
Allah said they abandon their beds. They
wake up and they get up from their
beds
and donate
and stand before their rub
between hope and fear. And
donate from what we have provided for them.
They spend in the path of Allah.
No soul can imagine, no person can imagine
what delights are kept in store for them
as a reward
for what they used to do. So Allah
describe the action. The action is, pray the
Hajj will get up in the night, stand
before Allah,
make Dua
make him for his mercy, seek forgiveness.
The position of the Muslim is between between
the fear of the displeasure of Allah and
His punishment
and hope in His forgiveness and in His
bounty.
So He's standing there, he or she is
making dua, he or she is reciting Quran
and Allah said, For this,
the reward that I have kept is something
that you cannot even imagine.
This is the importance of the angels.
Number 2, Allah said, They make istighfar
and seek forgiveness.
Allah said,
one of the most beautiful ayats of the
Quran
But Allah would never punish them while you
O O Muhammad were
amongst them.
Nor would He ever punish them if they
prayed for forgiveness. As long as they are
seeking forgiveness, Allah will not punish.
Today we are time wise
removed very far 1400 plus years from Rasool
Allah SW.
But we can still have Him in our
lives,
among us, in our midst
by following His Sunnah,
by looking like him, by walking and talking
like him, by behaving like him, by dealing
with people like him and so on and
so forth.
His life is the most beautifully documented
biography
of any person in the world
and every single detail has been
recorded of his biography, of his life, of
his habits, of his likes and dislikes, of
what he did and what he didn't do
My people who loved him more than they
loved their own parents and they loved their
own children, they loved anyone
anyone or anything else.
So we have this.
The key is to study and try to
inculcate in our lives as much as we
can.
Quality number 3, Allah said they consider the
one who asks, the beggar and the one
who is in need but doesn't ask.
They consider these people
to
have a right in their property.
We are not talking about somebody
giving something
out of the goodness of his heart and
say okay, so I have to do my
good deed for the day. No, you think
this person is asking me, this person has
the right. It's like the person gave me
a loan, I have to return it.
Allah mentioned this again
Allah said that they give food and they
feed
despite their own desire for it. Even though
they need it themselves, they give it to
the poor person, the orphan and the captive
saying to themselves, we feed you only for
the sake of Allah,
seeking neither reward nor thanks from you.
Islam teaches us to be good to captives,
not to torture them.
So who are these people?
Even though they need that wealth, even though
they need that food,
they give it to others
who are in greater need
and
they do not even have an expectation of
thanks,
of gratitude
expressions of gratitude from those people.
Number 4,
they reflect on the creation of Allah
both outside
and
recognize
and glorify Allah
and they turn towards him. Allah
said,
Allah said, We will show them
our signs in the universe
and within themselves
until it becomes clear to them that this
Qur'an
is the truth.
Is it not enough that your Rabb is
a witness over all things?
Today we face a hostile world because we
are Muslim,
yet
we seek solutions
through worldly means alone.
How many times have you have you heard
anybody say in
a in a meeting
to look for solutions,
let us all pray to rakat of Salah
and make sincere tawba to Allah's mind.
Let us give a certain amount in charity
for our dua's to be accepted.
Let us look at ourselves and change our
own lives. When have you heard this?
Ask yourself why not? Why don't I think
like this? Why don't others, Muslims think like
this?
Instead, we look towards political leadership.
Right to this senator, right to that
that parliamentarian,
do this and do that.
We look towards political leadership. We look towards
material wealth and look towards technology to find
solution. But in the process, we forget that
the effectiveness
of the solution comes only from Allah
For that solution to work,
only Allah has to
make it work.
This is like wiring up a house, new
house with the latest technology, everything and expecting
it to work without connecting it to the
power source.
It won't work.
Without power from the transformer, the house will
remain dark.
That transformer is taqwa
and Nawazara comes
to connect us to it so that our
lives can be eliminated
with this
connection. The purpose of fasting
is not to fast
but to transform
our lives.
Ask
Allah to be pleased with us
and never to be displeased.
Ask Allah
to help us in ways that we cannot
imagine.
Ask
Allah to open the doors
of his mercy on us and forgiveness.