Mohammad Ali Hazratji – Inner dimensions of fasting in Ramadan.
AI: Summary ©
AI: Transcript ©
quickly one
plan to
near what Nia you're going what else?
Get off that social media addiction. What else? Da what
else?
Platforms?
Okay, so you've got some of them still has not crystallized I don't
see anybody say 12345 I don't see anybody taking notes in this
office in this gathering, okay, that means everybody's got it in
here
which means it's going to last till the other end of mothering.
Unfortunately, that's how it is how many serious students go to
school or college and not not take a notebook or a pen with them to
take notes? Tell me raise your hands. None. So how much
importance do we give to the stock's
attitude
and we sell it in his own way attitude what is our attitude
towards religious knowledge and towards
100 is never below the mean that Allah subhanaw taala
He's giving us the opportunity and we don't know Allahumma Boliviana
Ramadan that
we may be fortunate enough to reach another Ramadan
it's just a few days away, but we are not guaranteed. But we already
see the dawn of Ramadan breaking over the horizon, heralding this
most blessed of months which Allah subhanaw taala decreed for us,
which comes bringing great rewards and a lot of gifts for his abode
for his slaves, who sincerely aspire to come closer to Allah
subhanaw taala.
So in a way, if we look at the rabada of Ramadan, is an
acknowledgement of the ruble via the lordship of Allah subhanaw
taala the one and only deity that's worthy of worship. So we
confirm that Ruby of Allah subhanaw taala by our acts of a Gu
dar towhid of OBU the of practice and we also use Ramadan as a means
of expressing our gratitude to Allah subhanaw taala
so as we prepare to to receive Ramadan, I think it's a very good
idea what was just mentioned, that we should reflect on the previous
Ramadan of our lives, that have come and that have gone and this
Ramadan will also pass like a blink of an eye like our whole
life is passing
and reflect and see, have previous Ramadan brought any meaningful
changes in my life.
Or do I remain stagnant at the same level of inadequate,
unfocused Ibadah
my character flaws are unchanged. I am in the same state of of law
of heedlessness, I have the same base desires, the same weaknesses,
the same acts of disobedience.
So if I find that I have not managed to bring a change in my
life, there is no refinement in my character. And there is no
increase in my awareness of Allah subhanaw taala or my afford to
closeness to him, then perhaps I have completely missed the spirit
of Ramadan, while fulfilling just the outwardly practices of
Ramadan.
Maybe he's heralding the Ramadan, you see,
the sort of Ramadan is telling you it's coming.
So, maybe our fast is like the fast of the just adjust the body,
but the Spirit the Roar is missing and without the attention to that
inner spiritual Rouhani aspects of fasting, which are so critical,
the true benefits of Ramadan are not going to be realized. The you
know the benefits that we should gain from it of Taqwa of sugar to
Allah subhanaw taala. Of suburb of sun that we are missing all of
these.
So again, the question as was asked, Why do I fast? Is it a
cultural fast is it because everybody is fasting? In brief, I
fast because I am Abdullah.
I am
the servant the slave of Allah. He created me for his worship. That
Is the purpose of my life and this is an expression of that, a Buddha
for which Allah Subhana Allah created. And worship is a
comprehensive term as you know, to do that which Allah loves and is
pleased with, and to refrain from that which Allah has forbidden or
which he dislikes.
And we do that in all aspects of our life. In every place in when
we are in open when we are in secret and every day of our lives,
not just in the month of Ramadan.
And through this taqwa, we replace our desires and our inclination or
our and our chakra up with what he Azerbaijan loves.
Allah Subhana Allah created us as the best of his creation, Allah
subhanaw taala says, Lacan Harlequinade in Santa Fe accent,
lapwing.
But it is only as long as we fulfill the covenant, the meetup
that we made with Allah subhanaw taala in the realm of the souls in
the alum Urwa when Allah Spanish Allah created us from other Malay
salaam, and he asked us to build a backhoe Am I not your Lord and our
souls responded by now Shahid, that we made this covenant with
Allah that You are our Lord, which means we will fulfill the rights
of Your Lordship, as you're a burden. When we break this
covenant,
we corrupt our souls.
And our souls are what distinguish us from animals. And therefore we
lose in essence, in reality, our humanity.
Remember, it is the soul that Allah honored with the angelic
Sajida
the angels were commanded to do such that once the soul had been
breathed into the body of other money, Salah, which had been lying
there for a long time, so this is what honored.
So Ramadan is a means of regaining our souls, as they were meant to
be in perpetual all consciousness of our Creator, or hate, in all
its aspects experienced, and lived, that we live in a state of
13 taqwa in every moment, remembrance of Allah subhanaw
taala, with every heartbeat, suburb, with every challenge with
every command, with every temptation with every politician,
shocker with every blessing that we know and those that we do not
yet know we haven't realized. And son, in every action comes when
we're callable.
So as long as we see with the eyes of our hearts, and witness, Allah
subhanaw taala, and everything within and outside of us, and we
keep him as our goal, that the laws Allah subhanaw taala created
on this universe verse will keep everything subservient to us, they
will serve us.
But when we lose sight of him as a virgin,
and we make the created realm, our focus and goal, then other laws
come into effect.
They become operative, and they actually drive us away from him.
We make that choice.
And you know, you can't run away from Allah subhanaw taala you can
only run to him.
And it is the wisdom of Allah subhanaw taala behind every act of
worship that he has ordained. The objective of every act of worship
is to make us closer to Allah subhanaw taala because he is the
source of life. He is the source of happiness that we all desire.
He is the source of safety that we are looking for. He is the source
of peace that we want of guidance of light, a light that shows us
our path way back to our home in Jannah.
So I am his appt i here and I will be and that's why I fast.
Allah subhanaw taala has facilitated this month with a lot
of virtues.
The Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam tells us it aija Ramadan oferty
had Ababa Jana were both naked Abba wanna was Sufi that this
Shayateen that when Ramadan arrives, the gates of Jannah are
opened wide and the gates of Jahannam are closed and the evil
Shayateen are restrained in chains.
Not only does Allah subhanaw taala provide us with these great
opportunities, but she actually facilitates for us the ability to
gain his rewards by the catalysts that we call tofield. That Allah
subhanaw taala makes it harder to do evil,
that Allah subhanaw taala has changed the devil's in a realm and
by chains that are beyond our comprehension
that Allah subhanaw taala makes their whispers in operative by
restricting their access to us. With the Shatin incapacitated, now
I have only my own knifes to deal with, to cope with.
So, how I behave in Ramadan, what I say how I act is a true
reflection of the state of minus who I truly am my identity. So
Ramadan is an opportunity to discover the shades and
characteristics of my knifes and its weaknesses.
As the text states that when Allah subhanaw taala loves a servant, he
makes apparent to him his weaknesses, so that he may
correct.
So we may repent and draw nearer to Allah subhanaw taala as a true
seeker, a Marine who learns to identify his faults and weaknesses
and works to amend them.
And Allah subhanaw taala opens the gates of forgiveness wide open 24
hours in Ramadan, we are given three distinct opportunities
mon sama Ramadan Iman and practice urban warfare Allahumma Takata
melindam Being whoever fast in the month of Ramadan with the two
conditions that were mentioned earlier, Eman this app will be
forgiving man comma Ramadan Iman and the Sabbath of the federal
level Mata panda Mammon Dombey, who stands in the night of Ramadan
with the same two conditions these are conditional. Then one final
opportunity is given Roman comma Laylatul Qadr eemaan And the
seventh woofer Allahu Mata Katama min them all these opportunities
day and night 24 hours. Allah subhanaw taala opens the doors of
his forgiveness. Now we don't know what is forgiveness, we just take
it off forgiveness as a word what is the effect of forgiveness?
We have to understand let's take a step backwards. Our acts of sinful
disobedience and our heedlessness are God's love Allah subhanaw
taala produces, veils of darkness stains on our hearts at the
spiritual level that distance us from Allah subhanaw taala that
make us lose focus of our ultimate goal, which is the pleasure of
Allah subhanaw taala His nearness and his paradise. The forgiveness
of Ramadan has the effect of cleansing that column
that leads to clearing of the vision, the internal eye of the
color, which in turn helps us to see reality Haqiqa of things, the
meanings of events in our lives, the meaning of events of what's
going on in the world,
and most importantly to see truth as truth.
And to see falsehood as falsehood, because we are living in an era
where
falsehood is being promoted and pushed till it becomes the truth.
So you need to have clarity of your I have the heart to to fight
that.
And with that clarity, we start to see the USMA insofar as of Allah
subhanaw taala in everything around us.
So this internal cleansing through sincere Toba and is still far and
Allah subhanaw taala is forgiveness helps us to gain
closeness to Allah subhanaw taala because nothing unclean can
approach a loss.
Now anyone who obstinately neglects this month as was
mentioned, and does not gain the rewards of this month of Allah's
forgiveness is truly deprived. And that was mentioned about the door
of Gibreel la Salaam and Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi salam
saying, Annie.
The Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam has taught us the importance of
the heart. You said Allah was in Nuffield yesterday, Madiba, it has
solid solid and just below the facade, that facade that Joshua
dokolo Allah will hear
that indeed, in the in the body, there is a piece of flesh if it
sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupted, the whole
body is corrupted. And he said no
And that is the heart of the spiritual heart.
Do you think a corrupted heart can be a seat of Taqwa
that we desire in Ramadan?
Therefore, that's where we start.
Ramadan is the opportunity to make our heart or column sound and
healthy first by fasting with all of its requirements by pm in the
night, but it's still far and Toba that should have already started
in these previous months in preparation by Tila of the Quran
by exercising suburb by a lot with dhikr of Allah subhanaw taala by a
lot of the asking Allah subhanaw taala giving extra charity and all
acts of obedience that should be increased in the month of Ramadan
not started in the month of Ramadan, this should be our live
throughout, it should be increased in the month Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi salam was the most generous throughout the year but in Ramadan
he was extra, extra generous.
And secondly, we keep our heart clean and healthy by avoiding
sins, sins of the eyes, sins of the ears and especially the tongue
as also Lasala listen and the body parts. So that is done by inner
watchfulness, what is called marhaba
you're watching that Iraqi Allah is watching what is going on with
my eyes. The Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam and you decide the if
you will have to hand back your Amana to Allah subhanaw taala he
pointed to the eyes in the years this is an Amana that you will be
asked about your Amana.
So we have to be watchful. Now how do we explain this maraca? I'll
give you a simple example.
You go to a big bank, you will find the security guards standing.
Many of the security guards will have a screen with multiple things
on their screen. And they're always watching that no person non
grata comes not undesirable person comes why because we are
protecting a treasure.
Is that a greater treasure than your call?
You have to stand at guard 24 hours that nothing enters my
heart. No thoughts no whispers nothing my eye doesn't look at
anything that Allah does. If my ears don't understand, especially
my tongue because more people will enter Jahannam because of the
fruit of the tongue than anything else. So we have to be constantly
in that state of maraca practice that every day
in every night night of Ramadan
Have any of you heard an angel calling?
Ya Bobby your hair up bill Yabba VL Shara Oxo another narration
yeah about real hair, I'm sure or secret of good come forth mean
with your deeds and have Bashara of Allah's forgiveness and Jana
and Oba the Al Shara the one who who the secret of of evil.
Stay back withhold.
This is made every night as a reminder, the angels are telling
us and therefore just remember that Ramadan is not one unit of a
badda every day of Ramadan is a unit of IVA individual and treated
like that at the end when you break your fast. Lightly. Think
take a Maha Sabha and accounting. What did I do right? What I see
good I say Alhamdulillah What did I do wrong? I do is that far and
next day I work that are not going to allow that in my next days test
every day is fast, should be better, more radical, less more
guarding of the eyes, more guarding of the tongue and all of
that. And that's how I must prepare my heart to hear the skull
of the angels. And every night Allah subhanaw taala is granting
freedom
from the Hellfire Am I eligible for it? See the physical act of
fasting Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi salam teaches us has many
spiritual benefits, especially making us conscious of Allah
subhanaw taala in having a high bar of him being more grateful for
His bounties.
So in Ramadan, we are physically giving up food and drink and
marital intimacy
from before dawn till sunset. Just remember when somebody gives
something up for the sake of Allah subhanaw taala Allah subhanaw
taala is the most magnanimous he needs nothing. He replaces what
you get
up with something better. So he gives you spiritual benefits and
gifts and rewards in exchange of that. And if we show gratitude to
Allah subhanaw taala because now we realize what we take for
granted. Then Allah subhanaw taala increases his blessings for us.
And Ramadan is
an ALLAH given opportunity for this year of our knifes to
discipline ourselves, learning to control our appetites, our
external drives food and drinking sexual drives, wanting to talk
constantly and be heard and be recognized and our internal drives
of our Chautauqua and Hello.
So, as we were reminded that we should have a plan. I need to have
these goals that my goal in Ramadan is taqwa is sugar, to be
grateful to have supper, to have axon and to have Allah's
forgiveness, that these are at least five things that I desire.
And all of those are internal.
So Taqwa is to be aware just to reminder of Allah subhanaw taala
at all times in all places, with the fear of displeasing him, and a
desire to please Him by fulfilling his commandments and staying away
from his prohibitions.
Taqwa is the best garment that shields us from Allah's
displeasure. It protects us from His anger protects us from the
Hellfire
month of Ramadan is called the month of summer.
So we patiently endure thirst, hunger desires, all of those
guarding our eyes and all so that we may become steadfast in
fighting against the desires of our lower knifes out of obedience
to Allah subhanaw taala. So Saba is watery prerequisite of fasting
and it's also a fruit and goal of Ramadan.
And this patient perseverance fortifies us It strengthens us to
be more persistent in his obedience as a region and more
resilient against his disobedience throughout the year.
Sugar another goal that we realize the name of Allah subhanaw taala
and we show gratitude for his blessings. And among the one of
the greatest physical blessings of Allah smart Allah is the blessing
of time because time is life.
Therefore you show gratitude to Allah subhanaw taala for time by
using it wisely in the way that he loves the most. And we will just
remind it, how much time we waste on things. If you are generous
with it would say this is for lol. But most of the time it's at least
macro if not haram.
Therefore, get off if you have not already social get off, remove all
the instant whatever instance there are and the notifications
you don't need to hear things Ding ding ding. The world will not be
any worse if you don't respond. If you love Allah, delete those and
I'm going to disagree with my my dear Emma, if you are a reward
after Ramadan is not going to be going back on Instagram, because
Allah will give you something much better
wala Hill loving.
So, off social media of internet, don't let that consume the
majority of your time. And this is not just for youngsters.
It's for the elders and probably the oldest one in this room. Yes,
I am.
Gaining forgiveness by fasting during the day with the right
intention as was mentioned, with complete Faith with certainty,
consciousness, Allah's rewards observing all the external
requirements. There is no fasting if you don't observe the external
requirements, abstinence from food, making sure intimate
relationship drinks all of that.
This is the minimum level of accepted fast as Imam Ghazali Rama
Talalay said that this is Solomon among the common persons stays
away from these things. This is the basic lamp. But as we know
equally more important or if not more important, are the internal
dimensions of guarding our eyes, our ears, our tongues, our limbs.
And that is
the desirable that is the soul
Home of a house or house, the special people of Allah the
virtuous ones, who have understood the spirit of this month.
And then finally, the highest level, as he says is those of the
elite, the house of the fast that they go to the next level, which
is they don't allow their hearts to be concerned with worldly
concerns throughout the month of Ramadan. Their only concern is one
which is Allah subhanaw taala.
And that is what our goal should be.
And we also seek ALLAH subhanaw taala has forgiveness and regain
that by standing in prayer. So please come forth Ravi, but not
for any other reason, with the right intention with the same two
conditions Eman to serve.
Ramadan is meant to free us from addictions, addictions that we are
all subjected to addiction of food, addiction of drink,
addiction of attachments,
media, social media screens, we can do without it. This is to
detach us from that so that we go through some withdrawal and then
we become strengthened.
And Ramadan is the month of the Quran. It is a special opportunity
to reconnect our hearts and our lives with the actual word of
Allah subhanho wa Taala
the Quran is the vicar of Allah subhanaw taala there is nobody who
truly loves or claims to love Allah subhanaw taala that doesn't
love to recite the Quran
and it is the greatest means of seeking for men Allah will only be
love, intimacy with Allah and nearness to him other than through
his words.
Therefore, reading for the baraka and more importantly as was
stressed understanding, if you read one juice a day, take a few
ideas from that to understand and comprehend and to reflect on each
word.
And all the other UScar that we do, if they are done properly,
lead arts, to love to read the Quran.
So those who seek the Wilaya nearness of Allah subhanaw taala
the Quran is the ultimate decree.
And therefore we must prepare to receive Ramadan by cleansing our
hearts of everything. ailments of the hearts hatred towards anybody
grudges against anyone. greed, jealousy, anger, arrogance,
vanity, ostentation, miserliness, lack of higher, all diseases of
the hearts, we have to look here, not look at others. Look, if you
see it and someone remember that Allah has put a mirror in front of
you to see yourself. We have to do sincere Toba, we say Allah show me
what you see inside me and help me to overcome it. Clean my heart
and we come into this forgiving everybody forgive everyone who has
wronged you, so that you become eligible for Allah subhanaw taala
is forgiveness and show Rama to people to Allah's creatures, and
then Allah will show Raha to you, we should be working on quality
Salah not quantity Salah who should let me focus on tuaca Even
nothing Salah that I want to do to raka with full focus,
understanding what I'm saying with humility, with with the presence
of my heart with all of Allah subhanaw taala and I should start
doing some extra Neurofen so that's the way of coming closer to
Allah subhanaw taala with extra accent divided beyond the
fluoride, which is the first step and as we said before, detach,
detoxify from all addiction so that empty the heart so we can
attach our hearts to Allah.
Rasool Allah salAllahu Alaihe Salam teaches us that some people
gain nothing from fasting, except hunger and thirst. And some people
gain nothing from Korea will lead except sleeplessness and fatigue.
That means they lost that inner meaning behind these things. They
did not guard their tongues they did not guard their eyes they
years from what displeases Allah subhanaw taala this brings us back
to that hadith that many of you know Rasulullah sallallahu
sternums Who's Who said so lomandra Salam, money yet, money
yet man li ma baina lahaie wa bye
No, rich lady. I'd mum the whole Jana one who guarantees me what is
between his jaws and between his legs. I guarantee him, gentlemen,
if we can guarantee that in Ramadan and practice that guarding
our tongue, guarding our chastity guarding our eyes, all the all of
that, Jana is guaranteed. We are not even allowed to argue. When
people want to argue in Noosa and guard your tongue
there is wisdom behind everything. And da as was mentioned of a
fasting person is not rejected until he breaks his fast and there
are plenty of windows of opportunity in Ramadan, at the
time of Seoul in the last third of the night when you're standing NPM
will lead between acid and mcgurrin before you break your
fast and all of that and don't rush through the app, talk to
Allah subhanaw taala open your hearts to Allah subhanaw taala
plead in front of Allah subhanaw taala for everyone, your family,
your extended family the Ummah, for our leaders to be guided
properly, and for all of humanity, because we need it.
Ramadan is special time.
Allah is near and answers all those who supplicate Allah has
embedded this idea in the eyes of Ramadan for in a hurry. Wu Ji
Buddha with a diary. Just remember that just remember that Allah says
in need carry on and I respond.
Respond. Is there someone asking? That's the question. Our deen is
based on Iman and AMA. The purpose of learning is not to accumulate
data and information, but it is for internal transformation
by acting upon what we have learned
and as we have reminded many times before, that knowledge l knocks on
the door of Amazon and if it does not get a response it leaves
Ramadan is time for Harmon focus on Amal we are not here to learn
more and more and more. We are here to practice Ahmed
and the fasting of Ramadan as was mentioned before, it's not a goal
in itself, but it's a means of gaining gaining the pleasure of
Allah subhanaw taala His nearness.
Ramadan is not here to make you people of Taqwa for a month.
It is to fill and replenish your tank of Taqwa. That suffices you
to stay in a state of Taqwa for the rest of the year. This is just
a replenishing of that. Taqwa that helps us respond to the challenges
and difficulties that life brings with patience and endurance,
whether within ourselves our families or communities. Ramadan
is meant to bring discipline and orderliness to our lives, as it
purifies us from our lower news, and makes us better individuals, a
better community and a better nation. Ramadan ultimately should
soften our hearts and make us human, closer to Allah subhanaw
taala. May Allah subhanaw taala help us to reach Ramadan, and
grant us all of its blessings. In the true sense, may we be enabled
to have a sinless Ramadan in full awareness, shahada of Allah
subhanaw taala in recognition of his bounties, with a heart that is
full of sugar of gratitude to our Lord, and make this Ramadan a
truly exciting experience. Where as if we see Allah subhanaw taala
in front of us, Ramadan that is full of sincerity, of help love
for Him, and His beloved Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
salam, and make this Ramadan, the best of all Ramadan and a means of
His pleasure.