Moutasem al-Hameedy – How to Make it a Special Ramadan
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all praises due to Allah, we praise Him, we seek his aid and we ask for his forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and the evil consequences of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can lead astray. And whomsoever Allah leaves to go astray and on can guide I bear witness, that none has the right to be worshipped. None has the right to our ultimate love and devotion, but Allah subhanho wa Taala alone, and I bear witness that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa early he was sending them his his servant, and His messenger or you will believe fear Allah has he should be feared and die not except in a state of submission to your Lord as Muslims, or mankind. Be
dutiful to your Lord who created you from a single person, and from him he created his wife and from them both he created many men and women and fear Allah through whom you demand your mutual rights and observe the rights of your kin. Surely Allah is Ever an all watcher over you are you who believe, keep your duty to Allah, fear him and speak the truth he will direct you to righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed attained a great achievement. The best words are those of Allah. And the best guidance is that of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa early he was sending them and the worst things in the religion are the newly
invented matters. For all the newly invented matters in religion are considered to be innovation and bigger and every bit as misguidance and it leads to the hellfire.
Allah subhanaw taala says in the Koran Shahada Ramadan Allah The Zilla v Hill Quran houden lenus babina 10 min alhuda wonderful upon the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed.
The month of Ramadan
marked the best and most precious gift ever given to humanity. The words of Allah define a revelation that will never be changed, that will never be
distorted, that will be maintained and kept unprotected for all generations till the end of time. So they can access the authentic and sincere connection with their Lord Allah subhanho wa Taala. And it will be the only last hope for them to connect to the truth. A lot chose the month of Ramadan
to give this wonderful gift to humanity. And this shows that there is something so special about the month of Ramadan.
When we look at the world around us, we know that seeds will not grow
unless they go through the different seasons. Winter there's plenty of rain and snow.
And then we'll come spring when there's more sunshine
and the earth gets more air and it gets more fertile. So the seed starts to grow. And then it ends up growing and giving it's producing and then it can be harvested and we can benefit from it. The same analogy of
lies to our hearts because there is the seed of faith and the seed of football in our hearts. And Allah subhanaw taala allows us to go through different phases in life through different ups and downs, through different experiences in life, but also a lot allows us to go through different spiritual times throughout the year. And Ramadan is the time, special time for the seat in our heart, for our faith, to grow, for our devotion, to move on to the next level, for our hearts to flourish in our souls and spirits to connect to Allah subhana wa Tada. This is the month of Ramadan. And that's why Allah Subhana Allah sent the Koran during the month of Ramadan. Oftentimes in the
Koran, you will find that Allah Subhana Allah gives the analogy of rain.
And the law describes it as life are the source of life for the earth.
And the scholars have always used that analogy to refer to the Koran because Allah subhana wa tada makes the analogy analogy clear that the Koran is just like the rain, it brings about life. And that's why Allah subhanaw taala says shallow Ramadan and lady on Xena feel on houden leanness guidance for humanity because guidance is the life of the hearts guidance, revives our spirits and our souls and connects us to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So Ramadan is the time Ramadan is the time.
And in order for seeds to grow, they need a different environment, they need some sort of a change in the environment that will trigger the growth that will bring them back to life that will revive them, that will give them the energy and the power to be able to grow and break through the soil and bring about this new type of creature. This new type of plant where humans can benefit will life will come back to Earth again, as Allah subhanaw taala says many times in the Quran, he gives us the analogy that you look at the earth it looks so desolate, it looks barren, it looks dead. But then a lot of humans lose hope in it then Allah subhanaw taala sends rain, then the vegetation grows, and
it surprises humans and it pleases them and it provides for them. The same applies to our hearts. Sometimes we feel our hearts are dead, our souls are suffocated. But Allah Subhana Allah sends in you environment, spiritual environment, and that's the month of Ramadan. And it's not just 30 or 30 days or 90 or 29 days on the calendar.
Something happens in the universe during the month of Ramadan. And the Prophet sallallahu wasallam tells us about that. Because we Muslims believe in the world of the scene, and the world of the unseen we know that there is more than what the eye can see. There's more to reality than what we can perceive. There's a bigger context of reality, and it has an impact on us. The Prophet sallallahu Sallam says when it's when it's the month of Ramadan, the first night of Ramadan, the day the gates of Paradise are open, a wide open, the gates of the Hellfire are locked and shut down.
And the devils are chained and shackled.
And this is a reality. This is a real change in the whole context and this of this universe, in this whole world that we live in. We can't see it with our eyes because we can't see paradise now with our eyes. We can't see the Hellfire with our eyes.
But Allah subhanaw taala has given us a faculty that feels that that recognizes that, that knows that. If we only pay attention and that's our hearts.
Our hearts know that our hearts feel it.
Only if we pay attention to our hearts but if we are completely drawn into and sucked into this physical, worldly life, we have already tuned down to our hearts. We don't know what our souls are going through. We don't feel it. When our hearts are dead. Our souls are suffocated. We don't feel the spiritual experience. But Ramadan is a completely different environment.
The whole world changes by the first night of Ramadan.
And if we are attached to attached to this, well, we won't feel it. But if we pay attention to our hearts, our hearts will recognize that and that's why people people of devotion will usually feel it in the month of Ramadan. You feel that fasting is easier. Praying is easier. You find your heart draws you to the words of Allah to the on to the mention of Allah to the names of Allah
You want to make Vicar and remember Allah subhanho wa Taala and level of energy you don't usually have. Why do you have it in the month of Ramadan, you find yourself drawn. If when you self when you recite or on or listen to the Koran, you find yourself reflecting, absorbing, some new insights are arriving and, and making space for themselves in your heart.
You're having more of a spiritual experience why it's the month of Ramadan, it's a different season. It's a different context different environment. Alarm makes it easy for the seat of a man to grow in our hearts. And it's our job as farmers of the seed as peasants, that we are supposed to take care of it. We're supposed to grow it. We're supposed to do all part of this whole situation. So we are meant to seize the month of Ramadan and the prophet SAW Selim warned us against people who failed to seize it.
Because such a special time the bar has been brought down. So it's easy for us to reach a high level of spirituality and devotion and sincerity with a minimal effort. The prophets Allah send them one day
as he was going to give the hotbar he was mounting the number which was three steps.
And he did something unusual he won't usually do.
And he says, mean three times with every step he says, I mean, the companions of the Allahu anhu being so keen to learn from the prophet SAW Selim, they noticed that they caught it. And they asked the prophets or send them later on, why did you see him we saw you do something you don't usually do.
And you said mean three times and he said, gibreel came to me as I was mounting the member. And he made three, three supplications to Allah. And he said to me, after each one of them, see a mean.
And a mean means Oh, Allah, please answer. That's what me means along Mr. Chip.
So gibreel the best of angels is making
and Mohammed sauce of them, the best of humanity is saying, I mean,
and one of those go out, he said,
What are you are Julian
andraka Ramadan, Allah, who, for
any human being any person who witnesses the month of Ramadan, who live to witness the month of Ramadan, and they don't get their sins forgiven.
May Allah distance them from his mercy, why it's so easy.
It's so available.
All you have to do is just extend your hand and grab it. It's available that reveals itself to you. And it shows this is a very special time. As I said, it's not just 30 days on the calendar, the world changes just like the environment, and the weather changes from one season to the other from winter to spring to summer, to fall.
So this is a new season for good deeds and we are meant to use it. We're meant to use it and benefit from it. And we should not make it hard for ourselves. We should not make it hard for ourselves. So what we today what I will share with you today, certain tips and specific advice that inshallah should be able to help us to make the best out of this Ramadan
and make it a special Ramadan for ourselves. And that's not difficult. Now because we so great, not because we so devout but because Allah subhanaw taala made it easy for us. And remember that Allah once our hearts to grow alone so our souls to be revived in this month of Ramadan and that's why he made it the time to send down his gift to humanity his own words, but hold on, shall hold on hold on and letting one zero feel on who then leanness will be unity minute Buddha will focus on. When you are about to give a gift to a person. You seek the best moment to give the gift to that person, the moment when they will be the most receptive and in dire need of it.
When the occasion calls for it.
You give them that gift and a lot chose the month of Ramadan to give us the guidance, the light, the revival of our hearts, he chose the month of Ramadan. Why? Because that's the most we are receptive to it. That's the time that we can make the best use of it. And to mark for us that this is the best time in the year for us if we want to be sincere in our relationship with the last panatela we want to take us take it to the next level.
So first and foremost.
What you need to do in the month of Ramadan is observed the obligations on the last person
And it says in a divine Howdy, howdy toto see Matt acaba Yabba de la MF de la to LA. There is nothing that I love that my servants seek nearing needless to me by means of better than the obligations.
Yes, we want to pray telawi, which is a sooner recommendation.
And we want to do other things when they give charity, recommendation, great deed.
We want to be kind.
And we want to observe the etiquettes of fasting, good and great. But
our priority should be the obligations. What's the point? If you miss your federal Salah, and you pray your telawi? What's the point? There's no sense. There's no logic in this. Why? Because what Allah loves from you is that you do the obligations. That's what Allah loves the most. That's what gets you gets you the closest to Allah is that you do and fulfill the obligations.
So you're sincere and getting closer to Allah subhanaw taala. Focus on the obligations. Yes, it's trendy to do the things that other people do like tarawih and, and maybe even offer people to bring food to break their fast and open their fast, it might be great, but that's not an obligation. You want the highest rewards, do the obligations, you want to make, make the best the best out of Ramadan, do the obligations, pray your prayers, on time, all of them fast the days and do not fall short of the mark with regards to that. Don't say I don't feel like it today.
My work might be tough today. So don't want to do it. Don't get into that. Don't get into that.
Because you will what you'll miss out can never be compensated, you can never make up for what you miss, if you miss out on something in this Ramadan.
So do the obligations, pray your daily prayers on their time
in congregation to the best of your ability,
most preferably at the masjid.
And then they will start to have the biggest impact on you. Make sure that you fasts properly, and that you strengthen yourself to fulfill your fast. So you actually you have your pre dawn meal, you have your soul, especially that that that the days are quite long now.
They're fairly, fairly long, so you better be prepared for that. And we have physical limitations. So it's good that we take that in consideration.
And then after that you want to increase with other things increase. You want to pray more taraweeh more pmla go ahead and do that you want to give sadaqa give sadaqa you will invite people to open their files and offer them the food for that great a great deed and Allah will reward you for that. But make sure you're set your priorities right.
And on top of all of this, and that's the most important for me, as far as I can see,
is that
don't give a loss of power to Allah, cheap labor.
It's not about giving Allah Subhana Allah to enter some kind of Apache service. Imagine yourself doing customer service and you're not in the mood. You don't feel like serving anyone. I'm just giving something of the back of your hand, right? Get people going. You don't give it from your heart, you don't feel like giving it you make people feel bad for serving them.
And all all what's on your mind is just ticking certain boxes. So at the end of the day, say I've done what I had to do, and that's it.
That's not how we deal with a loss of Hannah Montana. It's not about how many hours of television you pray, by the way.
It's not about how many pages of your of the Quran you're going to recite. It's about where all of this is coming from.
Abdullah Masato, the Allahu anhu. He said, Well, like if I read two verses of the Quran and I contemplate them and I read them from my heart. It's better for me than reciting the whole Koran, just rushing through it.
So don't give a last mantella cheap labor. Given the best you can give him your heart in this month of Ramadan.
Your fasting is supposed to come from your heart, not from your stomach.
Your Salah is not supposed to be coming from your physical being. That's just a translation of the state of your heart. So your prayer is supposed to be a statement of devotion to Allah subhanaw taala and love of Allah, that's where it's supposed to come. So focus on that focus on the state of your heart. Because Ramadan was sent to the guidance of your heart, the guidance, but if it's for you to tick some boxes and if you have some of those fans
See, planners, daily planners for Ramadan, you just want to tick the boxes there.
Regardless of the quality, you're not heading in the right direction. And by the way, if you can get a planner and can help you, well, that's a good tool, by the way, and you don't have to buy a fancy planner, you can actually do it yourself. And what they could help you do is achieve what the prophet SAW Selim says in the Hadith, where he says, rely heavily on money allotted, one will have the best the deeds that are most that are dearest to Allah that Allah loves the most are the ones that are consistent, even if they are little allowance consistency, because that's what changes your heart. That's what improves you as a Muslim as a human being as a devout creature. That's what helps
you that's what supports you that what makes you achieve progress. But if you keep hopping from one thing to the other, you know, trying this thing out, then you get bored than trying something else. And there's no consistency, there's no pattern that's not going to help you much. So it's better to be consistent. And one of the helpful tips here is to find out what are the deeds the act and this is an advice from ovente me out I'm allowed to highlight what are the deeds that you find your heart in, that you enjoy that you're naturally drawn to, with some people's they can they can do Vicar for hours, just say istockphoto law Subhana Allah Al Hamdulillah, and they find their hearts in that,
then do it. Focus on that. Some pits sometimes some people find themselves into the night prayer, and they enjoy it. And they can sustain it. So do that put channel your energy in that direction. Some people are drawn into the Quran, they just hold on to the Quran, they just want to recite, and they love it and they feel it
and focus on that. But make it consistence consistent.
And put your heart in it and do it well. Don't make Ramadan complicated. Don't try to do everything that everyone else does. Don't try to jump from from zero to 100% of your capacity over the month. You can't do that. We can only push ourselves you know so far. So use your energy and your time wisely.
So these are important things to do. Ramadan is simple a lot isn't. Ally's not gonna hold us accountable like employers, you know, judge their employees? How many hours did you put in? How many? How much? How much have you produced? What was your productivity? It's not physical with the loss of Hannah to Hannah. The physical side comes naturally as a as a manifestation of your inner state. But what really matters with Allah is the level of your devotion, the level of your connection with Allah subhanho wa Taala. And then what you do as a result of that, that's what counts. But if your focus is on the external actions, you are indeed offering the loss of that cheap
labor
and it isn't worth much because it has no spirit has no salt with all of our stuff, blah blah, you're looking for stuff
hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala Sayyidina Muhammad in right early he was having a battle. So Ramadan is a is a wonderful opportunity for us to get closer to Allah. Don't spoil it by fighting over when Ramadan starts. Don't Don't spoil it, asking so many Imams and shapes and scholars the same question, trying to solve issues of debate that have been there for more than 1000 years. You're not going to solve it.
But find an accessible Imam, teacher, student of knowledge scholar that you trust, whether they are local or overseas or whatever, and ask them your questions about your fasting and about your pm and about other stuff. Someone who's so keen and sincere to follow the Quran and the Sunnah. someone that you trust their knowledge and their devotion and their sincerity. Ask them and that's it stop doing the federal shopping. Stop wasting your Ramadan asking so many teachers and Imams and students of knowledge trying to solve problems that are not solvable that way.
It's not your job to deal with these things. And it's not your job to to unite the Muslims in Canada you're not gonna unite the Muslims in Canada figures speaking ill of this organization or that Imam or that Masjid and Muslims are going to be disunited. We can't decide when Ramadan starts. Let's follow calculations not the moon citing global mode citing local non citing, and you start off your Ramadan on a very negative, cynical note. And then you want to do the best out of your Ramadan, you start your Ramadan the first night of Ramadan with backbiting, slandering and insulting your Muslim brothers and sisters
And you're not making the situation better. Not at all.
So don't waste your time doing that it's not within your capacity as an individual,
it's not within your capacity.
So rest assured, and just make sure that you get the best out of this Ramadan. Again,
and if there is a fatwa here or there that you disagree with, you don't like, okay, that's not the time for, for indulging, or getting involved in these religious theological debates, not the time is time for you to read or
it's time for you to remember our last content, it's time for you to focus in your salon and keep your heart pure. Because human engagement, especially when they are cynical and negative, they will block your soul. They will block it. You're trapped in your ego and in your mind, and you can't tap into your heart.
And what a waste of Ramadan. What a waste of Ramadan. And again, don't approach Ramadan so frantically with paranoia that oh, this first one says this, if you take an eye drop, then you break your fast but I took another foot What is my face valid or not? Allah is not lying in wait to catch you and throw you out.
As we said, you follow someone that you trust. And you stick to their footwear, there are differences among the scholars about nose drops, eyedrops ear drops, but taking a shower, about incense and about perfume, and about so many things, right.
But you should not get involved. Because it doesn't help you and doesn't help the situation.
So don't waste your Ramadan, getting involved in these things. Take it easy focus on what really brings you closer to Allah,
you'll get a lot of peace of mind. And you will get to work on your heart and connect to your Lord Allah subhana wa Tada, it's way easier.
And if you have children, encourage them to to fast, not by forcing them or by explaining to them what what what what Ramadan really is. explain to them what Ramadan really is. And my experience with a lot of the younger children
is that they look forward to it.
They look forward to it. Because it's a challenge. It's a challenge. And it's good actually to frame it for your children as a challenge that Allah Subhana Allah loves, frame it for your children that way. But don't push them. Don't push them, speak with them. If If a child resists fasting, or someone resists fasting, there is something there is a conversation that needs to be that needs to take place.
It's not about external actions, because we humans, if we have the right mindset, then we go for something. But if we don't have the right mindset, we will resist it. So again, speak with your children, explain to them what Ramadan really is. And that it's an opportunity. If it's helpful to frame it as a challenge do that, since some members of our community have bought some of those, like those planners, or this challenge kind of packages for their children and it really gave them a motivation and they were looking forward the children were looking forward to do that. You don't have to buy that but you can make it for them. You can set a challenge for them at home among
siblings. Come on, let's do something that's well done. How much are we going to recite of the Quran? Are we going to what are we going to learn of it? Something of the Koran Are we going to pray this this year? Pray? Maybe, maybe just bring the family to the masjid are we going to do something special this Ramadan make it a challenge for the kids and they love it and they enjoy it.
So again, I'll close with this Ramadan is an opportunity from last month and don't approach it with paranoia. Don't frantically try to do everything. Or try to get everything just right. You don't want any mistakes. You don't want it to contradict any fit what in the world that's not going to happen.
Don't focus too much on technicalities. Learn how to do fasting, right? Learn what nullifies you fast and what breaks it, learn the generally what the etiquettes are, and just stick to that. It's meant to be simple and straightforward. The problem How did he teach the companions how to pray.
He said prayers you saw me pray. He didn't start showing exactly where to put fingers and where to put hands and how to move this and ultimately, hidden hidden discuss that is the companions observation that was narrated to us that told us why because these acts of worship are supposed to be simple, straightforward, don't make them too technical. Don't make them too technical. You You You suck the life out of them.
So again, that's how we should treat ourselves how we should teach ourselves and teach our children take it easy. It's an opportunity. It's not
Boom. It's not like Allah subhanaw taala once to sift us and throw us in the Hellfire like that and that's an opportunity. Oh Allah gave this to us as a as a gift and Allah he's the one who created us he knows what weaknesses he knows our concerns and he just gave this to us as an opportunity this appreciate appreciate it as a gift and don't turn it into a curse We ask Allah subhanaw taala to help us benefit from this month of Ramadan and to use it to its best allow muffling out when Muslim anonymously Matt and yeah even on what a llama for another no brainer why Salafi emelina forbid them and also narukami Catherine, Allah Bella Ramadan, a llama Luna Ramadan Mubarak and IV watch anime
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