Mufti Menk – Ramadan 2015 – Eid Lecture

			Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Al hamdu
Lillahi Rabbil alameen All praises indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala Lord of the worlds wa
Salatu was Salam O Allah ashrafi lambier even more saline Nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi
adjumani we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire
household, all his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless them all. And to bless
every single one of the one of us on this beautiful day have read. And we ask Allah subhanho wa
Taala to make us from among those whom he has forgiven. Since we have engaged in beautiful acts of
		

			worship during the month of Ramadan, the fasting, the
		

			Salah, the extra voluntary prayer in the evening, as well as the recitation of the Quran and the
listening of the beautiful baronne. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to accept it from us. My brothers
and sisters, a very important question is, what did we achieve from the month of Ramadan? It comes
every year, Allah gives us the opportunity to witness it. And Allah gives us this blessed day, every
single year, we don't know whether we will see another one. So the question is, what are we meant to
be achieving? And what should we have achieved from this beautiful month of Ramadan?
		

			Primarily if we were to look at the Quran, and if we were to look at the verses, whereby Allah
subhanho wa Taala has made mention of the fasting, he says quite clearly
		

			levena Amano kuchibhotla como si mahkamah kuchibhotla la de
		

			la, la La, qu. O you who believe fasting has been prescribed upon you, just like it was prescribed
upon those before you, in order that you may achieve dupois
		

			duck wha some have translated it as the fear of Allah, some have said it is the consciousness of
Allah. And some have gone deeper into the precise meaning of toccoa because it is derived from
Wikipedia, or should we say it has in it the meaning of a barrier. That barrier is actually a
barrier that we are supposed to be creating between ourselves and the punishment of Allah subhanho
wa Taala The Wrath of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So if I were to obey Allah instruction, and if I were
to abstain from his prohibition, I would be helping myself to create this beautiful barrier.
		

			If the punishment of Allah subhanho wa Taala is shown on the Day of Judgment, I would be one who
would have a barrier between myself and the punishment because primarily the mercy of Allah subhanho
wa Taala that allows the deeds we've engaged in to be accepted and the shortcomings to be forgiven.
But I have tried, and we all would have tried May Allah granted to every single one of us, I mean,
so if we take a look at how to achieve this, firstly, we worship none but Allah subhanho wa Taala.
So no act of worship is ever allowed to be rendered to anyone or anything besides Allah subhanho wa
Taala that is what Islam is based on. That is actually the primary difference between Islam and most
		

			other faiths, where the concept of godhood and the concept of worship stands out very clearly. It's
known as a monotheistic religion. The Prophet Abraham Ibrahim alayhi salatu was Salam May peace be
upon him. If we take a look at his life, his life rotates around worshiping one Allah subhanho wa
Taala, alone worshipping v maker. And this is what we believe in the primary method of achieving the
salvation on the Day of Judgment is by worshipping Allah alone. And this is why Allah says, in
Allah, Allah will shock me while
		

			he can me.
		

			Allah does not forgive. If a person dies without repenting from polytheism. Allah will not forgive
that polytheism he will not forgive that Sheikh, but he can forgive any of the sins if a person dies
without having sought the forgiveness from other sins. It's up to Allah to say, Okay, I forgive this
person. But when it comes to Sheikh he says, if you've died, and you have not yet repented from that
sin, then indeed I will punish you may Allah subhanho wa Taala not do that to us. May we be from
amongst those who repent every day many times during the day
		

			As well as the eve I mean, so that is something primary. The second thing we need to know is during
the month of Ramadan, what we did we engaged in the voluntary prayer known as Tara we, we engaged in
the recitation of the Quran, we fasted, we closed and opened our fast as per the instruction of
Mohammed salatu salam. And that was the instruction of Allah, but it came to us through the
messenger May peace be upon him. So anything we do in terms of acts of worship should be in
accordance with the teachings of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So the first thing is, I will
worship none but Allah. The second thing is, any act of worship that I render, I cannot come with an
		

			act of worship that I've created on my own, because the entire purpose of sending the messengers to
us was to show us how Allah wants to be worshipped, what he wants from us. That's why he sent the
messengers. So if we were to come up with our own acts of worship, for example, stand on one leg and
pretend like it's an act of worship, wave at the sky, perhaps jump around, you know, dance around
all this if it has not been brought by Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, and we do it thinking that it's
good, we are insulting the messenger and claiming that he did not do his job now the below May Allah
subhanho wa Taala protect us And forgive us. This is the primary reason why it is very important for
		

			us to keep on asking ourselves what I'm doing, is it an innovation or not? Let's never become people
who are hostile towards the word innovation, because we are meant to be looking into our acts of
worship, take out anything that is doubtful, remove it, that which is clear cut unanimous that which
is agreed upon is always that which is necessary and required, that which has dispute in it
primarily, you probably would not need to do that, because it would not be a matter of dispute, may
Allah subhanho wa Taala help us feel easy within ourselves to remove that from the acts of worship,
we may be engaging, that was not taught by Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam like I said, it's an insult to
		

			Mohammed Salah Salaam, his status and the finality of prophethood and the fact that he has delivered
the message for us to think he hasn't because we know a little bit better. So these are the two
primary things we should have achieved from the month of Ramadan. And we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala
to grant us all acceptance. Similarly, when it comes to the month of Ramadan, you and I know we've
engaged in a lot of acts of worship that were extra over and above that, which we would be engaging
in during the days outside Ramadan. And for this, it's important for us to realize that which is
compulsory for us through the year becomes much easier. If I were engaging in so much voluntary
		

			prayer during Ramadan, then at least a day like today Mashallah I should be here for Salah I've been
getting up quite early Alhamdulillah perhaps the excuse might have been food in the case of some but
Alhamdulillah at least we followed through a solid Wilfredo and so now it would be much easier for
us to continue with that which is for that which is compulsory that which is required by Allah
subhanho wa Taala. So I call on yourselves as well as myself to ensure that we do not miss that
which is that which is compulsory. The five daily prayers that I am supposed to be engaging in
should become much easier. It's important for me to arrive early for the Salah a few minutes before
		

			it begins at least and at the same time remain and continue even further with the sun and the
nephele and various other acts of worship. Similarly, what's important for us to know is this is
known as hula the rights of Allah subhanho wa Taala when I fulfill my Salah, I'm doing it for the
sake of Allah, another human being is not involved when it comes to the act of worship known as
Salah prayer. another human being is not involved, it's me and my maker. So there are certain acts
of worship that are between myself and my maker, I need to fulfill the rights of my maker worship
none but my maker ensure that I do things according to the follow to the instruction of Muhammad
		

			Sallallahu sallam, and at the same time Subhana Allah, I need to be a person who makes sure that
everything my maker wants from me is done.
		

			But there is another entire department that I need to fulfill and that is known as Rococo a bed
		

			the rights of fellow human beings, I need to make sure I reach out to other people. I need to make
sure my attitude towards others is purified rectified. If you take a look at Ramadan, it's not just
the fasting, our hearts are softened, we give out a fitara at least some or a lot of people have
chosen to give out their Zakah as well in the month of Ramadan. Although it's not a condition but
because it is something that is good people do it in the month of Ramadan expecting a greater reward
from Allah subhanho wa Taala so
		

			To become charitable, this quality is such that you are reaching out to other people. Similarly, we
need to ask ourselves if I am required to be charitable and to reach out to others with my wealth.
What about with my character with my conduct? What is the point of giving a charity and yet your
character and conduct is not even of an acceptable level? So Allah subhanho wa Taala makes it quite
clear. Yeah.
		

			levina Manohla totally Rosada partiko Roman numeral,
		

			oh, you who believe, do not
		

			render or nullify the reward of your charities, by bragging about it, by bragging about it and by
harming so imagine a person gives you a charity
		

			or gives a poor person a charity. And later on for the rest of their lives. They said you know what
to remember I gave you the $100. Remember, I gave you the $100 if they keep on saying that, perhaps
a person who has respect would take the $100 and give it back and say listen, you know what, keep
your money and thank you so much. The reality is when we've given someone it should be such that the
left hand does not really know what the right hand is spent. That's the most ideal way of doing it.
Consider yourself fortunate that Allah has kept poor people for you to be able to reach out to in
order to engage in that act of worship, the equation is not complete if there was no one to receive.
		

			If the recipient is not there, the equation is not complete. This is something I need to know. So
what we need to develop is our character as well we need to purify the heart. This is how taqwa will
be achieved when you have removed jealousy from your heart. And that will come with an effort.
Sometimes jealousy does not go away, unless you make an effort to remove it. Unless you work hard on
yourself to say, Look, let me become happy at the success of someone else. Whether it is material or
any other form of success. Let me become happy with the success of the others. When I see them,
doing well, I must be happy, I must thank Allah, perhaps I can congratulate them and so on and feel
		

			good about it. Maybe it's not wrong to ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to give you from from that as
well or to give us from what we see others being bestowed with. That's a gift of Allah subhanho wa
Taala. So to remove jealousy, to remove hatred, to remove envy, to go out and resolve matters
between the members of the oma, we should be starting with resolving matters within members of the
family, and thereafter make that circle larger and larger, by going to perhaps members of the
community and so on. Some people are not even bothered, they may see a problem they may be living
within an issue and they never want to resolve it. the bare minimum is feel in your heart that I
		

			really want to do something about this for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala. In this way, we will
be able to resolve matters, we will be able to come together as an oma and fulfill what Allah wants
us to fulfill. If we do not resolve matters and disputes between us how then would we be able to
help the generations to come? If you take a look at those who struggled and strove from the very
beginning. They continued in a way that today the dean has come to us we are seated here together,
take a look at the companions of Rasulullah sallallahu sallam. It is very interesting to note that
whenever we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam we mentioned
		

			them, we say why Allah Allah He was happy. May Allah bless the family as well as the companions. Why
do we speak about the companions? May Allah be pleased with them, because they are the ones who
struggled from the very beginning and that's how the message got to us. So if we were to struggle in
order to preserve the message, and to give it to others, especially our children, and expect and
hope and pray that inshallah it will get to the next generations, we will be fulfilling a part of
our duty, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to make that easy for us. Similarly, when it comes to
the achievement of the month of Ramadan, the softening of the heart, drawing closer to Allah, a
		

			person should be loving, loving, to get to Allah subhanho wa Taala to become closer to Allah
subhanho wa Taala we should be softened in a way that everything good that pleases Allah subhanho wa
Taala we find ourselves there we find ourselves quick. For example, this is the house of Allah
subhanho wa Taala and Allah subhanho wa Taala has definitely kept every one of us as the guests of
his and this is why the masjid is not known as a person's bliss. It's known as the house of Allah
subhanho wa Taala and this house of Allah subhanho wa Taala everyone who comes in should be feeling
the warmth of the hearts of the rest of us. We should be feeling welcome. We should look at each
		

			other and give
		

			each other, did you know that if you start off only by greeting each other with a smile, a lot of
your other problems would be resolved. Because soon the smile will become genuine. You know
initially sometimes people have a little bit of animosity, they might smile at you without really
meaning the smile, we hope that we can work on that type of smile and make it make it a bit more
genuine by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala And when that happens, the hearts begin to warm up,
we begin to reach out to others, we begin to feel good, you look forward to the next Salah yes for
the sake of Allah but because your brothers are there and because Subhanallah you will be going
		

			there and you will be feeling the bond with the rest of the oma. But if someone made you feel
uncomfortable in the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala you would not want to go back. So let us not
be from among those who make others feel uncomfortable when it comes to the house of Allah subhanho
wa Taala
		

			but what is of importance is to note that the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala is not only for
Salah, there are so many other activities that take place in the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala
various massages have various programs that they have in place in order to serve Allah through
serving the oma, make sure we participate in some of these programs, at least, make sure that your
heart is softened, to be able to feel that you are missing out when a tough scene happens and you're
not there. Because that's the word of Allah. So sit in it, make sure you make an effort to sit it's
10 minutes, perhaps 20 minutes, even if it is 30 minutes a week. That's not much. If we sit and we
		

			listen to the word of Allah, it may soften the hearts of ourselves as well as our offspring. Imagine
when your children watch you dedicatedly sitting every week or every so often for an Islamic
program, you show interest in it. It is automatic training for your own children, they will realize
your dedication perhaps even after you've departed they will say my dad never missed this. I'm going
to sit here how many of us have witnessed our parents, those who've passed on May Allah grant those
parents, Rama and mercy May Allah grant them gentlemen, those who are alive May Allah grant him long
and healthy lives in his obedience. I mean, how many of us have witnessed our parents doing certain
		

			things religiously, and as a result, it has made us follow suit. It has made us feel that we want to
do this. So why don't we do the same so that our children can also follow because remember, Our duty
is to look after our children and to nurture them and to be able to give them a good upbringing as
best as we can. One of the best ways of doing that is to lead by example, lead by example without
even speaking they want you coming to the masjid enthusiastically every day with a smile on your
face, they will want to be a part of it. But if we come to the masjid last minute, we are rushing
only for Juma half the Juma is over, we come in and we are the first ones out and we have gone when
		

			the children witnessed this, they will think that the house of Allah is a place where you go last
minute and you come out quickly. And that's it. You have no link with Allah. Let us try and change
this. This is what we are meant to have achieved from Ramadan. If we if we really think about it
that taraweeh we engaged in in the month of Ramadan. It's not easy. It's actually quite difficult,
especially for those who do not understand the Arabic language to be able to stand in prayer. We
need to admit it's difficult it's not easy, because you are listening to words perhaps concentrating
on the words without knowing the meanings. May Allah subhanho wa Taala reward every single one of us
		

			and accept it from us. So if we managed to stand and listen to the entire Quran, Isn't it about time
that we start wanting to read the Quran in a similar fashion in a beautiful way so make an effort.
Ramadan is a month of the Quran one of the achievements I am supposed to have achieved is closeness
to the Quran, the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala I heard it cover to cover. There are massages that
don't have the honor or the privilege of listening to the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala from cover
to cover, Mashallah, in this country, we have that privilege. It is made easy for us there are a
farmer who make an effort to learn and and to render the Salah in such a way that by the end of
		

			Ramadan, you've heard the whole Quran. It's not all about hearing alone. That's only one stage. It's
only one part of it. We need to now go further. Let me try and learn how to read it. Let me
understand the Quran. Let me try and attend the tough seal that what is the Tafseer it's
understanding the Quran let me learn the Arabic language. Let me see how best I can become closer to
Allah through becoming closer to his word. This is something very important. I want to get close to
Allah The first thing I do, his words exists in our midst, I need to become close to them. And that
is how I will become closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So if I were to make an effort to learn the
		

			Quran correctly, if I were to make an effort to try and understand it, by the will of Allah I would
be from among those who have achieved a lot from the month of Ramadan.
		

			Similarly when it comes to the month of Ramadan
		

			We learned a lot of control controlling ourselves we abstained abstain from things that are
otherwise permissible. We abstain from food and drink and that which may have appeared delicious.
Sometimes what happens is when a person is fasting, and the belly is empty, they look at food. Food
looks good to them because they are hungry. And this is why they say when you go shopping, make sure
you've eaten before you actually go because you will end up filling your trolley with unnecessary
things simply because your belly is empty. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to grant us an
understanding, but at the same time, that is a lesson for us because if we could stay away from
		

			food, when it appeared beautiful for us, surely we would be able to stay away from haram and it
would appear never ever beautiful to us or for us. Rather it would be made ugly, by Allah subhanho
wa Taala because it's Haram, the fact that something is haram. Immediately we should feel this is no
way. It has no beauty in it at all. It's Haram, we will stay away from it because Allah subhanho wa
Taala detested and this is why the beautiful of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam he says Allah Habibi.
laindon imana was the Yin houfy albena. O Allah, make love to us. Amen. belief in Allah make the
belief in Allah loves to us. This would include making easy for us the worship of Allah subhanho wa
		

			Taala make it easy for us to come to the house of Allah. Whenever there is something good or Allah
make it easy for us to do it. Whenever there is something that's going to achieve your pleasure, or
Allah make it easy for us to achieve it. Remember, yes, we have the energy but make dua that Allah
makes it easy for you to do something, continue making the dua and then you will be steered in that
direction by the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And the drought continues. What can we Elena
Kufa, woelfel suka wallacea ecn. And make detested for us which means make us hate, make us dislike,
disbelief anything that is turning away from Allah make us Don't make us hate it make us from
		

			amongst those who are not there. make us from those who realize that this is going to earn the anger
of Allah so we are no we are not there. We are not found there and make detested for us all forms of
sin. Anything that earns the Wrath of Allah, anything that is outside the obedience of Allah. Allah
make it ugly for us make it such that we stay away from it with ease. May Allah subhanho wa Taala
grant that to us. This is known as taqwa primarily, this is the achievement we are meant to be
feeling in our lives from this beautiful month of Ramadan. And the beauty is the dose of one month
of the month of Ramadan is so beautiful that by the time we 11 months are up, we already back at
		

			Ramadan. Imagine if Ramadan had to come after two years or three years, perhaps people's hearts may
not have been softened as often to be able to keep them going for the rest of the year. But we ask
Allah Subhana Allah to Allah has mercy and we thank him for everything that he has bestowed upon us.
		

			The day of EAD Allah gives us not in order for us to go back to our sinful ways. But in order for us
to consolidate the link that we've just made with Allah subhanho wa Taala I've just become close to
Allah, let me consolidate it. This is why the day of eat, ensure that you are in the masjid for
Salah ensure that you have worshipped Allah ensure that the sins that shaman may be making you want
to plan are actually cut out. Many people come into the day of eat. And sadly, they forget that this
is not a day of disobedience. It's a day of obedience. So the dress code is wrong. The links are
wrong, the relationships are wrong, the social gatherings around the statements made are wrong. And
		

			a lot of things that we do around those who for example, happened to engage in acts of worship and
closeness to Allah subhanho wa Taala sometimes they go straight back into the sin. And there's like
a person who's gambling before Ramadan, and Rama Ramadan comes in they tell you hey, I stopped
gambling. It's Ramadan. We're not gambling, the day of it back in the gambling casino wherever else
or the clubs or whatever else it may be. This is why they see and this is something obviously it's
on a lighter note but it's beautiful. They say there is a strange wind that blows a strange wind
that blows into the houses of the Muslims at times. Immediately after I'm Yvonne. What does he do?
		

			It blows away all the beards and scars May Allah subhanho wa Taala not do that to us. This is the
beard that was grown during the month of Ramadan. He is a wind that blew it away the scarf that was
worn throughout the month of Ramadan. He the wind came and blew it off. So what happened? Sister you
know you no longer recognizable of my brother What happened? So hon Allah May Allah subhanho wa
Taala help us. That's just an example. But what it means is, do not allow shaytan to blow away your
achievements, consolidate them, I became great
		

			With my Salah, let me remain regular I became for example I changed my bad ways I quit my habit no
matter what the bad habit is, I quit it I cut it let me consolidate Let me ask Allah subhanho wa
Taala to be able to stay on that and to be able to grow by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala in
such a way that by the time the next one comes I'm already on a new level altogether you know when
you for example and the children would probably understand this example a little bit more if you're
playing a game you have stage one you don't want to stay on stage when it becomes boring, they will
play it again and again and they will tell you that you know what this is a waste of time I now want
		

			to another game you know the PSP now there's a six that's out I needed they going to tell you
immediately look I cannot remain on stage one. I need to get to stage two stage three stage four now
life is not a game the dean is not a game but that example we can learn from it that we should
become upset with ourselves when every year Ramadan comes we still on stage one again, Ramadan comes
again we're on stage one, come on, it's about time the next time a man comes I must be on stage to
this time I'm reading the Quran properly myself. When the third Ramadan comes this time I can
understand words from the Quran when the Imam says yeah, Allah moon to Allah, I know what he's
		

			saying. When the Imam says For example, certain verses I can understand that because I'm trying to
make an effort and this is where we would be achieving closeness to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So
Alhamdulillah we've been given a blessed day, in order to praise Allah in order to declare the
greatness of Allah in order to be able to thank Allah for the entire season of goodness has given us
		

			at the same time we need to realize that Ramadan is no more for this year kamasan has gone by now we
have kicked off with the month of Hajj, the month of Hajj have already commenced, Sha one is one of
the months of Hajj and what we need to understand. This is Allah subhanho wa Taala telling us that
if you are able and capable to engage in this act of worship, known as Hajj and if it is, first of
all, you make an effort and find yourself there. My brothers and sisters in this part of the world
in this country in particular, we are fortunate, it's not as difficult as other countries to go for
Hajj, the population of Muslim men is not so big, but at the same time, we need to know if we do not
		

			fulfill the duty of going for Hajj. If it is compulsory upon us. We are sinful we are actually
sinful. We are leaving out a pillar of Islam. May Allah subhanahu wa Jalla make it easy for us all
to engage in his worship and to fulfill the Hajj if it's compulsory upon us, and at the same time to
change our lives to be able to fulfill the rights of Allah subhanho wa Taala as well as the rights
of fellow human beings to be able to soften our hearts to be able to become better people to be able
to be people who speak in a very good way with those whom we live with to begin with. And then the
rest of our brothers and sisters in the oma. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to bless every one of
		

			us, my brothers and sisters, what a beautiful day of eat. And we ask Allah subhanahu wa Jalla to
really make it a day of happiness a day whereby not only do we achieve the joy and happiness but we
make Allah subhanho wa Taala happy by engaging in extra acts of worship. We ask Allah subhanho wa
Taala to grant us all ease and goodness was all Allahu wa salam ala nabina Muhammad Mohammed