Mufti Menk – Ramadan 2023 – Reviving the Spirit 18

			Laila reifying
		

			Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi wa ala who
was on Allahu wa salam ala Milena via by the Hawala Allah He was happy personally, my beloved
brothers and sisters, balancing your life is something important sometimes during the month of
Ramadan, we tend to do more of one thing, neglecting our other duties. For example, because of the
importance given to acts of worship, such as prayer, such as reading the Quran, such as the vicar
and the remembrance of Allah, such as going out to help people who are in need, sometimes we neglect
our own family members. Sometimes we neglect our duties that are primary. And this happens even
		

			outside Ramadan, where the balance we strike between family life, the work we have to do, and the
worship of Allah, these three things connected are all actually the worship of Allah. Because if you
take a look at the meaning of the worship of Allah, to lead your life in a way that is in the
obedience of Allah, and not in transgression of Allah subhanho wa taala. That is called worshiping
Allah, even if you're sleeping, you're worshiping Allah, you're earning, you're worshiping Allah,
you go out to do something, you're worshiping Allah, you're playing with your children and family
members, that is worshiping Allah for as long as you are not doing something in transgression of the
		

			Command of Allah, you're conscious of the command and the prohibition of Allah. And you've kept that
as the limits. So if you have that in mind, and you bear that in mind all the time, you will be
engaged in constant worship of Allah subhanho wa taala, even though it's part of your family life,
it's part of your work, your job and so on, to earn sustenance that is halal to ensure that what
you're earning is halal is considered worship of Allah subhanho wa taala. So
		

			the balance that we strike when we speak about the three things, the worship of Allah, the work that
we have, and the family life, in essence, it's mainly these two things, the family knife, and the
work on condition that we make sure we don't miss out that to which Allah has ordained, like your
prayer, and everything else, all of which should be within what Allah Almighty has taught. So while
you're spending time at work, doing things earning a living, don't forget your prayer, it's part of
it. Don't forget your duty to earn Hulen do not cheat people, don't deceive them. Don't transgress
while you're working, don't shortchange your employer, if you're working for someone, you know,
		

			don't be busy on your phone, when they're paying you to do something else, unless there is
permissibility and scope of using your phone. But to that degree, you may do so. But it's wrong for
a believer to lose consciousness of the fact that they're at work. And they're not supposed to be
doing something. And they just busy doing that, especially in the age of social media and the
gadgets that we do have. Similarly, when you're spending time with your family, make sure that you
don't miss your prayers, make sure that you're dressed appropriately, depending on who you're with.
Obviously, the closer the circle, the more relaxed the rules of dress code are. So the dress code is
		

			because
		

			it becomes your spouse, your parents, perhaps your children, your brothers and sisters, these are
those who are very close relatives, the way you dress would probably be different from the way you
dress when you walk out of the house. All of this when you're conscious of it, you convert it into
acts of worship, this balance is something tremendous. It's amazing. So if I'm walking out of the
house, just for recreational purposes, see, I want to take a walk, walk in the park, because I'm I
just need a bit of breath of fresh air. If I walk out of the house, bearing in mind that I'm a
Muslim, I wish to be dressed modestly. I'm supposed to carry myself respectfully. I'm supposed to
		

			bear my prayers in mind. If I'm going to eat something in the process. It must be halal. If I'm
going to interact with people It must be respectful. I can start off with Salam and I can make sure
that while I'm walking I know where and how to lower my gaze and so on. Automatically my exiting
from the home just for purposes of a prominent taking a walk becomes an act of worship. How's that?
Amazing. So in the same way everything else we converted into an act of worship because icon
		

			I just have a Muslim, unconscious. I'm a believer, I should carry myself as one. Now, when we talk
of acts of worship, like I said, there are three things, Your Worship, your work and your family
life. And I remember saying the two are what we're talking about. But when we say worship, we're
talking about the obligation that which you cannot let go off, such as your prayer, five daily
prayers, such as in the month of Ramadan, you're fasting, yes, some people have a leeway. Some
people definitely are allowed, not too fast, because they're sick, they're on journey. They may be
breastfeeding, they may be pregnant, there is permissibility, then there's also prohibition of
		

			fasting. If you're on your menstrual cycle, you're not allowed to fast. And you should be excited
about the fact that you're obeying Allah's command, I'm going to get a full reward and even greater
reward because I got to deep down that I can't fast in that it's the month of Ramadan. However, I'm
excited to be adopting Allah's command and instruction. He told me, Don't fast, do it later, I will
reward you not just for the fast, but for having abstained in Ramadan and did it after Ramadan, you
get a greater reward.
		

			Because you're fulfilling my instruction in a very unique way. And I'm the one who forced you and
compelled you to go through these changes that have resulted in this menstrual cycle. Subhan Allah,
that's Allah, that's Allah. So do not despair. However, strike a beautiful balance. Sometimes people
spend so much time cooking in Ramadan. And yes, it's beautiful to have something nice to make a bar
with, it's lovely to have a little beautiful meal be it's all be it Iftar. But to take so much time
that it compromises your acts of worship, then it becomes wrong. So spend some time with the Quran
set yourself, maybe time limits, spend some time listening to good lectures may be attending a few
		

			good lessons, expanding your knowledge, spend some time maybe finding out about your family members,
perhaps those who are sick and ill, and Allah Almighty will grant you a lot.
		

			So if you then set aside the time for the cooking, it might be one two hours. You know what, make
sure that you don't prolong it too much. I know that some people say well, you know, you're gonna
get a reward for cooking, which is true, you do get a great reward for cooking for others and
feeding them, if I'm a to am is one of the great acts of worship to feed people. Now, whether you're
feeding strangers, whether you're feeding broader family members, whether you're feeding the close
circle, family, all of it is included. And whether you're a person who paid for it, or who made it,
if I'm a bomb is one of the cornerstones of the Islamic teachings, to feed people food, to give them
		

			food to care for them enough to prepare the meal. So it is very rewarding, but not at the expense of
your Salah, not at the expense of your other duties Unto Allah. You've never read Quran why I'm busy
cooking, and I'm getting a big reward for someone told me I get a bigger reward than reading Quran.
No, you don't. reading Quran is a different type of act of worship, indeed. So you need to strike
the balance. And this is how we will become people who grow in a beautiful way. We care for others,
we serve others, we also concentrate on our own growth. I for 1am, here speaking to you, but I'm
always concerned about my own personal growth, my private recitation of the Quran, my private ADKAR
		

			that I need to fulfill my salah, the way I should be growing, how I should be expanding my
knowledge, how I can improve myself. That's a constant concern. And if I don't do something about
it, I will stagnate and stop exactly where I am, maybe even go back backwards. And that's not good.
In the same way, all of us need to make sure that we're progressing somehow. People sometimes go to
work during Ramadan. They forget that fasting is an act of worship, they're just doing it because
everyone is doing it. And we're fasting and I know that, well. I'm going to just spend the day and
enjoy the day I'm going to eat.
		

			So just wait, stay hungry for the day. Allah says it's not about hunger. It's not about thirst. It's
more about the taqwa and the consciousness of Allah that lies within all of that. That's why the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says some people achieve nothing from their fast besides hunger
and thirst, and some
		

			people achieve nothing from their standing in prayer besides becoming tired and losing sleep. So if
that's the case, let's ask ourselves Who are those? They are the ones who think that the only thing
that you're supposed to be doing here is staying away from food and drink. That's it. No, it is
development of yourself. It is the consciousness of Allah. Once you develop that consciousness, like
the example I gave you walking out of the house, the minute you intend to walk out of your home, you
convert that walking out into an act of worship, just by becoming conscious of who you are. That's
it. And if you carry yourself throughout your trip, wherever you went to the shops, or to the
		

			stores, whatever it might have been, you went to do the school runs, the fact that you continuously
pour in mind who you are. And you carried yourself in a respectful way that that is befitting a
believer, you're you're in a constant act of worship. And that's why Allah Almighty tells us wama
hello to Jean our INSA in Dalian, Buddha, I have not created mankind of Jean kind, except for them
to worship me. And people think, Oh, does that mean I need to stand in constant prayer or fast every
day, or be reading the Quran throughout the day, every day, and on the fact that you lead your life
conscious of who you are, and who your maker is, and what you all your maker, and you carry yourself
		

			appropriately, automatically makes your entire life is huge worship of Allah subhanho wa Taala
you're obeying these instructions to the best of your ability? And you know what? You are fulfilling
what you're supposed to staying away from what you're supposed to. Now, if that is the case, then
surely we will develop ourselves in such a beautiful way. May Allah grant us the best of this world
and the next May Allah help us strike a beautiful balance this month of Ramadan. We take things a
little bit more seriously outside Ramadan is we can engage in recreation and everything else a
little bit more. Perhaps it's still the Lord within Ramadan is the same one outside of Ramadan. May
		

			Allah bless you all, who locally had Salama who Osama ala Nabina Muhammad Laila to call the reifying
		

			fish ah