Mufti Menk – Run up to Ramadhaan

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			We can try that again. salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah, Allah, he was happy. I mean, we always
praise Allah subhanho wa Taala. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam, his household, his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless them to bless
every one of us, to grant us all success and goodness in this world and to be able to live our lives
in a way that we can maximise on the reward by reaching out to one another as humankind and at the
same time serving the almighty primarily. I mean, my brothers, my sisters, this morning, I got up to
devastating news about bombings that happened, or blasts that took place in Sri Lanka, while the
		

			Easter festivities are going on. And this happened in several churches, as well as some hotels and
so on. And I think it would be wrong for me to commence without mentioning this and condemning it
very, very strongly. We are Muslim in we believe in peace, and actually what happens in terms of
war.
		

			And, and difficulty hardship, comes about after such blasts upon the Muslims more than anyone else.
Definitely Our thoughts are with the victims. And we do not condone in any way such activity. In
fact, I want to spend a moment telling you that the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, has
expressly prohibited harming people in their places of worship, to the degree that at a time of war,
he warned his own companions to say whoever enters the monastery is safe. If they enter the place of
worship, they're safe. The reason is, it means they're not even participating in the war, whoever
puts the weapons down are safe, you don't harm a woman, you don't destroy infrastructure, you don't
		

			destroy the trees, and so on. You don't harm the elderly, you don't attack those who don't want to
attack you. This was at a time of war. Imagine at the time of peace. People are doing this. No one
has claimed responsibility. I don't know. But you know, as Muslims every time something like this
happens, we're just waiting, hoping that it wasn't a Muslim who did this, because definitely not in
my name. And I don't think ever in your name either. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us
protection. And definitely we pray for peace. And we pray for stability. We We are the ones who
would reach out to others just like they have reached out to us at our time of need. May the
		

			almighty grant us all goodness. So I start off this way because the month of Ramadan is coming. It
is a month of compassion. It is a month of reaching out. It is a month of spreading wings. It is a
month whereby the hearts are softened. We cannot ever
		

			have an accepted Ramadan with hard hearts, we need to soften the hearts the people with the most
difficult behavior tend to soften up during the month of Ramadan. I have visited prisons in some
countries across the globe in some countries. And you know, it's called the Correctional Services,
some call it prisons etc. But the idea is to rehabilitate people after they've committed a crime or
done something wrong to be able to emerge from their people who've pondered, reflected and change
their lives, perhaps to be you know, taken back into society into community in a way that they would
be able to contribute once again, towards the upliftment of the society and community. And when I
		

			visited some of these prisons, especially in South Africa, quite a few and the wardens have always
said you know, during Ramadan, these criminals they become such that you would never believe they
were even able to commit a crime.
		

			May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us that way throughout the year. This is why we are taught that
Ramadan is supposed to be
		

			a training for how you will be living throughout the year. You know, we control the food intake in
Ramadan in one way and we should be controlling the food intake throughout the year in another way.
		

			I am not allowed to just put in my mouth whatever I want, once a year.
		

			I can't just take something without looking at whether it's halal or haram permissible or prohibited
and I cannot just take it and put it in my mouth and think to myself, do you know what?
		

			That's it? If I believe in Allah and the Last Day, I need to be concerned what am I eating? am I
eating something okay? Did I buy it with money that was earned in
		

			The proper pure way? Or did I purchase it with money that was perhaps dirty or stolen? Or I got it
through deception and so on. If that's the case, what blessings do I want? What do I want from the
almighty? What do you think the energy that is derived from such food is going to make you do? Do
you really think that which went in negative is going to come out in terms of energy positive? No.
So it's important for us to discipline ourselves. Islam is about discipline, it's about rules,
regulations, governing the pure life that would actually make you content in this world happy
looking forward to the Almighty, ensuring that we have, we have built a relationship with the maker
		

			who made us so that when we return to Him, we're happy. And we have succeeded in this world in the
next. And for this reason, while we're on Earth. One of the ways of earning the pleasure of the
Almighty is actually to reach out to the other creatures that the same Almighty has made and I have
said this 1000s of times in Ramadan, many people give out their charities they give out Zakat or
those Zakat, and its calculation has nothing to do with Ramadan For your information, Zakat, and the
calculation of Zakat has nothing to do with the month of Ramadan specifically, but if you have
managed to end that Islamic year where your Zakat is due, in a way that it's giving will quote will
		

			coincide with the month of Ramadan Alhamdulillah. If for example, I brought it forward a little bit
to be given in the month of Ramadan because I wanted the blessings of it. Yes, Alhamdulillah it's
good perhaps I will achieve a great reward and maybe a greater reward. But you cannot delay use a
cat just because you're waiting for the month of Ramadan No, no, no zakat. And its calculation, like
I said a moment ago, is not connected to the month of Ramadan. Remember this May Allah subhanahu wa
taala grant us goodness and May Allah make us even more charitable. But in the month of Ramadan, we
reach out to people in a way that our character and conduct should show that we are changed. That's
		

			why the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says whoever is not going to ensure the correct use of
their tongues, and whoever is going to engage in abusive language and that which is false in terms
of false accusation, false witness, etc, while they're abstaining from food and drink have actually
wasted their time staying away from food and drink. Because Allah says, I don't mean that they have
stayed away from their food and drink. I don't need it.
		

			In the same way, in Oman, we are conscious about what should be going in and not be going into our
mouths. We should be conscious about what comes out of the same mouth. Many of us forget this. For
us. If you say what's Ramadan all about? You say it's about not eating, right. Yesterday I was
speaking in Glasgow, and I said, and I'm going to say it again. It's strange how Ramadan is a month
of not eating. And if you go to our kitchens right now, we're piling up stockpiling for the month of
Ramadan, with all the same reason the food that we're going to be munching away during the month of
not eating Subhanallah it's like the minute the sun sets and that's it. We'll get to this, you know,
		

			a table laid with food and we're about to do karma. You know, karma means to recompense yourself for
something you've missed. That's not what Ramadan is all about. But anyway,
		

			just as we make sure we are conscious about what goes into our mouths in terms of food, we need to
be conscious about what comes out of our mouths in terms of language.
		

			My Lamia da cola Zulu and Amanda b1 Jana felicetti, la hija toffee and Jada appa Mahara Babu.
Whoever is not going to be conscious about what comes out of his mouth. Because he were to blurt on
because he blurts out words that are abusive and false in their nature.
		

			Allah doesn't need the fact that he stayed away from food and drink for what? It's a wholesome act
of worship. It's discipline. If you were too fast, you didn't say bad words, part of your fast, you
didn't eat or drink part of your fast you didn't engage in permissible sexual activity part of your
past. When I say permissible I say I'm meaning that which is otherwise permissible. And but but you
didn't pray through the day. What did you do blemish in the past such that its reward is almost
nullified, if anything, may Allah subhanho wa Taala. Forgive us. So you have people because the
fastest long they say well, I'm going to be sleeping. So you sleep football.
		

			through the hole you sleep through also, and you sometimes even sleep through Missouri, and then you
get an A is the time down. Yes, definitely give me the, you know the date. For example, hang on,
hang on, but you didn't even fulfill your Salah what happened. My brothers and sisters, if you want
to benefit from the month, you need to do it in a proper way. It's a package.
		

			You cannot just do what you feel and call it. It's a call it fast. And that's the reason why those
who are
		

			abused during Ramadan.
		

			The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him talks about it. If someone swears you, he says if you're
abused verbally, while fasting, make it clear. I'm not going to abuse you back. You know what I'm
fasting for Liukin in the side.
		

			If someone is abused, he or she should say handfasting, which means relax. I'm on coo mode here
Subhana Allah. And that should train us to react and retaliate to any form of abuse and hate
throughout the year. Today, we have a difficulty and we witness it online more than anywhere else,
because now the globe has become a little village. What is it? Someone attacks you, you attack them
back. I said that a few days ago in another country, that if someone calls you the name of one
animal, you call them the names of all the animals in the zoo. It didn't help.
		

			How did it make you a better person where if they call you an animal and you happen to look back at
them and just say crazy.
		

			It would be better than to swear them back. If you saw them back you become the same May Allah
subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us.
		

			So the month of Ramadan, the preparation for it commences from now. We have this beautiful month
that we that we are in right now, the month of Shaban the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used
to fast during this month more than other months. He it was picking up because in the run up to Rama
van, he already started getting into the mode of Ramadan. Number one, he's taught us twice a week.
It's voluntary, but recommended to fast. Rewarding should I say twice a week is voluntary but
rewarding too fast. Which days Monday and Thursday. The days are set out for you that the days of
the week the times set out for you try it out.
		

			The doctors who are not even Muslim, and
		

			the experts who are not even Muslim, have said that this intermittent fasting is so healthy for you.
People have started it for a medical reason. But Islam teaches us that from way back in the day. The
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him hardly missed the Monday and the Thursday.
		

			Right. So Pamela, are we going to try that in Sharla and you know what,
		

			not only will you gain the closeness of the Almighty but as a bonus, your health improves as a
bonus.
		

			You begin to lose a little bit of weight Mashallah people are trying right? Trying hard, you lose a
little bit of weight. You know, my brothers and sisters something strange,
		

			something very strange. We're prepared to do things. For the outward appearance of ourselves. We'll
go to the gym, and we'll sweat it out. And I said yesterday, in my talk, 45 minutes of sweat a day
will change your life. Did you hear that? And I'm serious. 45 minutes of sweat a day will change
your mental condition into something much more positive emotionally, mentally, physically,
spiritually, in always 45 minutes of sweat. Okay, that's not a hadith. Okay, that's not the Hadith.
		

			But at the same time, it's drawn from the fact that we as Muslim men are taught to be fit, we are
taught to be healthy look after your health. It's an Amana. That's where it's drawn from. So there
is no 45 minutes mentioned in any revelation. But that's just me saying, you know, Look after
yourselves, exercise, do something, sweat it out. Many of us eat and drink and that's it. And we're
not worried until the day something goes wrong with our health and then we look at it. But Allah has
blessed us with all these little rules and regulations. When Islam has rules. Many people think and
say to themselves, too many rules, too many regulations. But if you look at them,
		

			they're only there for your broader long term and short term benefit. That's what they're there for.
You remain disciplined, you are focused, you are sober, you have good habits, you haven't messed
your life and yourself. You're clean. You concentrate on your family, you concentrate on values and
morals. You know, you look at your children, you spend time with them. You're supposed to be
spending time with them.
		

			This is part of building you as a person. Hence we have the discipline the rules, if I can stay away
from water, which is otherwise, something very good, if I can stay away from water during the fast
surely outside the fast alcohol is something I wouldn't even look at if it displeases the Almighty.
Right? It would become much easier if you can stay away from your own wife for a short space of time
during the daylight hours of Ramadan, just the daylight hours of Ramadan. Surely, when you're
invited towards something that is sinful, you would actually just without even thinking 10 away,
because you're used to this control this discipline you're used to it. It's nature to you, may Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us. It has to soften this heart. If it doesn't, then we're not
achieving.
		

			So pre Ramadan, we need to know there is a little run up Mashallah tabarrok Allah, we have the three
fasts in the middle of the month.
		

			They're called the white days, why white days, because of the moon and its color during those days.
That's why
		

			13th 14th and 15th of the lunar
		

			month.
		

			The Hadith says you fast those days, it's a sooner each good deed is multiplied by 10. So if you
were to fast three multiplied by 10, it's as good as having fasted the entire month. Subhan Allah,
right, it's as good as having fasted the entire month, you get a reward for it. So that gives you
the two every week plus the three in the middle. Amazing. You're used to fasting intermittent, every
other day, we're fasting. And when we fast this year, I want you to become conscious of your
character.
		

			Every year, we are conscious about the food this year, I want you to watch your character.
		

			Because if you watch your character, you will achieve a wholesome reward for the fast.
		

			If you don't want your character, the extended blessings you're meant to be achieving by fasting
will be diminished. Your firm your compulsory obligation has been done. But will you achieve the
broad achievement? No.
		

			It's like when a person goes for Hajj, the pilgrimage.
		

			Their life is supposed to change when they come back. There is supposed to be a sign in them of
improvement of spirituality connection to the almighty as well as character and conduct. Why are
these two so important? I'll tell you in a moment. But if a person returns from pilgrimage and they
have not changed much, yes, they may have fulfilled an obligation but the broader reward will not be
achieved. The broader beneficiary benefit
		

			will not be achieved.
		

			And this is why when I say two things I needed your relationship with the Almighty and your your
character and conduct. Because your relationship with the Almighty is you and your maker, the one
you're going to go back to you need to have a good relationship with him. We call it Tukwila to be
conscious of Allah, you know, to be fearful of displeasing the Almighty. When we say fearful
		

			I explained it yesterday. I'm explaining it again today to say
		

			that fear is not like oh, I'm scared and frightened, etc. You know the old way. It is out of the
love of the Almighty you fear to earn his wrath. You fear to be cast in his punishment you fear to
displease him. When you're in love with someone you fear to make them upset or angry, etc, etc. So
it is a fear but a beautiful fear.
		

			Because fear can be explained in different ways. You know, when there is a snake here, the way you
fear the snake is different from the way you're fearful of Allah subhanho wa Taala any different May
Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us a deeper understanding.
		

			So you develop the relationship with Allah, while you're developing your relationship with Allah one
thing will stand out. You know what it is?
		

			That the same Allah has made so many other things besides me, I'm not such a big deal here. I'm just
one a number. I'm here on a mission what's the mission? To prove that I'm going to be the best of
the creation as possible that I can obviously the best of creation Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam the
messengers of the Almighty Jesus May peace be upon him. Ibrahim May peace be upon him Moses Musa
alayhis salam, all these were the best of creation in in the sense that they were the chosen ones
for by Allah subhanho wa Taala with Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam being at the top that's
what we believe. But when it comes to us, we need to strive to be
		

			The best
		

			from those around us.
		

			That's why the Prophet peace be upon him always says the best from amongst you is one who does this
the best from amongst you is the one who has this characteristic. And I'll get to this just now.
		

			All those characteristics are actually connected to your character, all of them. Why? Because once
you recognize that the maker has made other creatures besides you, you will start asking yourself,
Well, what is my relationship supposed to be with the other creatures of the same maker? Imagine you
have one mother, one Father, and you have brothers and sisters, and you're supposed to be connected
to your brothers and sisters, before everybody else. Right? You're supposed to be connected to them,
the Almighty shows that you are going to be having brothers and sisters. So he says there is a great
reward in ensuring that your relationship with your family
		

			is good. It is strong. For that reason, even if your parents are not Muslim, the Koran tells you to
be respectful to be kind and to serve them. That's what the Quran says.
		

			Right? We need to be respectful, kind and serve them. It is through that service, that we will be
achieving the pleasure of the Almighty. But someone might say but these are not Muslims. So what
Allah says, You're still Sahiba Houma for dunya maroof. And you live with them in a good way, in an
acceptable way.
		

			Because the Creator is the Almighty, and there is a channel through which the same creator decided
to create you. And that was your parents, you didn't choose, he chose, you follow?
		

			Even if they're bad, I've had a person come to me and say, you know, my dad sexually abused me from
the age of seven. And I was like, What do you still want me to be good to your dad? Well, we need to
protect the young girl.
		

			Right? We need to protect her.
		

			And we need to help her. But at the same time,
		

			we need to understand that whether you like your father or not, he is your father. He could be a
criminal, we will deal with that criminal behavior, we will protect people from injustice,
definitely, we have to, if he needs to be jailed or punished, he will be but you know what, just be
respectful about how we're going to deal with this whole thing. And we must deal with it. At the
same time, you cannot deny that he is your father,
		

			your son perpetrates a crime, you're embarrassed, it's still your son, no matter how embarrassed you
are, is still your son, there is nothing you're ever going to do that would actually make the
statement. He's not my son. True, from a biological perspective.
		

			So there are rights that you have to fulfill either way. But most of us have had a lot of picky
matters. And we just don't want to have anything to do with people. And sometimes Unfortunately,
some people think that our religion teaches us that the minute a person is not a Muslim, you must
distance and disassociate completely, that is wrong, you fulfill the rights of those who are not
Muslim, they have rights. In fact, if anything, you're supposed to be dealing with them in a way
that they see the beauty of the faith and they're attracted to it, because that's what happened to
us or our forefathers when they reverted to Islam.
		

			So panela
		

			every note not non Muslim is actually not yet a Muslim. According to us, that's how much hope we
have to say Subhana Allah they mean? And even if they don't, and even if they choose not to?
		

			Does that mean we must become bad, we must be bad to them? No, we don't.
		

			So that's second element of character
		

			becomes important because it is now connected to the rest of the creation of the same maker. Hence,
these two issues are of importance. And these are the two main things that will get us into
paradise. the companions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him were very, very curious and they
said or messenger tell us the people of Paradise, what are the two characteristics that would make
or what are the characteristics that would have made them into paradise we want to know so that we
can work on those characteristics. And you know what he says that for Allah he was going to look at
the development of the relationship with the Almighty and the character and conduct of the
		

			individuals.
		

			The goodness of character, brothers and sisters inshallah, I will be talking to you a little bit
later. For now, I think we're we've just run out of time, but inshallah I will be coming back to you
and we will speak about how inshallah to soften this heart that definitely needs softening by the
will of Allah Subhana Allah to Allah. May Allah bless you all. akula Kali hada sallallahu wasallam
albaraka Allah Nabina Muhammad