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Omar Suleiman – How to Prepare for Ramadan
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Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh Dear brothers and sisters as we are getting ready for this Ramadan and we can't wait to spend it with you in sha Allah to Allah with the gentleness series with Quran 30 for 30 and so much more. Here's a collection of some of our contents on Ramadan prep vident Allahu taala. To get you ready for this Ramadan, we look forward to spending it with you in sha Allah, enjoy the collection sound like martial law, and first and foremost look at Ramadan like a gift from Allah Subhana Allah to Allah that is actually here with immense mercy.
Then you approach it differently. And as you read about the setup and you read about the pious predecessors, you know what you don't find from them, you don't find that they were very stressed out in Ramadan
which I've noticed over the years and I'm guilty of it. Sometimes you know the stories you know their stories, you know, the goals they had the meeting their goals, you're starting to fall short and it's beginning and you feel like it's slipping very quickly or you weren't prepared for it you weren't ready and you get stressed out they weren't stressed in Ramadan. Ramadan was go time but Ramadan was Allah's Mercy is descending right now like never before the gates of gender are flung open and I am calling upon and a half who
the most forgiving one. It's time to go with whatever I have right now, it's not time to think about what I wasn't prepared for, or how much Quran I did not read the Fordham Oban or the fasting or it's none of that is irrelevant at this point. It's Allahu Akbar. Ramadan is here. Let me do what I can. Let me pace myself now that the month has started in ways that are going to give me the full benefit of the month. So how do we get started off on the right foot? Well, first and foremost, if you look at the self, they paced themselves from the very beginning as to how they wanted to divide that month.
They weren't going to just figure it out. Once they got into it. They looked at where they were, they looked at what they were capable of. And they created a trajectory for themselves, they charted a trajectory for themselves. Where do I want to end up at the end of the month? And how do I build myself to that in a reasonable way, not one that causes me great stress, not heavy on the quantifiable part of this but how do I chart myself up there? Right? Well, Musa luxury will be allowed to and who was someone who was distinguished by his fasting, and it's said about him, and this is outside of Ramadan as well, that he used to fast until he would become very, very lean.
Okay, and they would tell him, low mountain FSOC like, you know, if you took care of yourself, put a little bit more, you know, weight on why are you fasting so much and your fasting comes? Your fasting seems to come in large blocks. The prophesy son was described as what that sometimes he was fasting until about outside of Ramadan, until you thought that he was always fasting. And sometimes the prophets lie, some took a break from fasting. And so he thought that he was never fasting solo Lysa. So Abu Musa, you seem to have this really intentional schedule that you have yourself on. What is that? And he said in MLSP, criminal hail el Milan, Mara.
He said the fastest horses, the ones that always win the races are the lean ones. And animal damata is a very rich word in the Arabic language because it actually speaks to their diets. The Arabs had this whole thing when they prepared their horses for a race of what they would feed the horse before and how they would you know how they start to take quicker laps to jogging laps to walking and keeping them on a schedule before the race starts. And what would ended up happening is that you had sometimes those that weren't very good trainers, your training your knifes, which is the horse, sometimes not very good trainers that had horses that were stronger and faster in their nature.
They'd go quick and they did then they'd crash they'd be overtaken. So they start the race quick. And then they get overtaken and mobile Mara. You know, if you watch a professional race, that person that's running and you're like, What, When are they going to burst? And then they slowly slowly slowly start overtaking the rest of the racers. And this is actually what Abu Musa said I'm doing to my soul Subhanallah This is how I treat my soul I treat it like that horse that has this course it's a long course there that 30 days is far away, but so close because we know that next week we're gonna say Ramadan is already disappearing, and we're already in the last 10 nights and we're already
on the 27th May Allah Subhana Allah grant us a life of acceptance Allah Allah I mean, but we know how this goes every year right? He's saying I've already charted it out. I see where the end goal is. And I'm pacing myself and and well done, Mara would eat a very nutritious meal and they wouldn't eat too heavy. they'd eat something very nutritious and slowly start to tone down. It's like a weight cut for horses.
right not extreme toned down before the race starts and then build themselves back up and he said this is how I plan to live my life and he used to say to his wife should the rocky you know, tighten up your belt get ready, get your camel ready, it's time for us to go get the journey ready or be ready for the journey, Felisa Allah Destiny Johanna manga, there is no shoulder on the bridge over Johanna, you know, that's the best way that I could at least translate this there's, you don't get to pull over on the slot or on the justice. You want to cross it quickly. You want to move across it intentionally. And so when you're charting out your Ramadan,
you are already taking into consideration and Subhanallah this is what you know, the seller has they commented actually on some of the scholars comments on Abu Musa as fasting, they said that they would go fast, then pace then very fast, right sort of that last 10 Nights, And subhanAllah what you notice from the setup is that they didn't use to do this 1010 10 division.
Okay, they didn't divide their Ramadan into 1010 10. We've recently sort of crafted out this this dip, there shouldn't be a dip in Ramadan.
They had a very clear 2010 Divide. They didn't have a 1010 10 divide. I know the narration that is popularized, the first time being mercy the second 10 Being forgiveness, the third 10 Being pardoning from the fire that's actually not authentic, they paced themselves as 20 and 10. The first 20 days, they had a regimen, the last 10 days they had a regimen and that's something that's very profound. And so those that used to do a Hutton of Quran on a daily basis, and I know that already put someone out of reach for some people, right, they did their two hot times in the last time. And you can take that equation, and you can cast it on all of the Ibadat all of the acts of worship that
you plan to take on in this Ramadan, set a goal for the 20 set a goal for the time, and there is some wisdom and some benefit to doing that. Now, if the goal that you set for the 20 is an unreasonable goal that you're not going to be able to meet, you're going to spend the 10 trying to catch up on the 20
you're going to spend the 10 trying to catch up on the 20 Subhanallah that that's what ends up happening right overdrive in the last time No, set a goal for yourself with your recitation with your upcard with your wicked with everything else for the first 20 that you know you'll be able to maintain across the 20 Inshallah, then kick it into the next gear when you reach into the last time and some of the element mentioned Subhanallah in this idea of you read Allah because Allah wants ease for you. Look at the presence of the sewer. Look at the presence of the hood of taking that means of feeding yourself before the day even starts. And you know what the prophets lie Selim said
he said in the first Lama Venus the army so the Amina was the army al Kitab Aquila to suit he said that the difference between our fasting and the fasting of the people of the book is this blessing of who you might read like wow, the profit slice I'm really insisted on breakfast. If so, who has just turned into food for you? The profit slice I'm really insisted on breakfast, right? The angels sending Salawat on the people of soon. But what this actually was referring to was that the people of the book the way they used to fast was that one half of the night passed. They started their fast so not until the time of fidget they started their fast from half of the night. They wouldn't eat
they wouldn't drink after that. And the profit sighs some insisted on a su why you are meant to not eat? Well I don't want to trash anyone's soda food okay, but let's just say salty, heavy food. kind of defeats the purpose. Okay, what would the profit slice I'm eat so who are you? He ate dates yet nutritious things things that could hold you up for the day so that you wouldn't be bothered. This is a gift from Allah subhanaw taala because your knifes your soul is that racehorse for Ramadan. So be very intentional even about that because it was a gift from Allah subhana wa Tada and the Angels send their Salawat on the people of seafood. So you know some people say like, from a source of
pride, I don't eat seafood. Like you know, mashallah my fasting is so much stronger. I don't eat seafood. No, no, wake up and eat some food. Even if it's a few dates and some water because you're supposed to be pacing yourself for the day not torturing yourself. Allah subhanaw taala is not pleased with people who are just tortured and you know, and sick and fatigue the whole time. You're supposed to be pacing yourself for the date. You're supposed to be pacing yourself for the month and have a very clear and insight for all of this. The last thing that I will say in this regard is what have been Mr. Little the Allahu Taala and who said
because we stressed this and Siobhan we need to stress that again today.
It's been misused
It was sitting with some of the tabbar and he is Abdullah bin Massoud, and he's distinguished by what he's distinguished by the Quran. I cannot imagine how much Quran had been necessarily used to read in Ramadan. This is the first man to read the Quran in public. This is the man who the Prophet slice I'm said whoever wants to hear the Quran rather than putting in cannot use it fresh like the day it was revealed. Listen to Ben Massoud read Quran I can't imagine what his Ramadan Huttons were like right what his Ramadan Quran was like. So they gathered around him and they asked him in mystery little the Allahu Taala animal key for candidates to come out on the Ramadan. What did you
use to do to prepare yourself Ramadan like get your notepads out? Right? What's the Rebbe that you did to prepare for Ramadan?
And he responded with this. Carla can I do now you have zero and you're stuck with al Qaeda with the call behemoth Carla Darla 10 Min Hebden Allah Aki.
He said no one of us would dare Yantra no one of us would have the Jura no one of us would dare that the healer of Ramadan rises upon us. And we have one Adams worth of a grudge in our hearts towards our brothers.
The work of forgiveness never ends. Your heart has to be completely free of grudge so that you can completely focus it on being forgiven by Allah subhanaw taala every moment is an opportunity for you to say a word of Vicky to say subhanallah and hamdulillah Allah or Allah Akbar, or whatever it is, or a moment whatever you have the ability to sin, which is the worst thing that you could do with the moment Ramadan, or a moment that can go to waste. And every single moment is so precious, that you want to make sure that you're using your time best And subhanAllah when you're talking about the aspect of vicar what is the best form of Vicodin Ramadan, what's the best form of remembrance of
Allah subhanaw taala in Ramadan, when you look through the entire body of a Hadith from the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam on dikkat sometimes when you read about the virtues of one statement of victory, you would think that that's the only victory that you shouldn't be saying. Like if you read about Fulani is default, for example, the virtues of seeking forgiveness from Allah subhanaw taala you would say I shouldn't be doing nothing. But saying stuff that Allah all the time now be fiddly, which we're gonna get into canta tilava Rahim are one of the various iterations of seeking forgiveness from Allah so my Lord forgive me and have mercy on me except my repentance all of these
different iterations of is to for seeking forgiveness. And then you'll find the Hadith where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is receiving advice from Ibrahim it has set up about the seeds of the soil of paradise Subhan Allah Alhamdulillah Allah Akbar. And then you find that hadith where the prophets of Allah Azza wa sallam says, that there are two phrases that are beloved to man, light on the tongue, heavy on the skills Subhan Allah he will be handy he Subhan Allah I lead to spear the glorification of Allah. And then you find the Hadith where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said in Afula Vic, the most beloved, the best of all remembrance is Allah keep your tongue moist
with La Ilaha illa Allah and then you find Hadith or they have no camp or the Allahu Taala and home where he asked the Prophet slice and I'm how much of his dua should be dedicated to Salawat sending Peace and blessings on the beloved sallallahu alayhi wa salam, and it could take up all of your DUA, and that would be sufficient. sallallahu alayhi wa salam, and we know that it's the day of Friday, the most beloved date of Sunday Salawat on the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. So I probably just confused you further, all of these Hadith, you read them and you say that's the one or in the Rebecca you hibel hemtt Your Lord loves praise. So just say at hamdulillah over and over again,
right? So Subhanallah, it's every single chapter, you find these Adguard and you say they're amazing, and which one should I prioritize? And then you find statements from the pious predecessors and all of this is an introduction to the question, by the way, the statements of the pious predecessors like and filleted and it didn't take me over hang on Allah Tada. When they were asked about prioritizing, seeking forgiveness, over glorifying Allah is to fall over to spear and the example that they gave was that if you have a garment and it is stained, then you don't embellish the garment before cleaning the stain. So it's the FOD cleans the stain to severe saying Subhanallah
are the buttons on the garment are the embellishments on the garment and so they prioritize is to fall over to speak, but they never neglected to smear.
Where does that leave us in Milan? Where as the mamas of Rahim Allah narrates one Subhan Allah in Ramadan, is 1000 times Subhan Allah outside of Ramadan this month in which the man
mercy from Allah is descending upon us constantly. And this is where you find some of the scholars start to give some beautiful insights. Number one, the best form of remembrance is Quran. And the best way to read the Quran is in prayer. The best form of remembrance is Quran, it is hated with it. It is the best form of remembrance. So as you are reciting your Quran throughout the day, it's a part of your thicket. It's a part of your remembrance of ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada. And the best way to recite the Quran is in your salah is in your prayer. Why? Because in your two doctrines of br live, you will combine all of the Afghan just to have a proper prayer, you'll have tech B, you'll have
test B, you'll have Stefan you'll have Salawat so just two records with the Quran and it combines all of the best forms of wicked and that's the Mercy of Allah subhanaw taala that all of the best forms of remembrance are combined in Salah and then the Quran will Qurani Dezik the Quran that is recorded Alameen a reminder to the worlds as well as a book that is full of the reminders in the remembrance of Allah subhanaw taala you recite it at all times and you have that intention. And they said we can take insights from two things. Number one, look at the way the prophets lie sums prayer was Can you recite Quran and sujood? No, you can't recite Quran and your prostration there were some
nights that the prophets lie some would stand in his Fiamma limb and he would read Quran for so long you would think he was never going into quarters to do it. And there were some nights that the prophets lie some went into such that into prostration where all you do is make your and remember Allah you don't read the Quran and you're such thing your prostration to where if you would have saw him salah or any who has sent him you would have thought he died in his suit. You imagine that sight? You see him and as such then you think he must be dead it has salatu salam because he's not getting up from his such that karma Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Biya on selama narrates
to Hadith she said the prophesy son would spend an entire night with one eye of the Quran, one eye, and then he would spend other nights sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And it was as if he was going to recite the whole Quran and his pm in his standing up. And so when the Prophet slicin would stand, he would read the Quran. And he would bring with his Quran dua to Allah subhanaw taala and the remembrance of Allah. And when the Prophet SAW Selim would make sujood than the Prophet Sai. Some would focus entirely on vicar and Durant. And so the reader might say, what we see from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is engage yourself between that which is the Quran, the recitation and
that which you would say to Allah subhanaw taala and your students, and we have we have flexibility in it. The point is, don't miss the moment. The point is engaged in one of those two things. And the fact that if you saw the profit slice on them on a particular night, you didn't know which one he was going to be in more, you know, longer than the other is a sign for us that you know what, one night, you might go into sujood and you have your Hudson to finish, but you're going into stewards, and you want to finish your recitation of the Quran. But as you got into your sujood, you started to make dua to Allah, and you were immersed in your app, keep going, don't get up. Keep going continue
to remember Allah, one day you might finish your wins your your, your allocated times of how much you're going to do tests be, say, Subhan Allah but you're looking around and you're saying Subhan Allah Subhana Allah and your heart is present. It's better to go an extra 10 test B and delay the next thing that you're going to do because your heart is in that test B. And so the best vicar is the vicar that coincides with the prophets of Allah when he was some Zichen that is diversified that your heart is most present in that's the first thing. The second thing, the best Likud outside of Ramadan is the best thicket inside of Ramadan meaning the reward for your morning remembrance and
evening remembrance in Ramadan is even greater than what it would be outside of Ramadan, the prophets like some would not pause the morning UScar and the evening of God the things he would say in the morning and the things he would say in the evening after awesome because Ramadan came around, if anything, they are greater at that time and that is the best time to learn the habits of those things. Okay, so to really bring them into your life and to not let go of those things that would be like a person who focuses on praying telawi And then they forget all of the other Sunon Okay, the Sunnah and that the prophets like Selim, would not forget to pray outside of Ramadan or inside of
Ramadan May Allah subhanaw taala enable us upon Allah Amin and the third thing, and this is something that that is really powerful to pay attention to, with what the prophets lie some gave us
As the best do as in the best seasons,
the best 10 days of the year
are the first 10 days of the Kaija.
The best 10 nights of the year or the last 10 nights of Ramadan. The best of the first 10 days of the Pedja is the day of our fall. And the best of the last 10 nights of Ramadan is later to Kadesh right in the first 10 days of the hijab, the day of alpha May Allah subhanaw taala call us back to Alpha love Miami on alpha the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said the best of what I and the prophets that have came before me have said because all of the prophets observe the day of Alpha was La ilaha illallah wa the hood sharika lah Holman cola unhemmed Wahoo Anna Cody shaitan Padilla
praising the Oneness of Allah declaring the Oneness of Allah subhanaw taala Allah who has no partner who has dominion over all things, he has no partner he has no equal, he is the only one worth seeking and the only one who bestows reward and SubhanAllah. That's the best day and the day of Arafah. Some of the scholars say that that is the culmination of hedge, like when you're going to hedge. Everything surrounds affirming the Oneness of Allah right doing a walk around the Kaaba saying the bake Allah who's gonna bake Here I come, Oh Allah, here I come. Everything surrounds this element of tau heat, this Oneness of Allah and so on the culmination of that oneness of Allah are of
the days of Hajj. you affirm in the most beautiful way the Oneness of Allah subhana wa Chyna when it comes to Ramadan, the theme is what Luffy Radha who massacred them and then be to be forgiven for all of the sins that you brought to them Allah, Min sama Ramadan min karma Ramadan min Carmelita to coddle three Hadith whoever fast Ramadan whoever prays in the nights of Ramadan whoever observes the little cuddle will be forgiven for all of their previous sins. And you shall have the Allah on her ask the prophets lie Selim if I feel like I mean later to cuddle, if later to partner has come upon me the Night of Power has come upon me. What do you actually say? And we all memorize it, Allah from
the inner CAFO and to Hibbeler for fat find me. Oh Allah, you are the Forgiver you love to forgive, so forgive me for it. And the scholars say that that is the theme of Ramadan, that throughout the month of Ramadan, the prize of Ramadan is asking Allah to forgive you. As you are changing your ways and turning your page with Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, let the core of your DUA be Oh ALLAH forgive me. Oh ALLAH forgive me, Oh Allah, as I'm turning my page, let the page on the Day of Judgment also be turned so that none of the sins that I brought with me before this month are going to show anymore on my record, Oh ALLAH forgive me. And so it's not just the do app for the last 10
Nights. It's not just to do app for later, but it's a drought that represents the essence of all of Ramadan. Oh ALLAH forgive me. And so embark on the journey of making sure that your your as your waiter, every night, you're doing in the last moments before you fast are surrounding asking Allah subhanaw taala for forgiveness, because that's the culmination of Ramadan, we honor ourselves by the recitation of the Quran,
in our lives, particularly in this month, and it is of course, what the prophets of Allah who it was that said the month in which all of the divinely revealed books came down, all of them were revealed in this month of Ramadan, Subhan, Allah the TelaDoc the indeed, were all revealed in this month of Ramadan. And the Quran was revealed, of course on a little color, and this is shuffle Quran. So it engages the belief in the in the books and particularly, the belief in the book in the ultimate book, the Quran, it engages our belief in the akhira, in the Hereafter, right? Because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said in Hadith kotse, that Allah has said, all of the children, all of
the deeds of the children of Adam are for him except for fasting. Fasting is for me, and I reword accordingly, meaning it is a specific deed on the Day of Judgment, a specific reward on the day of judgment, because it is such a sincere deed, and such a rewardable deed in the sight of Allah subhanho wa taala. And then it engages, and engages Divine Decree Laila from other is in Ramadan, and our decree for the year will be written the law he Talla, on native to other and we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, for the good of it. And so it engages all of our pillars of faith, all of our articles of faith, and we basically see that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam everything
that he did outside of Ramadan that made him the magnificent person that he was at his Salatu was Salam in Ramadan, he just took it to the next level. And so when we compare ourselves to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
We're striving to be you know, anything of what he was it his salatu salam throughout the year. But in Ramadan, you know, he just took it to the next level. And so I think the lesson that we learned is proportionality right if the prophet slice that I'm increased in this particular dt, which we were already lagging behind, and then we should increase in that deed, right. And the things that were the features of the Ramadan of the prophets lie sometimes should be the features of our Ramadan, as well except for one thing, and it's very interesting.
And that is the abandonment of sin. The prophets lie Selim was never found the prophets lie Selim was never one to engage in the Marcia and the disobedience to Allah subhana wa Tada. He was never one it his salatu salam to to engage in those deeds that would bring about the displeasure of Allah. And that is actually our starting point. That we have to see quickly by ecommerce, Liang, Kim Ikuti Banda Latina and company Kamala Allah canta taco and fasting has been prescribed upon you the way it was prescribed on those who came before you so that you may gain tequila so that you may become more pious conscious of Allah and abandon those sins that are a barrier between you want to Allah, what's
what's just so powerful about that is that what that tells us is that what is preventing us and excelling in those good in those good deeds is in fact the presence of those bad deeds. What is preventing us from taking that next step is our insistence upon that regressive step. And so I just think always and inshallah Tada, I'll then pass it on to sister sada
you know about the saying of the Imam Hassan busty Rahim, Allah when he was asked about why we can't break the omelette, why we can't pray the night prayer. And he said, Don't disobey Him during the day and he will wake you up at night. Don't disobey Him during the day and he will wake you up that night. And so the ultimate ingredient the first ingredient, was that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was not wanting to engage in the disobedience of Allah. And therefore he was always oriented to the obedience of Allah. And so in the month of Allah comes, the month of Ramadan comes, then it's just, you know, you're taking into next gear rather than starting the car. And for a lot
of us, we're just starting right? And so how do we start and inshallah to Allah with that, I'll go ahead and I'll pass it to sister SATA bitten and Atana to get us started.
Does that call now higher on I was when I was a lot of snow monitors today now on and he was so happy when Mila and my bad * Aquila height, I'm for the all star lineup here mashallah, I'm excited to prep for my personal Ramadan and listening to everybody's tips in sha Allah. So the one that I wanted to focus on for today is, you know, I think when we're talking about transitioning into Ramadan, a lot of us naturally think about the increase of external acts of worship, which are very, very, very important. But the one that I wanted to focus on today is more of an internal act of worship, and that's important as well.
And so, you know, this particular one is one that can allow for spiritual, mental and emotional growth, Inshallah, so, it frees up space in your life for what's important. And it's based on the Hadith, a little suicide Salam, where
it's sitting in the masjid, a man before before he walks into the masjid, but also saw Selim says that a man from the dwellers of Paradise will walk in now. And then a man walked in, and this happened three times. And so one of the companions of initials iclm, Abdullah acknowledged, you know, it was very curious, there's three times what are those SlMs saying that this person is a dweller of paradise? What does he do that is so unique, that makes him from amongst those who have such a high status in the eyes of Allah pathauto. And so he decided, you know, he requested to spend three, three nights with this man, and the man accepted, and he goes to his home. And what really
stood out to him was that nothing stood out to him, right, that that the external acts of worship were not, you know, he was doing all of the things that he's supposed to do in terms of saliva, in terms of things like that. But there wasn't something that that was really really, you know, like a huge increase in, in typical acts of worship. And so, you know, he addressed him directly, and he said, The Russell's assalam, you know, mentioned you as a dweller of paradise three times and each time it was you who walked through those doors, you know, what, what is it about you that gave you such a status that led you to deserve such a status. And the man said, you know, what you saw, like,
my deeds are nothing more than than what you saw. And so Abdullah Nanda walks away, and then he calls him back. And he says, you know, my deeds are nothing more than what you saw. But the only thing that I do that you know that that
might be something special, right? The only thing that I do is that I don't hold a grudge against any Muslim or envy anyone, for the bounties that Allah subhanaw taala has granted them. Right? This this idea of like hustling have been right thinking, giving people the benefit of the doubt, not holding on to ill intent in one's heart that if somebody has done something that has hurt you that has offended you to not hold on to that. And perhaps one of the ways that he did that is through this idea of giving benefit of the doubt of being able to see this from a from a light a positive light of positive intent. And you know, another Hadith that also salam that stood out to me about
this, this concept is when the dosa Salam is is describing the kava Subhan Allah and he's describing the kava in you know, such a beautiful way as is, you know, how pure is your fragrance, how great you are, how incredible is your sanctity and things like that. And then in the end, he says that the sanctity of the believer is greater to Allah than your sanctity. And then he ends the Hadith by saying, to assume nothing but good of the believer, right in comparison to the Kava. So it tells you the significance of you know, how how much loss was SLM was encouraging us to do this SubhanAllah. And so it's something that you know, some of the questions that come to my mind when I'm thinking
about this for this upcoming Ramadan, right, is, what would you be able to focus on, if you weren't holding on to that grudge? If you weren't struggling with those negative thoughts about that person who said something that bothered you the other day, if you weren't so busy searching for possible ways that people might be intending to hurt you? Right? If you could let go of that, imagine how much space in your heart and in your, in your mind and in your time is freed up for other things? Right. SubhanAllah. And there was also SLM you know, talked about this, you know, my intent in sharing this is that it truly makes things better between people. But it truly is so much better for
you. Right? How Cinnabon is for you, it's not for that other person, it's for you, but in reconciling things, between you and that other person that is for you, as well. But also Salim said to his companions, that you know, shall I not tell you? You know, shall I tell you about something that's better in degree than extra fasting Prayer and Charity?
Extra fasting prayer charity, what could be better than those things? Right. And that's just how Selim said reconciliation between people making things right between people and having positive intentions that you attribute toward other people helps to make things right between you one of the rewards of of Jana Subhan, Allah, one of the rewards that we inshallah for Allah subhanaw taala through his mercy grant system. Now, one of the rewards of that, is that Allah subhanaw taala will remove what is in our chests in terms of resentment toward other people. That's a reward of Jenna. Right? So what if we could, you know, to some extent gain that for ourselves this Ramadan? Right.
And so, you know, some of the things to ask yourself about this, right, is, you know, somebody has done something, is there another way that I could possibly be interpreting this? What might be going on in that person's life that led to that moment that hurt me? Right? Is it possible that I've been hurt by other people and so because of that I'm searching for possible harm in in this particular situation, is any good going to come from me attributing negative or ill intent from this person? And what could I do instead if I let that go? And I moved forward from that. And so I asked Allah subhanaw taala in sha Allah to increase us and the ability to give people the benefit of the doubt
to increase us and the ability to attribute positive intent to them and to allow that to be a purification for us this Ramadan and after Ramadan as well, inshallah
Monica long at, you know, hello, right away. By the way, what came to my mind is the shotgun, the shotgun regimen, more than anything else is clearing your heart making space for Allah. And I think that is something just the connection between Shanna and Sheikh, right. And I talked about this a few weeks ago. It was something one of my teachers had shared with me a long time ago, and I never forgot it the connection between China and Schick which is malice and Chinook, which is polytheism to associate another God.
And he said, a shipwreck, total tiller, Dean was Shanna Tadek with the
shipwreck invalid invalidates faith.
And China hatred shaves it as a prophesy, some said because it's born out of envy and things of that sort. And I think what you just mentioned is very profound.
Your opportunity costs, you know,
the greatest thing you're missing out on is not you know, your your peace of mind is not you know, I'm not able to enjoy this time with my family, I'm not able to the greatest thing you're missing out on is you're not able to really enjoy your worship because you're so immersed in your hatred and
you know, and what could even be your righteous anger sometimes about something that was done towards you and relinquishing that grudge is really removing a poison from the heart SubhanAllah. And one other thing personal lung and Allah and personal lung and the people personally lung in a law that is actually directly connected to that, because you're hosting along with the people includes a natural element of you know, if there's something I'm missing, or if they are indeed, as you know, if they are indeed, as bad as some say they are that some there's a voice inside me telling you that bad or that this was done, or this was the intent, then my personal one and Allah
is that Allah is not going to let the edit of that go to waste, Allah won't let the reward of that go to waste. And so there's a connection in the history of Vaughn and Allah, the good expectation of Allah, and the good assumptions that you have of people that, you know, the biggest fear of having good assumption and people is what they'll take advantage of that. But if you have has none and Allah, they can't take advantage of that, because you'll take advantage of it, because you'll get the reward from Allah subhanaw taala with anything that happens there. So does that come off here for that beautiful reflection?
Well, yeah, gone. No, you know, as you said, that I'm sorry, just to add one thing that came to mind, from like a brain perspective, the connection between like husband of people and has not done a Allah's parent data, if you're scanning your life for ways people might hurt you, you're going to end up scanning your life for ways that you're going to, you know, feel a sense of distrust from Alice patho as well, right? Like if your brain is in protective mode constantly, that can even affect the ability to trust. And you know, expect the good of Alas, Pat data as well. So so that's what came to mind as you were sharing that just happened last night. And
that's a beautiful connection, because when you have bad expectations of people, we mentioned that the other is part of our Amen. So you have bad expectations of what's going to come from what Allah ultimately has control in. Right? So that's the beautiful connection within it and I like how you mentioned
so Pamela, you know, not having any grudges with people, you know? Subhanallah and that's that's one thing I remember one of my mentors told me a long time ago and he said Ramadan is when I send texts out call people, you know, and ask, is there anything in the hearts you know, saying if there's anything that I've done, there's a possibility of one person you know, I send a text or I call using before text was, you know, I just call them and see if there's any anything in the heart and if there isn't, we can, you know, talk it out. Subhanallah I feel that in Ramadan, there's so many collective Ibadat things that we're doing together all the time. So we each hold together, we pray
Salah together inshallah we'll be in the masjid and we go for it. We go to work, we come back, we prepare for Iftar together than we motherlode in Asia everyday. Ramadan is like a collective month where everyone's together and it's great. But a mighty for this Ramadan to all of us is schedule a time of your day in which you are alone with Allah subhanaw taala and in that time that you're alone scheduled this to be on your to do list, I mean, there's so many things, people will tell different variations, different rhythm, I will say different things. This is the top 10 things to do on your lawn to add this that all these amazing about that but for me personally, and anyone who is going
through something similar like going through difficulties, whatever it is in your life that you're going through
the most comforting thing to me of course reading books and learning knowledge and speaking to people it's comforting but the most comforting thing for me and our I want to continue in a Madonna is just speaking to Allah subhanaw taala it's called Mona Jad I started this last Ramadan, you know, even though I was really weak at it, but it really helped me out after my brother passed away because you started this habit and you could bank on it after because, you know, you just go right back into it. And then you just cry in front of Allah, you just open up your heart in front of Allah and he understands what you're going through. And so I would say that this idea of you don't you
don't need you don't need to learn to us. You don't need to learn certain words. You just need to speak. He's your friend. He understands what you're going through. Just speak to him in whichever manner you're speaking to when it comes to the hadith of person who's speaking to Allah and he says, Hola, you're my sleep and I'm your Lord. You know, like he literally switched it up. And Allah forgive him because of that just because he was the way he spoke to Allah. I remember one of my Subhanallah one of my best friends that I was studying with him Medina, Sao Paulo he got accepted to Medina, you know, when he was around 1718 comes from a very strong family mashallah Tabata Allah.
And I remember he gave me advice, you know, to just go to when you go to the masjid because we should go to the huddle and make it to KEF
So as soon as we get to the door of the harem, you're like, Okay, so now when it comes to I really can't go somewhere where no one knows you, and there's no distractions. You know, so that was that was huge advice for me because but it was normal for him. But it was Subhanallah it really touched me when he did that because as soon as he did it, I knew what he meant since he shook my hand and looked at me, we traveled for hours. And I'm like, Okay, got you. Right so it was Subhanallah I'll never forget was in Mexico Subhanallah was the last year shaking that they mean was given the Halaqaat giving them the lessons in Mecca and you know, every time he would speak every couple of
minutes
you know, he was coughing and things of that nature I am allowed to Allah, but it was an experience that after that I was hooked. You know, it was really it's a calf was my you know, subhanAllah my my go to, particularly because of that reason of spending time alone with Allah subhanho wa Taala and conversing with him through the salats through reciting the Quran through asking ALLAH SubhanA wa Taala and not being distracted at all. And I think that is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful point that he mentioned. And guideline and pointing for us to to really ponder over and just ask ourselves how much alone time on purpose for Allah have we spent? That's what I want to talk about roughly.
Not exactly the alone time but what would get us there in sha Allah Tala. As we know the beautiful Hadith of the Prophet sallahu wa Salam is actually three. It's easy for us to memorize. You know, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam he said, Three Hadith in Bukhari and some Bukhari and Muslim said man Camara, Medina Emanuel 87, COVID Allah who mentored them and then be one Sama, Ramadan, Eman and 87 who fear Allah who mentored them and then be woman arm and a little other Amen. Whitey saben who fear Allah Who massacred the moment. And so there's three things here. And these two, how do you process some of the first one he said, Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, with firm belief and
conviction and hoping for his reward, then he will his previous or her previous sins will be forgiven. Second Hadith, who stands the month of Ramadan, with conviction hoping for his reward, then his or her previous sins will be forgiven. Third Hyden whoever stands the night of other okay latest other with conviction, and hoping for his reward, his or her previous sins will be forgiven. So we see just the first part of the hadith is something that is slightly different, but it's all in the month of Ramadan. So the prophets Elijah was synonymous talking about standing and the month of Ramadan, which is prayer, which is some of the scholars mentioned is In another Hadith, that the
prophets Elijah was setting them he used to desire for the Muslims to stand in prayer and primarily the scholars mentioned this being taraweeh when Abu Huraira mentioned this that it was him hoping for the companions to stand but he didn't want to make it obligatory upon them. So as a as an encouragement, he mentioned this how do you man farm out on Madonna emailing with whoever was to stand in the month of Ramadan in prayer primarily totally. with full conviction hoping first reward that he or she will be forgiven, their previous sins will be forgiven. So this is beautiful because when we look at taraweeh it's something that should you know, looking at the gym I and looking at
the congregation, especially this year, for those of us that are able to make it to the masjid or here those that are able to go you will see people that you haven't seen in a while and you will see all of your brothers and sisters in your all praying together, listening to the Word of Allah subhanho wa Taala being recited, and also in fasting this month of Ramadan and standing in the night of other but I want to touch on primarily the second part of this hadith because that was the first part. There's three the second part is where he says E man and we're at seven and Subhan Allah is beautiful and reading the works of of no pain Josie or him Allah to Allah, when he talks about this
concept of Eman, anti SAP, even though I translated it as conviction on a Yaqeen platform hamdulillah seems like we call him a common McAllen head on McCollum. So, you know, we can say conviction and it is that which is it pushes you to do an action of higher to Allah to your Creator. You know and that's the belief in Allah firstly knowing who he is knowing that he is one and he is not like any other and he is a creator of all things. Therefore, everything other than Him is creation and naturally the ingrained quality of yearning for one deity that is what is ingrained within all of creation and that Eman is that which one needs in order to pull through and that's why
says Eman in which he saben and every they call us my phone they actually the reason that they did this action was for this purpose. So it was Eman and ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada belief in Allah subhanaw taala conviction
interest on her love all of these aspects of worship this Eman and Allah so what I like to say is this is your motivation This is what got you up in the middle of the night. This is what after shallow this will be all of us but the reality is after you made it you had your huge Iftar and you know you unbuckle your belt buckle you go to the extra hold, you know that is you know, it's got to get a little bigger and the like okay, we gotta get we gotta totally but you still getting up to go to totally. It's that the man that motivated you to do so inshallah it's that the man that pushed you to go and pray for a week with the Jamar because hopefully when you are there you have which is
next the destination. So we talk about the motivation and your destination that which pushed you to do an action is your Eman and whereas any man who wants to have the event, the initial belief that you have, I believe that God created me. And I believe also that Allah made this obligatory being this Ramadan. And I believe also that this taraweeh will make me a better person. If I go and pray Taraweeh in the congregation or I pray at home with myself as opposed to someone did by himself or with his family. This is something that Allah loves, you know, subhanAllah I was I was I was at a public place the other day in your mind me and my children. All of us have faced this. You know, I
saw the guy on the island he was with his children and his children were like, Baba look elite Look at me, look at me look at what I'm doing. And they were performing and actually look at so they wanted their dad to see them because they wanted their dad to be proud of the well we as all about Allah we want Allah subhanho wa Taala to see us we know that he sees us at all times. But we want him to be happy. We want him to be pleased with us. We want to go to Jannah or Allah Samantha says Robbie Allahu Anhu what are the one that ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada is pleased with them and they are pleased with him what he has given them. So this image is something that is very, very important for
us that when we have this motivation, and we have this belief in Allah that he's made it obligatory, or he's made it you know recommended for us and that we will receive the reward. That is where the at SAP comes from the at SAP. As scholars as mentioned for thought he mentions later on, we'll stop feeling a yummy will later we'll start dealing with piano or btme. He says that, you know, the one that hopes for the reward is the one that does not feel a burden. When fasting Mustafa and Satya means heavy, it is not a heavy burden on you. And later most appealing for am is like, oh, man, it's gonna be the 16 hour part of the year, man.
All right, I guess I'll do this. Let's just Let's just get it over with, right. We really have to check ourselves and see this at Sam, we're really hoping for the reward. We want this reward from Allah subhanaw without it because we know what it means. Because of that man.
We've established that relationship or we're trying to establish the relationship because of that, imagine that we have so trying to establish it setting your alarm clock looking at your calendars saying you know I'm going to make a change or this one thing that I'm going to be consistent on which we'll talk about in Chicago Tada. It is that motivation to get to a destination motivation, Eman, the destination at SAP. And that is something that is so beautiful because when one is constantly yearning to get to that place, or constantly yearning for the reward from Allah subhanho wa Taala what's the reward? who fear Allah who met at the moment and the and what's interesting is
that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who Fidella who met to cut them Mata aka that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, what previously his previous and future sins will be forgiven before us. Our previous sins will be forgiven in sha Allah, if we had this motivation, trying to get to this destination hoping for the reward from Allah subhanho wa taala. In standing in Ramadan in prayer permitted Torah we the last third of the night, and then also fasting in this beautiful month and standing for later to other this beautiful aspect of this motivation and destination is also so profound. Because when we look at our previous sins, you know Shaban as a Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam said had a struggling young Buffalo and who cathedra minuteness he said this is a month that many, many people are negligent upon because it's between Roger men ashore from the prohibited months, and also the month of Ramadan. It is the eighth month shot Ben and he loves to fast this month, and it was these were raised while he was fasting. Because as scholars mentioned, Ibn Rajab and others, the Prophet sallallahu wasallam always took advantage of doing actions of worship in times where people will be negligent. As we see in times of fitna the thought of a human to lay the last sort of the night so to be Laylee when Nasrani and prayer agree at night when people are
asleep.
Trying to do actions of worship when the majority of people most likely may not be doing it. Now with that reality, let's look at the last 10 months because maybe Shopback hungry Allah, you know, we fasted a good amount of it, we're, we're conditioning ourselves to doing a great job. But the past 10 months, when we look back, there definitely was some toxicity, there definitely was some negligence, there definitely was some sins that all of us could have committed. And that's the beautiful wisdom behind a little filler that we're meant to put them in them be that it was a it's the passive tense of the verb, that it was forgiven, previous sins will be forgiven, that we see in
this in this beautiful, beautiful Hadith. But it's an encouragement for us to look at how we can initially motivate ourselves to continue on this act and why we do this act of motivation that we want the reward from Allah subhanho wa taala. And I want to end by saying, I do I don't primarily like the word motivation a lot, because it is something that is temporary. It's when you light the fire to motivate but to keep it lit, you have to be disciplined and discipline always shines motivation we're going to talk about that being the lead time So may Allah Subhana Allah make us of those that have this Eman, anti sad when standing in the month of Ramadan, standing on data to other
and fasting in this beautiful month hoping for his reward that is endless and that cannot be domesticated to any shape, form or fashion. Allah who are
absolutely beautiful, like my fashion goofier Lahoma tocado
I never thought of the connection between the prophets lie some forgiven for all of his previous and future sins and we seek to be forgiven for all of our previous sins. May Allah reward you.
We haven't heard much from Sister Libnah Sheikh Ibrahim, so it was really
I thought it's kind of like, you know, I was reflecting on this the other day that all of like the concept of fasting itself is all about building the Eman and it's because you know, fasting differs from other actions and that you can't see someone fast. You know, we meet each other and Ramadan, I assume you're fasting you assume I'm fasting but really nobody knows if I'm sneaking off somewhere and eating some food and if you're doing the same Allahu item, right so in the end of the day, it's it's a secret between us and Allah subhanaw taala and the only reason you would follow through on a fast is because you know that one day you're going to meet Allah subhanaw taala one day you're going
to you know, get that reward from Allah subhana wa Tada, right, it's where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, this slightly me for Hetton right to the one who is fasting, they have two forms of joy, the joy when they break their fast Wilfer has an under the era and the joy when they meet Allah subhanaw taala. So the only reason we would fast is because we have that Eman. We're gonna meet Allah subhanaw taala. And at this fast is going to have value. And so this panel is a beautiful talk from shahada, Allah that really all of his building our Eman and it said we're building our faith and are expecting of that reward from Allah subhanaw taala.
Kamala Harris look now, to follow me.
There just to reflect briefly, I should have the lie, I think that's a, you know, a beautiful reminder. Because I know, for some of us, perhaps we've been fasting for many years, this was something that we were used to doing. And for others, maybe we're entering the folds of Islam just recently, and maybe this is our first time with them. For some, maybe they were born into Islam. And maybe this is a practice they used to do when they were younger, but for some reason, this has been a time where they have fallen off of either salah, or, you know, prayer or fasting. And for some. I know there's some, you know, there's some jokes that go around about Ramadan Muslims, you know, but
but this what you reminded us of, I should have done that is that, you know, it's never too late for us. Because with that, amen. And with that said, that can propel us to say, this is the Ramadan, I'm going to turn around, you know, and all you can do is just start one day at a time. So so it's really a blessed opportunity for for those of us who are you all of us on our spiritual journey. And for some of us who have really, you know, this is a time that we're just trying to come back from, from a period of time and where we have we've been heedless, or perhaps we've been neglectful, I should say I should say neglectful in our responsibilities for the last month Allah what a what a
blessed opportunity we have to start and is never too late. I felt last month Allah would never turn down your efforts, despite other people may be judging you and saying oh, you're just you're just doing this, you know, because it's Ramadan. So we should never belittle such a thing. And and I hope any of you out there that are watching and this is your this is your time where you're really thinking I want to turn myself around when you wake up first before and you're sitting there and the house is dark. And
it can be a very, it can be a task that you just don't need
even give any thought, like you're just sitting, you might even be tired, like you're not even paying attention. But if you were to practice mindfulness in that moment, it would be sitting there and be like,
handled, I have this food. I mean, it could be toast, or it can be a date or can be whatever, the date is soft, and it tastes sweet. And the house is quiet. It's always noisy, but right now it's quiet. And I have a house and it's warm. And it's sitting there and just being aware, right in that moment, what you are doing. And when you sit there and you're mindful of just everyday tasks, it can cultivate a sense of gratitude. Hamdulillah I have this home hamdulillah like, even if I don't have a delicious meal, like I have, you know, water that I can, I can drink and it can nourish me. And so being there in that moment, can can make you feel closer to alum, it can make you feel more in the
spirit of Ramadan. Okay, I'm about to start my fast, I'm getting excited. So you're taking like a very mundane task, and you're turning into something meaningful. Another example, you know, probably something that a lot of the parents can relate to, is you might be sitting there with your child just passing time, you know, and sometimes like later, when the faster longer you're like, Okay, how much how much more time how much more time. And so if you're mindful in that moment, you can kind of shift, you can say, Okay, I'm sitting here with my child, why don't we pull out a book, let me make my intention to teach my child something,
too, to be a good parent. And so now you took something from just passing time to now you can even get good deeds for it because you made the intention for it. Now, instead of just passing time, you are spending quality time with your child, which is so important. And you're turning that experience into something meaningful, that maybe your child will remember five years from now. So it's taking these really, really small things and making something meaningful out of them.