Getting in the Ramadan Mindset

Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah. While early he was so happy women wanna Allah Mullah email in Loma lantana in Naga anteater I live with again, alumni alumni my info now and finally my LinkedIn I was at EMA, yada blah. And I mean, a lot of them I did not have our document diva, what are in that boat tiller belting out what is what can I see now Uber, or sit on one acre and welcome to LA here or what occurred to everyone joining us live here today. And also, if you're listening to this later, sit on it come to you as well. So the talk for today, it's called getting into the Ramadan mindset. Now, I intended this to be kind of like a little bit of a pep talk. So as

the month of Ramadan approaches, you know, we're now days away from the month of Ramadan, trying to get into the spirit of the month of Ramadan, the mindset of the month of Ramadan. Now before I get into that, I just want to say that look,

it is impossible or it's going to be impossible to get into the Ramadan mindset 100% I say that because to get into the Milan mindset 100% we have to be in the month of Ramadan. Because the month of Ramadan is a very special time it is a Mubarak time, it is a month unlike other months of the year, so to feel you feel in the month of Ramadan, and outside of the month of Ramadan is going to be difficult because of the blessings of the month of Ramadan. And Ramadan is just special in that way. And today we're going to talk a little bit about what makes the month of Ramadan special. But I want all of us inshallah to Allah, I don't want you to be too hard on yourself. And I know,

sometimes we start thinking about the month of Ramadan, and we look at other people. And we all have that friend on Facebook, who counts down the days of Ramadan. And everybody seems super excited. And we think about our lives and we think about you know, working or kids or whatever we have gone on we're like man, how how's it going to go down this animal bond, you know, I know the first week at least is always very difficult. And we may have some guilt and shame associated with those feelings. But like I said, I don't want you to be too hard on yourself because the month of Ramadan comes with its own blessings. And as we have witnessed in previous years, that no matter how difficult we

believe the month will be when the month or when the month arrives, we are we are able before they hit the Allah by the will and the help of Allah Subhana Tao that to make it through not only to make it through the month of Ramadan, but to get closer to Allah who's kind of a data in the month of Ramadan. And if and if you want to clear example of that, then there's no clear example than last year. Last year, when you know we were quarantine, you know, we're still kind of quarantined. But you know, COVID was was new. There was a lot of anxiety about the month of Ramadan, you know, how are we going to spend the month of Ramadan? How is it going to be now that the massages are closed

or they have very little or limited attendance or capacity? How are we going to spend the month of Ramadan because we would associate this month with the masjid so much, which is 100 good and a beautiful thing. But there was that anxiety of okay if we cannot go to the masjid? What will our albana look like? And more importantly, what will it feel like? We were so used to spending the end of our day in the masjid and often say that, you know, the masjid is a place of comfort for us, especially in the month of Ramadan. Because, you know, during the day, no matter how our fasting may have gone, maybe we did find maybe we didn't do so fine. Maybe we had a rough day maybe we weren't

able to pray all our prayers with the whole show or in concentration and presence of the heart that we wanted. Maybe we we may have even delayed our prayer, my loved protectors, right. But it happens for me and maybe, you know, we were busy at work or whatever happened, you know, our prayers got delayed in the month of Ramadan and, and we felt guilty about that. We had that source of comfort that at the end of the day, we can go to the masjid. We can you know, pray that we can we can be there with our brothers and sisters and feel that spirituality that maybe we were lacking during the day, you know, because we're busy and whatever else was going on. So to lose that source of comfort

to to lose that kind of safety net led to a lot of anxiety. But what did we see last year, we saw that even though a lot of what we're used to was missing. We were unable to have access to what we're used to having access to. We were still able to benefit from the month of Ramadan. Not only were we able to

benefit from the month of Ramadan similar to previous years. And I mean in terms of like intensity of benefit, or the amount of benefit. But we were able to benefit from the month of Ramadan in ways that we never imagined that we never considered before. And I'll give you an example of that. The thought always prayer, as I said, we're used to, you know, praying it in the masjid, that's just, you know,

that's just what we're used to. And now we were forced to prayed at home. And a lot of people were questioning and they were looking at their abilities, how much of the Quran Can I recite? How is my recitation of the Quran? How is my pronunciation of the Quran? You know, how do I stand and pray myself or you know, if it's the head of the household, like, how will I lead my family in prayer because they have these expectations from me. But we found that we were able to go through that process and come out better, then then what we started because now we realize that we have a need to be able to take a take a certain level of responsibility for our faith. In a lot of times we put our

faith on other people, you know, we will, will say, well, it's it's, you know, the masjid, or it's the amount of responsibility to make me a good Muslim lover, like our humans, or it is our leaders, you know, their responsibility, or someone will say it's my parents, you know, they didn't teach me what's right, or they didn't show me you know what to do? Or is this or is that and in the end of the day, we are responsible for ourselves, obviously, you know, physical law must have item have the taqwa of Allah, be conscious of Allah be pious, to the best of your ability, Allah tells us to the best of your ability, but we will be questioned about what we what we did with the ability that

Allah has to Allah gave to us, we will not be questioned about other people's deeds, you know, what did they do? Why didn't they do this? And why didn't they do that they everyone will be held accountable for their own needs, but we will be held accountable for what Allah gave to us.

The time that Allah gave, the abilities Allah gave the resources that Allah has panel to Allah gave to us, and how we use those those those abilities. You know, we have the famous hadith of take advantage of five before five and that had these really talks about, you know, all the blessings that Allah has given to us youth before old age, for example, those are, those are blessings from Allah has vowed to Allah and, and without a doubt, will be questioned about that. So now, we were able to look internally and say, you know, I need to take responsibility for my own faith. I need to be able to take responsibility for my relationship with the Quran. And there are people who for the

first time last year for the first time in their life, they were able or they began the process of building a relationship with the Quran, improving their recitation, improving their, their memorize increasing their memorization of the Quran, trying to learn the meanings of the Quran, trying to understand the message of the Quran trying to live the Quran because now it became, you know, we couldn't put it on it on anyone else. It had to be just us. We are responsible for the Quran. And that to me,

especially in hindsight, it's it's a clear blessing from Allah, his panel to Allah, and without a doubt, with hardship a lot brings relief and Allah brings ease, and Allah brings goodness even in the difficulty in the hardship that we go through. So without a doubt this previous year where we felt hardship, yes, the Ramadan was difficult in many ways, but also there was a sense of relief and ease in our, in our on my bond as well. So Allah subhanaw taala gave us the ability to to adapt. And so likewise, you know, this Ramadan coming up, I know, things are seemingly better.

I don't know if you've gotten your vaccine yet. But now the vaccine rollout has started in Maryland, I believe that if you're 16 and older, you can now go and get your vaccine and people are feeling a little bit more at ease. You know, people may start gathering more whatever the consequences of that is, but we may feel a little bit of a little bit less anxiety than last year but still there's still a sense of anxiety which is there. But for us just like the month of Ramadan, now you know we look at it being you know, about a week out from the month of Ramadan and, and that anxiety and we have this worry. My point is Don't worry. Put your trust in Allah Subhana Allah that if you are fasting

for the sake of Allah, if you have the intention to worship Allah has penalty to Allah if you have the intention to accomplish the main goal of the month of Ramadan which is to attain taqwa, last panelist, the Allah said could do you 100 in Amman, all believers cookie by Lake Como cmcm has been prescribed upon you that has been obligated upon you come out quickly by Alan Medina. metacognitive calm just like it was prescribed and those who became before

Are you why La La Quinta tekun so that perhaps you will attain tech one meaning that is our intention,

obedience of Allah, the worship of Allah. But also it is to get closer to Allah it is to attain TEPCO. So there's no reason for us to believe that if that is not if that is our intention, then Allah subhanaw taala will not leave us. And our, our, our intentions, and our efforts will be rewarded about last time, just like last year, just like in Hungary last year, Allah rewarded us with whatever we could do. You know, maybe we didn't do it last year, we didn't do as much as we're used to doing because as I said earlier, we're used to other people helping us out we're used to you, ma'am. Jimmy in the masjid, you know, reciting that 20 records for us. We're used to pm in the

masjid. And so we weren't able to, we weren't able to rely upon them. But with whatever we were able to do the hamdulillah We are grateful for the last month of Ramadan. Likewise, we even though there is anxiety, even though we are unsure about what this animal bond will be, like, we don't know exactly what it will be like, on a broader level on a large scale level on a communal level, but also on a personal level.

And this is even apart from COVID and quarantine on a personal level, how am I going to do this, this animal bond we don't know. But we can expect good of Allah subhanaw taala as long as we are motivated to try our best and Subhana Allah, it is this motivation that would lead the companions and the early generations to make this famous, which I'm sure many of you have heard and wish they would say llama banana Ramadan, Allah allow us to reach the month of Ramadan, they would make this

because number one, they understood that that amo bond is not guaranteed that we don't know for sure we're going to reach the month of Ramadan. And even now since we're so close to the month of Ramadan, that we almost assume that we're going to be able to reach the month of animal But not only that, sometimes we assume that not only are we going to reach the month of Ramadan, but we're going to complete the month of Ramadan which the reality is we don't know that is truly and completely in the hands of Allah subhanaw taala we don't know. And so we hope for that we hope so we ask Allah His penalty audit to allow us to reach the month of Ramadan. So this is a DA which This in itself

prepares us for the month of Ramadan because we're desperately asking of Allah has pans out or making the arm. And when it comes to our you know, we know God as a prophet sallallahu Sallam he said

that there is worship, and another narration

is like the essence is the essence of worship. So as we are now even before reaching the month of Ramadan, if you are making this out, and i and i hope if you haven't made it before you're making it now, and and if you haven't thought about it before, if he has, if it hasn't been on your lips and your tongue on your tongues before then just just now just repeating it after me love them, but let them know Robin, you said it right now means that automatically now you're in a state of worship to Allah subhanaw taala and you're putting yourself in the mindset that you're going to try and get the most out of the month of Ramadan whatever ability that you have. Secondly, so first of all, you

know, understanding that we are not certain in in the in, in reaching the month of Ramadan and that automatically prepares us for the month of Ramadan, but also seeking something we only ask for something that we are we only desperately asked for something that we truly want that we truly desire that we have, that we have a deep deep desire for and that means that on some level, we understand that our bond is indeed very, very special. On Milan is is a month unlike any other month and and so how to love there are so many evidences for this in the Quran. As you know, I recited the verses with the buckler earlier

and in this in the authentic Sunnah tradition of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that even one of those Hadith Subhana Allah is enough for us to cry out with this a llama and if not all done, I'll share with you one of the more comprehensive Hadith of the prophets I send them the hideous narrative but I will hold out all of the love that I know what Allahu is narrated in southern unnecessary and others. The prophets of Allah send them giving the glad tidings of the month of Ramadan, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said Takuma Ramadan he said Robin the month of Ramadan has come to you and then Allah tells us of the blessings of the month of Ramadan, Shahada

and Mubarak the Prophet sallallahu Sallam said this is a blessing month this meaning this is not like the months that came before it. This is a very special month for the lower isoa Jetta la comme si ama Allah has made the fasting of this month obligatory upon you

There is no other month in the year, which we fast, all the days of it consecutively. This is something specific, all 3031 however many days, all of the days we fast consecutively, this only happens once a year, in this month that we fast that much. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said to the Hopi Ababa summer, that in this month, the the gates or the doors to paradise are open. What tovala coffee and wobble jehane and the doors to the Hellfire are closed, meaning this is the month in which Allah invites us to Jenna. Allah gives us the opportunity to seek a path to Jenna. And Allah put obstacles in our way to the Hellfire, meaning Allah makes it difficult for us

to go down a path that will lead to the Hellfire in this month. This is a special blessing of this month, that a lot makes it easy for us a lot, opens a lot opens the gates a lot, opens the doors, a lot, AIDS us and assists us and makes it easy for us in the month of Ramadan to worship Allah who's kind of like to Allah. And not only that, the other things that may hinder us and harmless in our faith. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in this hadith continues on and says, What over Luffy Mara that the shell thing that was handed to Allah ties up or chains up or locks down. The shell theme are those shell theme like the powerful shell theme or are those influences on us that may

keep us away or keep us away from God consciousness or the taqwa of Allah has paired with the Aila, those influences are greatly reduced. And that is why we see people practicing Islam in the month of Ramadan in a way that they don't practice it outside of the month on them a lot. And I'm not saying that, by the way, in a negative way. I mean, even the most quote unquote, practicing Muslim up their game, like whatever level someone is at, during the month of Ramadan, for the most part, their level goes up. And that is a blessing from Allah, to Allah that Allah has made it easy for us to worship Allah in the month of Ramadan. And once again, I'll say I know we've been feeling disconnected from

the masjid I know we've been feeling distant from the mission and without a doubt, without a doubt that has an effect on our faith because the mission is part of our faith. The message is part of Islam. The message is actually an integral part of Islam have given many talks at at ICM Actions panel on this very topic, how the message is so important to our faith. And so I know we've been feeling disconnected because of our of our you know, inability to regularly go to the messages or or go to the messages in a way that we were going to mention before. And so now we can look forward to our Eman being rejuvenated. We can look forward to our Eman going up we can look forward to the

strengthening of our Imam of our event even if we're not able to physically get to the mission. And so the cure for 2020 the cure for you know this this year, this this year that we've had the difficult 2020 year is in sha Allah to either this month of Ramadan that has come coming up and it is amazing somehow to Allah we look back and we start to think about Allah's decree, and Allah His wisdom, how at the very beginning of this pandemic, last kind of Allah allowed us to reach the month of Ramadan, Allah allowed us to fast this month of Ramadan. And now for the second year, we asked Allah who's Penwith to Allah, that as now we've you know, over a year now we're over a year now into

this pandemic, that Allah has given us another opportunity. This is something 100 and this is a blessing from Allah that we as believers, we have this month of Ramadan in sha Allah, Allah We ask Allah to make it possible that we are able to witness this month of Ramadan. And this hadith doesn't stop here by the way, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said, No he he Laila to clear on min Alfie Shahar that the process tell him he said certainly Allah has in this month, a Layla a night. That is better than 1000 months, that there is a night of worship in this month. That is worth 1000 months of worship. There's reward in one night, that is equivalent to the reward of 1000

months. This doesn't happen outside of the month of Ramadan. This is specific and special to the month of Ramadan. And then the prophets that ally Selim gave us a warning. He said manhandle my Hydra

holding that the person who has been deprived of its goodness, they have truly been deprived. And that is why the companions and our scholars of the past and we till today, we make the

Are Allah boliviana Ramadan, Allah allow us to reach the month of Ramadan because we desperately need every single point that is mentioned in this hadith of Korea that I just forwarded to you, every single one of these points we are desperately in need of right now. And that is why we seek the month of Ramadan. That is why we try our best to get excited about the month of Ramadan. And if you're not feeling excited, then ask Allah who's petalite to Allah to make you excited, then repeat this to Allah but living on my mind, this is an opportunity. Unlike other opportunities that we have during the year, we have the merits of the month of Ramadan. For example, one of my favorite Hadees

regarding the month of Ramadan is how do you think it's a Muslim minister Prophet sallallahu Sallam? He said the five daily prayers salvato comes, well Juma Elysium. What? Ramadan Illa, Ramadan is seldom the five daily prayers, one job to another drummer, and on one level, move on to another Ramadan, is the expiation of our sins, or is the XP expiation of that which is between them. As long as a person stays away from the major sins, all of the sins that we don't think about all the things that escape us all the sins that, you know, we don't make much of and by the way, these sins, you know, the sins other than the major sins, what are sometimes called the minor sins. These are the

sins which the prophets I send them warned us about. He gave he said, he said regarding the sins, he said, yuck, well, my karate No, he said, I warn you be aware of the sins that people don't think about or that they belittle that, you know, doesn't even that doesn't, you know, doesn't mean much to them because it's it's a minor, it's a minor sin, major sins. We do something bad we understand the major sin. We're motivated to make Toba. We're motivated seek Allah's help you say, Allah, forgive me for the sin. And you know, we can take care of that. But the minor sins, the prophets, I said, Look, he said, yuck, when we said, beware of the sins that people belittle. He said, The

example of those sins is like the example of a people who come upon a valley. And they, they try to start a fire. And so they go out and search for something to build this fire with.

And they go out and they don't find much. You know, maybe they found some leaves, a few twigs, everyone goes out, and they just, you know, everyone in the party, they all go out. One person brings one twig, another person brings another twig, one person brings a couple leaves one person, you know, everyone brings something small, and they think of themselves as nothing is nothing. And they and they put these small things together. But as people keep putting them, they keep piling up, and they keep piling up, and they keep piling up until they light this fire eventually, and the fire shoots up into the sky. And so the prophets Allah, why send them he said, but in karate, no matter

how Adobe how Sahaba toliko, that these sins that people belittle that they don't think much of that when a person indulges in these sins, they will destroy this person. And so imagine some had Allah how amazing it is, that to enter the month of Ramadan, being freed of this burden of the sins, that now we have to focus on. I got to make sure I'm not committing any major sins, the glaring, big, glaring problems, I got to take care of those in the month of Ramadan will help me take care of those, whatever those problems or whatever those issues are. But this is a time for me to be forgiven. We ask Allah to make that possible for the sins that that the minor sins that as I said,

quote unquote, minor, you know, we call it minor, but they have serious implications on our spirituality and on our relationship with the last panel of data. Lastly, one of the merits of the month of Ramadan that I want to share with you is regarding our da and how this is a time when our da is accepted by Allah who's Penwith Allah, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said Salah there are three who's who will not be rejected by Allah, his panel with the two of them, you might have heard of them, the prophets that I sent them he said an Imam will then he said a just ruler or adjust leader, well mobile home and the person who is oppressed, that and and I want you to think

about what this person goes through the mudroom. The person who is oppressed, they're dealing with a lot of difficulty, they're oppressed, they they're dealing with physical and emotional and psychological pain. And in that pain when they make a there is sincere and so the prophets I send them said this person

will not be rejected likewise, an Imam and then the just leader

Didn't say, an Imam, the Imam, because you know what a person can be a leader. But to be a just leader is difficult. Because to be a just leader means that there are plenty of people who are going to be upset at you. And this is not in our scholars head, this doesn't just apply to like the leader of the oma or the leader of or you know, you may think that the amount of domestic This is any person in any position of leadership, any, any position where they where they are in charge over other people, where they have responsibility, they take responsibility for other people, anyone even you know, a person, a father or a mother in their household Is it is it as any man is is is the

leader in that in that household. And so, to be just is to deal with hardship.

They say Subhanallah regarding, you know, being in positions of leadership, that people are never satisfied, that there are always people who are going to be unhappy with what you're doing.

There's that famous story that I always think of that I think about you know, regarding people in positions of leadership, about the father and son and and the donkey. And I don't know if you've heard this, this tale before the story before this method, this this example. But basically, just to put it in, summarize it, the Father and the Son, they're riding, they have a donkey, they're going on, they're going on a journey. They start off, you know, the father, he puts his son on the on the donkey, and he says, You ride on the donkey and I'm going to ride I'm going to walk next to you. And then people passing by, they look at this situation. And they say what kind of son is this? He's a

terrible son. He's, uh, he's, you know, he's so ungrateful. He's making his father walk beside him, you know, terrible son. And so they hear this criticism, and the son says, No, Father, I want you to get on. So he makes his father sit on, sit on the sit on the donkey. And the son now walks on the side. I've had a lot now more people come they see this from afar. And they say, look how terrible this father is, is his young son. He's so young. He's you know, he's, he's, you know, he doesn't have that much energy. He still he's, he's he's young. He's, you know, this father's making him walk on the side. Look how you treated children. You know, we're supposed to be kind and, and, and gentle

towards our kids. And look, you know, he's making his son walk on the side while the father sits on the top, what kind of parenting is this? And now they hear this criticism, and they say, you know, what, are we gonna do you know what, we'll just we'll just both get off the donkey. And SubhanAllah. They, they both get off the donkey. And people come by, and they say, Oh, look at these two dummies, they have a donkey and they're not riding the donkey. You know, Allah has given them a means of transport, and they're not taking the means of transport. And so they said, Oh, what do we do now? So then they both get on the donkey. And they say, Okay, now everything should be fine. People still

have a criticism. And you probably know what the criticism is. They say, look at this, this father and son, they're so oppressive towards the donkey, they've put both of their weight upon the donkey, instead of one person being on they put both people on the donkey point of this story is people always have criticisms. And when a person Their aim is to please Allah who's pandering to Allah above everyone else. That means there's always somebody who's going to be unhappy, there's always somebody is going to be complaining. And so for this reason, or this is one of the reasons why, why when any meme is just they go through this distress, that Allah is with them. Not only that, but

also there is not rejected about law. And you add to that those two lofty positions, right? The oppressed person, I love protectors, and the just ruler, the just leader, and what is the third, the third is someone who we all aim to be and that is the prophets I send them said the person who was fasting until they break their fast can you imagine that whole time in our day that we are fasting we have a diet that is not rejected by Allah to Allah and another narrations by the way the prophets I send them instead of saying a slight em had your little precedent set aside in hayner You're still that there's the site in the person who is fasting when they break their fast so not until they

break their path when either way upon the breaking of a fast and that is why when we break our fast it is a good time to make do and by the way, that fifth question a little bit of a side note, I know I'm not teaching fifth player but just as a side note, people say you know when when when milk comes in the time to break our fast do we make the arm and then break our fast or what do we do? We break our fast and then we make out unless it is before the time then yes, we spend the time before most of us

come in to make the art and that is a beautiful time to make that as well. But we break our fast upon the breaking of the fast painter you have your skirt of course that acted upon meaning the fast has to be, you have to be breaking the fast you can say it alongside as you you have the bite in your mouth at that time because that is when you feel not only you're in that you're in that that zone where you're still hungry, because you've now you know, you haven't quenched your your hunger, you haven't taken care of your hunger, you just it's just a bite. And also you're feeling the pleasure of breaking your fast. So you have both things to be grateful for. And that is an amazing

spiritual time to make the art to illustrate that as we are breaking our fast and we ask Allah subhanaw taala to allow us to reach the month of Ramadan in order if it's nothing else, then just to be able to feel the joy of breaking our fast as the prophets I send them he said that the person who fast has two times of enjoyment two times where they feel joy. Number one is when they break their fast and number two is the reward that they get from Allah subhanaw taala the reward they will see on the Day of Judgment regarding this fast yes that but also as he said, the breaking of the fast we asked last kind of data to allow us to witness that this year Allah, Allah Milan, Allah I mean,

while la hotel Allah Allah Subhana Allah Hama will be handpick a shadow Allah in the heightened and as selfie ruka Lake