Sadullah Khan – Developing a Qur’anic Personality To be and What not be. #21

We continue our theme

developing the Quranic personality,

how to be and what not to be.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan

is a way of enhancing

self discipline.

It's an opportunity for us to regulate our

attitudes,

opportunity for us to improve our conduct.

In fact, an opportunity for us to develop

a better self.

And the activities of Ramadan

should make us contemplate

on the higher purpose of our lives

and the deeper value

of our existence.

It should motivate us to try and live

meaningfully,

responsibly.

Balancing our siyam with our qiyam,

balancing our physicality with our spirituality.

As Ramadan unfolds and here we are tonight

on one of the nights of Qadr, on

the 21st night, and may Allah accept from

all of us.

As Ramadan unfolds

each fasting person

should ask himself or herself

a personal question or a series of personal

questions.

On the basis of muhasaba, of critical self

evaluation.

And important for each one to reflect on

what is being achieved through this month of

Ramadan.

As we know how many were here last

Ramadan

and are not here?

Indeed how many of us are here? And

may Allah give us long life, but may

not be here next year.

So ask the question and reflect.

I've been fasting for 21 days.

What benefits

have been derived?

What behavior

have I adjusted?

Which good practices

have I adopted and implemented?

Which bad habits have I relinquished or left

off?

Ask the question,

how does the prayer and the fasting of

Ramadan

influence my attitude and my behavior and my

actions?

Ask,

how is it improving my relationship

with my family, with my friends, with my

loved ones, with those near and dear to

me, with my coworkers, with my neighbors?

How much has it increased consciousness on my

part of my responsibility

towards the increasing amount of poor in the

world and the increasing amount of oppressed people

in the world.

How has my fasting and my qiyam, and

my siyam, and my Quran which I've read,

How much has it impacted on my body,

my heart, my mind, and my soul?

You see, we are very familiar with the

verse where Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala in Surah

Tawbah

gives glad tidings to a group of people.

He says,

glad tidings to the believers.

And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala categorizes some of

the people or some of the actions.

Dawba and those who are in servitude to

Allah, obedient to Him.

And then those who bow and prostrate, but

also those who are on a spiritual journey,

spiritual journey,

spiritual travelers,

spiritual wayfarers

through the through the act of fasting.

So if we are truly on a spiritual

journey, if we are truly

then on as wayfarers on that transcendental journey

towards attaining taqwa, which is the height of

human achievement.

Where is that journey currently taking me?

Where is that journey currently taking us? Are

we becoming better human beings?

Are we more considerate?

Have we become more compassionate,

more caring?

Are we journeying from self centeredness?

I, I, me, me. Have we moved from

self centeredness to social consciousness?

From self righteousness towards righteousness?

Where did we start?

And how have we moved? How far have

we journeyed towards the fulfillment of excellence on

the pathway to Taqwa?

Are we journeying at all? Or are we

exactly where we were at the beginning of

Ramadan? You see,

if there is a genuine effort

towards

spiritualization of our being, spiritualization

of our being,

demoralization

of our consciousness.

We all have conscious.

But are we more conscious? Have we moralized

our conscious or justify what we do

and make excuses for the wrong that we

continue doing? So if there is a genuine

effort for the spiritualization

of our being, the moralization

of our consciousness,

empathy, increased empathy in our attitude,

and increased goodness in our conduct,

then perchance

we are on the pathway,

treading the pathway

towards the attainment of taqwa. Allah subhanahu wa

ta'ala is

in the Quran.

Indeed, Allah is aware of those who keep

their bond with Him, who are true to

their word with Him. We say, laila, ilallah.

We say, we do siyam. We aiming for

taqwa. Allah knows those who truly keep their

bond with him. Allah loves those who are

conscious of what they do for him and

in his path and in his name. And

Allah loves those who are conscious. Allah loves

those who are righteous. For in Allah, you're

able muttaqeen.

Allah loves those who