Ramadan – A Time of Barakah

Alhamdulillah praises due to Allah subhanahu wa taala we praise Him and we seek His help. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls and the consequences of our actions. Whomever ALLAH SubhanA wa Taala guides, none can miss guide and whoever is misguided cannot be guided except by Allah subhanho wa Taala I bear witness and I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah Jalla Jalla who, who, and bear witness that the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is his final prophet and his most perfect worshipper, as to what follows Allah subhanho wa Taala reminds us in the Quran to be conscious of him when he says yeah, you hola Xena, Manu taco la

haka to wala to Motrin, in LA one to Muslim on.

Dear Muslims, Allah subhanho wa Taala in multiple places in the Quran reminds us of the diversity of the creation. Allah reminds us that we ourselves, even though we're one species, we have diverse languages, diverse ethnicities, diverse backgrounds, women yatta yatta. For Cinetic. One one of his miracles is the act of love the diversity of your ethnicities, backgrounds, languages, culture, civilizations, Allah asks us to look at the diversity of the seasons, the diversity of the heavens, the diversity of the night and day, in nothing laughing lady when the heart the difference between the night and the day. In other words, Allah did not make everything exactly the same. Actually,

whatever Allah created, there is diversity within it. And in that diversity, there is wisdom for us.

Of the diversity that Allah created is the diversity of time.

Not all times are the same.

Not all times are the same. Certain times are different than other times, certain times have more significance than other times. If Allah had willed it would be monochromatic, everything exactly the same. But where would the diversity be in diversity we appreciate in diversity, we understand in diversity, we become incentivized when things are better, when things are more blessing, we have incentives to raise the bar. And so of Allah's wisdom, He created time not in equal amounts, but in diverse amounts. And so the last third of the night is more blessing than the first third of the night. In terms of it is our profit system said the early mornings are the most blessing to get you

get your sustenance and in terms of Baraka in terms of being blessed hid, the most blessing time of the entire year is about to come upon us and that is the month of Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan is not like any other month. The month of Ramadan has a status that no other month does. It is the only month in the Quran that Allah mentions by name SHA Ramadan Allah the winds in the field Quran it is the month of Ramadan Allah mentions it by name. There is no equivalent to the month of Ramadan when it comes to time. Allah subhanho wa Taala blessed this month like he blessed no other month in a famous Hadith sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam stood up on the member on the eve of Ramadan. And he said the Khadija welcome Sharon Mobarak. A Mubarak month has come to you. What does Mubarak mean? What does barrel come in? Barak and Baraka means you will get more for

the same amount that you do because you've done it in a mobile rock time. If something has Baraka, if something is Mobarak, you will be able to extrapolate more from it because it has Baraka. So when money has Baraka if Allah blesses you $100 Allah gives you Baraka in that 100 What you will gain with that 100 The mouths you will feed them the amount of time it will last will be much more than $100 that doesn't have Baraka outwardly is the same, but inwardly the one that has Baraka will last more. I mean the classic example is our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam making dua to Allah subhanho wa Taala to give baraka in a glass of milk, you know, in the Battle of Azzam, when they had

no food, they had no water to drink, and they could just get one glass of milk for 1000 people. And our Prophet says and asked Allah to make Baraka in this glass of milk and 1000 people drank from that one glass this is what Baraka me.

Since this is what Baraka means, increase in the utility, same amount, you would think if you measure the cup, it's exactly eight milliliters everybody has. But when Allah puts Baraka in something, it is no longer useful on the eight milliliters, it will be much more useful, the more Baraka has been put in it. Imagine the month of Ramadan as the most Mubarak timeframe. What that means you do the same small amount, the same eight milliliters, right? The same $5 charity, the same Torah QA sunnah, the same five ayat in the Quran, same thing you do maybe outside when you do it in the month of Ramadan, because it is Sharon Mobarak because it is the Mubarak month. Even though you

give the same input, the output from Allah Subhana Allah to Allah will be much more than you can imagine. Not all times are the same. Not all time units are the same. And by making some time units different than others, Allah subhanho wa Taala is giving us incentives. Allah is giving us motivation. We are weak. And when the fruit becomes lower, our eagerness becomes more when the fruit is high, then it's difficult to be that eager. In Ramadan, Allah lowers the fruits for everybody. Yeah, Allah everybody you can partake every single Muslim, every single person who is sincere, you shall be able to partake of the blessings of Ramadan. It is a month whose forgiveness is guaranteed

within it for anybody who wants it. It is a month in which if you do the bare bare bare minimum, the bare minimum of what is wajib Hadith Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim whatever provinces and MSA Whoever fasts Ramadan with iman and expecting Allah's reward shall have all of his sins forgiven. Whoever prays every night and Ramadan with Eman and expecting Allah's reward shall have all of his sins forgiven. Whoever prays on Laila to other with Eman expecting Allah's reward shall have all of his sins forgiven, the bar has been lowered so much that any buddy who wants to shall attain it, there is no other timeframe in the entire month where Allah has incentivized worship as much as the

month of Ramadan and that is why brothers and sisters we all love Ramadan that is why we all experienced the joy of Ramadan and yes, one side of us were a little bit worried how am I going to fast how am I going to do this but every year the same thing happens the first day goes by we're like that was so easy. Why was I worried about it? The second day goes by but the third day is a complete habit. And you even forget there was something called Lunch Subhan Allah, Allah azza wa jal blesses the body even even the body How can I live without my coffee in the afternoon Yola, you will see you shall live without your coffee in the afternoon. Mobarak Allah gives you Baraka because this

month is the month of Baraka, you couldn't ask for more. Every single opportunity has been given to you. The doors have Johanna more shot you cannot even go there if you wanted to. The doors of Johanna more shut. The doors of Jana are flung wide open. Every single day Allah's Rama is coming down from Jana, every single evening the angels are coming down every single night ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada frees more and more people who are destined for jahannam. But because in this month, they stood up in fasting, they stood up in prayer, they stood up asking Allah's forgiveness, because they made a small attempt, ALLAH SubhanA, Allah blessed that small attempt and gave them everything. And that

is why brothers and sisters when the bar has been raised so low actually for the month of Ramadan. That's anybody who is not forgiven in Ramadan.

Listen to this carefully, has no chance to be forgiven outside of Ramadan.

In fact, one of the rare occasions where our Prophet says and made dua against a Muslim you know, it's very rare, obviously, you know, in order to say but do it right. Our Prophet system never made a negative dua rarely, I mean, you can count them on the fingers of one hand, because that's not why He came. He didn't come to give negative to negative two hours. But one of the times he did one of the times he did it should make our hair stand on end.

He was climbing the men but he said Amin, Amin, amin, and they asked him Why are you saying I mean he goes Gibreel came to me and long had Ethan Johnson of course, you're the one line that we're interested in. And God has said to me, oh, Muhammad SAW Selim, anybody who is alive when Ramadan comes and does not manage to have his sins forgiven. May Allah make him go far away of Idaho law. May Allah make him go far away from his drama. Say I mean, the person said, I mean,

think about that. I want you to think about this one.

I would our Prophet says and make a negative dua against somebody. Because if you make no effort in the month of Ramadan, you're not going to make any effort outside of Ramadan. If you fail when the bar has been very so low, it's literally for the plucking, literally anybody can be forgiven and Ramadan, literally anybody who wants to you do the bare minimum and Allah subhanho wa Taala will give you the maximum. But if Ramadan does not change you and you remain status quo and you don't lift your own bar of Ibadah of Tilawat a vicar. If you maintain the exact same lifestyle outside of Ramadan, then frankly, what our promises to them is teaching us there is no hope for you then at

this stage unless Allah was a miracle later on.

This should make us understand and appreciate

that Ramadan is one of the biggest blessings Allah has given this oma in fact there are a hadith in Malta, Imam Malik and others. Some scholars say slightly weak, but the concept is there. It's mentioned in our books of Hadith that some of the Sahaba complained to the process. semirara surah Allah the Quran tells us that the previous OMA some of them lasted 900 years, you know, they lived many, many centuries. How can we compete when we're only living 6070 years? How can we compete with their good deeds? So the Prophet system responded, Allah has given you what he has not given them. Allah has given you an every year one night, that is equivalent to more than a lifetime of good

deeds that is a little hotter. Every year, you have the opportunity to earn a lifetime of good deeds. So you can compete with the previous generations because you have what they do not have. This entire month is a month where Allah subhana wa Taala has facilitated everybody, not just at the individual level at the communal level. We all understand and appreciate the blessings of Tarawa had the blessings of coming to the masjid, the blessings of coming together for breaking our fast community family. No time throughout the month, do we appreciate the Ummah as much as as we do in this month of Ramadan. And in fact, when Ramadan is over, we all feel an emptiness not just

spiritually, but frankly, even socially. Let's be honest here, right? We feel an emptiness not just spiritually, but socially. You know, I used to see this brother every single day say salaam to me every single day. Now I see him once every two three weeks, you just feel an emptiness in Ramadan. Allah subhanahu Allah, Allah has gifted you everything you need to raise the bar in your personal life. Even the community comes together to help me and you standing in Tahrir. We're listening to the Quran being recited everybody is in the spirit of Ramadan, even those that need some help call us the community lifts you up. Even if you cannot pray at home, come to the masjid and pray with us.

Allah has facilitated every single avenue and that is why we appreciate this month so much. And our Eman goes stronger and stronger. Until finally the last 10 days coming of course brothers and sisters, a little bit of logistical advice to all of us. Remember the last 10 is when we need to give our most unfortunately what happens is the first few days we think we're going to be able to do the entire month at a very high standard. And then it goes down down down and unfortunately that is very wrong. No, we start in increments. We save our most energy for the last 10 Nights. It's like the long race. It's like the marathon okay, yes, as soon as Ramadan starts you raise the bar, but

you raise it to a point of being realistic logistically add some I add some vicar add some Quran every single day but don't add such that you're going to burn out by the fifth day. You have to be realistic brothers and sisters you know your strength. Maybe if you want to start 1520 30 minutes every single day extra for Quran in the beginning, then the next 10 days, make it to an hour and then the last 10 is when you give it your full 110% You have to like the like the marathon race you start slowly jogging consistently jogging, then you get faster and faster than when you see the finish line. That's what you're given your sprint you need to make sure you keep that energy for the

last 10 unfortunately all too often, you know because we overestimate our own you know him our own desires, we kind of sort of burnout and we fizzle out and that is a massive mistake. Don't do that. Do it incrementally. So brothers and sisters some practical advice insha Allah Allah some practical advice for that we began the month realize there is no magic formula to be a better Muslim. It's very simple. You increase in your connection with Allah subhanho wa Taala and you increase in your good and care to the rest of mankind. It's that simple. Two basic chapters two basic doors number one, your relationship with Allah number two, you're really

issue with the rest of mankind. These are your two main arenas where you're going to focus on. Now you ask yourself what can I do in this month that I don't do in other months. So look at the first door, the door of rituals. The door of rituals is wide open and Ramadan. We're going to be fasting every single day. We're going to be making dua every single evening before if for one of the blessed times of drought. We're going to be reading Quran extra every single day. We're going to be standing in Qian and listen to me carefully brothers and sisters. If you cannot pray in the masjid, it's good to pray in the masjid. It's good to listen to the Imam. If for some reason you cannot pray in the

masjid pray at home, pray TIAMO Lael, tarawih tahajjud every single night of Ramadan without exception, because that's one of the ways to get your sins forgiven. Taraweeh does not need to be said in the masjid. It can be said anywhere. So if you cannot pray Tarawa in the masjid, I strongly advise you to at least personally attend Asia because Asia is the blessings in the masjid. And then if you must leave if you have a long schedule, whatever, go home and stand yourself either before you go to sleep or wake up early for school and 30 minutes, 20 minutes, 15 minutes even but consistently do something extra that you're showing Allah subhanho wa Taala I am praying the night

prayer you can pray the night prayer anytime from salata, Nisha till before so called any time and the most blessed time of course is the word but if you're praying that oh we are in the masjid that does the job in sha Allah Who to Allah but to increase the bar in Quran in vicar, vicar throughout the day, you don't need anything wherever you are sitting in your office driving your car. Don't just listen to the news. Listen to the Quran, listen to the code, do some thicker yourself. And one of the things you do in rituals as well brothers and sisters is of course we make it a routine to try to finish the this is a sunnah that is established by our Prophet sallallahu either he was

seldom Hadith isn't Sahih Bukhari every single year, God would come and listen to the Prophet system every night and Quran every night and taraweeh I mean, in Ramadan every night he would listen to the process and these days we have incorporated that all with the Sunnah, right? I'll process someone recite to God and we have our Imams reciting Alhamdulillah. That's the concept of the Sunnah of reading the whole Quran. But understand one point brothers and sisters, reading the Quran and listening to the Quran are two separate actions of worship we need to do both in this month. So just because you listen to the Quran, that doesn't substitute the other act of worship which is reading

the Quran. And the Quran is central to Ramadan. In fact, it is so central that when we read the Quran, and Allah talks about Ramadan, Allah mentions the Quran being related to Ramadan before he mentioned the sohm being related to Ramadan. The Quran is more central to Ramadan than the fasting is central to Ramadan, you understand this point? Open up the Quran what does Allah say, SHA Ramadan, Allah the unzila fee hill or

Ramadan is the month the Quran came down Allah chose to send the Quran down in the most blessed of all months. So as we said, one of the doors that we do good and is the door of rituals, look to increase your rituals, every single generic ritual, your asana, for those of you who are not praying five times a day, there is no excuse. Ramadan is the time to pray five times a day, there is no excuse. How can you go to the third pillar of Islam and forget the first pillar of Islam? How can you concentrate on the Salah and not be on the song and not be worried about the Salah, this is the year you give all of your excuses, kick them out the window. I shall pray every prayer on time in

this month. If you are not praying five times a day, if you are you raise the bar in your Sunon okay, this year, I'm going to do my 10 or 12 Sunon that I don't usually do, if you are you raise the bar in Nuffield, if you are you raise the bar in tahajjud you must raise the bar that's the whole point. Whatever your level is, when Ramadan comes you increase it Salah in your Quran in your thicker in your DUA. This is the chapter of rituals. As for the other chapter, the chapter of the chapter of being good to people, obviously, charity and sadaqa generosity, giving to the full Quran. Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the most generous in the month of Ramadan. His

Generosity knew no bounds every day he would give sadaqa every day so you calculate how much can I give him every day 510 $20 Just give, give give and not just sadaqa of the main rituals of this month when it comes to more I'ma let you have a clean heart against other people. Don't hold grudges let go be the better of the two when it comes to any situation. Somebody did something wrong to you, somebody you try to have a clean heart. You try your best to overcome and forgive. There's a relative

that you cut off from contact at relative giving them an Eid Mubarak greetings be the better of the two that is an act of worship that will bring about Allah's pleasure upon you. That is of the greatest actions of worship that you can do in the month of Ramadan. Use Ramadan and the catalyst of Ramadan and the catalyst of read to cleanse these issues that always exist in society. Always be the better of the two and always try your best that you don't hold any grudge against anybody else. Get rid of your jealousy your hip, your anger, your envy have a pure heart in this month, because that's the whole point this month is meant to cause you to go higher and higher and higher. And the final

point brothers and sisters for this first football

as the days go by and Ramadan Masha Allah Imam goes higher and higher until finally the last few nights they're like a whirlwind a blur because we're all busy with Yama, Leyland to hydrocodone and one need to find the latest decoder and everything and then all of a sudden it happens and then Hollis we all come crashing down. All of us come crashing down. And within a week we forget we were coming to the masjid every single day. I want to put into your minds in my mind from now. One basic concept that I hope lasts with me and you until we die.

Listen, let's be realistic. You are going to decrease your iman after Ramadan that's a given let's be realistic. You cannot maintain that high level in Ramadan. But here's the point. And I want you to put this in your mind from now. The goal is not to maintain posts Ramadan, the same level as you had within Ramadan. That's not possible. But the goal is if Ramadan causes you to go 510 2030 5100 steps higher. So when Ramadan finishes, you're 100 steps higher than when you were when Ramadan finishes do not come crashing back down to zero, no, you're gonna come fluttering down, but you need to make a conscious effort that my position my level after Ramadan will be significantly higher than

it was before Ramadan. So flutter back down to an 80 to a 70 to a 50 to a 30 but do not flutter back down to zero or else Ramadan has essentially been a waste of your time. You didn't benefit from the month the goal is Ramadan is your spiritual gym. You know the one who goes to the gym the one who loses weight right they're really conscious I'm not going to go back to that anymore once they get their ripped body all you brothers don't talking about right you're not going to go back and just let everything go that doesn't you will do you will be a foolish person to you're going to hurt yourself why am I doing this Ramadan is that person you've been to the gym spiritually are so

strong, okay, you cannot maintain that spiritual level. But make sure when Ramadan finishes, your level is higher than when it began and you maintain that level till next Ramadan, then the next Ramadan, you go as well higher than you fall down at a higher level than when you began such that if you were to look at a spiritual chart of your life, you would see these increments of Ramadan and yes, you'd fall back down. But when Ramadan finishes, you're still a few steps higher than when you began. So your entire life. It's as if Ramadan is pushing you higher, higher, higher, higher until and this should be our goal. Our best Ramadan ever should be our last Ramadan and our best days ever

should be our last days and our highest level of iman ever should be when we meet Allah subhana wa Tada. That's the wisdom of Ramadan. Ramadan is meant to keep on boosting, boosting, boosting every single year. Allah has gifted us this free boost it's a free boost just come to me and I will come to you as my forgiveness you shall be forgiven ask for Jana, you shall get Jana. So let every Ramadan caused you to be boosted higher and higher and higher. And that should be the goal. Make a conscious effort understand where you are on your chart of Eman that wonderful one finishes make sure you are higher than when you began and if you are higher than Alhamdulillah the purpose of

Ramadan has been served you have benefited from this month and you have appreciated Allah's diversity in creating the creation with so many different changes and diversities. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless me and you with and through the Quran. And May He make us of those who is versus they understand and applies commandments throughout our lifespan. I ask Allah's forgiveness you as well ask Him for His love afford and the Rama.

hamdulillah All praise is due to Allah the one and the unique. He it is when we worship and it is his aid that we seek. He is the Lord of the oppressed. And here's the prayer of the week. As to what follows. Brothers and sisters I'm going to do

leave you with a point that is not usually common to hear from a cleric from a person of religion background. But as somebody who studies history and anthropology, I want to bring something slightly different, which I feel is very important. In this month of Ramadan. I asked you all elders who especially have come from other lands to this country, to think back to your memories of Ramadan back home, to think back of the sweetest memories you have when you were a child. Generally speaking, those memories involve family, your mother, your father, the dinner table laid out, generally speaking, it has those positive memories of community coming together. Well, brothers and

sisters, we are living in a land where the broader society has no idea. It's Ramadan.

We have to create this small bubble for our future progeny.

We have to make Ramadan, something that is special for them, not just spiritually, but culturally as well. Believe it or not, this is one of the ways of preserving their Iman. I know it sounds weird, but this is basic anthropology. This is basic human psychology as parents make Ramadan special for the family. Spend some time I know we're all tired. I know we've been in you know, fasting and you're already irritated whatnot. But understand when you are gone from this world, and your children grow up and get married and have their children. Think about that face 50 years down the line. What memories do you want to leave with your children such that they want to replicate those

memories with their children? This is of the ways to preserve our religion brothers and sisters will lie I know it sounds a bit strange but this is basic human psychology and anthropology by observing the rituals in community and family in other words, don't be selfish in Ramadan with your time and your love. Spend family time spend time with your children make something extra for them. And this means I know this sounds strange but yes good food and good times and good to eat gifts. This is all a part and parcel of making them feel you know society is not going to do it when you are back home. Everybody celebrating Ramadan when you're back home The streets are in light you know everything is

a hole. But how about here? Well, nothing. So we in our communities and our massages in our households, we need to make our children feel special. Give them those extra memories along with the rituals of course yes, you take them to a faraway whenever they can extra Quran extra they can no doubt but along with that, some love some tenderness, some positive memories, as a bada you do it intentionally that you want them to feel this is a special month you want them to form family memories, because brothers and sisters there are no checks and balances in this land. There are no broader society implications of keeping our child No, we have made a conscious decision while my

parents did and you are you made a conscious decision to come here no problem. But when you make that conscious decision, you have to take extra responsibilities on yourself. And those extra responsibilities is to demonstrate to your own children the meaning of this month, not just by extra rituals which is there, but also by the family the community also by your either eat has to be a special day Wallahi It is an act of rebellion I say to you it is an act of a bother to make your children happy on this day so that they appreciate what it means to be a Muslim. Why is it that they're excited for the Thanksgiving you know, sales going on? Or the Christmas sales on April 5 or

nothing? No, we have to bring that happiness in their minds. We have to implant these memories. So that insha Allah Allah when I am gone and you are gone and our children grow up and have their children, they're going to remember you when you're alone longer here, they're going to remember eid and Ramadan and what you have done, you're going to have to plant the seeds from now so I'm giving you some practical advice not very common to hear on the member but Subhanallah it needs to be said make Ramadan special not just ritual wise, but yes, family wise, community wise, culture wise, make it a point of happiness a month of blessings of all types so that inshallah your children absorb

these values of Islam. Your children appreciate this blessing that Allah azza wa jal has blessed us with and then in sha Allah when we are gone, they can carry that legacy and continue to tradition onwards for many many more generations to come along they need iron for amino alumina I don't know if you have the domain them but Allah for Fatah, WA Herrmann Illa forage, whether they in any local data whether Madhu you want Illa SHA feta, what I see you're on Isla, you're sorta Allama fildena What is going on? Alina Silva Hoon Eben Iman one athleisure I feel cooler winners hyndland Lilina Amanu Robina in Nicaragua for Rahim, Allah Allah is Islam

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