What If I am not Excited for Ramadan

Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah all praises due to Allah for having given us the gift of Ramadan, a month of blessings, mercy and recitation of the Quran. He chose for us a month too fast to pray, to give and to seek, so that our souls be purified and our sins forgiven in a month that is unique. He sends downs blessings every single night, filling our souls with His grace, and He blesses every single deed that we do in this month regardless of the time and place. It is a month in which we recite the Quran with devotion and care, seeking His guidance, his blessings and His mercy to share. We give to the needy to the poor and to the weak, remembering that all that we desire is with him to

seek, Oh Allah, we ask for your forgiveness and your blessings to pour upon us and our families and the Ummah and all those who implore and we seek from you that we emerge from this month pure and brights, with hearts full of gratitude and shining with your light. In this month, your rub Allah was to partake of all of your blessings that are given, so that our deeds be accepted, our ranks raised and our sins forgiven, as to what follows know that Allah subhana wa Tada has reminded us to be conscious of him. When he says in the Quran, you hola Xena Armando Tapachula, how to call to wala temotu illa, one two Muslim on dear Muslims, barely a few days are left before the blessed month

begins. And while many of us are excited, and counting the days and looking forward to the month, perhaps some amongst us are not feeling that level of enthusiasm just yet. Perhaps some amongst us might even be anxious or dreading it not because of the worship or the Brotherhood. But because we are worried that how are we going to perform our jobs? How are we going to do our schedules, we might get headaches because of the lack of food. We don't have our afternoon coffee. And so this feeling of not feeling enthusiastic. This feeling of not being excited and we see everybody else excited. shaytaan comes to us and makes us feel like complete losers. If we're not as enthused as

everybody else shaytaan comes and takes advantage and says to us Ah, you are not a real Muslim you must be a hypocrite. The fact that you're not enthused means you are a failure as a Muslim.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, this tactic of Shavon needs to be eliminated. While it is true, that to be excited about the month is a good and healthy sign. It is not true. That to feel a level of anxiety means you are a hypocrite. People are of different levels. And as long as the obligations that Allah has given are embraced and as long as our bodies and our souls submit to the Shetty, then Alhamdulillah our level of Eman is green. It is good. Our level of Eman is healthy. In fact, brothers and sisters we learned from the Sierra. We learned from the Quran, we learned from the biographies of the Sahaba that not everybody is at the same level of enthusiasm. One of the most

iconic incidents in the Sierra right before the Battle of hunted up the trench. It was a very difficult time we don't have time to describe all of it an entire month of being hungry an entire month of being surrounded, you know by enemies. And it was a windy and rainy and cold night it was in the dead of the winter freezing cold and it was raining on top of that and the wind was blowing and the Prophet system stood up and he said who will volunteer to go and spy upon the Quraish in this middle of the night and then come back and tell me what is the update are they felt in Yemen narrated? He said in that crowd was Abu Bakr Omar Earthman Radi Allahu Anhu in that crowd was

Valhalla and zubaid and added all the Allahu Anhu and not a single person stood up.

The process had him set again who's enthusiastic who can go and I promised him Jana. But after one month of no food

in that desperate, cold and dark and bleak, not one person stood up. And then the Prophet salallahu it who said to him said Are they for you stand up. That's where were they first narrating the story, or they first said I had no choice but to stand up. And why did her they say this? Because many decades later he was sitting amongst

A group of tab your own and the tab your own were saying oh, if we had been alive at the time of the process, you would have seen what we did you would have seen our level you would have seen our enthusiasm and who they first said calm down or they first said lower your expectations. Let me tell you what happened with my own eyes I will tell you and then he went on and told the entire story. Brothers and sisters it's okay to at times not be as enthusiastic but when the time is called when the Prophet system says Are they for stand and you must stand up you have a man. So Ramadan is coming. And when Ramadan comes and we submit to Allah subhana wa Tada than Al Hamdulillah. We have

Iman, Allah reminds us in the Quran cootie Abba and a communicator who will who are called Hola como que tal has been prescribed for you. You are told to go and fight the Qureshi just get out, you must go and fight them. But your hearts hate doing this. Notice, Allah describes for us the Sahaba the creme de la creme, the best of the best, they didn't want to go and do Qatal against the Quraysh. And Allah told us you don't like it, but you're still going to do it. And it is possible you don't like something and it is good for you. So sometimes a commandment is difficult, sometimes an obligation we find our anxiety increasing. But as long as we obey and submit as long as we hear and

we comply. Then at Hamdulillah we are upon good, let not shaytaan come to you just because you're not in the top 1% and say you're a failure. No, if you comply. And if you fulfill the Waje box, then Alhamdulillah you are a success not to failure. Are we talk about the Allahu ansaid these hearts of ours, they have ups and downs in the Lehigh the Kabbalah and where it borrow, our hearts have ups and downs. So when the heart goes up, and it does then a waffle that is good. And if it goes down, listen to this and sticks to the FARA yield, it is still in the good. This is a matter of the Allah one saying to us, not everybody can pray tahajjud not everybody can go the extra mile. But as long

as we do what is obligatory, it is still good. It is Al Hamdulillah in the clear, our lead on the Allahu ansaid. In the NAFSA. Our souls, they have the times of rising and they have the times of falling down. So when the time rises, and we do the best, and we do that Azima and Ibadah than that is good. And when the time falls short, and we stick to the word you bots, then we are upon good, as long as we don't go below the watch you bots. And if they'll call em that great master of the soul, he said, every single person journey into Allah subhanho wa Taala he has phases. This is a blocker him who is the master of the diseases of the soul. He has written multiple books that talk about

spirituality, and he himself confessors. Look, we're not all always at the same level. Everybody has phases, sometimes good phases, and sometimes weak phases. And then he himself says, As long as in the weak phase, LEM to reach one in Ferrara. He doesn't leave the forearm, one m two will Muharram and he doesn't do the Haram rugi Allahu anhu, the higher among Makkah, and then it is hoped that he's going to come back even stronger and better than when this phase began. So even in weak phases, as long as you're doing what is required, then in sha Allah is resilience and you're going to come back bigger and better and stronger. And that is the goal here brothers and sisters, Ramadan is

coming up some of us are excited and enthused others might not be that excited and enthused, but you know what Alhamdulillah as long as we're going to fulfill what Allah has required upon us, then in sha Allah Jota Allah we will share in the baraka of this month, and the baraka of this month is so much it is so magnificent, that even the one who's not enthused, but still obeys and complies, shall get a magnificent share. That share will be so magnificent that he shall have all of his sins forgiven, and he chose start a new life after Ramadan, even the one who comes begrudgingly, and forces himself every day I'm gonna have to fast every day I'm gonna do the bare minimum, even that

person, the baraka of Allah in this month, the Rama of Allah in this month, the month era of Allah in this month is so infinite, so much beyond count, that when every person stay

Hands up some enthusiastically they're gonna get the lion's share and others be grudgingly they will still get enough such that this one month will make up for the entire year before this Subhanallah brothers and sisters, how blessed and fortunate we are. And so some practical advice insha Allah Allah to Allah for those amongst us that might be struggling. First and foremost, brothers and sisters, learn the priorities of this month, learn what is more blessing versus that which is less blessing. Because when you understand what is the most blessing, and you take advantage of that, then in sha Allah, Allah Allah this will give you a level and a sense of peace and serenity that you

will not get without this knowledge, the bare minimum that is required, and there is no going below this line is that you must fast during the days and pray your five daily prayers, this is the bare minimum, there is no going less than this line. I know some amongst you are struggling with the five daily Salah Watts use this as the opportunity because the fasting of the month is the third obligation and the Salah, Salah is the second obligation. In fact, some would say the first thing is the fourth obligation and the salah is the second, it makes no sense that you are perfecting the fourth obligation and neglecting the second one no makes absolutely no sense. So in this month

brothers and sisters, those of you who don't have the habit of praying five times a day, this is the month to change this habit. This is the month you will set for yourself the goal that I will pray the bare minimum even if I don't pray the Sunnah enough I will I will pray the bare minimum of my daily for our child and I will fast every single day. And if you do so, this insha Allah to Allah is the beginning of a new life for you. This is the start of a new life after Ramadan also realized brothers and sisters again know your priorities. Realize that Pm is indeed a very blessed hid thing to do in this month, but it is not obligatory and no scholar ever said it is obligatory to pray to

them in the masjid, if you pray to them and of course the concept of pm and Ramadan itself is not obligatory, but it is strongly encouraged. It is very, very, very strongly encouraged. And it is number two after the Ferrario then fasting what's the next thing you should do? Pray every single night but listen carefully. Praying every night does not mean you must come to our massages anywhere and pray two hours or three hours. It means every single night you pray extra Salawat that you didn't pray before this night, even if it's at home. In fact Imam Malik and many of their great scholars, they said It is more blessed to pray at home than in the masjid because when you pray

we're talking about the pm the Torah we're because when you pray the Torah we are the Yama at home, then you can make it as long or short as you want. You will have sincerity you will make your own two hours you can go at your own pace. There's nobody watching you so you have pure AirFloss So Imam Malik would actually prefer to pray Taraweeh in his home rather than in the masjid. Now again for most of us coming to the rescue this far more convenient, we listen to a beautiful body we listen to the Quran, we have the community here, but my point is, if you cannot stand two hours, you know 4pm And most massage, they do go long by the way insha Allah insha Allah Our masjid, we're going to have

a clam that is family friendly ATRA chi witted we're going to try within the hour and then what whoever wants to continue we'll do the whole 20 after that but we're going to try our best to make it conducive to the family as well within the hour we'll have our pm and our and our winter and the short haul Tara so that those who want to leave can leave and then whoever wants to stay can stay after that. But many massage you don't have this option many massage you'd have an hour and a half two hours and many of us cannot come every single day. Okay understand the goal is not necessarily pray in the masjid. The goal is to pray. So wake up 20 minutes before you usually eat so hope and

pray those 20 minutes extra and you have fulfilled pm or pray after Isha pm extra pray something you don't pray and do it continuously understand this is what is the desired goal not necessarily coming to the masjid also understand brothers and sisters priorities again all of this is the first point that to pray Salah till fourth in the masjid is more blessing than to pray that nephila in the masjid hence, listen to me carefully. If you have limited time. And you cannot pray the entire Torah we in the masjid for you to schedule your Salat al Fajr in the masjid and pray Gemma in the masjid for Fudger it is exponentially more blessings than for you to pray Taraweeh in the masjid and don't

prefer it in the masjid. Again. Ideally you do both. But if you're having to make a choice, learn your priorities, the priorities

It is you pray the Father in the masjid. So if you must make a choice, then you pray to Allah we had home you pray to Yama at home, and then because you now have extra time and energy, you will come and you will pray. Fudger in the masjid, our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Whoever prays Fajr in the masjid, Allah shall bless him as if he prayed the whole night piano lane, this is a blessing a praying Fajr in the masjid My point is learn the priorities of what is most blessing so that you concentrate on that and of course, this isn't meant to go over the whole list but insha Allah Yanni, do your research and ask and you will find inshallah Tada the second advice I give

myself in all of you. Consistency is the key. Schedule your worship, make your actions of worship a part of your daily routine and Ramadan consistency. Just like you schedule your meetings in your corporate office, just like you schedule your errands and your chores, schedule your worship in a way that is conducive to your lifestyle. What time is it the most convenient for you to read? 1015 20 minutes of Quran what time is it that convenient for you to wake up for to hydrogen, Korea, Malay, you schedule it? Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, the most beloved of all deeds to Allah is that which is consistent even if it is small. Therefore be realistic. Don't bite more

than you can chew. Don't go berserk in the first week only to lose all of your momentum in the second week know start small and build your way up so that your maximum momentum will be in the last 10 days of the month. Start small and slowly but surely add to that routine after the first 10 days and then add even more in the last 10 nights of Ramadan and also brothers and sisters shaytaan comes to us and makes us feel old because we live in this land which is a land where Islam is not practice. We have it you know unlucky that we don't get days off we don't have you know perks that we can you know back in the day you think once upon a time Muslims had Ramadan off no brothers and

sisters. No. Do you think 100 years ago? 200 years ago, people could afford to take off from their daily routine. Never in Islamic history was Ramadan a month of vacation? No, everybody went to the field and physically worked and labored in Ramadan and outside of Ramadan. People didn't have the luxury of vacations from earning their livelihood. Don't let shade on come to you and say oh, because I'm living in the West, there is no point no, do what you can. If you cannot take off from work, okay, the majority of mankind, the bulk of the Ummah, for most of its history could not take off from its work. Allah is not asking you to worship 12 hours nonstop, Allah is asking you to do

more. So come home from work, take a small nap, it's sooner to take a nap or process and we'll take a nap in the day, get some energy and then do something extra at night. That's the goal, do something extra, even if it's half hour of PM 20 minutes have to read some Quran that you don't read regularly. This is the goal brothers and sisters take on that which is reasonable and understand life doesn't stop for the continuous worship of Allah. In fact, in fact, if you go to sleep in the day, wanting to have energy to worship Allah at night, your sleep is very bad, your entire routine becomes an rabada. Because in our religion, whatever you do for the sake of Allah can become an a

bother. So this is my second advice to myself on all of you be consistent, even if it's small, and put your schedule and your routine into your lifestyle such that you do what is reasonable with the obligations upon you. And my third and final point, brothers and sisters were the first half of the hook but I advise myself and all of you to balance between community and between privacy. What do I mean by this? One of the aspects of Ramadan, we get caught up in the World Wind of socialization mashallah Allah every night in our masjid, we will have 3000 people at hamdulillah hamdulillah Masha Allah every day, most of you will be going in having Iftar at somebody else's house and then one day

your house as well as is the routine Alhamdulillah enjoy the community. Thank Allah azza wa jal, we're in the post COVID era, and we enjoy these blessings that hamdulillah establish those bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood. But you also need a break from this crowd around you. So I advise myself and all of you every single day and every single night, cut off from everyone else, go to the corner of your room, open up the Quran, and just you yourself just between you and Allah before, before you break your fast if you have the opportunity go away and raise your hands to Allah and make a private dua in the middle of the night when everybody is asleep. Go to a corner nobody's watching you have

that element of privacy because all too often Ramadan, we forget that private more

Moment. And so it just becomes a community community and that's good. But then without the private moment, we kind of neglect the other side. Because it's those private moments of contemplation. It's those private moments of thinking about, you know, what is my purpose? How can I be a better person? How can I increase my spirituality? It's those private moments that really allow us to rise and shine and in fact, dare I say, this is the essence of the Sunnah before the prophet hood and after the prophet hood, what is Hara Hara the process of would be an Adi Hara during Ramadan except isolation. What does it take off in Ramadan except isolation? What is it tick off the purpose of

Ramadan, you cut off one of them you cut off from socialization. Our Prophet system for 10 days would literally cut off from family and friends cut off from society and just in the masjid himself and Allah subhanho wa taala. Now, not every one of us can do air takeoff, but we can take on the spirit of your takeoff every single day, the spirit of being alone, just raising your hands to Allah having a moment of the board of the Quran where nobody else was around you, you combine between community and between privacy, this is one of the ways you will inshallah to Allah enjoy this month. Last point brothers and sisters, and again, I said this before, but a reminder is that, remember,

when you begin the race of Ramadan, remember, you must store energy inside of you for the last sprint, when you see the finish line, that's when you need to raise the bar, that's when you need to show the best game you have. That's when you need to give it your 110%. All too often, we go into the month, and we burn ourselves out in the first 510 days. And that's not correct. We start slow and routine, we increase the tempo and the next 10. And then the last 10 is when we give it our full 110 or even 200%. And this is where as well brothers and sisters if you can then make your life easier from now by logistically taking care of that which needs to be taken care of. We know what

those last 10 nights are, we know on the calendar what they're going to be if you can take a day or two off from work Excellent. Or if you can't change your routine Excellent. Or if you can do some logistical chores such that you don't need to do them at that time. Excellent. The point is from now start planning your schedule, see what I can do in those last 10 nights. And as the month begins and you start the jog and you start the running remember it's the last 10 or the actual sprint occurs. Brothers and sisters Muslims no matter how you feel about this month, we're all have different levels. But as long as we obey Allah subhana wa Taala as long as when the month comes, we begin our

fasting and our prayers and our routine, then every single one of us without exception can achieve the goals of this month. Every single one of us with small practical steps we can make this Ramadan a time for having all of our sins to be forgiven and a time to begin a new state with Allah after the month of Ramadan May Allah subhana wa Tada bless me and you with going through the Quran. And May He make us of those who is versus they understand and applies halal and haram throughout our lifespan as scholars forgiveness, you as well ask him for his love of food and the Rockman.

Stuff.

hamdulillah All praise is due to Allah the one and the unique. He it is whom we worship, and it is his aid that we seek. He is the Lord of the oppressed, and he hears the prayer of the week as to what follows. Brothers and sisters let me give you an advice insha Allah to Allah for myself on all of you that is perhaps not the typical advice that is said in the pre holdover before Ramadan, and yet it is an important advice. If you look at

surveys of anthropology and of religiosity, you find that one of the ways that religion is preserved in any society, in any family is the family spirit during the rituals that take place. In fact, let me ask all of you right now think about it. What are your earliest memories of Ramadan? Go back to when you were a child. What are your earliest memories of Ramadan? And chances are those memories involve your family, your mother, your father, chances are it involves social customs and the excitement of the month and how everybody was getting involved, et cetera, et cetera. My advice to myself and all of you it's not purely religious, and yet it is religious.

We need to understand in the society we live in

some of our children, some of them will grow up and a phase will come where they're going to have to wonder, should we practice should we not practice? And perhaps one of the deciding factors for them? We

will be the blessed spirit of Ramadan that their families gave upon them when they were children when they were youngsters. My advice to all of you is to make Ramadan, a special family time along with the rituals along with the Rebbe dot along with the tahajjud and the Korean. Understand we're living in a very different world. And I know it's awkward to say this, but Subhanallah I have to be blunt and honest here. Not everybody has the same level of iman. We are all aware of some Muslims only come to this Masjid doing Ramadan. We're all aware some Muslims only come during a read, such as the reality we want to increase that percentage. One of the ways we're going to do this brothers

and sisters is to understand it is our job to fortify the emaan of our children in whatever way possible. And a part of that fortification. This is basic human psychology. This is you know the anthropology of religion. This is the the reality of the lived human experience. One of the ways to preserve our religion is to bring about the spirit of family love during blessed times and occasions. So dear parents, make Ramadan special for the family as well. Do whatever small things you can most importantly by spending quality time with your family, most importantly by showering love upon your children during this month by understanding that this is a part and parcel of

protecting the Imam 3040 50 years down the line.

And along with that rituals that along with the Rebbe dots, shower your children with the blessings of the bounty that Allah has given you. And I know it sounds a little bit strange or bizarre but yes make Ramadan culturally special bring about the unique food items as well bring about the gifts on the day of read, make read special for your children, brothers and sisters with him at a land where other festivals are celebrated publicly. Our children don't see read as a public festival. Okay, that's the decision most of us made when we came here then we need to make it eat the best festival of their lives in the household. Go ahead and spend some extra money for the sake of Allah expect

Allah to reward you by making your children feel special and loved on this day for the sake of Allah for the sake of preserving your deen for the sake of instilling in them the happiness and joy of this blessed month. Then practice all different techniques, rituals, a badass going to the masjid and yes Believe it or not good nice if thoughts for your children quality time with your children love with your children and especially on the day of Eid make them feel this is the best day of the year. And if you do so, with the right intention, this is in fact one of the ways you can worship Allah subhanho wa Taala and very, very obviously preserve this theme in this line brothers and

sisters Ramadan is barely four or five days away insha Allah hooter allah God do your spirits Gather your strength, show your enthusiasm in yourself, get the stage set in your mind and inshallah when the month comes, begin that slow jog might be difficult might be awkward, but you yourself will see if you begin at a reasonable pace and continue day by day slowly but surely, you will be able to increase that pace until inshallah in the last 10 days you will give your everything and you will taste that sweetness of demand that only comes during the month of Ramadan such that inshallah one Ramadan finishes, you will have a new relationship with your Creator and that is the ultimate

purpose of this month Allahumma Andy dine for aminu Allahu Allah that if you had to meet him and he loved when a Hanged Man Illa for Raja Wallah Dane and Illa Kalita whatever, Yvonne Illa Shia feta, what I see Ron Ilaria Sarita Allama Falana well if one and Alina Saba Iman what athleisure I feel Karuna Linda Linda Dena Amano Robina in Nicaragua for Rahim, Allah Houma is Islam our Muslim in Allahumma is an Islam old Muslim in Allahumma Adana are the Islam and Muslim in Ebisu and vegetarian who have enough to whet your appetite miracle feed that the beauty here khoya Aziz are about Allah in Allah to Allah Amara Combi Eminem better behavior NFC within NaVi Malacca the Kudo say with a

lesser become a you heard me know when I'm in Germany he were insane for call Azim and call it an Idema in Allah How am I going to use Soluna? Allah Nebby yeah you hola Dina Amanu Sallu alayhi wa sallam with a slimmer Allahumma salli wa salim robotic. Well, I love the Kurosu they come Mohamed while early he was a big marine Roberto Allah in Allahu Allah Moodle Bill ugly word so anyways orba while Yun Han and fracture I will Moon curry well basically you're either Camilla Allah come to the Quran or the Corolla Haleema come wash crew who yes, Zillow calm what are the Corolla heater Allah Akbar one of them is Salah.

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