The Quran and Us

My Dear Readers,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ 

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

The Qur'an and Us

الَر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

Alif. Lam. Ra. This is a Divine Writ which We have sent down unto thee, so that thou might bring mankind, by their Sustainer’s leave, out of layers of darkness into the light, and onto the path of the Almighty, the One worthy of all praise.

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

Allah has sent down the best of speech: a Book coherent within itself, repeating the truth in manifold forms, whereat the skins of those who stand in awe of their Lord tremble, and then their skins and hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah.

These two descriptions are enough to tell us what the Qur'an is, and what it is not. It is not a text for decoration. It is not a cultural inheritance to be kissed, wrapped, placed on a shelf, and then left there. Nor is it merely a sourcebook from which information is extracted. It is a Divine address whose purpose is transformation. It came to move people from one state into another: from darkness to light, from heedlessness to remembrance, from fragmentation to inner order, from the slavery of the nafs to the freedom of servitude before Allah.

That is why the Qur'an does not describe itself only as guidance, but also as أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ — the best of speech. To understand something of this, I would like to share two telling anecdotes.

The first concerns Labīd, among the great poets of the Arabs, a man whose verse commanded awe even in the age of eloquence. Yet after embracing Islam, when Sayyidina 'Umar (رضي الله عنه) asked him to recite some poetry, Labīd began reciting Surah al-Baqarah. When reminded that poetry had been requested, he replied in effect that Allah had replaced poetry for him with al-Baqarah and Aal 'Imran. This is not merely a story of piety. It is a statement about rank. When the heart truly tastes the Qur'an, other speech falls into its proper place.

Another report mentions that an Arab once heard the Qur'an being recited and went down in prostration. When asked why he had done so, he replied that he was prostrating before the eloquence of this speech. Even a heart not yet trained in technical tafsir could still recognize that this was not ordinary discourse. It bore another light.

Not a book among books

I have long felt that there is great significance in rendering كِتَاب here not merely as “book” but as “Divine Writ.” A book, in common usage, is one object among many objects. It can be read casually, consulted selectively, and set aside indifferently. The Qur'an resists such flattening.

It does not enter the world merely to inform. It enters to unveil, to judge, to heal, to reorder, to purify, and to raise. The old alchemists dreamed of a philosopher’s stone that could turn base metal into gold. If one were to borrow that image only loosely, one could say that the Qur'an came to transform base men into noble souls. Even that comparison is inadequate, because the Qur'an is not magic, nor is it metaphor only. It is sacred address.

Iqbal captured something of this when he wrote: 

فاش گویم آنچه در دل مضمر است
این کتابی نیست چیزی دیگر است

I will say openly what lay hidden in my heart:
This is not a book — it is something else.

This “something else” does not mean that the Qur'an ceases to be language. Rather, it means that Divine speech cannot be approached with the same inward posture with which one approaches ordinary writing. Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (رضي الله عنه) is reported to have said:

والله لقد تجلى الله عز وجل لخلقه في كلامه ولكنهم لا يبصرون

By Allah, Allah has manifested Himself to His creation through His words, but they do not see.

Whatever one says about the depth of that statement, its warning is plain enough: many recite, many hear, many memorize, and yet few truly see.

The Qur'an was sent to be lived

This article is not chiefly about tafsir in the technical sense, for the classical treasury is full of precious works, and one may spend a lifetime benefiting from them. Rather, what concerns me here is something more urgent for our condition: how to form a living relationship with the Qur'an, so that it becomes a force of transformation in our lives.

The real miracle of the Prophet ﷺ was not only that the Qur'an was revealed to him, but that through him the Qur'an descended into character, conduct, community, and civilization. Men who had wandered in tribal darkness were turned into carriers of light. In that sense, the first generation became walking witnesses to the Qur'an.

Nothing expresses this more beautifully than the well-known statement of Sayyidah 'Aishah (رضي الله عنها) concerning the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:

فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ

Verily, the character of the Prophet ﷺ was the Qur'an.

That is the measure. The Qur'an had not merely passed through his tongue. It had permeated his being.

How the first generation learned it

It is here that we must pause and ask ourselves a painful question: why did the Qur'an transform them so deeply, while it so often leaves us comparatively unchanged?

Part of the answer lies in the way they learned it.

'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) said:

كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنَّا إِذَا تَعَلَّمَ عَشْرَ آيَاتٍ ، لَمْ يُجَاوِزْهُنَّ حَتَّى يَعْرِفَ مَعَانِيَهُنَّ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِنَّ

When one of us learned ten verses, he would not move beyond them until he understood their meanings and acted by them.

And Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami (رحمه الله), transmitting from those who taught them the Qur'an, says that they used to learn ten verses from the Prophet ﷺ and would not go ahead until they had put those verses into practice. Thus, they learned knowledge and action together.

This is a very different model from our prevailing one. We often separate recitation from reflection, reflection from submission, and submission from action. We praise fluency, speed, melody, and retention, but we do not always ask the harder question: has the Qur'an altered my speech, my anger, my appetites, my choices, my relationships, my loneliness, my spending, my ambitions?

There is also a frightening warning in the tradition that the majority of the hypocrites of this ummah will be among its readers, meaning those who recite but do not live by what they recite. And Ibn Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه) also observed with piercing insight that for the early generation it was difficult to memorize the Qur'an but easy to act upon it, whereas a time would come when memorization would become easier, but acting by it harder.

I do not mention these reports to discourage recitation. God forbid. Rather, I mention them because recitation without surrender can become evidence against us. The Qur'an is either a proof for us or a proof against us.

Tilawah is more than sound

For this reason, I have often felt that translating tilawah simply as “recitation” does not fully exhaust the meaning. Recitation is part of it, certainly, but not the whole of it. The Qur'an itself says:

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلَاهَا

And by the moon as it follows her.

The moon here does not merely “mention” the sun. It follows and reflects it. There is sequence, imitation, and visible correspondence. In that sense, true tilawah of the Qur'an is not complete when the tongue has finished. It is complete when the life begins to follow.

This, in my view, is where we have often failed to do justice to the Qur'an. We have recited it beautifully, preserved it carefully, printed it widely, memorized it in great numbers, and displayed it prominently — yet the Qur'an seeks something more demanding and more beautiful: that it should become visible in us.

Until the Qur'an reflects in our dealings, our priorities, our patience, our modesty, our truthfulness, our courage, and our mercy, we have not yet answered its call fully.

Our tragedy is not absence, but estrangement

The tragedy of the Muslim today is not that the Qur'an is unavailable to him. It is that it is near in form and distant in effect. We carry a living Book and yet often live like men spiritually scattered.

Iqbal grieved this condition with remarkable force: 

گر تو میخواهی مسلمان زیستن
نیست ممکن جز بقرآن زیستن

If you desire to live as a Muslim,
it is not possible except by living through the Qur'an.

And elsewhere he laments that one may fall low through estrangement from the Qur'an, even while holding a living Book close to one’s breast. That image is painfully accurate for our times. We are not starving for access. We are starving for surrender.

What is required from us now?

What then should we do?

Perhaps we begin by slowing down. By taking fewer verses and taking them more seriously. By refusing to move on too quickly. By reading not merely to finish a portion, but to allow a portion to question us. By asking, after every passage: what does this demand from me? What in me resists it? What in my habits must die so that something Qur'anic may live?

We must restore adab before the Qur'an, but also honesty before it. The Qur'an is not honored only by kissing it. It is honored by obedience. It is not honored only by reciting it in a pleasing voice. It is honored by letting it interrupt our self-deception. It is not honored only by memorizing its words. It is honored when those words become judgement upon our vanity, comfort for our grief, discipline for our tongues, and light for our decisions.

If the character of the Prophet ﷺ was the Qur'an, then every one of us must ask: what portion of the Qur'an has entered my character?

Conclusion

To conclude, I would like to share a du'a narrated from Anas bin Malik (رضي الله عنه), which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught to Sayyidah Fatimah (رضي الله عنها):

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ

O Ever-Living, O Self-Subsisting! By Your mercy I seek help. Set right for me all of my affairs, and do not leave me to my own self even for the blink of an eye.

May Allah bless us with hearts that do not merely admire the Qur'an from afar, but be guided by it to transform our lives.  Let us allow the Quran to the heart of our Lebenswelt, transforming it from a text into the daily, lived reality of our community. May He make the Qur'an the spring of our hearts, the light of our chests, the remover of our grief, and the guide of our conduct. May He save us from being among those who recite much and change little. And may He bless us with even a small share of those whose lives bear witness that they have been touched by His Book. Aameen.

والله أعلم
Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)

Tahajjud

My Dear Readers,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

Tahajjud:

تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا

“Their sides draw away from their beds, calling upon their Lord in fear and hope...”
(al-Sajdah 32:16)

There are acts of worship which are visible to people, and there are acts of worship that unfold almost entirely in secret, known in their truest form only to Allah. Just like fasting, Tahajjud belongs among the latter, and that is one reason why it has always been of utmost importance in the Qur’an, in the Sunnah, and in the lives of the righteous.

Many people remain awake at night; but wakefulness alone is not qiyam. Tahajjud is something else altogether. It is when sleep calls, the bed pleads, the limbs become heavy, the world is quiet, and yet a devoted 'abd rises, performs wudu’, stands before his/her Lord, recites His words, bows, prostrates, asks, weeps, repents, and returns with a heart unlike the one he had before, transformed, transmuted. That apparent loss of sleep is a gain mainfold.

The only ayah in the Qur’an that explicitly mentions the word Tahajjud by name is in Surah al-Isra’:

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

“And in a portion of the night, keep vigil with it as an added devotion for you; perhaps your Lord will raise you to a praised station.”
(al-Isra’ 17:79)

But Tahajjud and qiyamullayl, reveal themselves across the Qur’an like open secrets. In Surah al-Muzzammil, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is told:

قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا

“Stand through the night, except a little; half of it, or a little less, or a little more, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation.”
(al-Muzzammil 73:2-4)

Then Allah Himself explains the secret: 

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا
إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا

“Surely the rising of the night leaves a deeper mark and makes speech more upright; indeed by day you have long occupations.”
(al-Muzzammil 73:6-7)

This, to me, is among the most profound explanations in the whole Qur’an of why the supererogatory prayers at night matter so much. By day, we are all over the place The mind is dispersed across duties, worries, screens, noise, errands, and endless outward movement. But the night gathers what the day scatters. The heart becomes more present, mindful, lucid. The tongue returns to truth and authenticity. The Qur’an lands differently. Du‘a’ rises differently. 

And perhaps one of the spiritual illnesses of our age is that we want softness of heart without stillness, tears without solitude, intimacy with Allah without withdrawing even briefly from the noise of the world. The Qur’an points us to the path:

It points us to the people whom Allah praises, the "Ibadur Rahman" in Surah al-Furqan:

وَالَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَامًا

“And those who spend the night for their Lord, prostrating and standing.”
(al-Furqan 25:64)

It points us to the muttaqun in Surah al-Dhariyat: 

كَانُوا قَلِيلًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا يَهْجَعُونَ
وَبِالْأَسْحَارِ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

“They used to sleep only a little of the night, and in the pre-dawn hours they would seek forgiveness.”
(al-Dhariyat 51:17-18)

It points us to the special quality of the one who stands in the stretches of the night:

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَانِتٌ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ سَاجِدًا وَقَائِمًا يَحْذَرُ الْآخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُو رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ

“Is one who is devout in the hours of the night, prostrating and standing, fearing the Hereafter and hoping for his Lord’s mercy...”
(al-Zumar 39:9)

And what is particularly beautiful is that the Qur’an does not restrict this praise to this Ummah alone. It says of an upright group from the People of the Book:

لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً ۗ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ

“They are not all alike. Among the People of the Book is an upright community who recite Allah’s signs in the hours of the night while they prostrate.”
(Aal ‘Imran 3:113)

SubhanAllah. The people of the night form, as it were, a fellowship stretching across human history. Wherever there were hearts truly awake to God, the night knew them.

And the Qur’an also singles out the hour before dawn:

وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالْأَسْحَارِ

“And those who seek forgiveness in the pre-dawn hours.”
(Aal ‘Imran 3:17)

So the map is before us: Tahajjud, qiyam, sujud, qiyam again, Qur’an, fear, hope, munajah, and then istighfar at sahar. This is perhaps an architecture of the righteous night.

The Sunnah shows the way.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, in a rigorously authentic hadith of Sahih Muslim, that the best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer. This by itself should have been enough to awaken our longing.

And in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, he ﷺ informed us that in the last third of every night, our Lord calls out: who is asking of Me so that I may give him? who is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him? who is supplicating to Me so that I may answer him? We affirm this hadith as it came, without distortion, and we understand from it what every believer understands instinctively: that the last portion of the night is a time of nearness, opening, and response.

He ﷺ also taught that the most beloved prayer to Allah is the prayer of Dawud (عليه السلام): he would sleep half the night, stand for one third, then sleep for one sixth. This is such an important corrective.  It calls us to a disciplined, sustained, living relationship with the night, rather than a heedless one.

And how did the Prophet ﷺ himself stand? Sayyidatuna ‘A’ishah (رضي الله عنها) tells us that he would stand until his blessed feet swelled. When asked why he did that when Allah had forgiven him, he replied:

أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا

“Shall I not then be a grateful servant?”

This one sentence affected me deeply. I used to think of night prayer only as a means of asking. The Prophet ﷺ teaches us that it is can be that of deep gratitude.

He ﷺ further taught us its adab. Night prayer is prayed two rak‘ahs by two rak‘ahs, then one seals it with witr. Whoever rises at night should begin with two light rak‘ahs. Whoever feels confident he can wake later may delay witr to the end of the night, because the recitation of the latter portion is more witnessed and better. And whoever begins the practice should beware of abandoning it, for he ﷺ disliked that a person should know the sweetness of a devotion and then let it die.

The hadith also describe the inward battle that occurs before qiyam. Shaytan ties knots at the back of a sleeping person’s head. When he remembers Allah, one knot is undone. When he makes wudu’, another is undone. When he prays, all are undone, and he rises with a good soul and energy. What a striking image this is. The struggle to wake up for Tahajjud both physical and spiritual. Likewise are its rewards.

And then comes Ramadhan, the season in which this secret worship enters the life of ordinary believers more visibly. The Prophet ﷺ told us that whoever stands in prayer in Ramadhan with faith and seeking reward will be forgiven his past sins. In the last ten nights he ﷺ tightened his waist-wrapper, revived the night, and woke his family. He ﷺ also taught that whoever prays with the imam until he finishes, it will be written for him as though he prayed the whole night. Thus Tarawih is not something separate in spirit from Tahajjud; it is one of the doors by which the Ummah is reintroduced to it.

Let us make it a family effort. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ invoked mercy upon the man who rises for prayer and wakes his wife, and upon the wife who rises and wakes her husband. Another narration says that if husband and wife pray two rak‘ahs together at night, they are written among the men and women who remember Allah much. Thus qiyam can be deeply personal, but it can also become the radiant blessing of a home.

When one turns from the Qur’an and Sunnah to the speech of the righteous, one sees the same theme repeating with consistency.

Abu Talib al-Makki regarded qiyamullayl as one of the great marks of hidden sincerity. Imam al-Ghazali wrote that fear of the Hereafter may first wake a servant at night, but the highest motive is love; once the servant tastes that he is privately conversing with his Lord, the sweetness of munajah begins to carry him. The school of Ibn Qudamah, in its books of tazkiyah, gives a very merciful counsel: if a person cannot manage long rising in the depths of night, then let him not abandon the period after ‘Isha’ and the hour before dawn; and if he cannot stand long, let him at least sit, remember Allah, and ask. This is a great principle. One should not abandon the whole because one cannot yet hold the larger share.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani described qiyamullayl as the work of the strong, a robe of honor Allah grants to some of His servants. Imam ‘Abdullah al-Haddad pointed out that the soul finds Tahajjud heavy at first, especially after sleep, but with patience, habit, and striving it becomes light, and then beloved. In my opinion this is one of the kindest things the scholars tell us on this subject: difficulty at the beginning is not proof that the path is closed; often it is proof only that one is still at the gate.

Among the early ascetics are sayings that pierce the heart.

Ibrahim al-Khawwas said:

دَوَاءُ الْقَلْبِ خَمْسَةُ أَشْيَاءَ: قِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ بِالتَّفَكُّرِ، وَخُلُوُّ الْبَطْنِ، وَقِيَامُ اللَّيْلِ، وَالتَّضَرُّعُ عِنْدَ السَّحَرِ، وَمُجَالَسَةُ الصَّالِحِينَ

“The heart has five medicines: reciting the Qur’an with reflection, an empty stomach, night prayer, pleading at sahar, and the company of the righteous.”

How appropriate that is is listed as a medicine?

Abu Sulayman al-Darani said:

لَوْلَا اللَّيْلُ مَا أَحْبَبْتُ الْبَقَاءَ فِي الدُّنْيَا

“Were it not for the night, I would not love remaining in this world.”

And he is also reported to have said that the people of the night experience more joy in their night than the people of amusement experience in their amusement. This is not the language of burden. It is the language of tasted intimacy.

Al-Hasan al-Basri is reported to have said that he found nothing harder among acts of worship than prayer in the depths of night. Yet when asked why the people of Tahajjud have such luminous faces, he answered: because they were alone with the All-Merciful, so He clothed them in His light. Hard on the limbs, light upon the face.

Sufyan al-Thawri would rejoice at the coming of night. He also regarded sins as a cause for being deprived of qiyam. And that too is worth reflecting upon. Sometimes the difficulty is not only tiredness; sometimes the soul itself has become weighed down by what it carries.

The biographies of the great Imams reinforce the same theme. Abu Hanifah was known for long standing in prayer. Al-Shafi‘i is reported to have divided the night between knowledge, worship, and sleep. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, despite illness and hardship, guarded his share of the night. So when the jurists, the muhaddithun, the ascetics, and the Sufis all meet in the same dark hour, the lesson is plain: Tahajjud is not the possession of one school or temperament. It is part of the rigor of serious faith.

And let us not miss a subtle point here. Night prayer is not valued merely because it is at night. It is valued because it combines so many realities at once: struggle against the nafs, ikhlas, Qur’an recitation, prolonged standing, sujud, du‘a’, istighfar, and remembrance at a time when distractions are least. 

Time itself is not spiritually flat. It has elevations and low places, moments of greater opening and moments of lesser receptivity. Among the highest of these openings is the last part of the night. The Sunnah directs us there, the Qur’an adorns it, and the righteous guarded it like treasure.

How then should someone begin?

I would say: begin modestly, but begin with sincere resolve.

Sleep with the intention to rise, even if only for two rak‘ahs. When you wake, start with two short rak‘ahs as the Prophet ﷺ taught. Read whatever is easy from the Qur’an. Stand a little. Bow slowly. Prostrate with your heart. Ask Allah for what you need. Ask Him also for what you are not wise enough to know you need. Then, if the night is drawing near dawn, seek forgiveness in the hour Allah Himself praised. If possible, keep witr for the end. If not, pray it before sleep and thank Allah for whatever opening He gave you.

Do not wait for a heroic night to begin. A regular small opening is better than a brief enthusiasm followed by abandonment. The Prophet ﷺ loved deeds that were continuous, even if small. And if you miss your nightly portion, do not surrender to discouragement. The Sunnah itself teaches making up one’s portion by day.

A believer should also guard the inward etiquette of Tahajjud. Let it be hidden where possible. Let it not become a matter of display. Let it soften you in the day. If your night prayer does not make your tongue cleaner, your heart more forgiving, your gaze more restrained, your repentance more frequent, and your reliance upon Allah more sincere, then something in it still requires repair.

In truth, Tahajjud is not simply about rising from bed. It is about rising from heedlessness. It is about leaving behind, if only for a short while, the tyranny of appetite, anxiety, noise, routine, and self-occupation. It is about learning to stand poor before the Rich, weak before the Strong, sinful before the Forgiving, broken before the Mender of hearts.

And perhaps that is why the righteous loved it so much. In the night, one remembers what one is, and Who Allah is.

May Allah bless us with a portion of the night in which our hearts are awake, our tongues truthful, our tears accepted, our sins forgiven, and our souls returned to Him with humility and hope. May He not deprive us of the sweetness of standing before Him when others sleep. May He make us among those whose sides part from their beds for His sake, those who seek forgiveness at sahar, those who spend the night prostrating and standing, and those whom He clothes in light through secret obedience. Aameen.

والله أعلم   
 Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)  

Etymological Significance of Ramadhan and the connection with the Qur'an

 My Dear Readers,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

Etymological Significance of Ramadhan:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ 

The month of Ramaḍān in which the Qur’an was sent down …” (al‑Baqarah 2:185).

Allah names the month explicitly only in one place, the ayah above, and it is the only month in the calendar that is named.:

So, even if the month-name existed in Arabic usage before Islam, the Qur’an’s decision to name it directly (instead of only saying “the fasting month”) is rhetorically significant: it invites reflection on the semantics carried by the name itself. And also its connection with the Qur'an. 

The root ر‑م‑ض: the “surplus” begins with the lexicons

A very helpful starting point is Ibn Fāris (d. 395H). He reduces roots to a governing semantic axis. For ر‑م‑ض he states:

(رَمَضَ) … أَصْلٌ مُطَّرِدٌ يَدُلُّ عَلَى حِدَّةٍ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ حَرٍّ وَغَيْرِهِ.

“A consistent root meaning indicating sharpness / intensity in something—of heat and other than heat.” 

That phrase “حِدّة” (sharp intensity) is like a key: it comfortably accommodates three classical “streams” —burning heat, rain after heat, and sharpening between stones—as different manifestations of one core idea. 

1) The “fiery heat” meaning and the Ḍuḥā ḥadīth: تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ

In Lisān al‑ʿArab (Ibn Manẓūr, d. 711H), the root is introduced bluntly:

الرَّمَضُ وَالرَّمْضَاءُ: شِدَّةُ الْحَرِّ 

“Ramad / ramḍāʾ: intense heat.”

And more specifically:

الرَّمَضُ: حَرُّ الْحِجَارَةِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ حَرِّ الشَّمْسِ.

“Ramad: the heat of stones from the sun’s intensity.”

The prophetic usage: “when the young camels’ hooves burn”

The famous wording:

 صَلَاةُ الْأَوَّابِينَ حِينَ تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ.

(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim) (dorar.net)

Here تَرْمَضُ is from the same root: it is the time when the ground becomes so hot that it burns the young camels’ hooves (or makes them seek relief). This is exactly the lived, physical image embedded in the root. (dorar.net)

A second “heat” angle: thirst burning from within

The lexicons also connect Ramaḍān to the burning of thirst:

وَشَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنْ رَمَضِ الصَّائِمِ… إِذَا حَرَّ جَوْفُهُ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْعَطَشِ.

So you get two heat-images that reinforce one another:

1. External heat: stones/sand burning (تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ).

2. Internal heat: the fasting person’s thirst “heats” the belly.

Exegetical “transfer”: heat → burning of sins

Classical tafsīr then performs a moral/spiritual reading (without denying the lexical base). Al‑Qurṭubī (d. 671H) famously reports:

إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ رَمَضَانُ لِأَنَّهُ يَرْمَضُ الذُّنُوبَ أَيْ يَحْرِقُهَا بِالْأَعْمَالِ الصَّالِحَةِ.

This is a strong example of the surplus of meaning: the name’s concrete heat becomes a lens for purification—sins are “burned away” by fasting, prayer, Qur’an, and repentance.

My view: linguistically, “heat” is the clearest historical nucleus; exegetically, “burning sins” is a meaningful Qur’anic-season reading built on that nucleus. 

2) The “mercy rain after heat” meaning: الرَّمَضُ مَطَرٌ عَلَى أَرْضٍ حَارَّةٍ

This is not modern poetic invention; it is in the major lexicons. Lisān al‑ʿArab states:

 وَالرَّمَضِيُّ مِنَ السَّحَابِ وَالْمَطَرِ: مَا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ الْقَيْظِ وَأَوَّلِ الْخَرِيفِ… 

“Ramadī (cloud/rain): what occurs at the end of the hot season and start of autumn…”

Then it gives the sharper definition:

وَالرَّمَضُ: الْمَطَرُ يَأْتِي قَبْلَ الْخَرِيفِ فَيَجِدُ الْأَرْضَ حَارَّةً مُحْتَرِقَةً. 

“Ramad: rain that comes before autumn, finding the earth hot and ‘burnt’.”

Notice how Ibn Manẓūr himself ties the term to heat + relief: rain meeting a scorched ground. That is an archetypal Qur’anic image: after constraint comes opening; after سَخْتٌ/حَرَارَةٌ comes رَحْمَةٌ/غَيْثٌ

A thematic reading (not a claim that the etymology is “mercy”) could be that it is “mercy-giving rain.” Linguistically, it’s “rain after heat”; spiritually, Ramaḍān often feels like a rain that softens a hardened heart.

 

3) The “sharpening between two stones” meaning: رَمَضْتُ النَّصْلَ

Again, this is straight lexicon Arabic, not later symbolism. Lisān al‑ʿArab quotes Ibn al‑Sikkīt and others:

رَمَضْتُ النَّصْلَ… إِذَا جَعَلْتُهُ بَيْنَ حَجَرَيْنِ ثُمَّ دَقَّقْتُهُ لِيَرِقَّ.

“I ‘ramad-ed’ the blade… when I put it between two stones, then refined it until it became thin/fine.”

Al‑Qurṭubī explicitly lists this as one of the explanations linked to the month-name:

وَقِيلَ: هُوَ مِنْ رَمَضْتُ النَّصْلَ…

Here the shared semantic core (Ibn Fāris’ حِدّة) becomes obvious: the root can describe the sharp intensity of heat, and also the sharpening/refining of metal.

Spiritually, this is almost too precise to be coincidental. Ramaḍān is not only heat that burns — it is pressure and friction that refines. And what it refines against is something very specific: the bluntness and rust that accumulate when we habitually surrender to appetite, lose control of the tongue, or simply drift. Much of that drift, in our time, is fed by what might be called vaunted immediacy — the celebrated cultural assumption that everything should be available now, that waiting is a deficiency, that friction is a design flaw to be engineered away. A soul marinated in that assumption becomes dull in precisely the ways Ramaḍān is designed to address: the attention scatters, the will softens, the tongue runs ahead of the mind, and the body quietly assumes command over the spirit.
The month reverses this through four interlocking disciplines — time, appetite, tongue, and attention — each one a stone pressing against the blade. The output is not mere self-denial. It is a sharper instrument: clearer intention, higher command of the soul over the body, a steadier ṣalāh, more measured speech, and deeds that carry real weight because they were chosen deliberately rather than performed reflexively.
The blade that enters Ramaḍān blunt has no excuse to leave that way. 

 

The pattern فَعْلَان: intensity/abundance—and why it pairs well with “أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَات”

Ramadhan has the pattern of فَعْلَان as carrying a sense of “a lot.” Classical Arabic supports that.

1) فَعْلَان as “abundance / كَثْرَةٌ” and مُبَالَغَةٌ

Lisān al‑ʿArab says about الرَّحْمَٰنُ:

بُنِيَتِ الصِّفَةُ الْأُولَى عَلَى فَعْلَانٍ؛ لِأَنَّ مَعْنَاهُ الْكَثْرَةُ… لِأَنَّ فَعْلَانَ بِنَاءٌ مِنْ أَبْنِيَةِ الْمُبَالَغَةِ.

Al‑Zamakhsharī (d. 538H) makes the same point with examples:

وَالرَّحْمَٰنُ فَعْلَانٌ… كَغَضْبَانَ وَسَكْرَانَ… وَفِي الرَّحْمَٰنِ مِنَ الْمُبَالَغَةِ مَا لَيْسَ فِي الرَّحِيمِ.  

2) فَعْلَان  as the common mould for acute states like thirst/hunger

Sībawayh (d. ~180H) notes that states of hunger and thirst commonly take this mould:

أَمَّا مَا كَانَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ وَالْعَطَشِ فَإِنَّهُ أَكْثَرُ مَا يُبْنَى… عَلَى فَعْلَانٍ.

(with examples like عَطْشَانُ، ظَمْآنُ. in his discussion.) 

So Ramaḍān being on فَعْلَان  harmonizes with two things already established above:

• the heat / burning semantics (رَمْضَاءُ، تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ), and

• the thirst semantics (حَرُّ الْجَوْفِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْعَطَشِ).

Does فَعْلَان  itself mean “a lot in a short time”?

Strictly: the pattern encodes intensity/overflow (مُبَالَغَةٌ/كَثْرَةٌ/اِمْتِلَاءٌ), not an explicit time-unit. But in lived Arabic usage, many فَعْلَان -words describe acute, “peak” states (thirst, anger, intoxication)—states people experience as strong and concentrated. That makes the connection to “high density in limited time” rhetorically sound, even if time is not a direct morpheme-feature.

The Qur’anic pairing: intensity + brevity

Just one verse earlier, Allah frames the fast as:

﴿أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ﴾

“counted days” (2:184).  

Al‑Qurṭubī glosses that phrase directly as Ramaḍān:

وَالْأَيَّامُ الْمَعْدُودَاتُ: شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ.

So you get a powerful pairing:

• Ramaḍān (فَعْلَان) - intensity/abundance/overflowing state.

• أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَات- a bounded, countable, manageable window.

And 2:185 seals the mood:

يُرِيدُ ٱللّٰهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ.

Ease is intended, not hardship—yet within that ease is an intensified program.

 

Putting the three roots + the pattern together

If I had to state the “surplus of meaning” in one classical-minded sentence:

ر‑م‑ض is “حِدّة” (sharp intensity):

• intensity of heat (رَمْضَاءُ، تَرْمَضُ الْفِصَالُ),

• intensity of thirst (حَرُّ الْجَوْفِ),

• intensity that purifies (يَرْمَضُ الذُّنُوبَ),

• intensity that arrives as relief-rain on scorched earth ((الرَّمَضُ: الْمَطَرُ) 

• intensity that refines tools by friction ((رَمَضْتُ النَّصْلَ بَيْنَ حَجَرَيْنِ).  

And the Qur’an places that intense name inside the frame of “ أَيَّامًا مَعْدُودَاتٍ”—a short, countable season in which a disproportionate amount happens to the believer.  

May Allah bless us with the opportunity to ask for His forgiveness, and may He accept it, and may He bless us with the opportunity to derive blessings of Ramadhan this year and every year. Aameen

والله أعلم   
 Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)  

Thinking Well of Allah

My Dear Readers,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

Thinking Well of Allah (حسن الظن بالله) 

 

  وَطَآئِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِاللّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ

....whereas the others, who cared mainly for themselves, unjustly entertained wrong thoughts about God - thoughts of pagan ignorance.. Al-Imran (The Family of Imran) - 3:154

The ayat above highlights that those who are selfish, or who care mainly for themselves have thoughts of pagan ignorance vis-à-vis their state of unhappiness with what has been apportioned for them by Divine Wisdom. These kind of unmerited thoughts about God, being the thoughts of ignorance, a posteriori afflict the hearts of the ignorant, relegating them into a state of perpetual antagonism against their own state of being. Always thinking that Allah could and should do better when it comes to matters that concern them.

This post is an attempt to introspect, to delve deep into my soul, to find out how guilty am I of this failing?

Thinking well of others is something that is frequently prescribed to us in Qur'an as well as in the traditions of the Prophet(ﷺ). For example:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالظَّنَّ، فَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ أَكْذَبُ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلاَ تَحَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَجَسَّسُوا، وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوا، وَلاَ تَحَاسَدُوا، وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا، وَلاَ
تَدَابَرُوا، وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا ‏"‏‏

Narrated Abu Huraira(رضي الله عنه‎): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Beware of negative thinking/suspicion of others, for is the worst of falsehood. and do not look for the others' faults, and do not spy on one another, and do not incite, and do not be jealous of one another and do not hate one another, and do not desert (stop talking to) one another. And O, Allah's worshipers! Be brothers!"
Referenced from bukhari via sunnah.com (here)

Looking at the statement  إياكم والظن ، فان الظن أكذب الحديث, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has categorically warned us against thinking negatively about others. It begs the question that when thinking ill of others is the worst kind of thinking, what can we say of "thinking ill of Allah"? Surely it transcends anything that we can think of!

Any true believer will shudder at the mere idea of falling into such a category of people who think negatively of Allah,  and yet it may be possible that it is something that do while being oblivious to it.

The scholar Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah) writes in his Zad Al Ma’ad:

فأكثر الخلق بل كلهم إلا من شاء الله يظنون بالله غير الحق ظن السوء ؛
فإن غالب بني آدم يعتقد أنه مبخوس الحق ، ناقص الحظ ، وأنه يستحق فوق ما أعطاه الله ،
ولسان حاله يقول : ظلمني ربي ومنعني ما أستحق ، ونفسه تشهد عليه لذلك ،
وهو بلسانه ينكره ولا يتجاسر على التصريح به ومن فتش نفسه وتغلغل في معرفة دفائنها وطواياها ،
...........
ولو فتشت من فتشته ، لرأيت عنده تعتباً على القدر وملامة له
، واقتراحاً عليه خلاف ما جرى به ، وأنه ينبغي أن يكون كذا وكذا ، فمستقل ومستكثر ، وفتش نفسك هل أنت سالم من ذلك :
فإن تنـجُ منها تنجُ من ذي عظيمة وإلا فإني لا أخالك ناجياً

“Most people – in fact everybody, barring those saved by Allah –assume the worst with regards to Allah, unjustly. Most people believe that they are deprived of what they rightfully deserve, or suffer from bad luck, or certainly deserve more than what Allah has provided for them.
It is as if they are saying: ‘My Lord has wronged me and deprived me of what I deserve,’ and their soul bears witness to this while their tongue states otherwise, not true to what is in the heart.
.....…So, delve into your own self: are you free from this? If you are, then you have been protected from something truly terrible. Otherwise, I do not see that you have been saved.”

One the one hand, it is a terrible thing, and must be avoided, and the opposite of it is a part of the perfection of our religious devotions:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ وَاسِعٍ، عَنْ سُمَيْرِ بْنِ نَهَارٍ الْعَبْدِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّ حُسْنَ الظَّنِّ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ حُسْنِ عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏

Abu Hurairah  (رضي الله عنه‎) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: :
“Indeed, having good thoughts concerning Allah is from the perfection of the worship of Allah.”
Referenced from tirmidhi via sunnah.com (here).

Not only should this be the state of our heart during our stint here on earth, but it is paramount that we should be safe from this before we pass on to the other world.

The Prophet (ﷺ) in his parting words of advice, emphatically stated:

دَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّاءَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَبْلَ وَفَاتِهِ بِثَلاَثٍ يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لاَ يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلاَّ وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ بِاللَّهِ الظَّنَّ ‏"‏

Jabir (رضي الله عنه‎) reported:
I heard Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying three days before his death: None of you should court death except in a state of assuming the best about Allah.
Referenced from muslim via sunnah.com (here).

Another narration explains why the "Mercy to the Worlds" (ﷺ) advised us such:

حَدَّثَنَاعُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي، وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا ذَكَرَنِي، فَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي، وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلأٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلأٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ بِشِبْرٍ تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا، وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا، وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً ‏

Narrated Abu Huraira(رضي الله عنه‎) : The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.

We must think well of our Lord, and so we shall gain proximity to Him, and we shall find what we expect or fear. It is not a cognitive challenge alone. A state of thinking well of Allah is not only a matter of the heart, but also has a direct impact on our deeds.  In the words of Hassan Al Basri (may Allah be pleased with him):

المؤمن أحسنَ الظنّ بربّه فأحسن العملَ ، وإنّ الفاجر أساءَ الظنّ بربّه فأساءَ العمل

"The believer assumes the best about his Lord so he does the best deeds. The sinner assumes the worst about his Lord, so he does (/ends up doing) evil deeds"

‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه‎) said:

والذي لا إله غيرُه ما أُعطي عبدٌ مؤمن شيئاً خيراً من حسن الظن بالله عز وجل، والذي لا إله غيره لا يحسن عبد بالله عز وجل الظن إلا أعطاه الله عز وجل ظنَّه؛ ذلك بأنَّ الخيرَ في يده» رواه ابن أبي الدنيا في حسن الظن

“By the One besides Whom none is worthy of worship, the believer is not given anything [good] better than his good expectations of Allah, and by the One besides Who none is worthy of worship, no servant of Allah expects good of Him except that Allah gives him what he expected, since all good is in His Hand.”


Knowing this, I had time to introspect, where examined myself, and found out that I have, on occasion, wished or wanted my situation to be different from what it is. And I have frequently looked at the condition of the world, and thought that it could be better.

عَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ

 ...it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you. Al-Baqara (The Cow) - 2:216

And at the same time, having read the ayat above, I also do believe that Allah knows what is best. It is these two contradicting feelings that I must reconcile.

Surely, if I dislike something, it may be that I do not understand/know it.  I must make attempts to understand it to the best of my ability. For doesn't sayyidina Ali(عليه السلام)say:

 النَّاسُ أَعْدَاءُ مَا جَهِلُوا

People often hate/oppose what they do not know. (Nahjul Balaghah)

There is a caveat, however. How can an ordinary mortal like me understand the secrets of the things around us, when from the story of Musa (عليه السلام) and Khidr (عليه السلام) in the Qur'an it can be seen that even an apostle of the caliber of Musa (عليه السلام) could not fathom some happenings? In this case, I conclude that despite my best intentions and efforts, if I have not understood some happening that goes against my thinking, I must place my complete trust in Allah's Wisdom and Knowledge. And I should pray to Allah to guide me on this.

If I truly believe in Allah's Perfection, then how can I not be happy with His Decisions? We often say ( سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ), but we need to realize the connotation of what it means. It means we truly believe that Allah is free of any weaknesses, defects and short-comings. And once we believe that, there should be no hesitation on our part in accepting His Decisions, without even a hint of second-guessing on our part. It does not mean that we cannot seek knowledge, or seek to understand. Take the example from our fellow creation, the angels, when they wished to understand Allah's Decision, they started with (سُبْحَانَكَ):

قَالُواْ سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

They replied: "Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! No knowledge have we save that which Thou hast imparted unto us. Verily, Thou alone art all-knowing, truly wise. Al-Baqara (The Cow) - 2:32

One of the well known statements that indicates Allah's Perfection, and has innumerable benefits, is mentioned in this hadith:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ‏.‏ فِي يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ حُطَّتْ خَطَايَاهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Huraira(رضي الله عنه‎):  
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.
Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

( سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ) as a statement indicates the absence of something (defects), so once we understand that Allah is free from all that is unworthy, it is coupled with the next statement (وَبِحَمْدِهِ), means "everything Praiseworthy belongs to Him". So this is a powerful combination, which when recited helps rid us of our sins, and alleviates the disease in the heart, the disease of doubting His Decisions. Once we internalize it, then the next stage is to elevate our faith to those well-pleased.

There is an interesting story that once Ammar bin Yasir (رضي الله عنه‎) led the people in prayers but he made the prayer rather short. Bear in mind that this was a time when people would enjoy long prayers, with long recitations, and hence there were quite a few objections to this unsatisfactory length of the prayer. Ammar(رضي الله عنه‎) responded by saying that despite the length being short, he recited a supplication that the Prophet(ﷺ) used to recite, as if saying implicitly that this more than makes up for the brevity of the prayer. The supplication is:

 ‏ اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ وَكَلِمَةَ الإِخْلاَصِ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لاَ يَنْفَدُ وَقُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لاَ تَنْقَطِعُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَبَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَلَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَفِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الإِيمَانِ وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ

O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation, keep me alive so long as You know that living is good for me and cause me to die when You know that death is better for me. O Allah, cause me to fear You in secret and in public. I ask You to make me true in speech in times of pleasure and of anger. I ask You to make me moderate in times of wealth and poverty. And I ask You for everlasting delight and joy that will never cease. I ask You to make me pleased with that which You have decreed and for an easy life after death. I ask You for the sweetness of looking upon Your face and a longing to meet You in a manner that does not entail a calamity that will bring about harm or a trial that will cause deviation. O Allah, beautify us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who guide and are rightly guided."

Referenced from an nasai via sunnah.com (here)

I have highlighted a portion of the supplication that indicates the state of being of those who truly love Allah. Pleasure at His Decree is a state much sought after by the dearest of Allah. There are several do'a to this effect among our literature, for example:

 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ، عَلَى نَفْسِي وَمَالِي وَدِينِي ، اللَّهُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِقَضَائِكَ ، وَبَارِكْ لِي فِي قَدَرِكَ ، حَتَّى لا أُحِبَّ تَعْجِيلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ وَلا تَأْخِيرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ

When you leave your house and are afflicted with hardship, why don't you pray:
'In the name of Allah with regard to myself, my property, and my deen. O Allah, cause me to be satisfied and pleased with Your decree, and bless me in what is assigned for me, so that I will not want to hasten what You have delayed, nor to delay what You have hastened'.


Supplications to this effect have been made by the righteous people, for example sayyidina Ali(عليه السلام):

اللّهُمَّ مُنَّ عَليَّ بِالتَّوَكُلِ عَلَيْكَ وَالتَّفْويضِ إلَيْكَ وَالرِّضا بِقَدْرِكَ والتَّسْليمِ لامْرِكَ حَتّى لا أحِبَّ تَعْجيلَ ما أخَّرْتَ وَلا تَأخيرَ ماعَجَّلْتَ يارَبَّ العالَمينَ

O Allah, grace me with(the ability to) trust You, and commit (my affairs) to You, and (bless me) with contentment with your Decree, and submission to Your Will until I no longer long for hastening that which You have delayed, or delaying that which You would hasten, O Lord of the Worlds.

Sa’id bin Jubayr (رضي الله عنه‎) would supplicate:

اللهم إني أسألك صدق التوكل عليك ، وحسن الظن بك

“O Allah, I ask you to grant me true reliance on You and good expectations of You.”

Through these supplications and efforts, we hope to reach a state, which we see in the example of the Prophet Ayub (عليه السلام), who was afflicted with a debilitating illness for more than a decade, and the Prophet Yaqub (عليه السلام), who lost his eyesight on account of grieving for his son Yusuf(عليه السلام). Both of them braved a smile and patiently lead their lives, never ever thinking negatively of Allah, so much so that the life of Ayub (عليه السلام) has become archetype of patience and pleasure with the decision of the Lord.

Another aspect of this state needs an introduction through the poem of Maulana Rumi, from his Masnavi:

داد مر فرعون را صد ملک و مال
تا بکرد او دعوی عز و جلال

God gave Pharaoh abundance of riches and wealth,

So that he boasted that he was 'Lord Supreme.'

در همه عمرش ندید او درد سر
تا ننالد سوی حق آن بدگهر

In the whole of his life he suffered no headache,

So that he never cried to God, wretch that he was.

داد او را جمله ملک این جهان
حق ندادش درد و رنج و اندهان

God granted him the absolute dominion of the world,

But withheld from him pain and sorrow and cares;

درد آمد بهتر از ملک جهان
تا بخوانی مر خدا را در نهان

Because pain and sorrow and loads of cares

Are the lot of God's friends in the world.

خواندن بی درد از افسردگیست
خواندن با درد از دل‌بردگیست

Pain is better than the dominion of the world,
So that you may call on God in secret.

The central thesis here is that challenges to our state of comfort are a boon from Allah, and we should patiently and happily accept them, for this is the choice Allah has made for His friends in this world. A life of comfort completely free of pain and worry, on the contrary, was not only given to the Pharaoh as a punishment, but also ultimately led to exacerbation of his spiritual condition.

There is a story from the Indian sub-continent Sufi lore that when hazrat Nizamuddin was a young boy, the mother was very generous to the point that often little or nothing would be left for them to consume. At which she would say to him:

 امروز مهمان خدا هستیم

Today we are guests of God.

This fast was seen as a gift from God. And when food was sufficient, sometimes he would tell his mother to pray that they become guests of God again, for he yearned for it.

To understand why Allah sometimes chooses difficulties for his friends, the following hadith can shed some light:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي مَرَضِهِ وَهْوَ يُوعَكُ وَعْكًا شَدِيدًا، وَقُلْتُ إِنَّكَ لَتُوعَكُ وَعْكًا شَدِيدًا‏.‏ قُلْتُ إِنَّ ذَاكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ أَجْرَيْنِ‏.‏ قَالَ‏ أَجَلْ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يُصِيبُهُ أَذًى، إِلاَّ حَاتَّ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ خَطَايَاهُ، كَمَا تَحَاتُّ وَرَقُ الشَّجَرِ

Narrated `Abdullah(رضي الله عنه‎): I visited the Prophet (ﷺ) during his ailments and he was suffering from a high fever. I said, "You have a high fever. Is it because you will have a double reward for it?" He said, "Yes, for no Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allah will remove his sins as the leaves of a tree fall down."Referenced from bukhari via sunnah.com (here)

The last point that can be made in this context is that Allah truly loves that those who love Him should ask Him, beseech Him:

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

AND IF My servants ask thee about Me - behold, I am near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way. Al-Baqara (The Cow) - 2:186

And Allah does not like if we do not ask Him:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَاتِمُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمَلِيحِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْأَلِ اللَّهَ يَغْضَبْ عَلَيْهِ ‏"  قَالَ وَرَوَى وَكِيعٌ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَلِيحِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ وَلاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَأَبُو الْمَلِيحِ اسْمُهُ صَبِيحٌ سَمِعْتُ مُحَمَّدًا يَقُولُهُ وَقَالَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْفَارِسِيُّ

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, he who does not ask Allah, he gets angry with him.”
Referenced from tirmidhi via sunnah.com (here)


Not only that, those who do not ask, are seen to be arrogant, or it is only the arrogant who do not ask, or are not invited to ask, as in the case of the Pharaoh above:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

But your Sustainer says: “Call unto Me, [and] I shall respond to you!  Verily, they who are too proud to worship Me will enter hell, abased!” Ghafir (The Forgiver) - 40:60

So I remind myself, and my fellow believers, let us introspect and cleanse ourselves from this shortcoming, if we have it, and think well of Allah, and let us ask Him for help and guidance, with the belief that He will accept our supplications. As the Prophet (ﷺ) advised us in a hadith:

ادْعُوا اللهَ وَأَنْتُمْ مُوقِنُونَ بِالإجَابَةِ

....When you beseech Allah in supplication, be convinced that He will answer you." Referenced from tirmidhi via sunnah.com (here).

In addition to do'a (supplications), we are enjoined to do charity (sadaqah) to avoid things that are uncomfortable, but that needs a lengthy treatment, and needs a post by itself. 

To conclude, I would like to share a doa' quoted in An-Nasai through Anas Bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) that Rasoolullah (ﷺ) taught to sayyidah Fatimah (عليها السلام):

وعن أنس بن مالك رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لفاطمة رضي الله عنها: ما يمنعك أن تسمعي ما أوصيك به أن تقولي إذا أصبحت وإذا أمسيت: يا حي يا قيوم برحمتك أستغيث، أصلح لي شأني كله ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين. رواه النسائي

“O Hayy O Qayyum! I seek assistance from You alone, courtesy of your Mercy; please rectify all my affairs and do not leave me at the mercy of my nafs even for the blink of an eye"

May Allah bless us with a believing heart that is pleased with what Allah has chosen for us. Aameen

والله أعلم   
 Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)  

Run up to Ramadhan

My Dear Readers,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

Preparation for Ramadhan:

إِنَّ اللّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللّهِ فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
  

BEHOLD, Allah has bought of the believers their lives and their possessions, promising them paradise in return ,[and so] they fight in God's cause, and slay, and are slain: a promise which in truth He has willed upon Himself in [the words of] the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Qur'an. And who could be more faithful to his covenant than God? Rejoice, then, in the bargain which you have made with Him: for this, this is the triumph supreme!    (9:111)

The ayah chosen above is traditionally used in context of jihad, or struggle in the way of Allah, and I have chosen this ayah for discussion deliberately, to highlight an oft-overlooked aspect of this ayah, related to the hadith on cleanliness. If I ask anyone of you, for sure you would know the relationship of cleanliness, with iman (or faith). But does anyone know the full text of that hadith from Sahih Muslim? Especially the last statement in the hadith?

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَبَّانُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، أَنَّ زَيْدًا، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا سَلاَّمٍ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ الأَشْعَرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ الطُّهُورُ شَطْرُ الإِيمَانِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلأُ الْمِيزَانَ ‏.‏ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ تَمْلآنِ - أَوْ تَمْلأُ - مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَالصَّلاَةُ نُورٌ وَالصَّدَقَةُ بُرْهَانٌ وَالصَّبْرُ ضِيَاءٌ وَالْقُرْآنُ حُجَّةٌ لَكَ أَوْ عَلَيْكَ كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَغْدُو فَبَائِعٌ نَفْسَهُ فَمُعْتِقُهَا أَوْ مُوبِقُهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Malik at-Ash'ari(رضي الله عنه‎) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Cleanliness is half of faith and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fills the scale, and Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah) and al-Hamdu Liliah (Praise be to Allah) fill upwhat is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All humans go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves.
Referenced from sunnah.com (here)
This last statement emphasizing the same trade, as is mentioned in the verse (9:111), makes it explicit that it is not situational to a certain time and place. But a daily effort. The world is a marketplace where we have come for a limited time, in order to do a deal of a lifetime. It is a deal of a lifetime, because we are dealing in our lives, trading them for an eternal life of bliss in the Hereafter. Those who understand it, are the ones who will try to fully benefit from this understanding, and Insha Allah, will achieve success in this world, and in the Hereafter. Sadly, many of us forget this reality, not realizing that this time is precious, and whatever we do, it will be recorded and will be a source of success (permanent) or failure. Everything belongs to Allah, is being lent to us by Allah, and will return to Allah. Our covenant is to realize this and live accordingly.

Ramadhan is approaching, the sooner we realize this, the better for us. Who knows if we will get a chance to see Ramadhan through. So the topic of discussion today is, let us get energized to greet Ramadhan, in order that we may derive the blessings thereof.




There is a poem by Imam al-Sajjad (RA), referenced here:

 تُخَـرِّبُ مَـا يَبْقَى، وَتعْمُرُ فَانِياً

Destroying what is everlasting you are building the perishing

 فَلاَ ذَاكَ مَوْفُورٌ، وَلاَ ذَاكَ عَامرُ

Neither will the former be intact, nor will the latter flourish

وَهَلْ لَكَ إِنْ وَافَاكَ حَتْفُكَ بَغْتَةً

And when your fate catches up to you all of a sudden 

  وَلَمْ تَكْتَسِبْ خَيْرَاً لَدَى اللهِ عَاذِرُ؟

What excuse will you have before your Lord?

أَتَرْضَى بِأَنْ تُقْضَى الحَياةُ وَتَنْقَضِي

How will you be content when your life is over 

 وَدِينُـكَ مَنْقُوصٌ وَمَالكَ وَافِرُ؟

If your deen is deficient, but (only) your wealth abundant? 

How can we destroy our eternal abode, at the cost of something ephemeral? For sure we will end up at a loss at both counts. Let us pledge today to refocus our efforts towards achieving success in our permanent abode. Here are some suggestions.

First, let us start with sincere repentance(تَوْبَة):

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَى رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ يَوْمَ لَا يُخْزِي اللَّهُ النَّبِيَّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ نُورُهُمْ يَسْعَى بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَبِأَيْمَانِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

O you who have attained to faith! Turn unto God in sincere repentance:  it may well be that your Sustainer will efface from you your bad deeds, and will admit you into gardens through which running waters flow, on a Day on which God will not shame the Prophet and those who share his faith:  their light will spread rapidly before them, and on their right;[and] they will pray: "O our Sustainer! Cause this our light to shine for us forever, and forgive us our sins: for, verily, Thou hast the power to will anything!(66:8)

Do not delay it any further. Allah is awaiting our taubah:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ النَّهَارِ وَيَبْسُطُ يَدَهُ بِالنَّهَارِ لِيَتُوبَ مُسِيءُ اللَّيْلِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ ‏.

 

Abu Musa(رضي الله عنه‎) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, Stretches out His Hand during the night so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dawn till dusk and He stretches out His Hand during the day so that the people may repent for the fault committed from dusk to dawn. (He would accept repentance) before the sun rises in the west (before the Day of Resurrection). A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters!

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)


Allah is delighted at our taubah:

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَبَّانُ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَحَدَّثَنَا هُدْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ اللَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ سَقَطَ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ، وَقَدْ أَضَلَّهُ فِي أَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ ‏"‏‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik(رضي الله عنه‎): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than anyone of you is pleased with finding his camel which he had lost in the desert.

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Taubah will help efface, nay, even transform our sins:

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Excepted, however, shall be they who repent and attain to faith and do righteous deeds: for it is they whose [erstwhile] bad deeds God will transform into good ones - seeing that God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace, (25:70)

We cannot have a holier-than-Thou attitude about taubah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would repent a hundred times a day:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو الرَّبِيعِ الْعَتَكِيُّ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ حَمَّادٍ، قَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنِ الأَغَرِّ الْمُزَنِيِّ، - وَكَانَتْ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّهُ لَيُغَانُ عَلَى قَلْبِي وَإِنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ فِي الْيَوْمِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ ‏"

Al-Agharr al-Muzani(رضي الله عنه‎), who was one amongst the Companions (of the Holy Prophet) reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: There is (at times) some sort of shade upon my heart, and I seek forgiveness from Allah a hundred times a day.

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Abusa'id Abolkhayr or Abū-Sa'īd Abul-Khayr (ابوسعید ابوالخیر) has one of his quatrains (Ruba'i) reportedly at the entrance of the door to the tomb of Maulana Rumi, and it offers tremendous hope for sinners like us:

باز آ باز آ هر آنچه هستی باز آ

Come back, Come back, Whoever you are

گر کافر و گبر و بت‌پرستی باز آ

An infidel, a fire-worshipper or an idolator, Come back.

این درگه ما درگه نومیدی نیست

This dargah (portal/shrine) is not the place of losing hope

صد بار اگر توبه شکستی باز آ

Even if you have broken your penitence hundreds of times, Come back.

This is not a new preaching, but it has been the way of Allah since the time of Adam (عليه السلام), and is found in the previous scriptures. For example the Prophet 'Isa (عليه السلام), mentions the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible (Luke 15: 11-32).

No sooner that we repent sincerely, we become dear to Allah. There is the story of a musician, Zadan, who was also a very good singer. Once Abdullah bin Mas'ud (رضي الله عنه‎)heard him and remarked how if he would use his gifted voice for the Qur'an. Upon hearing this, without any delay, he repented and broke his musical instruments. He quickly became quite dear to ibn Mas'ud(رضي الله عنه‎), upon which some others protested. How can you be so close to an erstwhile musician and reveler? Upon which ibn Mas'ud(رضي الله عنه‎) retorted, how can I not love one whom Allah loves? Probably referring to this portion of the verse (2:222):

  إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ

Verily, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and He loves those who keep themselves pure.


The practice of saints and pious people is that they repent daily, and even more earnestly in Rajab and Shaban, so that they greet Ramadhan in purity, and get maximum blessings thereof.

Taubah is one of the things that differentiate Iblis from Adam (عليه السلام). Both made a mistake but one did not repent and the other immediately became concerned about his mistake. And Allah out of His Kindness taught them the words of taubah, which ended up becoming a do'a for the progeny of Adam(عليه السلام).:

قَالاَ رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

The two replied: "O our Sustainer! We have sinned against ourselves -and unless Thou grant us forgiveness and bestow Thy mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost!" - 7:23

In the hadith, we are taught:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْخَيْرِ، سَمِعَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عَلِّمْنِي دُعَاءً أَدْعُو بِهِ فِي صَلاَتِي‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ "‏ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا، وَلاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مَغْفِرَةً، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr(رضي الله عنه‎): Abu Bakr As-Siddiq(رضي الله عنه‎) said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Teach me an invocation with which I may invoke Allah in my prayers." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Say: O Allah! I have wronged my soul very much (oppressed myself), and none forgives the sins but You; so please bestow Your Forgiveness upon me. No doubt, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Once we develop the habit of frequently seeking forgiveness of our Lord, the next step is to right any wrongs that we have done to our fellow human beings, and seek their forgiveness. We must not judge other people, or wish them ill. For who knows, they might be better in the sight of Allah than us. Or they might end up better than us, for we should heed the warning of the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding the day of judgment:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ لاَ دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلاَ مَتَاعَ ‏.‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ الْمُفْلِسُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مَنْ يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَتِهِ وَصِيَامِهِ وَزَكَاتِهِ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيَقْعُدُ فَيَقْتَصُّ هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْتَصَّ مَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه‎) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"Do you know who the bankrupt is?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah!(ﷺ) The bankrupt among us is the one who has no Dirham nor property." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The bankrupt in my Ummah is the one who comes with Salat and fasting and Zakat on the Day of Judgement, but he comes having abused this one, falsely accusing that one, wrongfully consuming the wealth of this one, spilling the blood of that one, and beating this one. SO he is seated, and this one is requited from his rewards. If his rewards are exhausted before the sins that he committed are requited, then some of their sins will be taken and cast upon him, then he will be cast into the Fire."
Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Ask forgiveness now, those who you hurt, those whom we owe something. We are getting this opportunity now, let us take it, for there might not be any other opportunity again.

The next step is to make sure that our livelihood is earned through lawful means. Halal does not mean only that which is slaughtered according to the conditions specified, but also by the means with which we acquire our livelihood. Sadly, as predicted by our Prophet (ﷺ), we do not care about this as much as we should:

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ لاَ يُبَالِي الْمَرْءُ بِمَا أَخَذَ الْمَالَ، أَمِنْ حَلاَلٍ أَمْ مِنْ حَرَامٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

 Narrated Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه‎):The Prophet (ﷺ) said "Certainly a time will come when people will not bother to know from where they earned the money, by lawful means or unlawful means."
Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

In another hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) advised Kaab bin Ujrah (رضي الله عنه‎) many things, among which was this warning:

يَا كَعْبُ بْنَ عُجْرَةَ إِنَّهُ لاَ يَرْبُو لَحْمٌ نَبَتَ مِنْ سُحْتٍ إِلاَّ كَانَتِ النَّارُ أَوْلَى بِهِ

‏O Ka'b bin Ujrah! There is no flesh raised that sprouts from the unlawful except that the Fire is more appropriate for it.'""

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Are we so deceived by ourselves that while we wear clothes earned from unlawful means, live under a roof earned from unlawful means, and eat food earned from unlawful means and yet hoping that we are earning Paradise? What for is the fasting, if we fill our bellies with the unjust earnings depriving the rights of others?

The third step is to reduce consumption even if it is acquired from lawful means. Ramadhan is not a month of indulgence, and spending, and certainly not of overindulgence and overspending. Yet it has become so in the past for us. Let us stop this madness. In light of the following hadith, we should rethink our decadent lifestyles:

حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الْحِمْصِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمِّي، عَنْ أُمِّهَا، أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتِ الْمِقْدَامَ بْنَ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الآدَمِيِّ لُقَيْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ غَلَبَتِ الآدَمِيَّ نَفْسُهُ فَثُلُثٌ لِلطَّعَامِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلشَّرَابِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلنَّفَسِ ‏"‏

‏
Miqdam bin Madikarib (رضي الله عنه‎) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few morsels to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’”

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

Let us use the opportunity in preparing for Ramadhan to stop filling this worse vessel, and instead learn to be content with a few morsels.

جنید گفت: بایزید در میان ما چون جبرائیل است در میان ملائکه.

Bayazid amongst us ranks like Gabriel amongst the angels.

Bayazid whom Junayd described in the quote above, would fast frequently, and would donate generously, so much so that only little would remain. And even for the few remaining morsels, he would still ask his Lord for forgiveness while eating them.

"Lord, forgive me if there is someone hungry more deserving of this food, as I am not able to reach him. Lord, forgive me if there is someone whose share is in these morsels and I am not aware of it. Lord do not take me to task on this account."

Whenever Imam al-Sajjad(RA) would fast, he would ask to prepare the tastiest and the best food available in the house. Before the time of breaking fast he would smell the aroma, ensuring that it is the best, and then distribute it to people, while breaking his own fast with simple food, and sometimes only with water. His generosity is also showcased that during his lifetime people of Medina would find sacks of food grains etc appearing at their doorsteps during early morning hours (at the time for tahajjud) and only when he passed away, they saw the marks of the ropes (carrying the sacks on his body) and because the sacks had stopped appearing since, only then they realized that it was him who used to do it.

This is an example of the people who did successful business during their stay here in the earth. Not people like us, who waste time, and waste opportunities to doing good. That is why let us consider this reminder for myself and for you to avail this opportunity. Remember that we are the nation of a prophet who was the epitome of generosity, and especially generous in Ramadhan:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، وَمَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، نَحْوَهُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَجْوَدَ النَّاسِ، وَكَانَ أَجْوَدُ مَا يَكُونُ فِي رَمَضَانَ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ، وَكَانَ يَلْقَاهُ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ فَيُدَارِسُهُ الْقُرْآنَ، فَلَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَجْوَدُ بِالْخَيْرِ مِنَ الرِّيحِ الْمُرْسَلَةِ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه‎) :Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was the most generous person, even more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds).

Referenced from sunnah.com (here)

The question we must ask ourselves, are we truly the ummah of this Prophet ﷺ , the archetype of generosity?

May Allah bless us with the opportunity to ask for His forgiveness, and may He accept it, and may He bless us with the opportunity to derive blessings of Ramadhan this year and every year. Aameen

والله أعلم   
 Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)