As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, brothers and sisters in Islam. What is probably viewed by many of us as needless-to-mention given it's transparency is a topic, broad and controversial, that yet remains detrimental to the consciousness of the sincere and often young Muslim wherever he or she may reside. Particularly those who before practicing Islam were cliquish or directly influenced in either a tribal or gang mentality leaving them especially prone to dragging this sickness into their deen; this cursed trend of splintering into factions and falling into this Shatiani trap of sectarianism in Islam. Let's understand when Allah says what means:
"And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. the covenant and allegiance to 'la ilaha ill Allah Muhammad ar-Rasulullah' and al-Qur'an that ever-binds it and everything it entails together), and be not divided among yourselves..." -Surah Al-i-Imran ayah 10
Let us reflect when Allah ta'ala says that which means:
"As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least; their affair is with Allah: He will in the end Tell them the Truth of all that they did." -Surah al-Anaam ayah 159
Alhamdulillah, the bid'ah and deviancy emanating from many of those proclaimed adherents to al-Islam is as obvious as a diarrhea-afflicted African Elephant in the middle of your living room. However, there is a more clever, cunning and devilishly deceptive form that has taken root using such familiar terms as "Ahl us-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah", "as-Salaf as-Salih", "Salafi", etc. masquerading as prestine Islam or as the saved sect. However, a closer look at their estranged stances on concepts such as "jihad", "takfeer", "madhabiyya" and my personal favorite... obeying those in command, ruling by non/anti-Islamic secular laws and involved in the oppression, extermination, expulsion and exploitation of Muslims in their own lands one would clearly see how repugnant and anomalous their views truly are in the light of al-Qur'an was-Sunnah.
Behind this "Salafi mask" we face an ideology so foreign and so off track from the understanding and methodology of the Sahabah radiallahu 'anhum and the true Salaf as-Salih rahimullah. We find how loose at the tongue they are at engaging in slander and gheebah (backbiting) in its many forms when it comes to our fellow Muslims and yet failing to detect any flaws with kufr and the spiritual, psychological and physical harm it brings about upon our Ummah. So just as the terms "tasawwuf" and "sufism" have been tainted by what it's become to be known as and associated with today (i.e. pantheism, grave-worship, supplicating the dead, innovated rituals of 'ibadah, etc.) and is no longer recognized as az-zuhd (wordly abstinence) observed by the likes of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim, Imam Nawawi, al-Fudayl ibn Iyy'ad and others whom we ask Allah bestow His Mercy upon. So too can the terms "salafi" and "ahl us-Sunnah" be perverted and associated with the ideas upheld by the proclaimed "salafiyoon" that shall be discussed, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala, in the proceeding article by Dr. Tariq Abdelhaleem if not careful.
In a nutshell the so-called "salafiyoon movement" and the "salafi daw'ah" and its various sub-groups derives from those in power (namely the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia) , hence their ideology and manhaj is mainly adapted to suit their interests. The apparency of their corruption is manifested through their aggressive positions against particular fundamentals (of Islam) that are perceived threats to those in power.
This is a direly needed advisory and naseehah I pray reaches the ears, minds and hearts of all our beloved Muslim youth so that they be aware and avoid or denounce this devious trap of Shaitan. May Allah guide and protect us all from the various forms of misguidance and keep us firm upon His Obedience and Way. Allahumma ameen ya Rabbil'alameen!
Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen
As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
Inna alhamdulillah! Indeed Allah is praised whether we praise Him or not. Yet humbly we praise Him. We seek His aid; we seek His forgiveness and we seek refuge with Him from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomever Allah misguides, none can guide. I bare witness before all that there is no god, no diety, no object, no personality, no entity worthy of worship except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And I bare witness before all that the slave and final Messenger of Allah; the best of men, the most pious of men; the best example, influence, model, methodology and pattern for humanity to follow; the one whom Allah sent as a Mercy to the whole of creation (rahmatul lil 'alameen) is none other than Muhammad ibn Abdullah salallahu 'alayhi wa alihi wa salaam. Amma ba'd.
Brothers and sisters in Islam, as Believers, we are most privilaged and honored by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to have upon us the first 10 days of the sacred month of Dhul Hijjah. As we should know, not all days are created equal. Allah has preferred some days over others and He, azza wa jall, has decreed some days be superior over other days. And it is these 10 days that Allah ultimately preferred and declared for them superiority over all other days. Therefore, the good deeds, amilu salih, are of a worth and value far greater in the Sight of Allah than when the same deeds are performed on any other day of the year.
And so it is strongly preferred that we increase in our good deeds during these 10 days; observing the naf'l (voluntary acts), maintaining an ahklaq, -a behavior and conduct, a control over ourselves, our tounges and our anger- that is complimentary, representative or in accordance to the Sunnah of ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam so that we might be purified, forgiven and compensated in a way Allah, ar-Rahman, never so does during any other day outside these first 10.
Ibn Abbas radiallahu 'anhu narrated that our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said of these 10 days: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." It was asked: "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam replied: "No, not even Jihad fisabillah, except for the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause -and returned with nothing."
Allah azza wa jall magnified the hasanat for the acts of simply pronouncing tasbih (subhan'Allah), takbir (Allahu Akbar), tahleel (la ilaha ill Allah) and tahmeed (alhamdulillah). Abdullah ibn Umar radiallahu 'anhu reported that Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "There are no days greater in the Sight of Allah and in which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during them recite much of tahleel, takbir and tahmeed."
Additionally, I doubt there is a more suitable time than on these blessed 10 days to observe az-zuhd and/or al-wara'. What could make us to understand these terms? Zuhd can be considered abstinence from worldly pleasures which distract one from Allah and their Akhirah. Wara' is to avoid certain parts of the halal which you fear may lead you to engage in something haram. Nothing to me describes and clarifies so concisely these terms than the explanation given by Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimullah who said: "Az-Zuhd entails abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Al-Wara', abandoning a part of the permissible for fear of falling into the impermissible, entails abandoning what you fear of its consequences in the Hereafter." So let us, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala, practice az-zuhd on these passing superior days so we might have the dunya removed from our hearts and placed into our hands where it belongs.
Glory to these days Allah has exalted. Let us honor our Lord and ourselves by honoring these days through the prescribed acts in hopes of attaining honor and Mercy from our Rabb. Let's take special care on the 9th day, the anniversary of which Allah completed His revelation, al-Qur'an, on His Messenger salallahu 'alayhi wa alihi wa salaam. Allah sent down what means:
"This day have I perfected for you your deen (i.e. system or way of life, religion, etc.), completed my favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your deen." -Surah al-Ma'idah ayah 5
After which no wahy of the Qur'an proceeded. The 9th day, Yawm-ul-Arafah, if fasted upon will expiate for the sins of two years. Allahu Akbar!
Glad tidings to those who are embarking Hajj and intend to sacrafice bismillah. May Allah accept from you all, bless you all and your families and increase you always in the good and grant you Jannah al-Firdows. Ameen.
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar La ilaha ill Allah, wallahu Akbar wa lillahi hamd!
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa-ashabihi wa salaam tasleman katheera
Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah:
"Say, 'Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrafice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded and I am the first among you of the Muslims.'" -Surah al-An'aam ayat 162-163
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining towards truth and to establish the prayer and to give zakah. That is the correct Deen." -Surah Bayyinah ayah 5
Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjaani rahimullah defined ikhlas as "not seeking any audience for your deeds other than Allah."
We're warned throughout the Qur'an and Sunnah to have sincerity in tawheed of Allah, sincerity in our intentions, sincerity in our tawakkul (placing of trust and reliance) in Allah, sincerity in our worship (i.e. salah, sujood, du'a, siyaam/fasting, Hajj, zakah, sadaqah, tawba, Jihad, recitation of al-Qur'an, etc.) and sincerity in all our actions and words.
Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad rahimullah addressed his students on one occasion about Surah al-Mulk ayah 2 that's interpreted to mean: "He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed." Noting that "It is those deeds which are most correct and most sincere. If a deed is done sincerely, yet is not done correctly, it will not be accepted. And if a deed is done correctly, but not sincerely for Allah, it will not be accepted. It must be done sincerely (for Allah alone) and correctly (in accordance to the Sunnah).
BEWARE THE ANTAGONISTS OF IKHLAS! They are three:
Riyaa
Sum'ah
'Ujb.
Riyaa is to perform an act of worship to show off to people; seeking their praise or some other vanity.
Sum'ah is to speak good for the sake of people's compliments or praise.
'Ujb is a sitatuation where one becomes impressed with his/her self for the good deeds they've done.
Ibn al-Mubarak rahimullah said: "Perhaps a great deed is belittled by an intention. And perhaps a small deed, by a sincere intention, is made great."
May Allah, Mighty and Exalted is He above having any partner, equal or opponent, make us all among His mukhliseen (sincere slaves) and keep us aware and resistant of those diseases that corrupt our righteous actions and convert them to arguments against us on the Day of Accounting. Ameen.
Ya'qub al-Makfuf (may Allah have Mercy on him) would say: "The sincere one is he who hides his good deeds in the same way that he would hide his bad."
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen.
Brothers and sisters in Islam, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah. As the smoke circulating the incident at Fort Hood remains in course of clearing, a multitude of concerns and reactions plague the circumstance. Amidst our Ummah, the Ummah of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, the majority we're haste in speaking out and even releasing statements condemning the act carried out by Malik Nidal Hassan. Confessedly, I too, basing the motives of our brother on the initial reports from officers who knew him, presumed he targeted people senselessly over some frustrated, petty personal reasons. But the more that unfolds about our brother, the more I'm convinced his gunfire was for the sake of Allah and in honor and defense of our fellow believers and worshipers of Him overseas.
The corporate journalists, columnists, networks and U.S. officials may manufacture whichever conclusions they please. As for us, those whose fear, hope and love is for Allah azza wa jall, we have the obligation to withhold conviction until analysis has been exhausted and ilm-ul-yaqeen, clear and certain knowledge, has been attained. Our dear brother and esteemed shiekh Anwar al-Awlaki, with unmatched bravery and commitment to al-Haqq, insisted publicly that Hassan did the right thing. On the other hand, I say if Hassan's intentions were as brother Awlaki speculates, and I pray they were, then only in such a case has he indeed done the right thing. Until we can confirm his true motives, and Allah Knows best what they were, I can neither praise nor rebuke the actions of our brother.
In Awlaki's claim that Hassan could no longer bear the contradiction of being Muslim and serving in the same forces assigned to fight his brothers and sisters abroad, I was brought to wonder about the rest of the Muslims serving in the U.S. Military as well. With over 10,000 soldiers who declare there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 'alayhi wa-salaatu wa-salaam is His final Messenger to be followed until the Last Day, this blatant contradiction and nifaq (hypocrisy) hasn't so much as twinkled in their mind? How do they, over 10,000 professed Muslims, justify their position?
O Muslims, seriously we must contemplate and remind ourselves where our loyalty is set and where our disavowal is applied. We must contemplate and honestly assess ourselves as to where our hearts stand in relationship to al-Wala 'wal-Bara. Is our loyalty and allegiance to Allah and His Messenger, or is it instead pledged to those who plot, spend and fight to disrupt, degrade and extinguish the light of Allah and the guidance of ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam? Na'udu billah!
May Allah purify us of such nifaq and guide this Ummah and its mujahideen. May He give us victory over His enemies and ours. Ameen. May He azza wa jall amplify our resistance against forces of every form that oppose our entitlement to His Pleasure and an eternal abode in Jannah. Allahumma ameen!
Let us contemplate and remember the words of Umar ibn al-Khattab radiallahu 'anhu when he advised the mujahideen during the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah: "We do NOT overpower them with our strength!" Their numbers are greater and their weapons are superior, the only way we're victorious is due to our mindfulness and responsiveness to our duties to Allah. It is when we neglect our duties as Muslims and sin as our enemies sin that Allah, our Lord, humiliates us. Umar radiallahu 'an also warned: "Do not say our enemies our worse than us, so they will not overpower us. Perhaps some people who are worse than the others may overpower the others as the polytheists overpowered the Bani Israel as they involved themselves in disobedience to Allah."
And so we may question why in the first place does Allah allow His disbelievers and enemies a position of wealth and arms to invest in fighting against His Cause? Allah Promises everything they spend will wind a source of grief and utter regret for them and Islam will supersede all other ideological and political systems anyway. But in the meantime we may concern ourselves with "why?" Well, this was framed in fine perspective by the classic mufasir Ibn Kathir rahimullah who said about Surah al-Anfal ayah 36 coupled with its succeeding ayah in summary says to us what means: "We tried you with combatant disbelievers whom we made able to spend from their wealth in fighting you to distinguish between those believers who obey Allah and fight His disbelieving enemies and those (among our Ummah) who disobey Him." As Allah said in Surah al-Anfal ayah 179 what means:
"Allah will not leave the believers in the state they are presently in until He seperates the evil from the good (among them). Nor will Allah disclose to you al-ghayb (the unseen)." And in ayah 142 of the same Surah our Mighty Rabb says what means:
"Do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His Cause and make evident those who are steadfast?" May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us among the mu'mineen whose prayer, fighting, spending, sacrifice, living and dieing is for Him alone and who fully and unhesitatingly support, defend and join via spiritual or physical means the fight in His Cause, sincerely for His sake, that we may share in the barakah and glad tidings of the truly righteous and faithful. Ameen thumma ameen.
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salaam tasleman katheera.
Dear family in faith, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Among the galaxy of themes and lessons we discover in al-Kalaamul Rabbil'alameen -the perfect speech of the Lord of the worlds- the Great Qur'an, is the importance of tafakkur; the signs and blessings of those who do it and the signs and detestable consequences of those who don't.
And so what would bring us to understand this word "tafakkur", the root (F-K-R) of which is used no less than 18 times in the Qur'an? It's defined as investing serious thought, careful consideration or analysis of a thing to obtain a clear or better knowledge of it. To employ one's mind and faculty of reason upon something. Let's take for instance the meaning of what Allah says in Surah Ali-'Imran ayat 190-191:
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding- Who remember Allah while standing, sitting or lying on their sides and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying: 'Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly or for any idle purpose; Exalted are You above such a thing; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'"
Also, in Surah ar-Rum ayah 8, Allah ta'ala describes those who are heedless of these clear signs and who care little or none at all contemplate upon them when He says what means:
"Do they not contemplate upon themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and for an appointed term. And indeed, many of the people, in the matter of the meeting with their Lord (resurrection and day of judgment), are disbelievers."
Later, He uncovers their destination if they persist and die in such a state in ayah 16:
"...as for those who disbelieved and denied Our ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) and the meeting of the Hereafter, those will be brought into the punishment to remain."
It is my sincere intention and hope, in'sha'Allah, from here to explain the benefits of tafakkur. How it suits the believer and draws them closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Contemplation and reflection is required in order that both our hearts and minds be present in our salah. As we sin and disobey our Lord, having no shyness before Him nor contemplation over the consequences of our deeds. We may stand in our salah noticing something feels amiss, and this is likely because without tafakkur, without contemplation over our deeds, we cannot truly attain humbleness and humility in front of Allah and consequently repent. Without tafakkur our hearts abandon us in our salah; and it is observed with very weak kushoo (concentration).
Without consistent contemplation we're paying no mind nor are we investing any real care or concern over our deeds, the good and the bad of them. Our late, classic scholar and second generation 'Tabi, al-Hasan al-Basri rahimahullah, said regarding this matter: "Tafakkur is a mirror that shows you your good and bad deeds." And in conversation with Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah, Imam al-Hasan also stated: "Tafakkur is the key to Mercy. Don't you see how a person contemplates and consequently repents?"
Tafakkur (contemplation) and tawba (repentance) are of the main habits that distinguish the mu'min (true believer) from the fasiq (the one who sins without shame or guilt) and the munafiq (hypocrite). It is through these functions and good deeds besides them that the believer increases in iman, taqwa, ihsan and all the qualities Allah Loves and protects us from the Nar. In a beautiful and very profound hadith our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam explained the inherent qualities of the mu'min in saying:
"There is no believing slave of Allah except that he has a sin that he continually commits, it never leaves him until he leaves this world. Indeed, the believer is created muftannan, tawwaban, nassaa'an -when he is reminded, he remembers."
It is obvious from this statement that no believer among us is pure from disobeying their Lord. But as Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam proceeded to explain, the believer is created muftannan, one who is tried and tested, nassaa'an, forgetful and finally the distinguished qualities of the believer is they are tawwaban -repentent- and when they are reminded, meaning of their purpose, their Akhirah and place with Allah azza wa jall, they remember and refresh their hearts and iman through tawba and devotion. As ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "the one who repents from a sin is like the one who never committed the sin in the first place."
This, my dear brothers and sisters, is why tafakkur is so crucial. If not for contemplation, how then would we recognize, let alone care for our faults, shortcomings and misdeeds? How then could we come to conduct a sincere tawba; begging and crying to Allah for His Mercy and Forgiveness? How then could we have humiliation and humbleness before Him, our Lord, in our salah?
One reminder that should help us to intensify our tafakkur even more, in'sha'Allah, and contemplate heavier and more deeply over our sins comes from Anas ibn Malik radiallahu 'anhu in his comment to one of the Tabi'een :
"I see you committing sins that you consider less weighty than the hair on your head, if we had done the same sins at the time of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam we would have thought we were destroyed."
Ya Muslimeen! If this was the perception of the sahahbi Anas ibn Malik radallahu 'anhu in the case of the Tabi'een whom Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said would be the best generation of Muslims after his own, imagine then what his perception would be in our case? Let us always be among those who contemplate our purpose and place in this world and in the Sight of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala . Let us always be among those who reflect upon our deeds, repenting when sinful and always being grateful to Allah for everything, known and unknown, and looking forward to our Akhirah. Allahumma ameen!
Our late scholar and Tabi, al-Fudhayl bin 'Iyaad rahimahullah said:
"The speech of the believer is wisdom; his silence is contemplation and his vision is a lesson. If you are like that, then you will never cease being in a state of worship." He followed up in reading the ayah: "wama khalaqtu al-jinna waal-insa illa liya'budun." (I have not created the jinn or mankind except to worship Me.)
Verily, Allah is praised whether we praise Him or not, yet humbly we praise Him and could never do justice in doing so to the extent at which He is worthy. We seek His Help, His Forgiveness and we seek refuge with Him from the evil of our ownselves and the consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide and whomever Allah misguides (allows to leave astray because they refuse His guidance and have it all figured it out on their own), none can guide. I bare witness there is no diety, object, personality or entity worthy of worship, veneration, invocation, repentance, surrender and submission except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And I bare witness that the last and final Messenger of Allah and perfect example to all of humanity until the Last Day is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. May the peace and blessings of Allah eternally be upon him, his family, his companions and all those who follow them in righteousness and piety until the Last Day. Amma ba'ad:
Brothers and sisters in iman, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah. When our Lord subhanahu wa ta'ala described the truly faithful, successful believers in Surah an-Nur, He said they are those who say, when a command of Allah reaches them: "sami'na wa ata'na" meaning "we hear and we obey". Not that we hear and we delay. One of the traps of Shaitan to which many of us fall victim is what I touched on and labeled in my Food For Faith blog as the "in'sha'Allah syndrome". It's those time when we know full well we're wrong and our response to our fellow Muslim's naseehah (i.e. reminder, advice, etc.) is "in'sha'Allah, I'll change", "in'sha'Allah, I'll stop this and start that", "in'sha'Allah... in'sha'Allah... in'sha'Allah". This sheisty trap of Shaitan, if we're not careful or protective of our deen enough, will have us saying "in'sha'Allah" until we visit our graves (which could be at ANY moment, brothers and sisters!).
To digress a moment:
The sin we commit in addition to not obeying Allah in some matter, is by saying in'sha'Allah we will start obeying Him as if we know EXACTLY how much time we have before we die to make tawba and do better. This is 'ilm ul ghayb, knowledge of the unseen, for Allah alone knows the measure of our existence. When we say "in'sha'Allah I'll start doing this or that", we're in turn claiming certainty we'll be around to do it when in fact we have no clue. The time to obey Allah in a matter we know He commanded is right away. Not an undetermined amount of days, months or years from now, but right now.
As I come back:
The subject is the "Full Hijab", however, this issue of immediate and consistent compliance applies to all of us, brother and sister, when it concerns the commands of Allah. When He azzawa jall or Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam orders something it is waajib, fard, non-negotiable, obligatory and mandatory. Such as praying, such as growing the beard, such as fasting Ramadan, such as covering the awrah and so on. They are not suggestions from Allah. They are not recommendations or mere allowances from Allah. They are obligations, meaning, Allah is telling us we have NO CHOICE. And so our response, as believers who fear our Lord, should be: "sami'na wa ata'na". When we hear we obey as instant as physically possible; not that we hear and we obey when we feel like it.
Now that I've picked on all of us, so as not to have the sisters feel singled out, what follows is a filmed lecture discoursing the importance, the beauty, the benefits and fruits of observing hijab. It is delivered by our respected brother and shiekh, Salem al-Amry. Brothers I encourage to watch as well as there is indeed benefit in it for us as much as there is for our sisters. Also, brother al-Amry's female impersonations are timeless! LOL. Enjoy, absorb and apply, in'sha'Allah:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah
All praise is unquestionably for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, beyond having any partner, equal or opponent. The One solely worthy of worship and to whom all existing things beside Him are subject and to Whom all of humanity and jinn are penitent. May the peace and blessings of Allah eternally be upon Adam, Abraham, Noah, Jesus, Muhammad and all the prophets and messengers of Allah and those who follow them in righteousness until the Last Day.
As remarkably refreshing and reviving as Ramadan is, it isn't terribly easy bidding our old friend a fond farewell. And so a couple days ago, a couple hours after Fajr, Muslims on every corner of the earth gathered facing the same general direction towards the world's most sacred structure, repeating the takbeerat after our imam to offer Salat-ul-'Eid. Before which the faithful among us chanted: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha ill Allah wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahi hamd!" Ya ikhwatun, brothers and sisers in Islam, I congradulate you all in saying: "Eid mubarak taqabal Allahu mina wa minkum!"
Though I, and in'sha'Allah ta'ala all of us had a beautiful, in fact, the most memorable 'Eid yet. Making sure everyone got their fill and making sure everyone, especially the children, experienced nothing short of exceptional happiness. We reflect and hope earnestly our efforts and strife, our sincere remembrance, servitude, siyam, qiyaam, sadaqah and du'as were accepted that we may be purified and elevated in taqwa. Still it concerned me that the days ahead would be similar minus the spirit of Ramadan and added the persuasion of the Shayateen. I ask that Allah preserve and increase for us the taqwa we attained throughout Ramadan and empower our resistance against our very own nafs and the insidious ways of Shaitan who now after 30 days has been unleashed. May we remain the Muslims we were during Ramadan, ever-improving from this point and neither regressing or deviating. Ameen thumma ameen.
I encourage and remind us all that we proceed continuously prusuing the pleasure of Allah jalla jalalahu; seeking and advancing in 'ilm to counter jahiliyah and shubahat (doubts) and raising in taqwa to counter shawawat (desires). Wallahi, we would be nearly as great as the 'ajr and nasr Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala would bestow upon us.
"Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves." -Surah ar-Rad ayah 11
Thanks, Ramadan for the humbleness, gratitude, tears, the soar legs from standing at night in taraweeh and qiyaam listening to the best of speech, al-Qur'an; thanks for the tender heart, the sabr (patience), the naseehah and overall... THANKS FOR THE TAQWA! May Allah azza wa jall accept from us. Ameen. I invite as well do I encourage all serious Muslims to join me, if you haven't already, in fasting these next 6 days of Shawwal. As our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa 'ala alihi wa salaam told us of the one who does so will be considered as though they fasted the whole year to Allah ta'ala, hence will they be rewarded accordingly. It's not quite as easy as fasting in Ramadan (believe our avowed enemy has something to do with that), but it's worth it to make as a witness in Akhirah.
Farewell, ya Ramadan! Ya Muslimeen, ya Mu'mineen, ya Muttaqeen, ya Mukhliseen, ya Muhsineen... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORKS! And please, please and please keep me in your du'as as you all shall remain in mine, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala.
Fi aman'Allah wa-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
