WARMING UP FOR R
Bismil
Laahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Assalaamu
alaykum wa rahmatul Laahi wa barkaatuh brothers and sisters in Islam. Alhamdu
lil Laah for everything that Allah azza wa jal has blessed us with and for
everything that He has deprived us of. May we pass all of the tests and trials
He put in our way until our end. Aameen.
I
am going to be doing a Ramadaan series in shaa Allah and before Ramadaan, I’d
like us to be pondering on some few issues and this article discusses one such
issues.
Ramadaan, the Month of al-Qur’an
Allah
azza wa jal tells us that He revealed the Qur’an in Ramadaan as a guidance and
a criterion for judging between right and wrong for mankind. He says;
‘The month of Ramadaan in which was
revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance
and the criterion between right and wrong...’
Surah al-Baqarah, the Cow, Chapter 2
ayah 185
In
the month of Ramadaan therefore, we should all endeavour to take a journey
through the Qur’an in order to know what Allah’s guidance is for us and then we
learn to live by that guidance as much as possible.
A Scholar’s Analysis on Guidance
I
once read a commentary of Surah al-Fatihah and the commentator said something
that got me thinking real deep. He said that; when we recite Surah al-Fatihah,
we are seeking guidance onto the path of righteous from the Creator of the
Universe and all that it contains, Allah. Allah, al-Alim, teaches us to say;
‘You alone we worship and from You
alone do we ask for help. Guide us to
the Straight Path. The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,
not the path of those who earned Your anger nor of those who went astray.’
Surah al-Fatihah, the Opening, Chapter
1 ayah 5-7
The
commentator links these last aayaat of Surah al-Fatihah to the beginning aayaat
of Surah al-Baqarah, which is the next chapter after Surah al-Fatihah where He
says that Allah azza wa jal answers our questions directly. Allah says;
‘Alif Laam Meem! This is the Book in
which there is no doubt, a guidance to
those who are Al-Muttaquun (the people of taqwa (those who are conscious of
Allah)).’
Surah al-Baqarah, the Cow, Chapter 2
ayah 1-2
That
to me was an amazing linkage he did. What about you?
The Essence of Ramadaan
The
fasting of Ramadaan has a purpose that Allah azza wa jal outlines clearly to
us. He says;
‘O you who believe! Observing the
fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that
you may become Al-Muttaquun (explained above).’
Surah al-Baqarah, the Cow, Chapter 2
ayah 183
From
this ayah, we see that at the end of the day fasting could make us
‘al-Muttaquun.’
Who are the al-Muttaquun?
They
are the people of ‘Taqwa.’ Taqwa has been defined as ‘the state of being
conscious of Allah.’ Meaning at any point in time, the Muttaquun have Allah and
His interests in their minds and they work towards pleasing Him solely. Allah
azza wa jal tells us explicitly who the Muttaquun are. He says;
‘Those who believe in the unseen and
perform as-Sualaat, and spend out of what We have provided for them. And who
believe in that which has been sent down to you and in that which was sent down
before you and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. They are on true
guidance from their Lord and they are the successful.’
Surah al-Baqarah, the Cow, Chapter 2
ayah 3-5
Do
you have all or any of these qualities? We must all ponder and strive towards
worshiping Allah to the best of our abilities.
The
people of Taqwa, Allah tells us, are the best of people. He says;
‘O mankind! We have created you from a
male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one
another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that believer who has
Taqwa (the most pious of you). Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.’
Surah Al-Hujuraat, the Dwellings,
Chapter 49 ayah 13
It
is only wise that all of us will yearn to be among the best of people to Allah
azza wa jal Who alone is worthy of our worship and praise.
From
all that has been said above, I could deduce something beautiful.
1.
Allah sent us the
Qur’an (our guidance) in the month of Ramadaan
2.
When we fast during
this month seeking this guidance, we attain Taqwa
3.
Attaining Taqwa
makes us the best of people before Allah
So,
this thing is like a training session for us. It is like wanting to turn a cup
of maize grains into dough. You take it through a number of processes to
achieve this and that is exactly what Allah azza wa jal does with us. To turn
us into the best of people, He takes us through these beautiful steps. Indeed,
He is ‘Merciful’ and His Mercy truly surpasses His Wrath.
If
we are able to go through the month of Ramadaan whilst fasting it with this
kind of understanding, then bi iznil Laah, we grow from strength to strength
with each Ramadaan that Allah in His infinite Wisdom allows us to witness. May
Allah favour us with a blessing of His taqwa. Aameen.
What Does Taqwa Do to You?
Taqwa
as we understood it above is ‘the state of being conscious of Allah at all
times.’ We could say that it is the ‘Remembrance of Allah azza wa jal always’
which is termed as dhikrul Laah. Allah tells us how dhikr of Him benefits us
even in this world. He says;
‘…verily, in the remembrance of Allah
do hearts find rest.’
Surah Ar-Ra’d, the Thunder, Chapter 13
ayah 28
Rest
as used here means a lot of things to me: ‘Peace,’ ‘Tranquility,’ ‘Calm,’
‘Serenity.’ So I have grown to appreciate so much ‘inner peace, calm, serenity,
tranquility’ which I will equate to ‘inner rest’ ‘heart at rest.’
Amir
Mukhtaar who was known as Loon before his reversion to Islam was a top time
international musician who confesses how he had yearned for inner peace whilst
he wasn’t Muslim. Among his strategies for wanting inner peace was buying the
latest and nicest of everything yet he still felt that void deep within.
Alhamdu lil Laah, he found that in Islam.
Allah
azza wa jal also describes the people of taqwa as successful. He says;
‘They are on true guidance from their
Lord and they are the successful.’
Surah al-Baqarah, the Cow, Chapter 2
ayah 5
What
kind of success do you think Allah azza wa jal is talking about? Is it that
they are the wealthiest in terms of material possessions or that they have
contentment or both? I will leave you to ponder on that.
May
Allah azza wa jal make us among the Muttaquun who are the best in His sight and
who attain ‘rest at heart’ and are the ‘successful.’ Aameen. I love you fiisabi
lil Laah and may Allah be a witness to this love.
Jazaakumul Laahu khair always!
Islam forever in shaa Allah!
Rubaba Mmahajia Rahma Sabtiu
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