Warming up for R

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

www.mmahajia.blogspot.com