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The Month of Mercy and Forgiveness
Allaah (ﷻ) designed fasting as a time of examination of our own mental and emotional states in order to increase our level of Taqwa. Ramadaan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship.
Ramadaan teaches us to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity.
Allaah (ﷻ) say:
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:183)
Allaah (ﷻ) also say:
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ
“Indeed, the Most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you.”
(Al-Hujurat 49:13)
This means that you earn honour with Allaah (ﷻ) if you are His righteous servant.
In a Hadeeth, Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) reported that The Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) said: “When the month of Ramadaan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 6, 2361)
This means since the gates of Hell are closed and devils are chained, what will stop you from striving for the opened Gates (Jannah)?
In another hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever fasts during [the blessed month of] Ramadaan with faith and seeking reward, then all of his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 38 and Sahih Muslim, 760)
Ramadaan is not here to change our schedules, it is here to change our hearts. In fact, Allaah does not look at our bodies; He looks into our hearts, which are the true conduit of communication with Him (ﷻ) and keep our relationship strong with Him (ﷻ).
How you feel in your Salaah will give you an indication of the level of your Imaan, and how you feel during the recitation of the Qur’an will give you an indication of the condition of your heart.
As Allaah (ﷻ) say:
“The month of Ramadaan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allaah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allaah for that [to] which He has guided you, and perhaps you will be grateful.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:185)
And He (ﷻ) also says:
لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour];”
(Ibrahim 14:7)
This means if you give thanks to Allaah (ﷻ), He will give you more, so why would you not be grateful to your Lord?
And He (ﷻ) say again:
فَبِأَىِّ ءَالَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبَانِ
“So which of the favours of your Lord would you deny?”
(Ar-Rahman 55:13)
Absolutely none
However, if we become conscious of the value and importance of the practice of this blessed month and engage in it in a lifetime, we will come out of the month with renewed strength and energy to grow in every area of our lives: spiritual development, higher consciousness, improved personal relationships, better health, stronger finances, more satisfactory professional lives and be among the successful.
We ask Allaah to forgive our shortcomings, bless our affairs, give us good in this world, save us from the torment of the fire, extend His blessings, mercy, kindness, and sustenance on us, save us from disgrace and punishment in the Hereafter and accept our every act of ibadah.
آمِيْن يَارَبَّ الْعَالَمِينْ
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🕋 ISLAM GENERATION DA’WAH GROUP
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