Tag: tasbeeh

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Fasting New Muslims

All About Ramadan 1438-2017

Islam aims to transform the whole life of man into a life of worship. Fasting is the second act of worship that Allah enjoins upon the Muslim that help us come to that life of total worship.

Sawm or the Fasting means abstaining from dawn to sunset from eating, drinking and sex.

Like the prayer, this act of worship has been part of the Shari`ah given by all the Prophets. Their followers fasted as we do.

However, the rules, the number of days, and the periods prescribed for fasting have varied from one Shari`ah to another. Today, although fasting remains a part of most religions in some form or other, people have often changed its original form by accretions of their own.

O Believers! Fasting is ordained for you, even as it was ordained for those before you. (Al-Baqarah 2:183

Why has this particular act of worship been practiced in all eras?

Ramadan is earmarked for all Muslims to fast together, to ensure similar results, turning individual into collective i`badah, and suffusing the whole environment with a spirit of righteousness, virtue and piety. As flowers blossom in spring, so does taqwa in Ramadan.

The Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, said:

Every good deed of a man is granted manifold increase, ten to seven hundred times. But says Allah: Fasting is an exception; it is exclusively for Me, and I reward for it as much as I wish. (Al-Bukhari, Muslim)

So, how do we fast in Ramadan? what is true spirit of fasting as an act of worship? And what is the wisdom behind fasting? How can we reap the benefits of witnessing the blessed month of Ramadan?

In this Special Folder (All About Ramadan), we will focus on fasting and its related issues.

The Faith Revival (With Sh. Omar Suleiman)

Faith Is Refuge

(1) Faith Is Refuge  

Before exploring different methods of reviving and protecting our faith, it’s important to unde

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Prepare Yourself for Ramadan

Your First Ramadan: Get It Right

Your First Ramadan: Get It Right

Looking ahead to your first Ramadan as a Muslim? How do you expect it to be? What plans do you have for the Holy Month? How achievable are they?

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What Is Meaning & Significance of Fasting?

Fasting: Exclusively Private Worship

Fasting: Exclusively Private Worship

Devotion and piety can themselves become habits. When a person starts concentrating in prayer, it is difficult at first to keep focus. The mind is easily distracted. However, after years of persistence, devotion

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Tarawih Prayer

Ramadan’s First Night: Open the Gates of Blessings

Ramadan’s First Night: Open the Gates of Blessings

What virtues does the first night of Ramadan have? At whom will Allah look in that blessed night? Why? What did the Prophet say about it?

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Your Health in Ramadan

Fasting and Overall Health

Fasting and Overall Health

In some cases, fasting could do more harm than good to some ill people, but could be beneficial to others, and even improve health. Who is exempted from fasting, who can decide this? How should fasting…

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Last Ten Days of Ramadan

The Last Ten Nights of Ramadan – Don’t Miss!

The Last Ten Nights of Ramadan – Don’t Miss!

The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. These are the nights that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would spend in constant worship. Among these nights is Laylat al-Qadr…

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E-Books on Ramadan

New Muslim Ramadan Guide

New Muslim Ramadan Guide

With the coming of Ramadan, every Muslim has to prepare himself for that blessed month. This book tackles the most important issues that a Muslim has to be aware of before going on fasting. It tries to present the rulings of fasting as well as the spiritual objectives for which fasting was obligated. Take your time in going through this helpful book and we hope that we provided something that has been beneficial for you.

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Previous Years

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Fasting New Muslims

Ramadan and the Three Types of Fasting

When it’s done right, fasting leads to taqwa (piety and God-consciousness). There’re three levels of fasting. The first level fasting from food and drink and intimate relationships. And there’s fasting of the limps. The higher level of fasting is that of the heart.

What do you know about these level of fasting? How does our heart fast?

 

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Source: TheProphetsPath YouTube Channel

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Categories
Fasting New Muslims

Ramadan in the Prophetic Sunnah

By Editorial Staff

Ramadan is the season of goodness, blessings; a time in which rewards are multiplied and the heart is purified from all spiritual diseases and the body is purified from the burdens and worldly desires.

Learn about the virtuous month , its goodness, and unmatched blessings from the Prophet’s Sunnah and make the best use of it and get ready for the Holly Month…

Fourth Pillar of Islam

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “(The structure of) Islam is built on five (pillars): Testifying of ‘La ilaha illa Allah’ (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), that Muhammad is his slave and Messenger, the establishment of Salah, the payment of Zakah, the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (Ka`bah), and sawm (fasting) during the month of Ramadan.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

A man questioned the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, “Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is halal, and treat as forbidden that which is haram, and do not increase upon that (in voluntary good deeds), then I shall enter Paradise?” He (peace be upon him) replied, “Yes.” (Muslim)

Virtues of Fasting

It was narrated from Az-Zuhri from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said:

“When Ramadan begins, the gates of mercy are opened and the gates of Hall are closed, and the devils are chained up.” (An-Nasa’i)

Also, narrated Abu Hurairah:

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said, ”When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.” (Al-Bukhari)

Abu Hurairah reported:

Verily the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The five (daily) prayers and from one Friday Prayer to the (next) Friday Prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan are expiations for the (sins) committed in between (their intervals) provided one shuns the major sins.” (Muslim)

Narrated Abu Bakrah:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: The two months of `Eid (festival), Ramadan and Dhul-Hijjah, are not defective. (Abu Dawud)

Reward for Fasting

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying regarding Ramadan, “Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari)

From one Ramadan to the next are an expiation for whatever (sins) come in between, so long as one avoids major sins:

Narrated Abu Ayyub:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: If anyone fasts during Ramadan, then follows it with six days in Shawwal, it will be like a perpetual fast. (Abu Dawud, authenticated by Al-Albani)

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and the hope of reward will be forgiven his previous sins.” (Ibn Majah)

The Month of Patience

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “The month of patience ( Ramadan) and three days of each month is fasting for a lifetime.” (An-Nasa’i)

Sahur

`Amr ibn Al-`Ass (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “The difference between our observance of Sawm (fasting) and that of the people of the Scriptures is Sahur (predawn meal in Ramadan).” (Muslim)

Narrated Al-Irbad ibn Sariyyah:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) invited me to a meal shortly before dawn in Ramadan saying: Come to the blessed morning meal. (Abu Dawud)

`Umrah during Ramadan

Ibn `Abbas told us:

“The Messenger of Allah said to a woman from among the Ansar: ‘When it is Ramadan, perform `Umrah then, for `Umrah during it is equivalent to Hajj.” (An-Nasa’i)

Umm Ma`qil narrated that:

“The Prophet said: “`Umrah during Ramadan is equal to Hajj.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Charity in Ramadan

Anas narrated that:

The Prophet was asked which fast was most virtuous after Ramadan? He said: “Sha`ban in honor of Ramadan” He said: “Which charity is best?” He (peace be upon him) said: “Charity in Ramadan.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Ibn `Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the most generous of people in giving charity. He was even more generous in Ramadan when Jibreel (Angel Gabriel) used to meet him. Every night of Ramadan Jibreel used to come to him and the Messenger of Allah would read the Qur’an to him. When Jibreel came to him, the Messenger of Allah was more generous in giving charity than the blowing wind.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

Tasbeeh in Ramadan

Tasbeeh is glorifying and praising Allah.

Az-Zuhri said:

“A tasbihah in Ramadan is better than a thousand tasbihah in other that it.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Ramadan’s Last Ten Days

`A’ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said:

“With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would pray all the night, and would keep his family awake for the prayers. He tied his lower garment (i.e., avoided sleeping with his wives) and devoted himself entirely to prayer and supplication.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet’s Last Advice

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:

I heard Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during the sermon of the Farewell Pilgrimage saying, “Be mindful of your duty to Allah; perform your five daily Salah, observe sawm (fasting) during the month (of Ramadan) , pay the Zakah on your properties and obey your leaders; (if you do so) you will enter the Jannah of your Lord”. (At-Tirmidhi)

 

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New Muslims Reflections

Keeping up with Mentioning God: The Thirteenth Stop of Your Spiritual Journey to God

By Dr. Jasser Auda

Do not stop mentioning God just because your heart is not present. Forgetting Him completely is worse than being inattentive while you are mentioning God; perhaps He will elevate you from being inattentive to being attentive, and from being attentive to being fully present with Him, and from being fully present with Him to being fully absent from anything but Him. “This is not difficult for God.” (Fatir 35:17)

Keeping up with Mentioning God

Sometimes you mention God but you do not reflect on the meaning of saying subhan Allah.

Resist Forgetfulness

We are still passing though the stage of cleaning up in our journey searching for the flaws and attempting to get rid of them. This word of wisdom tackles a serious flaw of the soul which is that of forgetting mentioning God. We often get plagued with this flaw throughout the day. Remembrance is the opposite meaning of forgetfulness. When you mention God, you are not in a state of forgetfulness.

God says “And bethink yourself of thy Sustainer humbly and with awe, and without raising your voice, at morn and at evening; and do not allow yourself to be heedless.” (Al-A`raf 7:205); “… and remember Him as the One who guided you…” (Al-Baqarah 2:198); “… bear God in mind – since it is He who taught you what you did not previously know.” (Aal `Imran 3:239); “And when you have finished your prayer, remember God – standing and sitting and lying down.” (An-Nisaa’ 4:103); “O you who have attained to faith! Remember God with unceasing remembrance. And extol His limitless glory from morn to evening.” (Al-Ahzab 33:41-42); “… so remember Me, and I shall remember you.” (Al-Baqarah 2:152)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Keep your tongue busy with God’s remembrance.”  (At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

These are clear and direct instructions to remember God in all our states. The Prophet used to mention God in all his states, and every state has a special supplication which is in itself a form of mentioning God.

Also, we read in the Qur’an: “Those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God – for, verily, in the remembrance of God (men’s) hearts do find their rest.” (Ar-Ra`d 13:28)

Mentioning God brings about a state of rest in the heart which draws one closer to God. Mentioning God is the ultimate goal of the rituals. God says: “… and be constant in prayer, so as to remember Me!” (Ta-Ha 20:14)

Therefore, the objective of the prayer is God’s remembrance. God’s remembrance is even greater than prayer in terms of restraining man from committing bad deeds and al that runs counter to reason. God says: “… behold, prayer restrains (man) from loathsome deeds and from all that runs counter to reason; and remembrance of God is indeed the greatest (good).” (Al-`Ankabut 29:45)

God will Elevate You

However, Ibn `Ata’illah is talking here about not feeling God’s remembrance in our hearts. The question is: should we neglect God’s remembrance when we do not feel it in our hearts? Or should we stop God’s remembrance despite not feeling it?

Ibn `Ata’illah says: “Do not stop mentioning God just because your heart is not present. Forgetting Him completely is worse than being inattentive while you are mentioning Him; perhaps He will elevate you from being inattentive to being attentive, and from being attentive to being fully present with Him, and from being fully present with Him to being fully absent from anything but Him. “This is not difficult for God.” (Fatir 35:17)”

This means if your heart is not present when you mention God, do not stop mentioning God. If, for example, you read the Qur’an but you do not reflect on the verses you are reading because you are mind is busy with something else, or that you mention God but you do not reflect on the meaning of saying subhan Allah (Glory be to God), al-hamdullilah (praise be to God), la ilaha illa Allah (there is not god but God), in such cases, do not stop mentioning God.

Therefore, as Ibn `Ata’illah suggests, do not stop mentioning God just because your heart is not present. Forgetting Him completely is worse than being inattentive while you are mentioning Him; perhaps He will elevate you from being inattentive to being attentive, and from being attentive to being fully present with Him.

The least degree of mentioning God is that you mention Him while you are attentive, i.e. you are not sleeping. God says: “O you who have attained to faith! do not attempt to pray while you are in a state of drunkenness, (but wait) until you know what you are saying.” (An-Nisaa’ 4:43)

Perhaps He will elevate you from being inattentive to being attentive, i.e. God will wake you from the state from drunkenness which makes you neglect the real mentioning of God, and He will elevate you to the state of being attentive, then to a higher state of being fully present with him.

Ibn `Ata’illah says: “Perhaps He will elevate you from being attentive to being fully present with Him.” Being fully present with Him is a degree higher than being attentive, i.e. the servant’s heart is present while mentioning God. When you mention Paradise, you call it to your mind. When you mention Hellfire, you call it to your mind. When you mention God, you call to your mind His glory and favors.

This presence of the heart is what `Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him) described in his famous sermon about the characteristics of those who are conscious of God.

Imam `Ali said: “When they come across a verse which contains fear (of Hell) they bend the ears of their hearts towards it, and feel as though the sound of Hell and its cries are reaching their ears. If they come across a verse creating eagerness (for Paradise) they pursue it avidly, and their spirits turn towards it eagerly, and they feel as if it is in front of them.”

Therefore, it is not difficult for God to elevate us from being inattentive to being attentive, and from being attentive to being fully present with Him. If we are elevated to such a level, we will be like the companions who felt and heard the unseen world of Paradise and Hell.

Then Ibn `Ata’illah says: “God will elevate you from being fully present with Him to being fully absent from anything but Him.” One may mention God and do not feel anything around him. This is a Godly favor which, if bestowed on any Muslim once a day or once a week, he will be experiencing a lot of good feelings. One will reflect deeply in the meaning of the different forms of mentioning God. Beyond the meaning, one will be absent from anything but God.

This has nothing to do with those who claim that they do not see anything but God and that they are not part of the world, etc. This is a bit of an exaggeration. But we are talking about a state in which we feel we are absent from anything but God. When you mention God’s Divine Attributes, you remember His favors on you, and that you suffer from shortcomings. You also feel God’s bounty and generosity. This meaning makes you forget the blessing and make you reflect on the Giver of this blessing.

It’s All about God’s Mercy and Favour

Finally, Ibn `Ata’illah quotes the verse “This is not difficult for God.”  This means that all this depends on God’s mercy and bounty as we learned from the first word of wisdom that we do not rely on our deeds and put our trust on Him alone.

We pray to God to make us among those who mention Him in a continuous and complete manner. We also ask God to make us thankful to Him and to worship Him in the best way.

We pray to God to elevate us from being inattentive to being attentive, and from being attentive to being fully present with Him, and from being fully present with Him to being fully absent from anything but Him. ‘This is not difficult for God.’

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The article is excerpted from “Some of Al-Hikam Al-Ataiyyah” (The Path to God: A Journey with Ibn `Ata’illah’s Words of Wisdom In the Light of the Quran, the Prophetic Tradition, and Universal Laws of God- By Dr. Jasser Auda

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New Muslims Reflections

Freedom from Humiliation, Neediness, and Illusion: The Fourteenth Stop of Your Spiritual Journey to God

By Dr. Jasser Auda

The tree of humiliation stems from a seed of neediness. Nothing deceives you as your illusion. You are free from what you gave up on, and you are a slave to what you are in need of.

Freedom from Humiliation

If you are a servant to God, then you are free from others than Him.

Cleaning up before beautification is still passing through the stage of searching for another flaw which affects one’s belief which is that of feeling humiliated by others. Because trying to discover the flaws within you is better than trying to discover the worlds hidden from you, Ibn `Ata’illah analyses the reason behind this flaw and shows us how to overcome it.

The direct reason for feeling humiliated by people is neediness. Ibn `Ata’illah eloquently expresses this in the following words: “The tree of humiliation stems from a seed of neediness.” The small seed of neediness is watered with words and actions through which one tries to reach his goals, and thus, he feels deeply humiliated.

Then Ibn `Ata’illah says: “Nothing deceives you as your illusion. You are free from what you gave up on, and you are a slave to what you are in need of.”

A Slave to Others

Neediness makes you a slave to others than God. But what is the reason behind neediness? What is the reason behind being a slave to others than God and feeling humiliated by others? Ibn `Ata’illah tells us that the main reason behind all this is illusion, so he says: “Nothing deceives you as your illusion.” The question is: what is the illusion about which Ibn `Ata’illah is talking?

The one who is need of what people have might think that those people will benefit or harm him. For example, he might think that people who have power or wealth will bring benefit or harm to him, so he becomes greedy and thus feels humiliated by others.

In fact, people never bring benefit or cause harm to others. God is the creator of good and the creator of the harmful. Neediness is the source of humiliation, and illusion is the source of neediness.

Ibn `Ata’illah says that nothing deceives you as the illusion that people benefit or harm you. It is true that you have to interact with people, ask them to help you with something or do you a favor. There is nothing wrong with this as long as seeking peoples’ help does not imply any neediness which produces humiliation. This feeling of humiliation is the result of the illusion that people might benefit or harm others.

With Dignity

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says: “Ask for your needs with dignity.” It is normal to ask for your needs, but when you ask people to do you a favor or ask them for money, you have to ask them with dignity, i.e. without feeling humiliated or having a greedy attitude. You should not plant the seed of neediness as it leads to humiliation, which grows like the tree. Eventually, humiliation turns into a state of being a slave to others than God.

If you free yourself from the illusion that people have the ability to benefit or harm you, you will be saved. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told Ibn `Abbas (may God be pleased with him) when he was young that:

“If the whole nation were to unite and try to benefit you in something, they would never benefit you except by that which God has written for you. And if the whole nation were to unite and try to harm you in something, they would never be able to harm you except that God had written it upon you.”

Real Freedom

The real freedom is servitude to God. This is the definition of freedom in the Islamic perspective of life. If you are a servant to God, then you are free from others than Him. You are free from human beings. You are free from any social, economic, psychological or financial pressures. You are free from all this because “you are from what you gave up on.”

If you have a sound belief in God and you are trusting God, you feel sure that people cannot benefit or harm you. You will become a real servant to God. No humiliation, no neediness, no illusion.

Ibn `Ata’illah’s saying that the tree of humiliation stems from a seed of neediness is achieved when one asks God only and feels humiliated before Him alone. This feeling of humiliation supports the concept of servitude to God which is the real meaning of freedom, i.e. you become a servant to God alone through asking from Him and giving up the idea that people can benefit or harm.

The more you ask from God alone and the more you rely on Him, the more you feel humiliated before Him. Eventually this feeling of humiliation leads to the feeling of dignity.

Based on this, the word of wisdom that says: “the tree of humiliation stems from a seed of neediness” can be understood from two sides: first, the human side in which one shows a greedy attitude to what people have. This attitude is in itself an illusion because the one who causes benefit and harm is God, the Almighty. We should rid ourselves of this attitude which makes one a slave to others than God.

The other side which helps us understand Ibn `Ata’illah’s words is to ask God alone and seek His provision only with a feeling of humiliation which leads to a state of servitude to God. What a beautiful servitude and what a great freedom which you can enjoy only when you serve God alone. If you become a real servant to God, then you are free from others and you are journeying to Him.

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The article is excerpted from “Some of Al-Hikam Al-Ataiyyah” (The Path to God: A Journey with Ibn `Ata’illah’s Words of Wisdom In the Light of the Quran, the Prophetic Tradition, and Universal Laws of God- By Dr. Jasser Auda

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