#ramadan2024 - Day 1
Islam is NOT just a set of dietary requirements and prohibitions on debauchery — it is the path to truth, the guidebook for mankind.
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًۭى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ ٢
This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful ˹of Allah˺ — Qur’an 2:2
Allah opens the Qur’an by telling us our purpose on this earth — the Qur’an is our guide in this life.
Those who follow the Qur’an and the commandments of God:
"أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَىٰ هُدًۭى مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ٥
It is they who are ˹truly˺ guided by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful." — Qur’an 2:5
Success in this context means achieving mindfulness of God. Throughout our day being aware of Him, most exalted, and as such worshipping Him constantly in the big and the small actions of our daily lives.
"قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۭا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًۭى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٣٨
We said: Descend all of you! Then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows it, there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve." — Qur’an 2:38
This is ultimately the path to personal peace, tranquility and no fear in life.
Alhamdulillah 'Ala Kulli Haal.
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ
All praises are for Allah throughout everything
We thank Him for allowing us to reach another blessed Ramadan.
#ramadan2024 - Day-2
In Pre-Modern times this was clear to anyone
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍۢ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍۢ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ ١٦٤
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of the day and the night; the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity; the rain sent down by Allah from the skies, reviving the earth after its death; the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout; the shifting of the winds; and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth—˹in all of this˺ are surely signs for people of understanding." — Qu’ran 2:164
God is around us in everything. In pre-modern times this was clear to anyone walking in nature and truly being present with it. Witnessing the beauty and intricacy of nature, all of it points to a creator.
People who can step back from the noise and appreciate the world for what it is will find that God’s apparent nature is clear in everything.
In today’s distracted age it is rare to find time and perspective to appreciate God’s grandeur.
When we set aside our constant distractions and focus on our meaning, we can see God facilitating everything in the world — be that in the grand turnings of the cosmos right down to the small and seemlingly mundane aspects of life.
The devil, Shaitan, his only trick is distraction. He wants to distract us away from God. To get us focusing on other than our purpose.
إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ١٦٩
“He (Shaitan) only incites you to commit evil and indecency, and to claim against Allah what you do not know.” — Qur’an 2:169
On the day of judgement, also known as the day of regret, we will all regret something. Be that something heinous or something small. Even the best of people will wish they had more time on earth to better follow God and fulfill our purpose of witnessing Him, loving Him and worshiping Him whole-heartedly.
#ramadan2024 - Day-3
Belief and action🤝
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٢٧٧
“Indeed, those who believe, do good, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax will receive their reward from their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” — Qur’an 2:277
Belief comes hand-in-hand with action.
We aren’t told that “those who believed will be saved” nor are we told that “those who do good will be saved”
Rather we are told that the successful believers are those who bring belief and action together.
As believers we fly like birds, with two wings: hope and fear.
Whatever we do we hope that it will be accepted, but we never become complacent in our deeds, we have to always be scrupulous, careful and fearful if our deeds will be accepted
Being Muslim is belief in Allah and his messengers, his book, his angels believing in this Book entails not just testifying to that belief but following it up with actions enjoined in the Qur’an like praying and charity.
#ramadan2024 - Day-4
Can only Muslims do good deeds?
۞ لَيْسُوا۟ سَوَآءًۭ ۗ مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أُمَّةٌۭ قَآئِمَةٌۭ يَتْلُونَ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ ١١٣
يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ١١٤
وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍۢ فَلَن يُكْفَرُوهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلْمُتَّقِينَ ١١٥
"Yet they are not all alike: there are some among the People of the Book who are upright, who recite God’s revelations throughout the night, prostrating ˹in prayer˺. They believe in God and the Last Day, encourage good and forbid evil, and race with one another in doing good. They are ˹truly˺ among the righteous. They will never be denied the reward for any good they have done. And God has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of those mindful ˹of Him˺." — Qur’an 3:113-115
We acknowledge goodness wherever we see it.
Even if we see goodness from someone who we know otherwise does other actions we don’t agree with we can still acknowledge and support the righteous actions that they’re doing, while disagreeing with their wrong actions.
This can be hard in practice to separate people from their deeds but ultimately we support good-deeds and righteous actions while always condemning evil.
Scholars of Islam have differed on whether righteous people of other faiths will enter into heaven. (https://seekersguidance.org/answers/islamic-belief/what-is-the-fate-of-non-muslims-in-the-afterlife/)
Scholars such as Al-ghazailli have said that for most people in the world, the faith of Islam hasn’t reached them in its true form. For someone to be a true disbeliever they would have to understand the faith and the Prophet (ﷺ) and choose to still reject it! Turning away from it and not acting on the truth that they’ve seen.
#ramadan2024 - Day-5
🥖 Bread and circuses 🎪
يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ٢٦
"It is Allah’s Will to make things clear to you, guide you to the ˹noble˺ ways of those before you, and turn to you in mercy. For Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." — Qur’an 4:26
God wants us to lead good lives, finding purpose meaning and ultimately returning back to Him.
Our purpose in this life is to witness Allah and worship Him at all times.
Our modern world is so full of distractions — Shaytan and his collaborators seek only to further distract us from God.
وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِ أَن تَمِيلُوا۟ مَيْلًا عَظِيمًۭا ٢٧
And it is Allah’s Will to turn to you in grace, but those who follow their desires wish to see you deviate entirely ˹from Allah’s Way˺.— Qur’an 4:27
To "deviate entirely" is to become lost in the world, to become preoccupied with temporary things, other than God.
As the Roman poet Juvenal said "panem et circenses" - "Bread and circuses" people can become consumed with worldly desires for food, pleasure and entertainment — forgetting to devote themselves to meaning and the greater good.
Many apps and people today are vying for our attention — knowingly or unknowingly trying to lead us off the path of Godd.
May we always be in remembrance of God, His majesty, His favour upon us, His power, beauty and mercy.
May we see Him in all things and worship Him at all times.